Stools pulled up to an island provide space for casual dining and invite conversations with the cook.
When two cooks will work simultaneously in the space, 48-inch widths are preferred.
You could also position a lower or higher add-on table at the island’s outer end.
Credit: Greg Scheidemann
Amplify interest by usingvarying finishes or countertop surfacesto differentiate one tier from another visually.
Barstools fit underneath 42- to 46-inch-high breakfast bars, and counter stools work with standard 36-inch-high island tops.
Low stools anddining chairstuck beneath tabletop-height counters (30 inches).
Credit: Caren Alpert
The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends giving island sitters plenty of elbow room.
For example, each seated diner at a 30-inch-high table or counter will need a 30-inch-wide by 19-inch-deep space.
Curved Breakfast Bar
Breakfast bars that curve outward provide more room than their straight-lined counterparts.
Credit:Interior Impressions
The other end features twocabinet doorsthat open to storeseasonal serveware, entertaining essentials, and other less-frequently used items.
This will also save on labor costs and materials since creating your own requires specialized skills.
A kitchen island shouldn’t take up more than 10 percent of your kitchen’s square footage.
Credit: Bruce Buck
Classic kitchen islands are rectangular because this is the most functional option.
Credit: John Granen
Credit: Kimberly Gavin
Credit: Edmund Barr
Credit: Anthony Masterson
