Kitchen - Island Bench
Mix up your surfaces The cooking and eating zones on this island unit have been ingeniously divided up, thanks to different benchtop materials. It’s a simple trick that makes it instantly feel less like a workaday kitchen and more like a multifunctional space. Curvy, upholstered stools also help give the wooden bar area a more relaxed, comfortable feel.
Designate a drawer Don’t just go for a chuck-it-all-in drawer of randomness – this design has an in-built power supply to charge multiple devices neatly out of sight. However, even without the hidden power point, a dedicated kitchen drawer is a good place to store devices – use a divider or wire basket in a drawer to keep everything neat and tidy.
Work zones are really just the natural evolution of the kitchen work triangle. As kitchens grew in size and opened up to other rooms in the house, it became more of a challenge to place appliances in a neat triangular layout. We also have more appliances than ever before – dishwashers, extra sinks, microwaves, separate cooktops and wall ovens – not to mention more people working and socialising in the space. By sectioning off your kitchen into work zones, you’ll maximise efficiency in a larger space; and more cooks, as well as their guests, will be better accommodated.
The open floor area around the island also requires some calculation. Ahmann suggests about 91cm of floor space on the ends of the island. The working sides of an island should have 1m of space as a minimum, but more than 1.5m usually isn’t necessary. The entertaining and eating side of the island is usually determined by the adjacent space – a dining room or living room – if there is one.
If the island is going to be your main prep area, you’ll need garbage, recycling and compost areas nearby, too. How big is your kitchen? If you have a large kitchen and your refrigerator isn’t near the island, you may want a smaller refrigerator under the benchtop nearby. If you’re installing a cooktop, take the space needed for an exhaust vent or hood into account. Make a list of everything you want in your kitchen island, in order of priority. You may not be able to get everything in your island, but try to get at least your top five features.
The minimum chair/stool pull-out distance behind a seating area to a wall or other objects is 600 millimetres – this is if the area behind will not be used as a walkway. A minimum of 900 millimetres of space will allow another person to edge behind a seated diner, and a minimum of 1,100 millimetres will provide comfortable walking space behind a seated diner. If your island benchtop is all the same level at the typical 900 millimetres high, aim for 300 to 400 millimetres of leg room where seating is placed. If you have an 1,100-millimetre-high servery benchtop, you can also aim for 300 millimetres of leg room, but if your bar stools have heel rests then 200 millimetres of leg room should suffice. These measurements let your legs fit comfortably beneath the benchtop when seated and also mean your stools can be stored under the benchtop when not in use.
Leg room An island can be a great place to gather for breakfast or even dinner. The depth of leg room required under the benchtop overhang for diners to sit comfortably at your island will depend on the height of the benchtop itself. If your bench is 750 millimetres high (regular table height), aim for 450 millimetres of leg room underneath.
Space between diners It’s important that any diners at your island are comfortable – you don’t want them squashed beside each other with no elbow room. Allow for at least 600 millimetres width per person when seated at an island. This will ensure each diner has sufficient room to eat their meal free from others’ elbows on their plates.
The minimum chair/stool pull-out distance behind a seating area to a wall or other objects is 600 millimetres – this is if the area behind will not be used as a walkway. A minimum of 900 millimetres of space will allow another person to edge behind a seated diner, and a minimum of 1,100 millimetres will provide comfortable walking space behind a seated diner.
Space behind diners If your island is positioned so that the seating side of your island has a wall, another benchtop or other pieces of furniture behind it, you should keep the following measurements in mind to ensure diners have adequate room to push back their chair or stool to stand up. Depending on your layout, you may also need adequate room for someone to walk behind a seated person.
Where people usually stand to work at the island or in other parts of the kitchen facing the island – think of the stovetop and sink, and also where appliances, such as the dishwasher and fridge, open into the space – you will need to plan for even more space where possible. The ideal space between the working areas of the island and other benches is 1,000 to 1,200 millimetres, although 900 millimetres will suffice in a one-cook kitchen.
Space around the island To avoid traffic jams and poor flow it is very important to plan for adequate room around your island, and this space should be the first thing you consider when planning your kitchen island. Plan for at least 900 millimetres of space between the island and fixed items – other benchtops in the kitchen, walls or pieces of furniture. This will allow enough room for people to move around the island without having to turn sideways.
For a streamlined look – as well a back support – you can’t go past this beautiful shape.
Space around island fittings If you are planning to have your sink or stovetop located in your island bench, ensure they are positioned a minimum of 300 millimetres from the edge. Aim for 600 millimetres of landing space to one side and 450 millimetres to the other, where possible. A little support. A compromise is this type of stool which doesn’t have a full back-rest, but just a hint of one which might be enough to support your lower back.
An alternative might be to choose the type of stools that are slightly moulded to your curves.
Backless stools. The good thing about backless stools is that they help to create a seamless look and can be tucked neatly away under your bench top – also a better choice if space is an issue. The downside is that, if you’re intending to spend a lot of time on them, they might not be as comfortable as those with some back support.
Grand entrance This playful take on a cartoon mouse door is actually the cat’s entryway into a cupboard off the main bathroom that houses the kitty litter tray. Genius.
Built-in bowls How fabulous is this kitchen island? Store your dogs’ food, leads and toys in the drawers above and their food and water in the bowls below. Note the over-bowl lighting – we can’t have the pooches not being able to see what they’re eating, now can we?
Plan for some empty space (yes, really) It’s worth reminding yourself, storage isn’t everything. It might seem tempting to fill every spare centimetre of your kitchen with cupboards and drawers, but that could, ironically, leave your pad feeling more cramped. Instead, build in some breathing space to keep things stylish. In this kitchen, minimal, ceiling-height cupboards maximise every inch of storage – but open shelving with smart lighting and just a smattering of ornaments stops the room feeling closed-in and sterile and keeps it chic.
Build in a nook for pets If you have a cat or dog, then chances are they spend quite a lot of time in your kitchen. While you’re hardly going to require ‘storage’ for your pet, building in a bespoke special doggy chill-out zone, as seen here, could well be worth considering if it frees up space elsewhere.
Be creative When planning cupboards, drawers and shelves, ask yourself the most crucial question: what will I actually be using them for? For many of us, kitchen storage isn’t just about plates, pans, mugs and cutlery, it’s about those other trickier items, such as the iron, vacuum cleaner and chunky blender. A bespoke cupboard may be the answer. This clever design manages to incorporate all those odds and ends, plus a slender wine rack to boot.
Reach up high with a ladder Are your ceilings extra high? Do your cabinets reach right up to them? If not, then you could be missing out on potential storage space. In this lofty room, an extra bank of cabinets has been built to make the most of the available space, in conjunction with a ladder that slides along on a rail so that the top shelves can be reached.
Something to think about: Look for a sink with a waste drain at the back of the sink rather than the centre to give you more cabinet space underneath.
Flush-mount sinks Flush mounting is simply rebating the sink to sit flush with the surface of the benchtop. Flush-mounts have become more common in laminate bench ranges for the past few years, as the range of laminates has called for a more modern fit. They require very precise machining to ensure a perfect fit. They are fairly uncommon – and to be honest not advisable. Most top manufacturers won’t flush-mount a sink in gloss laminate – they have a tendency to show through.
Tectonite Sinks Tectonite is very new to the market. It’s similar to granite, but with a few extra features, most of which are based on what we don’t like about granite. Tectonite sinks are lighter than stone – and they are UV-resistant (colour fast). They withstand high temperatures and are easy to clean. They are also 100 per cent recyclable. With a natural modern look – generally, they’re undermounted – they’re becoming increasingly popular. TIP: They’re new, so less is known about their long-term performance and there’s a limited range of manufacturers. Some models have very narrow mounting flanges.
Think about elevating dishwasher If you dislike bending down to load and unload your dishwasher, this may be the solution for you. Building your dishwasher into a taller cabinet – similar to how you would with and eye-level oven – will be easier on your back. Incorporate a drawer that can be used to store anything from dishwasher tablets to plates or chopping boards below the dishwasher, to make use of the extra space. You can choose to finish the height of the cabinet at the top of the dishwasher or continue it to a higher level with additional storage – or even a microwave space – above the dishwasher. Ensure that the dishwasher is installed correctly and fixed into place to avoid any movement.
Check movability within your space Freedom of movement is an important consideration when designing a layout. This is especially relevant when it comes to the placement of appliances, such as a dishwasher, that open out into the circulation space, and remain open for a period while they are in use. When planning your kitchen, visualise yourself carrying out daily tasks such as loading and unloading your dishwasher. Try not to position your dishwasher in a location that will block off a main walkway when it’s open. It is also important to consider the location of other appliances, such as a cooktop, in relation to a dishwasher. Avoid having your dishwasher door open into the area in which someone stands when using the cooktop, or the sink for that matter. Having appliance or cabinet doors clash when they are opened is often unavoidable, particularly in an L- or U-shaped kitchen. However, it is worth ensuring that your cutlery and crockery drawers can be fully opened at the same time as your dishwasher door is open, to make unloading easy.
Place dishwasher next to the sink and think about bin As a kitchen designer, I usually recommend that a dishwasher is positioned next to the sink. There are two reasons for this: the first is that it will make plumbing much easier and less costly, and the second is behavioural. People generally use a ‘scrape, rinse, load’ method to load their dishwasher. This involves scraping leftovers from dishes into the bin (located to one side of, or under, your sink,) then giving dishes a quick rinse under the tap, before loading them straight into the dishwasher. Consequently, the best placement is on the opposite side of the sink to the scraping area.
Store crockery near your dishwasher, not above it To save your sanity and your spine, keep plates and glasses on either side of your dishwasher, or even behind it if you have two facing benches. This lets you unstack your dishwasher with smooth, swift movements. Housing crockery in wall-mounted cupboards directly above a dishwasher forces people to lean over it when it’s open and reach up awkwardly to put away clean dishes. This kitchen cleverly avoids such a fate by positioning the dishwasher in an island bench.
Plan the right distance between benches and fixtures Having enough room between work spaces such as benches is essential – too little and you will feel cramped, too much and you will constantly be stretching and reaching for hot, heavy pans. A distance of 1050 millimetres is often regarded as the minimum, while 1200 millimetres is ideal for most. More than 1400 millimetres between benches and fixtures can result in ergonomic inefficiency and wasted space.
Corner sink
Corner sinks Positioning the sink in the corner frees up bench space on either side, and creates two work areas – one for the cook, the other for another family member wanting a cup of tea or a sandwich (or maybe even helping to prepare dinner). Patterson says the corner sink is especially useful in tight kitchens and in apartments where common plumbing tends to run down through all the units in the corner. If the sink is positioned along a straight edge, the pipes then have to travel through the lower cabinets to reach the corner – and take up valuable space along the way. When this is the case, corner drawers are also out of the question.
Pop-up power point Having an island bench is great in any kitchen. It creates a central hub for people to gather around and it also creates a big empty work space for you. Pop-up power points are an excellent way to incorporate power in your island. They sit flush with your benchtop when you are not using them and easily pop up out of the bench when you want to plug something in. They are available with varying amounts of power points, and some are even available with USB points, so you can plug your iPad in to read your recipes when you are cooking. Incorporating power points into your island bench is a great way to optimise the functionality of your island. This will allow you to plug in items such as mixers and blenders at your island, making for a more practical workspace.
Stainless steel
Space between counters When designing a kitchen, it is recommended to leave a minimum of 1000mm of floorspace between your two benchtops. This will allow room for you to open drawers and cupboards, as well as stand in front of your dishwasher when it is fully opened. However, if you have the space, I would suggest you aim for a space of 1200mm so you can comfortably move around your open dishwasher, without fear of bumping your shins on the corners – OUCH!
Alternate stools
Chopping block Thanks to the miracle of hinges and clever design, this handy butcher-block surface pops up in a flash.
Range hood
Nice shape
Fragrance naturally As well as visual elements, it’s a good idea to fill your home with natural aromas. Use plants around the space to bring in subtle scents of the outdoors. Herbs are ideal in the kitchen, as they double up as both food and fragrance. For a creative way to grow your herbs, consider a built-in planter in your kitchen benchtop, as the designers at Blakes London have done here. A narrow trough has been carved into the marble to provide easy access to fresh herbs.
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