Kitchen islands continue to be very popular. We think that at least 60% of our kitchen worktop installations now include an island – and that does not include peninsulas (or peninsulae, if you insist!).

Why are islands popular? What benefits do they bring? And what are the challenges and downsides?

This article reviews those questions and more.

When is an island not an island? When it’s a peninsula!

We very often find customers using the word island to cover any area of stone which is wider than a standard worktop run. Often in a U-shape kitchen a final run sticks out into the room, making it more of a G-shape. That is a peninsula, not an island. See the map here of two similar-sized bits of Wales – Anglesey is an island because you can get a boat all the way round it; the Llyn is a peninsula because you can’t.

While I am at it, the term “breakfast bar” can also cause confusion. People use it to refer quite loosely to islands and peninsulas. Strictly speaking, a breakfast bar may be PART OF an island or peninsula, but islands and peninsulas equally can exist without breakfast bars. Keep that phrase for the actually overhanging bit!

Peninsula is also the word we all type wrong most frequently in the AG office. This can be disastrous! And no, we do not install in North Wales!

Anglesey and the Llyn Peninsula

AG Carrara island – see full case study

A kitchen island can be an attractive and practical addition to a modern kitchen. It can provide extra workspace, storage and seating, while also creating a central area where people can gather. However, although kitchen islands offer many benefits, they are not suitable for every kitchen. Their size, cost and impact on the available space are important factors to consider before installing one.

One of the main benefits of a kitchen island is the additional workspace it provides. Preparing food can be much easier when there is a large, central surface available for chopping, mixing and assembling meals. An island can also provide a convenient working space for small portable appliances, such as a mixer, food processor or coffee machine.

Kitchen islands can also provide valuable additional storage. Drawers, cupboards, wine racks and shelving can be incorporated into the island, creating extra storage space. This can be particularly useful in kitchens where conventional wall and base units provide insufficient storage. An island can therefore help reduce clutter and keep frequently used items organised.

Another advantage is that an island can become a social centre within the home. Family members or guests can sit at the island while food is being prepared, making it easier to talk and interact. Islands with a breakfast bar/overhang provide an informal dining area, which may be useful for breakfast, quick meals or socialising. In open-plan homes, an island can help connect the kitchen with adjoining living or dining spaces.

The smallest kitchen island we have ever installed was basically a foot square – a high table for guests’ wine glasses as they chatted with the cook!

Cambria Darlington kitchen island

Dekton Trillium island – see full case study

Kitchen islands can also increase the flexibility and functionality of a kitchen. An island may incorporate a sink, hob, oven or dishwasher. This can create a more efficient layout by bringing different cooking facilities closer together. A well-designed island can also help establish distinct preparation, cooking and dining areas without completely separating the kitchen from the rest of the home.

In our view, a hob on an island is in general a better option than a sink if you want the island to be a social hub during meal preparation.

Cosmic White Granite kitchen in Redhill – a large room with the island and a small “office” worktop deliberately designed for whole-family use – see full case study

Despite these advantages, there are several challenges to consider. The most obvious is space. An island takes up a significant amount of floor area, and there needs to be enough room around it for people to move comfortably and for cupboard and appliance doors to open. In a small kitchen, installing an island may make the room feel cramped rather than more functional.

One way to gauge the island size that works for you is to mock it up in carboard and walk around it in the space.

Cost is another potential disadvantage. A basic island can be relatively affordable, but costs can increase considerably when you include plumbing, electrical connections, appliances or bespoke cabinetry.

Terra Bianca island – a dolomite – see full case study

Venetian Rivers quartz worktops and island – see full case study on our sister site

There are also practical and maintenance issues. An island with a sink or hob may require additional cleaning and can become cluttered in a way that is far more visible and irritating than a normal worktop. Seating areas can also create congestion, particularly when several people are using the kitchen at once. If the island is poorly positioned or too large, it may interfere with the natural movement between the refrigerator, sink and cooking area.

In conclusion, kitchen islands offer substantial benefits in terms of workspace, storage, social interaction and functionality. However, they require careful planning to ensure that they are appropriate for the available space and budget. A successful kitchen island should complement the layout rather than dominate it. By considering dimensions, circulation, storage needs, appliances and intended use, homeowners can create an island that is both practical and attractive.

Can you make mitred waterfall ends for my island?

Yes, we can. This question has been coming up more recently because some of the larger kitchen companies who moved into solid stone kitchen worktop market have been pulling back from mitring and offering only butted joins. (Where the island top overlaps the downstand.) Mitring requires skill and a mistake can be expensive for the company that makes it, but we are proud of our mitred work and create this finish to an island on a frequent basis.

Mitred downstands are just one more reason for choosing a specialist quartz and granite worktop company rather than buying your worktops from a kitchen big shed.

Small Arabescato Cerviole island with mitred downstands at both sides

An insanely large island in AG Carrara quartz – the island needed two joins!
Photo from one of our fitters

How large can an island be?

We have seen a trend to extremely large islands over recent years. We have a longer FAQ article on this, written some time ago. In brief, an island should not be:

• Too big for the space – will it help or impede my use of the kitchen?
• Too big to use or clean – can I reach the middle easily?
• Too big to be made in one piece – I must avoid a join if I can!

Can you fit a pop-up socket on my island?

We are not electricians, we are stonemasons. But we can certainly cut the hole for a pop-up socket, and have a whole article on getting power to your island. We have fitted many kinds, with a particularly warm relationship with Peter Brook of S-Box.

Bear in mind that pop-up sockets (and other retractable gubbins, like slot-style extractors/purifiers), while freeing up the available worktop area, do take up significant space in the cabinets below, with drawers having to be shortened or even lost altogether.

Pop-up socket (slightly raised) on a Kashmir Gold granite island. See full case study 

Colonial White Granite island in Haywards Heath with an oak breakfast bar and a circular wooden feature block fitted

Can you fit a wooden breakfast bar to my island?

Yes, we can. We know that granite or quartz is not only pretty uncompromising to the elbows, but can feel really cold too. A wooden breakfast bar humanises the work surface for the bar stool area.

Careful thought needs to be put into the design. It is worthwhile to put us in direct contact with your joiner or wood supplier – here on John Lory Farm our close relationship with neighbour Nick Geard Furniture is one way to coordinate this kind of installation.

Silestone Eternal Calacatta Gold island. See full case study 

If you are in the process of planning a new kitchen and are wondering about an island, feel free to speak to us about solid stone worktops and islands. We are here to help, with answers to many more questions than I have time to list here!