Costs for Kitchen Islands, Trends and Kitchen Island Styles

Kitchen islands are now an essential element of remodeling design in many homes. They are highly functional when designed correctly and if you have the room. They expand work space while giving the kitchen added beauty. This kitchen remodeling guide discusses trends and styles in kitchen islands as well as remodeling costs associated with including a kitchen island as part of your new kitchen.

Trends in Kitchen Islands

By far, the hottest trends include adding a prep sink to the island and including a cook top. Kitchen islands are used heavily for food preparation and having a sink right there, for example, to wash vegetables or wash hands after handling raw meat is very convenient. Locating a cook top in the island also adds convenience to food preparation. Foods can be washed, cut, seasoned, or mixed and then added directly to a pot or skillet without having to turn away from the island. Keep this in mind – if you plan to prepare food or cook on your kitchen island, allocate storage space within the island for prep knives, cutting board, pot, skillets, and any utensils you need to do the food prep.

Styles of Kitchen Islands

All the different styles found in kitchen countertops and kitchen cabinets can be incorporated into kitchen islands. The most popular countertop materials continue to be laminate, solid surface, tile, granite, quartz, butcher block wood, and stainless steel. The cabinet base of the island can be constructed from any type of wood available for cabinets as well other materials like stainless steel. While many homeowners match the island to the kitchen cabinets and countertops, some prefer to use distinct but complementary materials. For the countertop of the island, it is essential to use a material that handles heat and spills well.

Many cooks appreciate having at least one outlet on the island to accommodate mixers, blenders, toasters, electric griddles and other small appliances used in the kitchen. Work with remodeling contractors to plan the island if you want electricity and water run to it and lighting over it. Those things will add to the expense but will multiply the functionality of the island. You may also want to include a 12” overhang on one side of the island and include stools for a place to eat.

Kitchen Island Pictures from our Pin Board

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Kitchen Island Costs

Basic kitchen islands can be built for less than $1,500. If you add power and water to the island, the base price increases to about $3,000. A cooktop and more expensive materials can push the remodeling prices for the island well over $3,500.

Conclusion, Few homeowners who include a kitchen island in the remodeling design regret it. Just make sure you’ve got enough space for one, even if it isn’t right in the center of the kitchen. With so many options, we are sure you can find the right kitchen island that will be ideal for your kitchen remodeling design.