THE KITCHEN
The Heart of the Home
Part 2
If you are planning a kitchen remodel that will include an island, consider these tips:
* Most importantly, there should be sufficient space between the Island an other work surfaces to allow for opening cabinet and appliance doors, and for two to work without jostling one another.
* Depending on your specific needs, the island can be located so It functions as an integral part of the work area. It can also serve as a divider between the kitchen and the family room.
* Adding an island permits a reconfiguration of the classic ''work triangle" of refrigerator, cooktop and sink, because it Is an ideal place to relocate either the cooktop or the main sink, or to install a second sink as the focal point of a second work triangle.
* If the cooktop is located in the island, with a wall oven elsewhere, consider pull-out trays or drawers below the cooktop to store pots and pans. If the island is a second work station with a prep sink for cleaning veggies and the like, we suggest including a pull-out wastebasket in the cabinet below.
* Be sure to plan for the plumbing I electrical necessary for the locating the cooktop or sink in the centre of the room. For the sink you'll need to supply plumbing, and for the cooktop a ventilation system as well as the necessary electrical fittings.
Both the plumbing and electrical will require breaking through the floor.
That’s fine if you have a basement or a crawl space beneath, but could present problems if the room is on a slab.
* If your island separates the kitchen and family room, it can become a multi-purpose unit that shows a different face to the family room. The use of shallow, glass-fronted doors can be used as display space, while the kitchen side uses standard-depth base cabinets for no-nonsense storage, the generous countertop is ideal for entertaining.
* And finally. Don’t forget about adequate lighting. Without it, the island will lose much of its functional aesthetics.
