Tips on Getting the Perfect Kitchen Island Height

It’s one of the little things that you don’t think of whenever you are working on a kitchen island, but the height is very important! No one wants to stand near a kitchen island that is too small and forces you to reach down and fiddle with the plates on top. You also don’t want the kitchen island to be too tall, because that too becomes awkward.

So you need the perfect kitchen island height to have everything put together, that much you know. But now do you find the perfect height? After all, perfect is a pretty relative word, and no one size fits all with perfection. Thankfully, there are a few tips you can use to figure out the perfect height of your kitchen island.

The most important thing is to make sure that you understand the averages, but that you don’t use them as gospel for everything. They are a good baseline to work off of, but are not everything for you.

See What The Island Is Used For

In most cases, people either use their kitchen island for one of two options. The first is as extra countertop space and a place to prepare food. This can be helpful if you have a small set of countertop space, but still have a lot of empty space in the kitchen to work with. A good kitchen island, especially whenever it is wide, gives you a lot of space that you wouldn’t find otherwise.

You can store pots and pans, use the islands as cutting spaces, or just have a place to store ingredients. Most kitchen islands are about 2-3 feet in width, so there’s a lot of space there for a creative cook. Additionally, you can place kitchen spaces such as electric or gas range tops on the island to provide some extra workspace.

Other people have kitchen islands as impromptu tables that are designed to be a centerpiece for the room. These islands have seating and are often taller due to the extra seating needs, and they are often wider as well. The ‘Bar Height’ seating has an elevated ‘lip’ that takes a traditional countertop higher than 6 inches. Perfect for the ideal seating, bar stools, that gives the height its name.

Whether you use it as counter space or guest space, each island should be at least two feet deep and should have at least three feet of floor space around the island. That way you will be able to walk around it without feeling cramped.

Are You Looking For Storage?

Another key thing your kitchen island could do for you, and that impacts your choice of kitchen island height, is the storage opportunity. Especially if you have a small kitchen, you need to maximize your storage space and an island can provide some serious storage space for you. You can place drawers underneath the countertop, have built-in cabinets, or can even put inbuilt appliances like dishwashers or storage spaces inside.

It isn’t just the height that can be compromised, but also the rest of the kitchen island. No matter what you need out of your island, you can make it work.

What Dimensions Should I Aim For?

The average height of a kitchen island for cooking should be about 36 inches, while if you are serving you need to have an average height of 42 inches. Really the biggest things that will change the dimensions of the kitchen island is the size of your kitchen and your own needs from the island.

You should have about 36 to 42 inches of clearance on all four sides of the kitchen island. However, you can stretch the space to around 48 inches or have it be as small as 30 inches, depending on the logistics of your kitchen. You don’t want to be bumping into the kitchen island as you move from the stove to the fridge, or squeezing past if you are carrying a large tray of food. A great way to figure the dimensions of the island out is by placing string or tape on the floor for the perimeter of the island, and experimenting with different sizes before you place the order.

Finally, the depth of the countertop should be at least two feet, although it can be longer if needed. Despite all of this, while the averages can be very helpful, you need to figure out what dimensions work for your kitchen and build your island off of that.

How To Customize The Kitchen Island

Now that you have a great kitchen island that is the perfect size for your space and has some extra functionality and storage attached to it. After you have the kitchen island height, then you can focus on having some fun with your kitchen island. The top, base, and foundation can all be customized with different paints, colors, and materials for your style. You can even improve the edge of the countertop on this site!

You can get a stone countertop, a quartz countertop, different paint styles, and different footings for the islands. The color of the kitchen island can help to cause some eyes to be drawn to it. If you have a brightly colored kitchen island, then you can draw everyone into the room and to the island once you start cooking away!

Most of these customizations are cosmetic and very nice to have, especially if you have a lot of functional changes as well. You can improve the countertop color, patterns, and the various edges for the kitchen island. No matter what you need, you can get it for your island, and it only improves how often you will use it.

Creating Your Kitchen Island, Focus On The Dimensions

If you want a perfect kitchen island, make sure to focus on the dimensions first. Look at the size of your kitchen, the different needs you have for your kitchen, and if you need a place where you can store extra supplies and other kitchen items, then everything will work out.