Kitchen Island Ideas

for Ensuring a Very Versatile Island

While deciding on kitchen island ideas and the functions that your glamorous new island is going to perform, you'll be interested in some of the 'behind the scenes' features such as the plumbing, lighting, electrical outlets and air ventilation.

The addition of all these kitchen island ideas will add expense to your project, but if you get a few quotes you'll get an estimate of how much!

If you are having a sink in your island, you will need to vent the plumbing differently from how you would if it were located on an outside wall. The standard method of venting an island sink, is to create a loop vent inside the cabinet that will then go under the flooring and join up with the main vent on the wall.

Your plumber will be able to come and show you how this works. It is work that in many countries, can only be legally done by a certified plumber.

Once that slightly tricky procedure has been catered for, your island sink will work well and look spectacular!

A stove or oven in your island allows the chef more work space and the ability to face 'the action' and join in the chatter on social occasions.

If you are having a combined cooktop and oven below, you'll need to have gas or electricity brought up through the floor or 'crawl space' depending on your house construction.

A cooktop integrated into the countertop gives a seamless and contemporary feel.

You can even have a countertop that becomes a cooktop once the electricity is switched on! This is used with certain benchtop materials...

Another possibility is to arrange for a 'lift up - push down' power outlet in your island countertop, that can be used as needed.

at least ask your electrician to add a power outlet onto the side of the island for using toasters, mixers, blenders etc.

If you are having a cooking on your island cooktop or in the oven, there will be times you'll need an exhaust fan to carry away the smoke and smells created.

More elaborate kitchens will include a hood in their island design ideas that hangs above the island and draws the air up a tube, and outside.

Another idea is the downdraft cooktop. Here, air is pulled down through a grate next to the cooktop, and taken outside through the crawlspace.

This option is usually less expensive than a rangehood.

Use your island in every way you'd like to...the sky's the limit - if you have room!

More interesting ideas about lights over your island

How to use a kitchen cart for easy and mobile storage solutions

Have you thought about the options for storage in your kitchen?

Planning an efficient storage system in a small kitchen is vital

What sort of stools or chairs will you want for your island?

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