Small Islands: Perfect for Your Alpine Kitchen

No matter how small the footprint of your kitchen, a major focus of your kitchen renovation may be including an island. Versatile in any kitchen, a small kitchen island can still accomplish many design and storage tasks, just like a larger one. As you tackle home remodeling in Alpine, keep these tips in mind.

Tip #1: Aisle Width

While the standard recommendation for aisle width is 42 to 48 inches, you can go as low as 32 to 36 inches if the island is not facing an appliance door. If it is, go with 42 inches. Don’t be tempted to go any lower than 32 inches, though, and 36 inches is a safer bet. This will help with the flow of the kitchen as you work at and around the island on a day to day basis. Use some painter’s tape or newspaper to plan out where you want the island to be, giving you a chance to test out the placement before your kitchen renovation begins.

Tip #2: Roll Away

If your kitchen truly doesn’t have the space for a permanent island, consider one that can be rolled away, tucked away, or otherwise moved to another area as necessary. Islands provide important counter and storage space, but a weekend baker may want to have the island tucked away for weeknight dinner preparation. As you plan your home remodeling in Alpine, keep an eye out for ready-made non-permanent islands that may fit perfectly into your design plan and your available space. If you find the perfect island but it’s not already on wheels, add high-density polyurethane wheels with a locking mechanism to the bottom of the island, and voila! You have a perfect, custom-made rolling kitchen island.

Tip #3: The Drop-Leaf

A great option on a permanent or movable island either one, a drop-leaf on one or more sides of your new island gives additional counter space when needed without permanently taking away aisle space and disrupting traffic flow. When adding an island as part of your kitchen renovation is truly not possible, look for other areas where a drop-leaf surface could be added: the edge of an existing counter, for example, or on a portion of the kitchen wall. While this solution does not increase storage space on its own, the area above the drop leaf may be perfect for some hanging storage or another vertical storage solution.

Tip #4: Consider a Special-Purpose Small Island

Do you want your small island to be primarily in use as a breakfast or snack center? Consider storage baskets with premade snacks or perfectly sized shelves for cereal, plus a drawer for snack or cereal bowls. Is your island going to be used mostly for baking? Include a place for cookbooks and a cookbook stand, as well as storage of your most-used baking supplies. Especially if you’re considering a movable island that will only be used part-time, centering its storage and design around a specific purpose or purposes may be one of the best options available to you.

Tip #4: Remember Clean-Up and Safety

A square island larger than 4 feet on each side will be hard to reach when it’s time to wipe it down. Similarly, using a repurposed piece of furniture may require some sealant or other treatment before using it for food preparation. Don’t squeeze in an island that will impede your efforts at cleaning during meal preparation, either. A small island is a great idea for your kitchen renovation in Alpine, but think through all possibilities.

A small kitchen island can be a great addition to home remodeling in Alpine. Take a look at all the options available, get your measuring tape, and go for it!

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