Committing To Island Living
Remodeling has always been a popular option for home owners especially since home prices have soared and staying in your current home and remodeling it is a cheaper option than moving into another one if it is getting old or out-dated.
If you have structural damage to your property, you may want to rethink any major home improvement projects and just trying to sell but if you want to modernize your home with a décor that will be useful and attractive for many years there are numerous remodeling projects you could consider undertaking. The most popular feature in a house right know is located in the most popularly renovated room; the kitchen island.
The article, “Many households catch island fever,” written by Allison E. Beatty and published in the February 2, 2007 edition of the Chicago Tribune provides what you need to know before engaging in a remodeling project that is so involved like the kitchen island.
“The kitchen island has become the center of family life: a place where kids congregate, meals are prepared and guests are entertained.”
There are obviously numerous different kitchen island designs and sizes that serve different purposes that you must first consider.
“One plan might have a 4-by-5-foot island designed mainly for cutting vegetables and holding food platters. Another plan might have an 8-by-10-foot island with seating and a large food preparation area. Still another may be irregularly shaped with two countertop levels.”
Many kitchens are not typically designed for islands so you may be looking at your kitchen area and think there is no way any sized or shaped island would work. But in fact you may be able to create more space than you think, allowing for a large island in the middle.
“‘The islands are becoming larger,’ said Mia Stark, design manager for Greenview Homes. ‘It's not uncommon for the island to be 9 feet long and seat three people on one side.’”
The lasting affect of larger islands has been eliminating the need for a breakfast areas or a kitchen table (not to be confused with the dining room table).
“‘A lot of our families end up forgoing the breakfast room and the island becomes the main seating area,’ Stark said.”
Many islands have a sink and a few built in cutting boards so the island basically becomes a second kitchen, which is practical for everyday use and appealing for prospective homebuyers, especially if an unwed couple is planning on buying or renting the house because it provides two separate meal preparation areas. The addition of an island can be a great asset to your kitchen and the overall value of your home but it is not an impulse buy.
“Before committing to an island layout, buyers should consider their lifestyle, as well as short- and long-term goals for the kitchen.” Once you decide to have an island in your kitchen you are committed to it and removing it really isn’t an option.