The kitchen is the heart of the home, so the decision between a kitchen island or peninsula affects how well it functions for your lifestyle. Today’s kitchens are everything spaces. The kitchen is the meal prep, schoolwork, home office, gathering, and entertainment place. Not only do kitchens have to be efficient, but also beautiful.
Kitchen islands and peninsulas serve many of the same functions: expanded counter space, more storage, and extra seating. Both can house appliances and define the space in an open-concept floor plan. They perform equally well under the right conditions. But what are the right conditions?
The Work Triangle vs Work Zones
The choice of an island versus a peninsula is largely based on the size and shape of the kitchen. As important is how many people are likely to occupy the kitchen at one time.
The kitchen work triangle is a 1940’s concept for kitchen layout based on time studies or reducing construction costs, depending on the source. The triangle connects three components: the range, refrigerator, and sink. Ideally, the length of each side of the triangle should measure no less than four feet and no more than nine feet. The total of the sides should not be less than thirteen feet or exceed twenty-six feet. The idea is to maximize efficiency of steps.
The work triangle concept was developed at a time when kitchens were smaller and separated rooms and were one-person domains. It is still relevant to overall kitchen design, but there are new considerations. For example, new appliances. Since the origination of the work triangle, microwave ovens have become ubiquitous, and ovens separate from the cooktop – single or double – are often part of the dream kitchen.
A more current concept is work zones. Kitchens are arranged according to function and allow for several people to work comfortably in the kitchen at the same time.
Read on to learn how work triangles and work zones relate to the island or peninsula discussion.
Kitchen Island Considerations
The kitchen island has been a focal point for design magazines and home show kitchens for a long time. In that context, the kitchen is typically large and has no constraints in the floor plan. They are often at the top of the list for homeowners.
Space Guidelines
The prevailing thought is that a kitchen island creates better flow because you can move all the way around it. For that to be true, the rule of thumb is that there must be a minimum of 42 inches of clearance on each side of the island. Even better for a two or more-person kitchen is a 48-inch clearance so that traffic can easily flow around someone working at the island or the counter. That kind of space requires a large kitchen.
Where tasks are most efficiently accomplished determines where the island is located, whether you are working with a triangle or work zones, or if an island even works in the context of the design. A kitchen island is not efficient if it interrupts workflow.
Incorporating Additional Functions in a Kitchen Island
It is not uncommon for an island to house a range top and oven, a microwave, or the sink. This is less complicated in a new build than in a remodel because everything is open for running plumbing, electrical or gas lines. In a remodel, however, the expense and degree of difficulty expand exponentially. Of course, it is possible to have an island without any of those things, but incorporating one of them, or at least an outlet, increases the functionality of the island.
Islands also provide an opportunity for seating, which is great for chatting with family and friends without having them underfoot, keeping an eye on children doing homework, paying bills, or a laptop to work from home. Unless there is no limit to the space required for the knee depth for seating will impact the depth of the cabinets that form the island, which in turn impacts other functions housed in the island.
Kitchen Island Alternatives
There are alternatives if space does not allow for a traditional island. A small table at regular or bar height provides more work surface. Because it is see through it takes up less space visually. Mobile kitchen carts come in many sizes and designs, making them very versatile for use in the kitchen or serving in another room.
Another trending alternative to an island is to include a dining table in the kitchen. Again, this requires adequate space, but it has many of the same advantages as the island with an added nostalgia factor. Using benches for seating allows unimpeded access to the tabletop.
Kitchen Peninsula Considerations
A peninsula makes efficient use of smaller spaces. It can turn a one wall kitchen into an L-shaped kitchen or an L-shaped kitchen into a U-shaped one. The peninsula can be whatever size and shape that is the most efficient design. Base cabinets are available in several depths, the most common being 24 inches deep. Fifteen-inch base cabinets are also reasonably available if a smaller depth is needed. Of course, custom cabinets are an option, and open shelves can also be useful. A kitchen design using a peninsula
is more likely to default to a work triangle than work zones just by virtue of the shape.
Incorporating Additional Functions in a Kitchen Peninsula
It is often less complicated to add additional functions to a peninsula than to an island. In a new build, it is easier and more cost effective to run lines through walls than floors. In an existing home it is equally as complicated to add functions such as plumbing or gas lines as it is to add them to an island. Often though, electric wiring for outlets to use small appliances or for charging stations can often be run down a wall off existing outlets with fewer complications.
Is a Kitchen Island or Peninsula Better for You?
Whether you are working on a new build or a kitchen remodel, working with an experienced kitchen planner is key to getting it right the first time. Their ability to ask the right questions, understand your lifestyle, and focus on your needs and goals is a product of their expertise. And that expertise will help make the best decision –
kitchen island or peninsula? . . . Or if space – and budget – are no object, why not both?
Kitchen Islands vs Kitchen Peninsulas
Top Ten Benefits of a Kitchen Peninsula
Kitchen Peninsula vs Island – Which to Go For, According to Designers
