#under-counter

[visionkitchenbath]

Kitchen Islands: Culinary Superheroes

If there’s one always-reliable kitchen design truism, it’s this: there can never be too much counter space in a kitchen. No matter how much you may have, you can always use a little more, am I right? Look, right in the middle! It’s a counter! It’s a bar! No! It’s… the Kitchen Island!

Okay, now that got that out of my system—ahem—it’s fair to say that a kitchen island is a great way to add a multi-functional space to any kitchen.

It can be more space to prep ingredients, knead dough, set out your food processor/bread-maker/waffle iron when you need to use them, or just hang out while someone else makes dinner. Add a couple of stools and a bit of counter overhang and you have an informal place to nosh.

This asymmetrical island features knick-knack drawers on the narrow end.

What makes the kitchen island such a boon to your culinary efforts is how it converts the empty area in the center of most kitchen layouts into space you can use. And, remember, that new-found counter space doesn’t just float in midair. The kitchen island brings with it flexible storage opportunities galore. And, isn’t that another thing every kitchen can’t have too much of?

[visionkitchenbath]

What's the Ideal Kitchen Backsplash Height?

Some questions have no right or wrong answer, and this is one of those. That said, the wrong backsplash height can have a major impact on the usability of a kitchen.

Too high a backsplash can compromise cabinet space and make under-cabinet appliances difficult to use. Too low and the taller members of the household could find the available space too confining.

However, for something that can have such an adverse effect on the utility of a kitchen, little attention usually given to this design element. In the event of a kitchen remodel, the height of the backsplash often comes down to the height of the cabinets being replaced.

Some elements to consider: average height of the household, location and placement of both countertop and under-cabinet appliances, under-cabinet lighting, location of any concealed appliances and desired design aesthetic.

A good place to start when deliberating the merits of a given height is to start the 17-inch level, and adjust higher or lower from there as appropriate.