You have heard it said for years: Parties always end up in the kitchen. Nowadays, many start there, too. If you enjoy hosting friends and family at home, you might want to produce an entertaining island to your particular events. Consider your available space and hosting style to determine what makes sense for youpersonally. Below are some sensible style tips for getting started.
Vision Homes & Remodeling
1. Enough space. If you would like your fun island to be the center of your party, plan it wisely*. Make sure you have sufficient space (36″ to 60″) behind it for guests to pull out stools without even hitting a wall. Give yourself wide enough work aisles (42″ to 48″), not to bump into your guests on each end. Place appliances guests are very likely to utilize, like icemakers, close to the end so that they’re easier to reach without interrupting your work flow. Plan a comfortable overhang (15″ for counter top height, 12″ for bar height), for chairs, too. Too short and guests will bulge their knees.
* The dimensions from the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Kitchen Planning Guidelines.
LDa Architecture & Interiors
2. Mood lighting. An entertaining island should welcome guests with style and comfort. The dramatic darkness of the island sets the tone for a soiree, and the comfy barstools invite lingering. The handsome pendants contribute to a well-lit party disposition.
ThinkGlass
3. Worry-free countertop. Carefully consider the countertop material that is logical for your island. If you’d like a worry-free countertop, prevent materials that are stain-prone, like natural rock, in favor of non-porous choices. Glass, such as this ThinkGlass top, is just one party-friendly alternative. Engineered rock or repairable Corian are two others.
Darren James Interiors
4. Cooktop. Many house entertainers prefer to make cooking part of the entertaining procedure. If that’s true for you, you might want to place your cooktop on the island. I strongly recommend an induction cooktop for that placement.
An induction cooktop just gets hot directly under and alongside the pan or pot, reducing the chance of a guest getting burned and ensuring that they won’t place themselves on fire by catching a party sleeve on an open flame.
Induction cooktops are faster than even high-BTU pro style gas burners, which means that your food gets served earlier. European chefs are mainly switching to induction with no sacrifice in cooking performance.
Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS
Lenova Entertainer Sink
5. Extra sink. A great sink is essential for a fun island, and this entry in the 2011 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show from Lenova is ideal. This 16-guage stainless attractiveness allows you shop drinks, condiments, dips and other party chow. It’s a built-in drainboards and cutting boards that hide the sink when it is not being used. Additionally, it has the best drain from the market: a seamless PermaClean no-ring drain that beats the pants off of standard drains for style and low maintenance.
Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS
U-Line BI2115S Icemaker
6. Ice maker. An ice maker may be house entertainer’s best friend. This means that your guests will have ice within convenient reach, and no one has to run to the shop in the center of the party!
u-line. com
U-Line Beverage Center – $2,019
7. Mini fridge. Your island should have a mini fridge for drinks. Depending on the way you prefer to amuse, that may be a beverage refrigerator such as this one that holds different types of drinks. Alternatively, you can look at a wine captain if you entertain frequently with vino.
Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS
GE Monogram® Wine Reserve
8. Wine fridge. If you enjoy fun with wine, a wine captain would be a valuable addition to your island in lieu of a beverage fridge. Select one with sufficient capacity for your storage and serving needs. You can opt for incorporated, to match your cabinetry, or stainlesssteel. If you vary your selection between white and red wines, you might wish to take into account a double zone design to accommodate the pipes needs of both.
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Discover the Perfect Barstool