Maximize Kitchen Storage with Custom IKEA Island Hacks

Why You Ought to Take into account an IKEA Kitchen Island

On this article:

What it’s good to know earlier than designing your kitchen island.
Making a kitchen island with a banquette and storage.
Integrating home equipment in your kitchen island.
A kitchen island hack that maximizes storage.

If you wish to take advantage of your crowded kitchen, the answer is perhaps proper in entrance of you. By sacrificing simply eight sq. ft. of flooring house, you possibly can have a small kitchen island with a few cabinets and a spot to set down dishes. When you’re prepared to dedicate extra flooring house to a kitchen island, the design prospects develop exponentially.

Designing Your Kitchen Island: Key Concerns

Any designer price their salt will start the design course of by asking just a few questions. Have your solutions prepared.

What Are Your Design Targets?

Why would you like the kitchen island? Do you wish to add extra storage, seating, or countertop workspace? In order for you the sink and an equipment moved to the island, this implies budgeting for plumbing and electrical in addition to IKEA cupboard and countertop set up.

What’s Your Aesthetic?

To make your kitchen island stand out, you possibly can select completely different doorways, drawers, and counter tops. Alternatively, you can also make it match the remainder of the kitchen. IKEA has a number of door types, just like the modern white RINGHULT or basic ENKOPING. For extra choices, think about using an exterior door and drawer entrance provider, like Semihandmade. We’re in a position to design with any vendor, which is one thing that units us other than IKEA’s planners.

What’s Your Finances?

This may be the distinction between designing with IKEA organizers and Rev-A-Shelf organizers or utilizing laminate vs. granite counter tops. IKEA merchandise at all times look beautiful, particularly when coordinated by knowledgeable designer and put in by an skilled contractor.

Nonetheless, a decrease funds might imply choices like utilizing the $89 LILLTRASK precut countertop vs. the $85 per sq. ft. KASKER countertop.

After getting these particulars found out, our designers can start making a kitchen island that may complement your fashion, fulfill your design wants, and enhance the way in which you’re employed in your kitchen.

Examples of Kitchen Island Designs

Kitchen Island Design #1: A Versatile Banquette Island and Artwork Station

This kitchen design is a wonderful instance of letting your island be the showstopper aesthetically and functionally. The householders selected KARLBY butcher block counter tops for the perimeters and EKBACKEN white marble for the island. This makes the island stand out and matches the RINGHULT cupboards used within the design.

“These householders weren’t as targeted on added eating house as they had been on inventive house. They’ve three youngsters who take pleasure in arts and crafts, and to encourage them to remain off the screens, they needed to supply an arts & crafts station. The home didn’t have an additional room, so that they puzzled if there was a method to create an artwork station within the kitchen that would additionally double as eating and kitchen storage. We had designed their kitchen just a few years earlier, so that they had been glad to proceed utilizing IKEA merchandise and our designs for this mission.” –Merari, IKD designer

To create this banquette kitchen island design, Merari used SEKTION base cupboards to create an L-shape measuring roughly 8’ in a single course and 11’ within the different. She topped this with the EKBACKEN laminate countertop, offering the dad and mom with added workspace and storage.

For the banquette part, Merari used commonplace 15” tall and 15” deep SEKTION wall cupboard frames as base cupboards with a 4.5” toe kick. This required the contractor to drill holes for the ft which can be normally current in base cupboards. She additionally added two panels to create a bench seat on prime, bringing it as much as 21” in peak. MAXIMERA drawers present artwork provide storage beneath the seats.

Kitchen Island Design #2: Equipment-Pleasant Island

In case you have a love of cooking and a small kitchen, an island like this can prevent a whole lot of frustration. You want room for tools, home equipment, and a spacious work floor. This 8’ x 5’ island comprises an outsized microwave, ample cooktop, wine fridge, and a secret space-saving weapon from Rev-A-Shelf: the heavy-duty mixer raise (RAS-ML-HDSC).

That leaves the kitchen counter house alongside the wall free for prep and washing up. On this case, the home-owner renovated the kitchen and added the island concurrently. She selected AXSTAD matte blue doorways and marble impact counter tops all through.

“I downsized after retirement, however I nonetheless invite my youngsters and their households for Sunday dinner. I wanted a house and kitchen that wasn’t too large however nonetheless sufficiently big for me to host. I really like cooking, so I take advantage of each equipment and each inch of counter house. I assumed including an island and placing the home equipment on there is perhaps a great way to preserve house, however I didn’t notice how a lot may very well be finished with an island till I spoke with Florence from IKD. Now each Sunday I really feel like Rachael Ray.” –Martha, IKD buyer

Florence made Martha’s kitchen island with a cooking space, a wine bar, and an area for baking preparation.

The cooking space has a microwave and range shut collectively, 4 drawers, and one cupboard for pots, pans, trivets, and so on.

The other facet has an built-in wine fridge, VADHOLMA open storage for glasses, and three MAXIMERA drawers for added storage. There’s a cupboard on both sides of the island. The cupboard nearest the oven has a hidden mixer station by Rev-A-Shelf.

Martha can combine up batter, seize a pan, and bake a cake utilizing this handy work triangle designed by Florence.

Kitchen Island #3: A Purposeful Divide

When designing an open-concept kitchen, the kitchen is separated from the remainder of the home with furnishings or low constructions slightly than partitions. Josh and Xavier, who personal a house, needed to mix the look of a closed kitchen with an open one. They achieved this by inserting an island across the edges of the kitchen as an alternative of within the heart.

“An island doesn’t need to be a sq. or rectangle,” says Frank from IKD. “In Josh and Xavier’s case, we designed an extended, angled island with a full size of about 13 ft. This offered a transparent barrier between the kitchen and the remainder of the house whereas additionally including further storage and seating. The skin of the island had extra of a dwelling space really feel, with cupboards and cabinets that may very well be used for books and knickknacks, whereas the facet going through the kitchen is used for kitchen and eating storage. The kitchen is cohesive, however the island additionally works as a transition to the remainder of the house.”

This distinctive design required some IKEA hacks and revolutionary design from IKD. Frank custom-made one 36”W x 30”H x 24”D SEKTION wall cupboard to create two 36”W x 30”H x 9”D open shelf cupboards to be used on both finish of the island.

SEKTION cupboards with brown panels create a shelf on the again of the island. In addition they provide storage subsequent to the bar seating space. The facet going through the kitchen has a mixture of SEKTION base cupboards and MAXIMERA drawers with RINGHULT door and drawer fronts.

Customized Kitchen Designs with Skilled Help

You gained’t discover these kitchen island designs within the IKEA showroom, however they’re all made utilizing IKEA merchandise. With knowledgeable designer, you’re by no means restricted to a cookie-cutter creation; you get limitless prospects and a practical and exquisite addition to your kitchen workflow.