How is it that our Ikea kitchen island deserves a blog of its own?
Well it is probably the biggest workhorse in our house. We obviously prepare food there, but it’s where we entertain, do our projects, eat sometimes, deposit our stuff. We love you island what would we do without you.
On this blog, I described in detail the perimeter of the kitchen, that we renovated in one month.
Before
Before we renovated, the island was quite small . It held a sink and dishwasher and that’s about it. We didn’t want the island to look exactly like the perimeter so we chose to build an island from Ikea cabinets.
Wish List For Ikea Kitchen Island
I had a long wish list. I wanted:
- a dishwasher
- microwave
- beverage fridge
- waste and recycling drawer
- a bank of drawers
- extra storage for big platters and bowls
- a power outlet.
- a small sink
The Details of Our Ikea Kitchen Island
This is how we did it.
The Main Working Side
We have a 30 inch dishwasher
A 46 inch bank of three drawers that hold most of my cooking needs
A 24 inch waste and compost drawer
The small bar sink is one of my favourite things about the island. I do all of my cooking preparation at the island and this is where I wash my produce. Right below is the waste and the compost, so it makes things easy. I also like this location because it is the first stop on the way from the dining room so plates can be cleaned and rinsed and put in the dishwasher.
Pantry Side
On the side by the pantry cabinets, we have the drink fridge, which is a handy place for guests. as its by the entrance to the kitchen. We also have an electrical outlet which is probably the most popular outlet in the kitchen. Its where all the small appliances are plugged in and it is the most popular spot for charging phones. I would highly recommend adding an outlet to your island.
Seating Area Of Our Ikea Kitchen Island
We have a nine inch overhang on the island where the four barstools are. Underneath the overhang there is a hidden cupboard that I only need to access occasionally. Thats where I keep big platters and seasonal things that I don’t use often.
Microwave Side
On the side of the island by the fridge, we have the microwave in a 24 inch cabinet that we customized. Since Ikea doesn’t make lower microwave cabinets, we used a a standard cabinet and added two extra drawers that I wasn’t expecting. One small one on top stores my silverware. The one on the bottom was supposed to be our bread drawer, but since we eat little bread these days, it is mostly empty.
Other Details Of Our Ikea Kitchen Island
We packed a lot into this island and the layout works very efficiently. From my “command centre” at the centre of the island, I have all my tools available to prepare, wash and dispose of food and clean dishes.
For the cabinet doors we chose from Ikea, appear to be no longer available. I liked the deep grey colour and the fact that the modern look is completely different than the perimeter cabinets.
Instead of using the legs provided by Ikea, we installed a frame using two x fours to ensure that there was a solid base for everything we installed.
For the work top we used the quartz. It is so easy care and the light colour on such a large surface brings brightness to the room. The quartz on the perimeter cabinets is a mid grey.
Its the heart of the home they say, and this island is one of my favourite places to be.
Always
Leslie
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