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Kitchen islands became popular around the same time as open-space homes, with kitchens getting larger and often including breakfast and relaxing areas. Take a look around some of the more modern homes and those with kitchen renovations in Thornhill, and you’ll find plenty of kitchens which feature an island. Some of these designs, however, are more successful than others. It’s easy to talk yourself into renovating your kitchen to have an island, without properly weighing up its practicality and overall effect on your home.
Part of the kitchen island’s appeal lies in the fact that it is seen as something of a status symbol. When it comes to kitchen renovations in Thornhill, there is sometimes an element of keeping up with the Joneses – yet what works well in one property can turn out to be a big mistake in another. You really need to take stock of whether it’s the right thing to do with your renovation. The kitchen is a focal point of the property and one of those rooms that prospective buyers are most interested in. So how do you know whether an island will work for you or not?
Do You Have Enough Room for It? – According to the experts, a kitchen island should have an absolute minimum of 42 inches clearance around each side. When drawing up plans, this can often seem like too much room, yet people who ignore this advice eventually find themselves squeezing around their island while trying to prepare a meal – something which can prove to be both impractical and even dangerous. Furthermore, not leaving enough space around the island can leave your kitchen looking cramped and overcrowded.
Can You Afford It? – If you’re sure you have enough space to fit an island into your kitchen renovation, you’ll need to budget for all the costs involved in building it. Custom cabinets, a high quality surface, new sinks, plus the labour involved with plumbing, rewiring and construction can turn out to be more expensive than many people think. Yet compromising on quality to save on costs is a really bad idea – an ugly or low-quality kitchen island will inevitably disappoint you and have an adverse effect on the value of your property. If you can’t afford it yet, considering delaying the work until you can.
What Effect Will it Have on Your Household? – A kitchen island can be a great way to facilitate extra family time. It can also be disruptive – do you really want the kids to be playing games on the island while you’re trying to cook?
The kitchen renovations in Thornhill that really work are those that have taken into consideration these questions – island or no island. If you’re satisfied that you have enough space, enough money and it won’t have a negative effect on family life, an island can be a great addition to your property, but it’s worthwhile making sure that it will really work for you.
