3 Kitchen Island Measurements That the Best Designers Always Use When Planning Spaces

Kitchen island measurements are key when designing your dream space. Remodeling is no easy feat, after all. Quite the contrary, the entire experience can feel like a never-ending assault course of new information, with plenty of well-concealed traps waiting to trip you up.

In our romantic, naive minds, a kitchen remodel may seem purely creative. A journey through materials, colors, and tones, a time to bring your dream kitchen island ideas from your favorite magazine to life. And while there are elements of truth to these optimistic preconceptions, this idea completely ignores the long list of stats and figures you need to keep in mind when designing your new kitchen feature. More than just looking nice (not to say that isn't important), your kitchen design has to be designed with optimum functionality in mind, or else it will only continue to get worse over the years.

Understanding the necessary kitchen island measurements will help influence not just the practicality of the space but also ensure the room has a better flow, making it far easier to move around in. It also means you won't have to blindly rely on your architects or designers.

Here's everything you need to know about kitchen island dimensions.

1. How Much Space Do You Need Around the Kitchen Island?

A striking kitchen island idea is the heart of a beautiful, modern kitchen, but before you can achieve the marble-covered counter you're after, you'll have to come to grips with some of the necessary kitchen island measurements and dimensions.

"The most important factor when deciding if your kitchen can accommodate an island is clearance space — the distance between the island and surrounding worktops, appliances, and walls," claims Molly Chandler, designer at Willis and Stone.

Ensuring you have an appropriate amount of clearance space in your design is the key to a functional kitchen. Too small, and your kitchen will become a nightmare to use, leaving you having to carefully squeeze around your counters day after day. "For most kitchens, the ideal clearance is 107 cm; however, if the kitchen is likely to be super busy with lots of people using it at the same time, you may want to consider a clearance of 122 cm," recommends Molly. "The absolute minimum I would say for a one-cook kitchen is 91 cm, but this may feel tight, especially near appliances."

For large, family kitchens in which multiple members of the family will constantly be flowing in and out of the room, it's always best to lean on the side of caution and leave a slightly more generous amount of clearance space.

The kitchen appliances you plan to include will also impact the amount of clearance space you need to leave. "Those who are planning on having appliances like the dishwasher on the island need enough clearance to comfortably pull it out, that’s usually 1 metre between the island and kitchen cabinets," says Nicolle Whyte, Design Director for Olive & Barr, "Those who aren’t planning on appliances can get away with a slightly tighter space of 80 cm. This is ideal for those lusting after a kitchen island but thought it wasn’t possible because of their compact or awkwardly shaped kitchen."

Designer Clare Garner explains, "In terms of appliances, dishwashers require at least 53 cm of clearance in front to open the door fully. Ovens typically need between 60 to 76 cm of clear space in front when the door is open. For refrigerators, allow at least 91 cm of clearance for full door swing and comfortable access."

2. Recommended Kitchen Island Measurements

As well as understanding the ideal amount of space to be left around the island, you also need to grasp the ideal kitchen island measurements.

Of course, this can vary depending on the size of the kitchen. While a larger kitchen has the luxury of a spacious island, there are also plenty of small kitchen island ideas to play around with. "As a general (but loose) rule of thumb, when planning the kitchen island, it’s best to map it out based on the idea of half width to length," says Nicolle, "Rather than restricting yourself to specific measurements, think about proportions rather than size. This rule prevents the kitchen from feeling too long and skinny or wide and square."

Adopting this approach to your design allows you the freedom to create an island perfectly suited for your kitchen. Although square kitchen islands can look effective when done intentionally, for a room with a comfortable flow, the half-width-to-length rule is one to follow.

However, Molly adds, "The size of the actual island can vary greatly, but the average size is around 90–100 cm deep x 150–200 cm wide. Islands should be at least 60 cm deep to be functional, with deeper islands providing more work surface."

Designing your island with your own needs in mind can help create a more personal space. As Magnus Nillson, lead designer at Blakes London, explains, "The height of an island would normally be 90 cm, but you can move this about 10 cm up or down depending on the height of the users."

The height will also depend on whether or not you plan to include a counter dining area on your island. "If you are putting stools at the island for dining, then make sure you opt for counter stools, which are shorter than the more common bar stools, which are too tall for comfortable dining," says Magnus.

3. Does the Height of My Kitchen Counter Need to Match My Island?

While other elements of your kitchen design can be adjusted to fit your personal desires and needs, this is not the case when it comes to your kitchen counters. There's a relatively strict standard countertop height that all experts will recommend you abide by in your design, so yes, it should match your island.

"The average height of a standard countertop is 90 – 91 cm," says Nicolle, "measured from the floor to the top of the worktop, typically with a 2/3 cm thick worktop. The sizing was determined on the average height of the user, providing a comfortable height for carrying out common kitchen tasks such as preparing and cooking meals."

In addition to ensuring the counter is comfortable to use, this measurement is also created to accommodate the kitchen appliances you'll need to integrate within these counters. "It’s key to stick to the standard height measurements as most kitchen appliances are designed to slot underneath the worktop and therefore have a minimum and maximum height," Nicolle explains, "This standard of measurement also allows you to easily replace appliances in standard sizes, should you wish to further down the line."

Your kitchen island measurements should mirror your counter height, too. As kitchen designer Tom Howley tells us, "The kitchen counter height and island heights would typically match. The UK standard is 91 cm from the floor, though as a bespoke company, we would tailor this to the best height to suit your individual requirements."

Trust us, your future kitchen will thank you for having read through all these tips and tricks. Plus, now that you've got the logistical part down, it's time to move on to the fun part. One of our favorite kitchen trends of the past year has been the countertops with decorative edges, a perfectly subtle way to add a bit of visual interest to your design. Or, if you're into something a bit more out there, why not transform your kitchen into a nightclub like this DJ deck kitchen, by woodworks Brighton.