Many home owners will certainly face the dilemma at one time, as long as that dream to have a good kitchen is yet to be fulfilled. The question, as Hilda OTUGA writes, is whether to go for a kitchen island or a peninsula.
Is it better to have a kitchen right in the middle of the room or one which extends the worktop?
For one, island kitchens do seem to be the trend. But why are they reckoned as such. The major reason is their dimensions. As houses have become larger over the past two decades, kitchens have equally become proportionally larger.
In the progression of this change, it was discovered that as soon as you have one cabinet wall dimension of 12’ or greater, that 45’s into another cabinet wall, the functionality of the kitchen is improved if the third wall or “ leg” of cabinets is an island rather than a peninsula.
This is because it allows you twice the access to the long wall that is 12’ or greater, rather than just one access or traffic lane to access that whole wall and the other (probably shorter) wall.
What are they?
The names of the elements are borrowed from geography because the two arrangements evoke these elements in nature.
Islands are in fact separated from the other kitchen modules and are often placed in the centre, whilst peninsulas are modules which are open on three sides, but which are a continuation of the rest of the kitchen. Now let us look closely at the differences.
The functions
Island: this element can be an extra work surface for food preparation, act as storage for dishes and saucepans and make up the kitchen block. Some or all of the electrical appliances can be put together o the island.
Peninsula: this module can also be an extra work surface and be used for storage. If the area is open plan, it can also visually separate the kitchen from the other room and be used as a table for lunch or snacks.
The necessary space
Island: a kitchen of this type needs a lot of space. In our article you can discover very easily if you have room for an island.
Peninsula: being devised as a natural extension of the kitchen worktop, it can be used even in a small room. It is very useful in open plan areas because, as we have seen above, it allows the rooms to be separated “naturally” and it can also be used as a table.
Management of connections
Island: in order to place electrical appliances, hobs and sinks in this space, it is necessary to bring gas, water and electricity to the kitchen block. It is a more complex operation because the pipes and wires must be placed under the floor.
Peninsula: this element does not need any particular work because it actually forms part of the kitchen module. The connections can be hidden behind the furniture.
The design
Islands: are separate from the rest of the kitchen and therefore can be of a different shape and colour from the rest of the units. Rectangular, square, round: they can contrast or match the rest of the units, allowing a great choice of styles.
Peninsulas: being “additions”, they need to be the same design as the units. Nevertheless they can be rectangular, oval or curved.
In larger kitchens, islands work better. In somewhat smaller kitchens, I prefer the peninsula. With a peninsula, you usually end up with more cabinets and greater square footage of counter top than when you cut up your space just to include a smaller island. If you think about it, all you are doing in changing from a peninsula to an island is taking away a piece of the peninsula to create a walk way that you really don’t need.
