"mike" wrote in message
...
I didn't want to hijack another thread for this so:

Counters should be next to your fridge (to get stuff out), next to the
range, and on both sides of the sink. A countertop on an island in
isolation is an indication that the design of the kitchen was
inefficient from the very beginning. Efficient planning of countertop
space would expand on the necessary basic service areas, rather than
place the extra space in isolation. Ideally, the biggest countertop
space should be contiguous with the sink for easy clean-up.

So, no I don't think that people come to hate kitchen islands just
because they are put in kitchens that are too small, or just because
they obstruct foot traffic.


I've yet to see an HGTV kitchen that was much more than an ostentatious
display of granite. I don't think anyone has really cooked anything in
those showoff kitchens.

But keep in mind that square feet of walking space in a kitchen is generally
wasted space. In a busy kitchen, you sort of don't want clear paths
everywhere, because that generally means that surfaces for stuff are too far
apart, or just not enough table surface area.

Jim Yanik's solution of a moveable island is what I have, for now, and works
well. Don't even need locking wheels, if it's heftier than a cart.

Carts/islands that can slide under countertops give big bang for the buck,
as well. You can position stuff/work surfaces where you need them, and then
shove things away. These carts can have shelves, as well (costco has/had
them, about $70, nice big wheels, locking).

An island can be made with a dry sink, or if you feel creative, quick
connects for water. Mebbe even a car battery with an inverter??
--
EA