Kitchen cabinet islands address two of the biggest complaints from homeowners, insufficient kitchen countertop work space and inadequate kitchen storage space. Besides its two chief benefits, a kitchen cabinet island also can serve as a divider between the formal kitchen area and the dining area or even a family room area. In some kitchen designs, kitchen cabinet islands serve a dual purpose, both as additional kitchen work space/storage area and as a breakfast bar.

Alternatively, a new kitchen design could integrate the stovetop or the main sink into the kitchen cabinet island, to create the traditional work triangle kitchen floorplan design.

Finally, make sure to include in your kitchen cabinet island design additional workspace lighting. Without proper lighting over the kitchen island the area will be less inviting and functional.

For help on your kitchen makeover project. see my Kitchen Remodeling Bid Sheet. The Kitchen Remodeling Bid Sheet provides a request for quote checklist section that you can provide to prospective kitchen remodeling contractors. It also includes a comprehensive kitchen remodeling cost breakdown table, in Microsoft Excel format, that allows the contractor to include his projected remodeling costs for every phase of the project.