A kitchen island, or peninsula, gives the kitchen a focal point and the perfect place to serve up family meals and entertain friends. But sometimes the budget doesn’t quite stretch to breaking the bank when it comes to buying an island. If that’s you, don’t lose hope! There are plenty of ways to transform your existing kitchen layout into an island without breaking the bank.
From simply sticking cupboard doors onto a table or using a chest of drawers as a makeshift counter top, there are lots of ways to be creative and find a way to make your dream island come true.
Kitchen Island, Kitchen Peninsula, call it what you like but if you can’t turn it into a kitchen island it’s not worth the work is it? Let’s face it transforming your peninsula into a stylish island doesn’t have to cost the earth. With just a little know how and a whole lot of DIY spirit you can create your own dream Island from scratch.
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Determine if your peninsula is in fact a peninsula
“A peninsula is a connected island,” says contractor Mark Clement of MyFixItUpLife. “It’s only attached to the kitchen on three sides, and it becomes a separate entity when you add a cooktop or sink.” If your peninsula is serving as additional counter space, it could be more practical to simply turn it into an island.
- Determine if your peninsula is in fact a peninsula
“A peninsula is a connected island,” says contractor Mark Clement of MyFixItUpLife. “It’s only attached to the kitchen on three sides, and it becomes a separate entity when you add a cooktop or sink.” If your peninsula is serving as additional counter space, it could be more practical to simply turn it into an island.
The first step in turning a peninsula into an island is to cut the connection that’s joining the two spaces together, says contractor Justin Fink of This Old House magazine. That usually means cutting through an adjacent wall and possibly removing some cabinets before adding support beams underneath the new island.If electrical or plumbing work will be necessary, now’s the time to get those services up and running in your new spot. You’ll need gas lines run if installing a range and plumbing lines if adding a sink or dishwasher.
How much space will you need?
If your kitchen has the room, take out the entire peninsula to create an island. This will give you more walking space around the new island, which is particularly important if your kitchen already feels cramped. Most kitchen islands measure at least 42 inches wide, according to designer Gloria Feldt, who specializes in kitchens and bathrooms. But if you’re going to be using it as an eating area or workspace as well as storage, you might want something wider.
Split the peninsula
The most crucial step of this transformation is cutting the peninsula in half. You may need to turn off the water and electricity before making this cut. Once the peninsula has been split, you can pull it away from its original location.The next step is to decide what kind of island you’d like to build. Do you want a countertop on both sides? Do you want one side to be open and the other side closed? If you’re going to add appliances or storage, will they fit?
Replace the cabinets and countertops
First, the peninsula cabinets were removed and replaced with a new run of cabinets along the wall. The peninsula countertop was removed and replaced with a new island countertop that also features a built-in sink and dishwasher. The original dishwasher was moved to the other side of the room so it’s hidden behind a cabinet door.Additional storage space was added to the island with the addition of two pull-out trash cans.
The old stove was replaced with a new slide-in stove, new range hood, and new cooktop backsplash.Finally, the existing backsplash was replaced with a modern subway tile backsplash. The whole space was finished off with new stainless-steel appliances, including a microwave over the stove, which is always nice for freeing up counter space.
Add storage
Many peninsulas have open sides that don’t offer much storage or work space. Adding shelves above and below will give you more usable surface area while allowing you to display decorative items, such as cookbooks and photos, on top of the cabinets.
Choose appropriate flooring materials
You’ll need to remove the flooring where you plan on installing your support columns so that they can be secured in place with cement or another strong adhesive such as epoxy. The type of flooring material you have installed will determine how easy it will be to remove pieces at a later time. For example, a floating laminate floor system can be removed fairly easily, but hardwood flooring will require more effort because each plank is nailed or glued down.
Change the lighting
The peninsula in this kitchen originally had one pendant light hanging over it, but its location was awkward. The new light fixture is above the sink and out of the way, providing task lighting where needed most. The old spot above the stove was left empty.
Conclusion
Kitchens are often forgotten when planning a home. The importance of a kitchen is to have a gathering place for the family and this island offers not only an excellent area for socializing and entertaining, but it also adds much needed work space for cooking in the kitchen.
If your current kitchen has no extra areas to prepare food easily you can consider transforming your peninsula into an island as well as include an additional storage area. The addition of this area will make a wonderful feature in any kitchen and allow you to design and create an area that is functional and aesthetically pleasing as well.
