If you’re looking for a key feature for your kitchen remodel, kitchen islands and breakfast bars are both popular choices that add a great deal to the room. They can be both stylish and functional, adding a seating area and/or countertop space for food prep and other activities. But most kitchens won’t be able to have both of these interesting features, so which one should you choose for your home?
Choosing a kitchen island
A kitchen island is usually a central feature and focal point in a kitchen. It typically has cabinets and/or drawers beneath the countertop for storing a variety of kitchen and pantry essentials. Kitchen islands can be very versatile, with lots of design options depending on what you will use the island for.
The surface of the island can be used for multiple things. You could have an empty countertop for eating and entertaining, or preparing food. You could install a stovetop in your island for cooking or a sink for washing dishes. If your island will be used as a seating area, you could have a portion of the island without cabinetry so there is a convenient area to store stools and to sit comfortably.
Depending on your preferences and the size of the room, you can choose a kitchen island in various shapes and sizes, and with lots of choices when it comes to your countertop material and edge profile.
Choosing a breakfast bar
A breakfast bar is typically a longer and thinner unit that is used primarily as a seating area. Breakfast bars may also have a unit underneath the countertop for storage or just for decoration, but the counter will hang over the unit slightly for more comfortable seating. Alternatively, a breakfast bar may just be a countertop supported by legs or affixed to a wall, leaving all the space open beneath it.
Breakfast bars can work as either a central feature of a kitchen or a side feature along a wall, for example. This can be more convenient for smaller kitchens that don’t have much space for a whole island in the center of the room. Breakfast bars are also ideal for open-plan kitchen/diners or kitchen/living rooms. The bar can serve as a dividing point between the kitchen and the rest of the space while you still enjoy the openness of the room.
Whatever you decide on for your kitchen remodel, contact Amanzi Granite for our design and installation services for your kitchen countertops. Or visit our showroom in Kernersville, NC to view our stone and select your countertops.
