Comments on: When is an Area Rug NOT an Area Rug? http://www.breaydesign.com/blog/when-is-an-area-rug-not-an-area-rug/ Tue, 31 May 2011 05:49:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sharon Breay http://www.breaydesign.com/blog/when-is-an-area-rug-not-an-area-rug/comment-page-1/#comment-533 Sharon Breay Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:40:11 +0000 http://www.breaydesign.com/blog/?p=164#comment-533 DeeDee--I like your idea, and think it will be very workable. The spacing needed is about 44" between cabninets & appliances and the island. There will be many times you need to open those cabinet & appliance doors, and if you can't get around them it becomes annoying. So 42" to 44" has become the norm; I like 44" for my clients, and for later home saleability. Where the wall is behind the island, I would give it just as much space, 44", so people can comfortably get around. The bar stools or chairs will extend close to a foot into the space, leaving about 32" for someone to walk around behind them. Although you may not have anyone in a wheel chair in your home, this spacing will also allow a person in a wheel chair to get through--this will become a future selling point in Colorado where many of the people are aging professionals. As for your purposes, realize that even a person living alone usually has friends in. Kitchens become very active places, but the kitchen that doesn't allow people to move around easily becomes a frustrating space. That said, if you need to scrimp a couple inches, do so on the wall side rather than the appliance/cabinet side. The extension of the island counter top on the bar section should be 9" - 12". Again, I like 12" for knees not to cramp, and not to scuff the underwall. Have a rounded edge on the island countertop edges for personal comfort. Good luck on your renovation, DeeDee! Send us a photo of it when it is finished. --Sharon Breay DeeDee–I like your idea, and think it will be very workable. The spacing needed is about 44″ between cabninets & appliances and the island. There will be many times you need to open those cabinet & appliance doors, and if you can’t get around them it becomes annoying. So 42″ to 44″ has become the norm; I like 44″ for my clients, and for later home saleability.

Where the wall is behind the island, I would give it just as much space, 44″, so people can comfortably get around. The bar stools or chairs will extend close to a foot into the space, leaving about 32″ for someone to walk around behind them. Although you may not have anyone in a wheel chair in your home, this spacing will also allow a person in a wheel chair to get through–this will become a future selling point in Colorado where many of the people are aging professionals. As for your purposes, realize that even a person living alone usually has friends in. Kitchens become very active places, but the kitchen that doesn’t allow people to move around easily becomes a frustrating space.

That said, if you need to scrimp a couple inches, do so on the wall side rather than the appliance/cabinet side. The extension of the island counter top on the bar section should be 9″ – 12″. Again, I like 12″ for knees not to cramp, and not to scuff the underwall. Have a rounded edge on the island countertop edges for personal comfort.

Good luck on your renovation, DeeDee! Send us a photo of it when it is finished. –Sharon Breay

]]> By: Dee Dee De Remer http://www.breaydesign.com/blog/when-is-an-area-rug-not-an-area-rug/comment-page-1/#comment-532 Dee Dee De Remer Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:15:22 +0000 http://www.breaydesign.com/blog/?p=164#comment-532 I have a question that I have been unable to have answered from design websites. I'm trying to come up with an alternate kitchen layout. Currently my kitchen is a U-shape but no true area for dining. My thought is to turn my kitchen into an L-shape and allow space to accommodate an island with an overhang countertop to serve as an informal sitting area for dining. Now for the question: How much space should be allowed between cabinets/appliances and island? And between island and walls? I have a question that I have been unable to have answered from design websites. I’m trying to come up with an alternate kitchen layout. Currently my kitchen is a U-shape but no true area for dining. My thought is to turn my kitchen into an L-shape and allow space to accommodate an island with an overhang countertop to serve as an informal sitting area for dining.

Now for the question: How much space should be allowed between cabinets/appliances and island? And between island and walls?

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