Designing Your Kitchen Island Base Cabinet
Kitchen islands are the hub of activity in many homes. With their ample surface area and easy access, islands make an ideal spot for food preparation, casual dining, homework, and more. The base cabinet is key to providing an island with style, durability, and storage.
When designing a kitchen island base cabinet, there are several factors to consider for optimal functionality and aesthetics. Read on for tips on choosing the perfect base cabinet for your kitchen island.
Choosing the Right Base Cabinet Style
Kitchen base cabinets come in a variety of styles, from traditional to contemporary. The style you choose will impact the overall look and feel of the kitchen. Consider the existing cabinetry in your kitchen and choose an island base cabinet that complements or matches the other cabinets.
Traditional vs Contemporary Styles
Traditional cabinetry often features framed cabinet box construction, raised panel doors, and decorative hardware. Contemporary styles utilize a more minimalist, streamlined approach with frameless cabinet boxes, flat slab drawer fronts, and discreet hardware.
If your kitchen leans traditional, select a base cabinet with framed doors and a visible face frame. For a more modern kitchen, a sleek frameless cabinet complements the contemporary aesthetic.
Door Styles
Popular kitchen cabinet door styles include:
- Shaker - Clean, simple design with a recessed center panel.
- Slab - A completely flat, solid door front with no indents.
- Arch - Doors feature an arched top.
- Louvered - Doors have slatted overlays reminiscent of shutters.
- Cathedral - Doors with an arched top contour reminiscent of church windows.
- Raised Panel - Panel doors with a framed, prominent center panel.
Choosing a door style that pairs well with your existing kitchen cabinets will help the island feel like a cohesive part of the kitchen design. Stick with shaker or slab doors if aiming for a consistent contemporary look. Opt for raised panel doors to match traditional cabinetry.
Base Cabinet Dimensions
One of the first decisions to make is the size of your kitchen island base cabinet. Measure the footprint of the planned island and use those dimensions when choosing your cabinet.
Standard Sizes
Base cabinets for kitchen islands are commonly available in standard widths of 24, 30, 36, 42, and 48 inches. Standard depths are between 23-26 inches. Corner cabinets are often used to maximize space efficiently.
For small kitchen islands, one 24-inch base cabinet may suffice. Larger islands can incorporate multiple base cabinets side-by-side.
Custom Sizing
For a truly custom island, many cabinet manufacturers can create base cabinets in non-standard dimensions specific to your kitchen layout and design. Provide them with your exact measurements for a made-to-fit cabinet.
Custom sizing comes at an added cost but provides a tailor-made solution for your unique space.
Base Cabinet Storage Options
The storage configuration of your base cabinet impacts the island's functionality. Consider how you plan to use the island when choosing from drawer, door, and specialty storage options.
Drawers
Drawers in the base cabinet neatly stow cooking utensils, flatware, pantry goods, and more while keeping items easily accessible. Opt for multiple smaller drawers rather than one large one for improved organization. Full extension soft-close drawer slides provide maximum access.
Doors
Doored base cabinets allow you to conceal small appliances, cookbooks, table linens, and other less-used kitchen items. Adjustable shelves provide storage customization. If planning to store heavier small appliances like stand mixers in your island, choose sturdy plywood construction drawers.
Pull-Out Shelving
Similar to drawers, pull-out shelves bring items out of the deep recesses of cabinetry. This provides easy access to everything stored inside. Opt for pull-out spice racks or towel bars to maximize storage.
Wine Racks
Incorporate wine storage into your island by using fixed or pull-out wine racks. Displaying wine selection adds style to the island. Install wine racks horizontally to keep corks moist.
Combination Storage
One taller cabinet can combine a wine rack, open shelving, and drawers. Or, use multiple smaller cabinets with different storage configurations for a customized island.
Base Cabinet Materials
Kitchen islands experience heavy daily use. Choose cabinet materials designed to stand up to wear and tear.
Wood Species
Hardwoods like maple, oak, and cherry bring beauty and durability. Opt for knotty alder or hickory for unique natural woodgrain patterns. Exotic woods can add interest, but require more upkeep.
Maple's fine, straight grain makes an excellent paint surface. Oak's noticeable grain has a warm, rustic feel. Cherry wood darkens beautifully over time.
Laminates
Laminate finishes applied to medium density fiberboard (MDF) provide affordability and easy cleaning. Today's laminates offer a vast array of colors and remarkably realistic woodgrain patterns. A dark laminate finish adds depth and masks fingerprints.
Thermofoils
Thin thermoplastic sheets bond to MDF or particleboard. The sheets resist scratching, moisture, and impact. Thermofoil requires low maintenance but won't take on a patina like real wood.
Stainless Steel
Durable stainless steel base cabinets bring a professional, commercial look to a kitchen island. Stainless is easy to sanitize but prone to showing fingerprints. An industrial wire mesh base cabinet is a lighter option.
Additional Base Cabinet Design Factors
Fine tune the form and function of your island base cabinet with these extra design details:
Toekick Height
Standard toekick height is 4-5 inches. For a custom look, specify a taller toekick of 6-8 inches. This raises the island cabinet, allowing for easier cleaning underneath.
Leveling Legs
Flip-down leveling legs beneath the cabinet allow you to stabilize and level the island during installation. Look for heavy duty casters if your kitchen island needs to be mobile.
Drawer Slides
Soft-close full extension drawer slides fully pull out drawers for complete access to contents. Upgrade to ball-bearing slides for the smoothest operation under heavy loads.
Finished Sides
Having cabinet sides finished to match the exterior boosts the built-in, custom aesthetic. Keep sides exposed or add corner posts for added dimension.
Ventilation
Proper airflow prevents moisture and grease buildup. Allow for airflow inside cabinets around appliances. Or, opt for ventilation grates if housing hot cooktops.
Coordinating With the Countertop
A countertop transforms a base cabinet into a functional island. Make sure your countertop and cabinet coordinate.
Countertop Materials
Popular options like quartz, granite, butcher block, and laminate pair well with most cabinet materials. Select a durable, low-maintenance countertop material that fits your budget.
Butcher block offers a classic look but requires oiling to prevent stains and cracks. Waterproof quartz resists scratches and heat damage. Granite must be sealed to prevent staining.
Countertop edges can be square, angled, rounded, or completely custom. The profile should complement the cabinet style. Sharply squared edges have a contemporary vibe. Softer rounded edges feel traditional.