Monday, January 7, 2008

I am a rock, I am an Island . . . but does Mikey like it?

Okay, so this is the dilemma . . . to island or not to island?!?

Keith and my dad started putting the bottom kitchen cabinets in place over the weekend. I was informed though that the kitchen is "too big". First of all, it's a mobile. Can a kitchen in a mobile home be "too big"? And really, lets be honest - can any kitchen really be "too big"? Well, according to Keith ours can and is, which leads us to the next question. Do we put in an island? See below exhibit A - a "rough" estimate of the kitchen floor w/o an island. We are about 8 1/2 ft between counters from side to side.




Now see exhibit B and C which show either side of our very hastily set "fake" island. The cabinet you see in exhibit B is actually a very big drawer unit. So no cabinet doors to contend with but I question whether I would be able to stand with my back to the island and pull the drawers all the way out and still have room for me?!?


The upside down shop vac barrel is apparently supposed to be showing where the refrigerator will come out to. Is that enough room to open the frig and freezer door and still have plenty of room to maneuver stuff in and out of the frig? (We do have a side-by-side frig so the doors are quite a bit smaller than an over-under frig, but it is probably one of the biggest side-by-sides you can get.)


Lastly, this is a picture of our newly installed microwave/hood vent. So now when we are working at the house we can reheat our COFFEE!!!! That makes for some very, very happy workers but apparently installing it was another thing all together. I can assure you that if that microwave ever goes out while we live here Keith will insist on buying a micro for the counter top and use this one here for storage!!!


So, I need some advice from you all about what I should do about my "island". Yes? No? Will I be disappointed if I don't have a built-in? Will a movable one be sufficient? Or will my island slowly but surely suffocate me? I need someone to tell me what to do! ARGH! The pressure - it is overwhelming!!!!

23 comments:

Melissa Guay said...

It looks to me like you have enough room for it. And you can NEVER have too much kitchen storage, especially if you don't have much pantry space. I measured ours to see (though ours is huge) and it's about 3'8" from front of fridge, then about 4'6" from sink & dishwasher, and 3'8" from other end by stove. Hope that helps. I would vote for an island if it were me. The extra storage and prep space is wonderful. Maybe you can add it later? Or check out other people's kitchens and measure to get a good feel. I think the Irey's dishwasher opens and is only about a foot from the island it totally works. My opinion would be YES, permanent island. There's my 2 cents. :)

Anonymous said...

That cabinet is 36". We could go to a 32". The space is not only 8 1/2" wide but about 10 feet deep so we could put in an island with a breakfast bar at the end of it.

Melissa Guay said...

Ooooh, go for the island with breakfast bar!!!!! I mean, if you're going to do it, do it right!!! :)))

Kimberly said...

Question- would you do a breakfast bar on your island if you already had a breakfast bar that seats at least 4 on your peninsula?

Anonymous said...

the peninsula will only seat 3, I think, and on a slow day we could have 4 kids over....and we don't want any kids at the table with us.}

Anonymous said...

Babe, I think You should listen to Melissa.}

Jane Anne said...

Okay, based on the earlier comments, I think my comment may be useless. Anyway, I am not a big island fan- so my vote would be for no island. Now, if you NEED counter space, then yes, it would be very useful. Otherwise, I would just enjoy the open space to move around the kitchen.

Melissa Guay said...

You may notice that when you have people over, they ALWAYS congregate in the kitchen. I don't know but it always happens, so really you can never have too big of a kitchen or too much seating! Our dining table is right next to our island that has a breakfast bar and I plan to get barstools for additional seating. So I think that's the same thing as an island with a bar and a peninsula with a bar? :) You should seriously check out the Irey's kitchen and get the feel for their space and island. Besides, if you don't have an island where will you pile the junk mail? :))))))

Seth said...

I would wait until everything else is finished- unless you plan on plumbing the island with an additional sink or add a range top, you could PROBABLY add it in just as easily after everything else is in. Just my 1 1/2 cents

Kimberly said...

Ooohh!! I'm absolutely loving all the ideas! Thank you so much Melissa for all of your input. Especially taking measurements for me. That was awesome! (Keith was pretty impressed.) Of course, I have to say that I've kinda always been a no islander myself, much like Jane Anne. Hence, the need 4 people to convince me of what a great idea it would be to actually have one. I agree with Melissa that is doesn't seem to matter how much space you have in a kitchen it is the most congregated-in room. I would also have to agree that if we are going to do it we should do it right. And I think that doing it right would definitely produce an additional sink for my kitchen in the island. So I guess we have another plumbing job for you Seth! You up for the challenge? Just make sure your sweatpants are pulled up nice and high, we don't need to be seeing any plumbers crack!

Anonymous said...

for plumbers crack I use plumbers putty

MichMacsMusings said...

i vote the island, off the island. leave room for the friggin' frig.

Seth said...

I JUST learned how to plumb an island for a sink (without worrying about running a vent through the roof). AND I now have practice with Pex. I am SOOOOO ready. Maybe we can do it the weekend we come up and see you guys. When is that, by the way?

Anonymous said...

Soon?
come up anytime, we just might not be home.

Anonymous said...

I hope i am not too late! Being one who will be doing a lot of cooking and standing around and what not in your kitchen I would think you'd ask for my imput. When faced with the question of island or no island, my dear sister you ALWAYS choose the island!Your kitchen is plenty big enough to fit it comfortably. And having big empty space in the middle of your kitchen isn't going to do much for you. When you have people over and your kitchen gets full it will be a lot more comfortbale to gather around the island. It is a leaning space. When your kitchen is full of working cooking women, the island is a nice space for another gal to roll up her sleeves. Having a sink there would be awesome. Maybe there is one that can he covered with a cutting board or something.

Anonymous said...

You should listen to Anonymous!

Kimberly said...

So, if I'm ready all the comments right and also taking into consideration the input from my two Christi's (actually Christy and Kristi), it would seem that the majority of the vote goes to "Island". Sorry Jane Anne and Lindsay. But it would also seem that since my husband (financier-of-all-projects) told me to listen to Janeen(anonymous) and she said an additional sink is a must and our favorite family-friendly handyman/plumber is now experienced in putting sinks in islands and has practice with Pex (whatever that may be, since I'm assuming he's not talking about his pecs). An island with a sink - I must have!!!

Melissa Guay said...

Yay for the island!!!!!!! Now you need to invite all of us over to cook dinner together when it's all done. :)))

Anonymous said...

So after talking to you last night I had to check it out this morning. Looking at the pictures I would go for the island. Just for the extra counter space. I can't wait to see yours done to give me ideas on how to do mine. Of course ater the roof and all the other projects. I love the color.

Kimberly said...

Open house at our new home when this whole project is all said and done!!!

Melissa Guay said...

Woo-hoo, I'll bring dessert!! :)))

Heather said...

I love my island (except for when it is covered with mail and homework). Islands are great places to put buffet food when you have people over. If you put in a sink, you should add a cutting board. It would be a great place to cut up veggies etc... You are welcome to come see mine anytime to see what you think about space. When our dishwasher is open we don't have much space between the island, but enough to walk through and you get used to your space. Good luck with all the decisions and the work.

Anonymous said...

Why wait? I can eat dessert while I work!