Islands and counters have always been significant elements of a kitchen’s functionality and aesthetics. However, it’s not always clear whether these two kitchen installations have or should have similar heights.
Kitchen islands can be the same height as counters if both kitchen installations are set to their standard height of 36 inches (91.44 cm). However, it isn’t mandatory to stick to the standard height for both, and you can customize the height to suit your specific needs and aesthetic preferences.
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Remodeling your kitchen? Keep reading for an in-depth discussion on the standard height for kitchen islands and counters, whether both kitchen installations should be the same height, how to determine the perfect height for each, and so much more.
The typical American kitchen counter is 36 inches (91.44 cm) tall. As with many home design standards, there’s a couple of reasons why most homeowners opt for this counter height.
Kitchen base cabinets, for instance, typically come with a height of about 34.5 inches (87.63 cm). Meanwhile, the typical countertop is 1.5 inches (3.81 cm) thick. If you add up these two values, you get 36 inches (91.44 cm)一the standard kitchen counter height.
Suppose you’re looking to renovate your kitchen counter or install a better one as part of your home improvement.
If you opted for the standard height, you wouldn’t need to do any expensive customization to the countertop or base cabinet because it’s already in the correct dimensions. On the other hand, any homeowner looking to deviate from the standard height would need to customize these two elements of a kitchen counter to get their preferred height.
So, if sticking to the standard kitchen counter height maximizes efficiency for most Americans and makes renovation/home improvement easier, why do some people deviate from it?
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Of course, there are other individual-specific motivations for choosing/not choosing the standard kitchen counter height. All said and done, it all comes to personal preferences.
A quick tip: To determine your ideal kitchen counter height, stand up and bend your arms to mimic your natural position when chopping something on a cutting board. In this position, measure about four inches (10.16 cm) below your bent elbow. This is how tall you’ll want your kitchen counter to be to maximize comfort and efficiency.
A standard American kitchen island is 36 inches (91.44 cm). Kitchen islands of this height are primarily used for cooking and food preparation (as opposed to eating/seating).
Seating at a kitchen island with this height is somewhere between bar stools and kitchen table seating in terms of the feel, which isn’t always the most comfortable height for dining and is why standard-height kitchen islands are better suited to food preparation.
If they’re both in standard height, a kitchen island can be the same height as a counter. However, the height of both kitchen installations is entirely a personal choice. The island can be taller or equal to the counter, depending on the homeowner’s height and other specific needs.
So, should the kitchen island be the same height as the counter? Or is it okay to have different heights for both kitchen installations?
Let’s make a case for each setup.
Many homeowners opt to have their kitchen islands and counters in an equal height of 36 inches (91.44 cm). Such a setup comes with the following advantages:
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While local building codes vary, there’s generally no legal requirement to match your kitchen island and counter in terms of height. The only thing that exists is the standard height for each type of kitchen installation, and even they aren’t final. You can customize the heights of your kitchen island and counter to suit your specific needs.
At this point, it makes sense to introduce a term that we’ve not mentioned so far: bar height. According to Eastwood Homes, the typical kitchen bar height is 42 inches (106.68 cm). So when we say a kitchen island is at bar height, it means it’s 42 inches (106.68 cm) tall.
Bar height kitchen islands are becoming more common. Most commonly, a bar height kitchen island will be complemented with a standard height counter.
This staggers the island-counter heights, creating a kitchen setup that can be advantageous in the following ways:
So far, we’ve established that you can either have your kitchen island at counter height or elevate it to bar height such that it sits slightly higher than the counter. We’ve also established that the heights for both kitchen installations are more about your personal preferences than the standard recommendations.
Now that your choices are clear and not bound by any building code requirements, how do you go about deciding whether to match the island height to counter height or elevate the island by a few inches?
Here are the most critical questions you’ll need to ask yourself when making that decision:
Hopefully, you now understand the intricacies behind the heights of kitchen islands and counters, and what we’ve covered will help you build your dream kitchen. Remember, there are no “hard rules” for how tall your kitchen island or counter should be. It’s all about what works best for you and your family.
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Kitchens
This post was last modified on 14/10/2023 15:43
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