An island plan

The Island Plan

The island floor plan features a freestanding workstation, usually incorporating either the sink or cooktop.

Pros: This plan works best for large kitchens in which the work triangle would exceed the 26-foot rule if all three workstations were located against walls.

The "26-foot rule" dictates that for maximum efficiency, the perimeter of the work triangle should measure at least 12 feet but not more than 26 feet. Each side should measure at least 4 feet but no longer than 9 feet. (Note: Old-timers may remember the "22-foot rule"; it's the same idea, but not as well-suited to today's larger homes.)

Cons: Island plans are not well-suited to kitchens where two work stations must be on opposite walls.

Other considerations: Allow at least 42 inches of aisle space on all sides of the island; in a two-cook kitchen, 48 inches is better.

In a large kitchen, the island is a convenient location for specialty countertops, such as butcher block for chopping vegetables or marble for rolling out pastry dough. In a small kitchen, consider a portable island such as a rolling cart or table. It won't accommodate a bonafide workstation but will give you extra counter space where you need it.

If the island also includes an eating counter, keep it well away from the cooktop.

When one end of an island is anchored to a wall or line of cabinets, the result is a peninsula plan. The peninsula kitchen packs all the versatility of an island kitchen, but doesn't require as much floor space.

The cooktop and sink work equally well on a peninsula; moving the sink from against a wall isn't a problem if there is a basement with accessible plumbing.

Like islands, peninsulas give the cook a workstation with a view into an adjacent room rather than just toward a wall. After meal preparation, a peninsula can double as a snack bar or buffet as well as a room divider to help route traffic away from the kitchen.