CLEVER ALTERNATIVES

2023-05-14 - BY HUNTER BOYCE The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Kitchen islands have taken over the interior design scene for years now – perhaps too long. Some homeowners are starting their own trends by taking out their massive kitchen centerpieces and replacing them with new ideas.

Here are some of the best ways you can design a kitchen without installing an island.

FREESTANDING TABLE

Islands are great at providing additional kitchen counter space, but can make it for tight space in a busy kitchen. Rather than install an island in your kitchen, consider adding a free-standing table to the center of the cooking space.

“Islands can be cabinetry built right down to the floor to contain storage and appliances but this can create a somewhat bulky and over-fitted look so an alternative could be to use instead a table or a worktable,” Merlin Wright, design director at Plain English, told Homes and Gardens. “A dining table is seating height whereas a worktable is full-height. The advantage of the worktable is that it has the visual lightness of a table while the extra height allows space for generous drawers and maybe a slatted shelf for storing pans and platters below. Worktables can also be constructed with overhangs or empty bays for stools.”

GALLEY LAYOUT

A great kitchen provides ample storage space while still giving the homeowner easy and efficient access to everything they will need. When it comes to efficiency, galley layout kitchens are hard to beat.

“While large islands are en vogue, don’t underestimate the beauty of a small galley or U-shaped kitchen,” Meghan Eisenberg, of Studio M.E., told Homes and Gardens. “If designed with the golden triangle in mind, narrow kitchens are the preferred choice of chefs who appreciate the ease of flow between refrigerator, stove and sink. Aesthetically speaking, the key to designing smaller kitchens is to keep the design simple and easy for the eye to understand.”

BREAKFAST NOOK

A breakfast nook is a wonderful invitation for the family to gather and spend quality time together, as well as participate in the cooking process.

“In this way, they can contribute to a more convenient and better functioning kitchen or dining area in the home,” Custom Home Group reported. “Breakfast nooks can also provide a more informal eating area for the family. In homes with younger children, they can be especially convenient alternatives to having little ones eating in a fancier dining room with tables, chairs, or floor surfaces that are harder to clean. Plus, a breakfast nook keeps them within your view when you’re doing something in the

kitchen.”

LET THE SPACE SPEAK FOR ITSELF

Smaller kitchens are often left with little space for storage additions or breakfast nooks. But there isn’t anything wrong with simply letting an open space in the kitchen speak for itself.

Rather than focusing on filling the space with a cumbersome island or sprawling breakfast nook, place your attention on the floor beneath and the nearby walls. Leaving an open space in a smaller kitchen is a great way to draw attention to your magnificent hardwood flooring or rustic, brick walls. inspect your HVAC unit twice a year: once before the cooling season and once before the heating season. This regular checkup will help prevent problems and discover small ones early on. The technician will also lubricate the HVAC’s moving parts and take other steps to tune up the system and keep it in working order. This service costs about $100. Consider scheduling regular maintenance service well in advance or committing to a service contract with an HVAC company before the hot time of year begins. This contract usually includes regular inspections and priority service in an emergency.

CALL A PRO

Once you know the situation and that it’s not in your control to fix it, call a professional and have your list in hand. AC repair jobs range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, depending on the exact nature of the issue. But the sooner you call a pro, the faster you’ll have cool air running again.

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