The kitchen island will function as a much more effective gathering point if the overall kitchen design accounts for some key factors. Photo courtesy of KraftMaid Cabinetry.

A beautiful kitchen island is the focal point of the kitchen. It's often the place where the family gathers to talk about their day, do homework, chat with friends, and eat snacks or casual meals. This very important kitchen essential can be many things:

• food prep center
• cooking center
• cleanup center
• storage center

Usually the island is a combination of work centers. Unfortunately,  and all too often, not enough planning goes into the island design and the family ends up with an island that is ill-designed and more of a hindrance than a help. A great deal of care, thought and planning must to go into the design of this workhorse of the kitchen.

Let's look at some of the most common kitchen island design mistakes and how to avoid them.

Improper size. The island needs to be the right size for the kitchen and for its intended use. If the island is too small it won't be functional. If it’s too large traffic flow will be a problem. The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends at least 42 inches of clearance from your island to the nearest countertop. Sometimes, if the kitchen is large enough, two islands work better than one large island. This improves traffic flow.

Not enough storage. Always allow enough storage for the jobs being done. And don't forget to make this organized storage: pull out shelves in cabinets, sectioned drawers for knives and other utensils and spice drawers.

Bad seating. If there will be seating at the island you will either lose storage space or you need to store things in this area that you do not use often. Also, you need to plan for a comfortable counter height in the seating areas. Counters for seating should be 42 inches high for 30 inch tall stools. The NKBA recommends 24 inches of width per person. Also, allow 18 inches of counter top overhang for leg and knee room.

Island impedes work triangle. Sometimes an island will stand between the points in the work triangle, which is an imaginary line running from the sink, range and refrigerator. This will impede traffic flow to these main places, making work in the kitchen much more difficult. Make one of these points a part of the island.

No real function. For the island to be useful it needs something to do. Assign it a task. If it will be a cook center give it a cooktop, storage for pots, pans, utensils, oils and spices. If it will also be a food prep center add a sink, chopping block, knives, possibly refrigerated crisper drawers. Equip it with all the things it will need to do the job it is assigned to do. It should have at least one major function.

Discussing your needs with your kitchen design professional will avoid these and other design pitfalls and give you the island of your dreams.