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Families are the strongest groups we have in society. I think any activity that helps to strengthen families should be helped. My own family meet-ups involve frequent gatherings around a large granite island at my sister’s country home. That’s why when my daughter Hillary’s new in-laws asked me to help them design their family kitchen, I could not have been more grateful for the opportunity. (Photos are featured in this article).

We did all the planning ahead for a full gut job that included taking out the wall between the dining and kitchen, refaced the fireplace, and added all new cabinets, countertops, backsplash, lighting and flooring through-out.

We all don’t have the privilege of space for a big island but there is always a way to make a place for families to gather in your home. However if you have the room to put in an island – I highly recommend them to promote family camaraderie.

Here are my top 4 family friendly island features.

1) A big flat island: The best use of space is an island all one level. No breaks or height difference. That way everyone can gather round talk and help prepare the meal.

2) Comfortable chairs: You need a countertop-height bar stool, 24” – 25” height stools or chair seats for a 36” height counter. The more comfortable the better- upholstered in water and stain resistant fabric is the best.

3) A great countertop: I love using natural materials on the island. Granite with great chunks of crystal quartz, mica flecks, and and character will keep guests entertained for many many years. It’s like art.

There is something about a clink of a cup on the granite and the extra care that elevates the mood. But the best part is you are owning a little piece of a 400,000 year old geological formation. Really, a chunk of the the natural world frozen in time. It’s really mind blowing!

4) Induction cooktop: Its ideal design for the island, was just a byproduct – because it was mainly designed to be an alternate cooking method for gas on cruise ships. It’s ultra safe cool cooking source is ideal for an island. Myself and my clients highly recommend it. It cooks faster than gas by the way.

In Summary:
The island is the number one way to create a family gathering spot. There are other ways we will cover in later blogs so stay turned and if you are ready for your own custom plan for your new family kitchen click below and tell us about your project.