Super-Functional Mr. Gadget Island?

last year

I need to design an island for my work-in-progress kitchen. The size can be as small as 4' x 2' or as large as 5' x 2.5', but the smaller the better.

The island needs to contain

1) bakers rack for either half or full sheet pans

2) undercounter refrigeration

3) trash, recycling, compost pull-out - ideally accessible from both sides of the island

4) some receptacles to plug in a small appliance - mixer, etc.

It needs to be on casters, and I will put a floor receptable below the island. The NEC's latest about island receptacles don't matter.

Countertop material TBA.

I am looking for

- Pictures of other super-functional islands. They don't need to contain the same things that I am planning - this is to get ideas. Bonus if the islands look cool or interesting too.

- Recommendations, how would you do an island trash pullout that pulls out on either side of the island? I imagine this is not an "off the shelf" thing?

- Would you put (plugmold?) receptacles on or under the island counter edge, or would you have receptacles set into the countertop?

- Any other advice on designing a custom Go-Go-Gadget island?

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

John Liu
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
I made a list of generic volumes required for typical things

Bakers rack - 13” W x 18” D x arbitrary H

Undercounter fridge or other generic undercounter appliance - 24” W x 24” D x 30” H is a fairly common size

Trash pullout - I realized it doesn’t have to pull out to both sides of the island, if I put it on the end of the island that will be accessible from either sides. Thinking of having an upper pullout with two 4-5 gal cans (one for trash, one for compost), and a lower pullout with two more 4-5 gal cans (one for deposit return bottles & cans, one for general recycling). There is so much sorting of refuse now! Each pullout will need about 8” W x 11” D x 14” H.

Small appliance (like a mixer you want to store undercounter) - vary but many will fit in 12” W x 14” D x 16“ H

So some Tetris to do. Not sure this can all fit in the available volume.
eam44
last year
Hey John, can you post your layout here too please? Thanks
Related Professionals
Tuscaloosa Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Cambridge Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Champaign Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Kearney Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Yuma Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Edmonton Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Dover Kitchen Remodelers · Allentown Kitchen Remodelers · Newport Kitchen Remodelers · Phoenix Kitchen Remodelers · Topeka Custom Countertops · Baton Rouge Custom Countertops · Greensboro Custom Countertops · Newport Custom Countertops · Coeur d'Alene Custom Countertops
John Liu
Original Author
last year
last modified: last year
I don’t have a good dimensioned layout.

Here are pics - the Mr Gadget island will go where the existing Ikea island is.

The idea or hope is that when doing a really big dinner I can prep on sheet pans on the prep counter (the middle counter) and stage the sheet pans in the island’s bakers rack until it is their turn to be roasted, steamed, etc.

I see keeping condiments, herbs, other refrigerated prep stuff at hand in the island’s fridge. Granted, it isn’t a long walk to the main fridge, so this spot will be a generic dimension in case it turns out better used for something else later.

If the trash pullouts are on the end of the island facing away from the range, then they’d be not so convenient from the prep zone, but I can dump trimmings and other prep mess into a workbowl then to compost later. The pullouts would be accessible for scraping dishes at the wash sink, also to people prepping on the island or simply walking into the kitchen to throw something away.

The current island is about 30” x 50”, and is a bit wider than I’d like. It makes my aisles tight.

The “160” dimension is wrong, it is 192”.