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mariamc1578

False cabinet fronts or drawers on kitchen island?

last year

I'm trying to design a kitchen island and debating whether I do false door fronts or false drawers on the left panel where there is a cabinet for the disposal on the opposite side facing the fridge. i need the tall center cabinet for some appliance storage so that has to stay. Here are a couple of options...


24 inch false front drawers on left, 24 inch drawers on right, 15 inch cabinet in center.



24 inch false front drawers on left, 24 inch drawers on right, 15 inch cabinet in center.



Comments (14)

  • last year

    No false fronts that look like they could be doors or drawers. Just do finished end panels that match the door/drawer style.

    mariamc1578 thanked chispa
  • PRO
    last year

    Is this very visible? I like the simplicity of the ‘door’ but the symmetry of the drawers. If it’s really visible I might do the drawers but I think both are fine

  • last year

    You can have more symmetry with each segment 21 inches.

  • PRO
    last year

    Is this facing out into another room or is it just a walkway? I prefer the look of the drawers but all doors would be nice too ( the last cabinet could be a full height door with rollouts inside ).

    Question - what material are you using for a countertop? That side dimension adds up to about 78". Not sure of the other dimension. Do you have a slab that will work without a seam?

    Good luck!

  • PRO
    last year

    Debbi you are right, this is the rare time when a full height door with rollouts could make sense

  • last year

    Hi everyone, thanks for your input! Much appreciated. A couple of clarifications and questions: 1) This side of the island is the first thing you see as you come into the room, so very visible. 2) Our island slab is 68" x 56. I think a standard size for an MSI slab is 120 x 63. So we should be fine. 3) I can't change the cabinet boxes to be all 21's because I need the full 24" depth for our prep sink which is on the left side of the island. I'm not a fan of the rollouts (have some in my kitchen now). How are finished end panels that match the style of the doors and drawers different from false drawer panels? Would the finished end panel be flat and flush with the doors or would the drawers and doors stick out 3/4 from the side panels?

  • PRO
    last year

    You can’t have a decorative end panel since you have actual cabinets on this side not just blank ends. Your two choices are the ones that work based on your biases and cabinet layout and either will look good.

  • last year

    Symmetrical ones look more traditional/others look more modern. Both r very nice. I’d go w style that reflects kitchen.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Hmmm...

    1.5" counter overhang in front of island + 24"D cabinets in the front of the island + 15"W cabinet on side + 24"W cabinet on side + 15" overhang = 79.5" deep island


    Unless there are no seats where the drawers are, then 55.5"D (79.5 - 24 = 55.5). That would still leave you with room for 4 seats.


    Personally, I think the first looks better. But that's my opinion.


    Edited to add: 15" is the minimum recommended seating overhang for average people, more if you are a tall (or long-legged) family. 12" is too shallow for anything more than perching for a few minutes or sitting sideways at the island.

  • PRO
    last year

    Yes you can apply decrative drawer fronts to the flush side of the cabinet. But for them to be even with how the door is on the full height cabinet , you will need to put the door bumpers in there so the drawer fronts stand off the cabinet the same way a door does. Easy peasy.

    Now back to the size of the island - you stated 24" + 15" + 24" = 63" +12" overhang and 1 1/2" overhang on the other side = 76 1/2" . Not sure how you are coming up with less than that. Your picture also shows 3 stools which need to have 72" minimum. With these assumptions, you will most certainly have a seam in an island top that is about 77" x 72" .

    Please double check your floor plan - something is off.

    Good luck

  • last year

    You're right about the slab size. I was forgetting the overhang. We'd still have the 56" width, so it would still fit the 120 x 63 slab either way. Ive actually decided to change the size completely. I'll just do the 24" false fronts on the left and 33" drawers on the right. Plus the 15 inch overhang. So 1.5 overhang on the left + 24" cabinet + 33" cabinet + 15" overhang = 73.5. We're sticking with the 56" width. Our existing island is the same width. We have two pretty bulky chairs there right now. 3 more narrow chairs is what we'd like to do, but it will most likely end up being 2 as it would be pretty tight. The chairs are almost never used. Maybe by a small child once in awhile so I'm not really concerned. Thanks everyone for your input! Here's the new plan.




  • last year

    So sorry! I thought I attached the images!




  • PRO
    last year

    If you are going to do a larger overhang like that with legs, then you are definitely only fitting 2 stools there.

  • PRO
    last year

    If you are ok with a leg why not do a panel to close off the end? Then the drawers would be centered between two equal full height panels.