Kitchen Islands Designs with seating

For some homeowners, an essential element of kitchen islands is seating. But figuring out how many seats you want and how many are realistic can be a frustrating exercise. Here's how to work through pros and cons to figure out seating for kitchen islands.

Step 1: Think about how you use your kitchen and its adjacent spaces.

Is your kitchen space isolated from the rest of the house? Or is it open to other rooms, including a dining room? If the latter, then minimal seating for kitchen islands might provide just enough spots for a few family members or friends to join you while you're cooking. But if your kitchen is clearly divided from other living areas, more seating for kitchen islands might be important.

In addition, think about how your family eats and moves through the kitchen on a daily basis - and how that might change in years to come. Do your kids come and go at different times of the day depending on activities and schoolwork? Or is your kitchen hangout central, where everyone does homework, pays bills, and unwinds from the day? If so, then it might be important to have more seating at kitchen islands.

And keep design tips from the experts in mind: The National Kitchen and Bath Association recommends leaving at least 36 inches on all sides of an island to accommodate traffic. You will need to plan for more space if you want seating for your kitchen island.