The kitchen is the heart of most homes. You probably notice that when you entertain, everyone wants to hang out in the kitchen, despite there being a perfectly good living or dining room! When you’re ready to plan your kitchen remodel, consider adding seating to your kitchen island. Island seating is a great way to offer space to entertain, but you may not have the space for a whole table. A great option is to add an island, with seating built in. In this post, we will go over the minimum countertop overhang for seating around your kitchen island.
As a disclaimer, you can not simply add an island into any kitchen. Building codes indicate that you need a 36″ perimeter around your island, which includes an overhang. If you are working with a kitchen that is meant to be ADA accessible, you’ll need 42″ to accommodate a walker or wheelchair. Before any addition or modification to your kitchen, be sure to check with building codes in your area. You might learn you need additional modifications, such as the addition of electrical outlets.
The standard height for countertops and islands is 36″, which is ideal for someone standing to use the working space. However, to accommodate the additional seating, you want to keep in mind your different height options. The minimum countertop overhang for seating is 10″, but we recommend at least 12″ for ideal comfort. You could choose a tiered countertop, which will have multiple heights for seating. You can choose from table height, countertop height, or bar height kitchen islands. Take a look at the graphic below to help you decide which island height and overhang you want to go with.
Most kitchen island countertop materials will work well for an overhang. However, if you plan to use this space as a table you may want to pick something low maintenance and durable. Your best options as far as countertops for ideal overhand will be quartz, granite, or a butcher block. 10 inches is plenty of overhang in move cases, however, if you are exceeding 15″ of overhang, you’ll need to add something to support the countertop, such as corbels or pillars.
Your kitchen remodel could benefit from added seating around your island. The minimum countertop overhang for seating is 10 inches, however, 12″ or more is ideal. Assuming you have the space, you can add additional seating by extending the countertop, or installing a tiered bar or table height island. Be sure to choose a material that can support the weight of your overhang or consider that you’ll need to add corbels or pillars. Whatever you do, be sure to follow local building codes in your village of residence.
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