Having a basement kitchen with island is an interesting thing to do. Many houses in the US have basements. The basements which are rooms below the main building are used for laundry or other things. It can also be turned into a fitness area, family hangs out, and so on.
In recent years, basements have also been renovated into apartments and people also live there. You only have rules to follow to turn your basement into a living space; which if you don’t follow, the basement will not be approved.
A kitchen island is a high cabinet that is used for all the activities in the kitchen. It contains cabinets for kitchen appliances, it’s usually very big and it has kitchen stools around it. You can eat your meal also on it, etc.
Can I Have a Kitchen in the Basement?
Yes, you can have a kitchen in the basement as long as you follow the building rules when constructing the basement kitchen. Having a kitchen in the basement will reduce the stress of going upstairs to cook food especially if you have a room in your basement.
For example, if your basement is your guest room, adding a kitchen to the room reduces the stress of going upstairs to get food. If you turn the basement into a family room, a kitchen in there will make it look more homely.
Can You Have a Basement Kitchen with Island?
You can have a basement kitchen with an island to reduce the space the kitchen equipment takes in the kitchen. You can also eat your meal on it.
Pros of Having a Basement Kitchen with Island
If you want to add a kitchen to your basement, there are a whole lot of things you have to get. You need space for storage, cabinets, and you might also want to add a dining area to it. This is where the kitchen island is beneficial. There are lots of advantages to having a kitchen island in your basement.
Dining Area
You might want to make your basement kitchen have the feeling of the home so you might be thinking of adding a dining table to the kitchen. Rather than spending another amount on that, a kitchen island solves that issue.
The flat surface is a perfect place to eat together with your family and friends. There are also sitting stools that accompany the kitchen island.
Enough Storage Area
Instead of buying or building cupboards or cabinets in the kitchen, the island has storage areas. You can have just one cupboard and keep your other equipment and ingredients in the drawers of the island.
A Place to Bond
Apart from eating on the kitchen island, it can also be a place where the family bonds. The seats that come with the island make it a place where the kids can stay while the cooking is going on.
They can work on their assignments there. The kitchen island creates a place where the family discusses a lot of things while the food is cooking.
Extra Appliances
There are different kinds of kitchen islands. If your kitchen island has electricity connected to it or plumbing, you can connect different appliances to it. Instead of putting the appliances on the main kitchen counter, you can have them on the island. You can also have a built-in sink or chopping board on the island.
Cons of Having a Basement Kitchen with Island
- It Makes the Kitchen Cramped: Not all basements are wide. You should consider having a kitchen island depending on the size of the kitchen in the basement. If your kitchen is not that big, having a kitchen island will cause obstructions to the activities in the kitchen. There won’t be space and the room will be cramped.
- Extra Expenses: This is depending on the kind of kitchen island you want. If you want to have a very modern kind of island whereby it is connected to electricity, gas or plumbing, then you’ll be spending more money.
How much Does it Cost to Add a Basement Kitchen with Island?
Your basement most times is always damp and cold, so renovation will cost money. You’ll have to work on the basement to make it homely.
However, adding a kitchen to the basement will cost you more because you’ll work on flooring, lighting, ventilation, and plumbing.
To add a kitchen island, you will spend more. There are different kinds of kitchen islands. If you want to get the kitchen island from stock, it will cost you between $100 to $10,000. This is depending on the things you want to add to the top of the island. Also, the size determines the price as well as the labor.
Do You Need a Permit to Add a Basement Kitchen with Island?
Yes, you need a obtain a permit from the local authorities before adding Island in your basement kitchen.
When it comes to the construction of buildings, you need to be familiar with the bylaws of your municipality.
Finishing your basement requires a permit most time. But it is also dependent on what finishing means. If it’s just a carpet you need to lay, you don’t need a permit. But if you’ll be doing some electrical, ventilation, or plumbing work, you need a permit. This is to ensure safety in the basement.
You’ll need all these works for your kitchen so you need a permit to add a basement kitchen.
If you buy an island you don’t need a permit. But to install electrical wiring and plumbing into it, you need an electrical permit and a plumbing permit. Visit your municipality website to know how you will get the permit.
Can You Have a Kitchen Island in a Small Kitchen?
A kitchen island is very wide. It has a variety of sizes. You can decide to have an island in your kitchen just to give it a new look or enjoy the benefits. But you have to check the size of the kitchen. If your kitchen is small, it is better you just leave it out.
You can’t have an island that would always get in the way of work. The room will look so cramped with it. It won’t give the kitchen that beauty.
What Do You Call a Basement Kitchen?
A basement kitchen can otherwise be called a cellar kitchen.
These two words are interchangeably used by people. Although they look similar, they are actually different from one another.
A basement is below the ground but a little above the street level. But a cellar is below the ground. But with the use of words, the basement kitchen can also be called a cellar kitchen.
Final Thoughts
A kitchen island will add a modern look to your basement kitchen. Apart from the beauty, it brings to your basement kitchen, it also gives you extra storage, working, and seating area. If you budget your income well, you can get one. But don’t forget to check if your kitchen is not too small to have a kitchen island.
