The current trend is for modern kitchens to have a kitchen island. These can be built-in or portable, and just about any size or style you can dream of. If you want a built-in island, then you could have a cooktop, sink and other functional things on top as well as a dishwasher or plenty of storage below. Or it could be something as simple as a table with a shelf and a butcher block counter top. The size and look of your kitchen should be your guide.
Small kitchens might not be big enough for a standard island, but portable ones are designed to be moved around when necessary. A kitchen cart can even fit into a small kitchen and serve as a type of island, at least enough to provide workspace.
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If you plan on installing a kitchen island, you can determine whether portable or built-in is best for your room. Measure the island you want and plan where you'll put it. You can even go so far as to use tape to mark where it will sit, and don't forget to allow room around it for kitchen stools. Now, as you go about your day, does it become absolutely necessary to encroach on that taped off space? If you find yourself walking or stepping there, that's just habit. But if your oven door or any other stationary object goes past the space where it or stools would sit, then you probably need to find a smaller island that won't take up that much space.
Also, consider how people can get around in your kitchen. With an island there, can you still walk easily through the room and to get anything you need? Are the stools in the way? What about if you have people sitting in the stools; would they have to move in order for people to get in and out of the room, or to get to the refrigerator or cabinets?
As far as the type of island to get, consider your budget first. Building a kitchen island with a dishwasher, sink or cooktop is going to be a budget drain, but you can get a portable island at a fraction of that cost without worrying about running electricity or plumbing attachments. You may also prefer one that's open below, or one with built-in storage for kitchen items. If there's storage below, consider where people's knees will be when they sit, and how far out their stools would be required to sit away from the island when you plan for size.