--- title: "Kitchen Design: Making Room For An Island" description: "Kitchen Design: Making Room For An Island" image: https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iturregui-plan-AB.jpg --- [![Gilday](https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/theme2021/images/gilday-logo-white.png) ](https://www.gilday.com/) [ 301.565.4600 ](tel:301.565.4600) - [About Us](https://www.gilday.com/about-gilday-renovations) - [About](https://www.gilday.com/about-gilday-renovations) - [Architects & Designers](https://www.gilday.com/architects-designers) - [Administration](https://www.gilday.com/administration) - [Production & Construction](https://www.gilday.com/production-team) - [Careers](https://www.gilday.com/careers) - [Awards](https://www.gilday.com/awards) - [What Our Clients Say](https://www.gilday.com/gilday-renovation-reviews) - [Press](https://www.gilday.com/press) - Service Area - [Arlington VA](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-arlington-va) - [Alexandria VA](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-alexandria-va) - [Bethesda MD](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-bethesda-md) - [Chevy Chase MD](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-chevy-chase-md) - [Cleveland Park DC](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-cleveland-park-dc) - [Kensington MD](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-kensington-md) - [McLean VA](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-mclean-va) - [Potomac MD](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-potomac-md) - [Rockville MD](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-rockville-md) - [Washington DC](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-washington-dc) - [Portfolio](https://www.gilday.com/portfolio) - [Additions](https://www.gilday.com/portfolio#additions) - [Kitchens](https://www.gilday.com/portfolio#kitchens) - [Baths](https://www.gilday.com/portfolio#baths) - [Whole House Renovations](https://www.gilday.com/portfolio#wholehouse) - Services - [Home Remodeling the Design Build Way](https://www.gilday.com/home-remodeling-the-design-build-way) - [Renovation Architect Services](https://www.gilday.com/renovation-architect-services-gilday-renovations) - [Whole-Home Remodeling](https://www.gilday.com/whole-home-remodeling-gilday-renovations) - [Kitchen Remodeling](https://www.gilday.com/kitchen-remodeling-gilday-renovations) - [Bathroom Remodeling](https://www.gilday.com/bathroom-remodeling-gilday-renovations) - [Home Additions](https://www.gilday.com/home-additions-gilday-renovations) - [Pricing & Budgeting](https://www.gilday.com/how-to-budget-for-a-home-renovation-project) - [For Realtors - Pre-Purchase Evaluation](https://www.gilday.com/for-realtors-pre-purchase-evaluation) - [Resources](https://www.gilday.com/renovation-resource-center) - [Renovation Articles](https://www.gilday.com/design-build-dc-blog) - [Contact Us](https://www.gilday.com/contact) x Search the site # Kitchen Design: Making Room For An Island [Kevin Gilday](https://www.gilday.com/design-build-dc-blog/author/kevin-gilday) ![Kitchen Design: Making Room For An Island](https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iturregui-plan-AB.jpg) Here is a great example of how Gilday Renovations can reconfigure interior space to address functional needs in a [kitchen design](http://gildayrenovations.com/kitchen-design) without getting into the cost of a room addition.  We do that by redesigning the existing floor plan. This right-sized Bethesda, Maryland home had plenty of space on the interior, but the proportions were off.  For example, the kitchen was small and the dining room too big.  Movement from room to room throughout the main floor was interrupted by unnecessary walls and doors and an awkwardly located powder room. The key to making this project work for the homeowners was to expand the kitchen so that it would accommodate a large center island -and- to improve its relationship to other rooms on the main floor. The yellow highlights in the plan below identify where the designers removed, relocated or reshaped walls to optimize flow and function.   [![kitchen design with center island](https://www.gilday.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iturregui-plan-AB.jpg?width=1200&name=iturregui-plan-AB.jpg "iturregui plan AB")](https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iturregui-plan-AB.jpg)   As shown above, we made space for an island by moving the wall between dining room and kitchen (making the dining room smaller), and by bumping out (about three feet) a rear exterior wall to recess the sink run of cabinets. Here's what the kitchen looked like before... [![](https://www.gilday.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iturregui-before-db1.jpg?width=1200&name=iturregui-before-db1.jpg "iturregui before db")](https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iturregui-before-db1.jpg) Here's how the interior designers reinvented the space. [![kitchen with center island](https://www.gilday.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Kitchen-1-range-1.jpg?width=1200&name=Kitchen-1-range-1.jpg "Kitchen 1 -range")](https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Kitchen-1-range-1.jpg) And... as seen from the (now slightly smaller) dining room. [![kitchen with built-in computer center](https://www.gilday.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Kitchen-2-sink-window.jpg?width=1200&name=Kitchen-2-sink-window.jpg "Kitchen 2 sink-window")](https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Kitchen-2-sink-window.jpg) Obviously, this was much more than a simple replacement kitchen.  The program called for improved room to room  relationships throughout the main floor.  To that end, walls were removed, relocated, shortened, lengthened and realigned in order to improve traffic patterns,  achieve visual clarity and bring daylight into the center of the house.  The new kitchen works on its own and in relation to the rest of the house. Learn about how to approach a kitchen design and remodeling project by downloading [The Definitive Guide to Kitchen Design & Remodeling Success](https://www.gilday.com/the-definitive-guide-to-kitchen-design-and-renovation).  [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4060073/fcedc039-fa05-42ab-80a8-3d78d9993148.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4060073/fcedc039-fa05-42ab-80a8-3d78d9993148) ## Leave a comment We are architects We are interior designers We are builders Let us be yours Gilday Renovations 8820 Brookville Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910 © Gilday Renovations 2025 - [About Us](https://www.gilday.com/about-gilday-renovations) - [Portfolio](https://www.gilday.com/portfolio) - Services - [Resources](https://www.gilday.com/renovation-resource-center) - [Renovation Articles](https://www.gilday.com/design-build-dc-blog) - [Contact Us](https://www.gilday.com/contact) 301.565.4600 [info@gilday.com](mailto:info@gilday.com) [Privacy Policy](https://www.gilday.com/gilday-com-privacy-policy) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.gilday.com/#website", "@type" : "WebSite", "name" : "Gilday Renovations", "potentialAction" : { "@type" : "SearchAction", "query-input" : "required name=search_term_string", "target" : "https://www.gilday.com/hs-search-results?term={search_term_string}" }, "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://www.gilday.com/#entity" }, "url" : "https://www.gilday.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.gilday.com/#entity", "@type" : [ "Organization", "GeneralContractor" ], "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "US", "addressLocality" : "Silver Spring", "addressRegion" : "MD", "postalCode" : "20910", "streetAddress" : "8820 Brookville Road" }, "areaServed" : [ { "@type" : "State", "name" : "District of Columbia" }, { "@type" : "State", "name" : "Maryland" }, { "@type" : "State", "name" : "Virginia" } ], "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Gilday-Nov2017/Image/0e46f4_15daa73f94264bbd95eb4e173ad2d447.jpg" }, "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.gilday.com/hubfs/Gilday-Nov2017/Image/H_Logo.jpg" }, "name" : "Gilday Renovations", "openingHoursSpecification" : { "@type" : "OpeningHoursSpecification", "closes" : "17:00", "dayOfWeek" : [ "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday" ], "opens" : "09:00" }, "priceRange" : "$$$", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.facebook.com/gilday.renovations/", "https://twitter.com/GildayBuilders", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/gilday-renovations/about/", "https://www.pinterest.com/gildaycom/", "https://www.houzz.com/pro/gildayrenovations/gilday-renovations", "https://www.instagram.com/gildayrenovations/" ], "telephone" : "+1-301-565-4600", "url" : "https://www.gilday.com" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Kevin Gilday" }, "dateModified" : "June 01, 2011", "datePublished" : "June 01, 2011", "description" : "Kitchen Design: Making Room For An Island", "headline" : "Kitchen Design: Making Room For An Island", "image" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 800, "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4060073/Imported_Blog_Media/iturregui-plan-AB.jpg", "width" : 800 }, "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.gilday.com/design-build-dc-blog/kitchen-design-making-room-for-an-island.html", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/4060073/Gilday-Nov2017/Image/H_Logo.jpg" }, "name" : "Gilday Renovations" } } ```