If you ask Toronto homeowners what they wish they had in their kitchen, a proper island or peninsula is almost always near the top of the list.
Done well, an island becomes the hub of the home. You prep dinner while kids do homework, friends sit with a drink while you cook, and there is finally a landing spot for groceries. Done poorly, it blocks traffic, crowds appliances, and becomes a very expensive obstacle.
This 2025 guide walks through how to plan kitchen islands and peninsulas that actually work in real Toronto houses and condos, with practical sizes, clearances, and storage ideas you can reuse in your own renovation.
Start With How You Want To Use The Island
Before you draw a big rectangle in the middle of the room, think about what you want the island or peninsula to do in daily life.
Common roles your island might play:
- Extra prep space close to the sink and range
- Informal seating for breakfast, snacks, and homework
- Landing zone for groceries and small appliances
- Extra storage for pots, pans, and pantry items
- A place for a sink, cooktop, or microwave drawer
Most Toronto kitchens cannot do everything in one piece of cabinetry. Pick your top two or three priorities so you can size the island properly and avoid stuffing it with too many features.
When An Island Works Vs When A Peninsula Makes More Sense
Islands are popular, but they are not the only answer.
Islands work best when
- There is enough room for traffic all the way around
- You want clear views and movement between the kitchen, dining, and family room
- Multiple people cook at the same time and need separate zones
Peninsulas work best when
- One side of the kitchen is against a wall or a tight property line
- You need a visual and functional divider between the kitchen and living area
- The room is not deep enough for a full island, but you still want seating and storage
In many Toronto semis and narrower detached homes, a peninsula or an “almost island” that connects to one wall can give you more storage and seating without squeezing walkways.
Kitchen Sizes, Islands, And Clearances
Clearances are where island plans succeed or fail.
As a simple rule of thumb, you want:
- At least 36 inches of clearance between the island or peninsula and surrounding cabinets or walls
- 42 to 48 inches of clearance in busier work aisles where people cook, open appliances, and pass each other
- Extra space wherever an oven, dishwasher, or fridge door swings open so it does not clash with the island edge
For islands with seating, plan:
- Around 24 inches of island length per stool so people are not bumping elbows
- 12 inches of overhang for counter height seating and a bit more if you want deeper knee space
If your kitchen is less than about 10 feet from the cabinet run to the opposite wall, a full island can feel forced. In these cases, a slimmer island, a movable work table, or a peninsula at one end often works better.
Popular Island Layouts In Toronto Kitchens
Every house is different, but we see a few island patterns that work especially well in Toronto layouts.
1. Prep And Seating Island In An Open Concept Main Floor
For many main floor renovations, the island sits between the working kitchen and a family room or dining area. In this setup, we often:
- Place the sink and dishwasher on the island facing the living space
- Keep the cooking zone on the wall with a range and proper ventilation
- Use the seating side for casual meals and homework
This keeps water and cleanup in the middle of the action while keeping open flames and grease further from soft seating and kids.
2. Narrow Galley Kitchen With A Slim Island
In longer semis and townhomes, a full-depth island is too much. A slimmer island or console, often 24 to 30 inches deep, can provide:
- Extra prep space and storage
- A couple of stools at the end, not along the full length
- A clear walking lane on both sides
We pay close attention to fridge and oven door swings in these spaces so doors can open fully without hitting the island.
3. L-Shaped Kitchens With A Peninsula
In many older Toronto homes, the kitchen shares a wall with a stair or structural support that is tricky to move. A peninsula that extends out from that wall can:
- Create a natural “U” shaped work zone
- Offer seating on the living room side
- Hide structural posts inside the end of the peninsula cabinetry
This approach is especially useful when you remove a load-bearing wall between the kitchen and dining, but still need one post for support. The post disappears inside the cabinetry instead of floating in the middle of the room.
Storage Ideas That Make Islands Work Harder
A beautiful island that only stores a couple of big pots is a missed opportunity. Inside the box, you can get creative.
Smart storage ideas include:
- Deep drawers for pots, pans, and mixing bowls that pull all the way out
- Tray and baking sheet dividers on the range side
- Pull out recycling and garbage near the sink or prep area
- Microwave drawer tucked on the working side instead of on the counter
- Open shelves at one end for cookbooks, baskets, or kids’ art supplies
On peninsulas, we sometimes keep the seating side clean and use the kitchen side for full-height storage that lines up with the rest of the cabinetry.
Outlets, Lighting, And Details People Forget
Islands and peninsulas live in the middle of the room, so they need their own power and lighting plan.
Outlets
- Building code and good practice both expect outlets on islands and peninsulas where you plug in small appliances
- Pop-up outlets or side-mounted outlets can keep the top surface clean
- In open concept spaces, we plan outlet locations carefully so they are handy without being the first thing you see
Lighting
- Pendants above the island or peninsula help define the space and provide task lighting
- We usually pair pendants with recessed or track lighting so the whole kitchen is evenly lit
- Dimmer switches let you change from bright prep mode to softer evening lighting
Countertop edges and corners
- Slightly eased or rounded corners are kinder to hips and small heads than sharp points
- Overhangs should be supported with brackets or panels when they extend far past the cabinet boxes
These finishing touches make the island feel like it belongs to the whole main floor instead of looking like an afterthought.
Islands, Peninsulas, And Open Concept Renovations
Most Toronto island and peninsula projects are tied to a larger main floor or kitchen renovation. Often that includes:
- Removing or opening up a wall between the kitchen and dining room
- Fixing flooring transitions where tile meets hardwood or vinyl
- Updating ventilation so the new cooking zone actually clears steam and smells
Because walls and ceilings are involved, we often coordinate island design with structural engineering and permit drawings. That way, beam sizes, post locations, and range hood ducts are all planned before cabinets are ordered.
If you already removed a wall years ago and are now updating cabinets, we still double-check that any existing beams and posts are properly supported before locking in a new island layout.
How JG Contracting Plans Kitchen Islands & Peninsulas
When we design a Toronto kitchen with an island or peninsula, we look at the whole picture, not just one piece of cabinetry.
A typical process with JG Contracting includes:
- Measuring your existing kitchen and nearby rooms so we understand the true available space.
- Talking through how you cook, entertain, and live so we know what you want the island or peninsula to do.
- Testing multiple layouts on a scaled floor plan with different island sizes, shapes, and seating options.
- Coordinating structural work, electrical, plumbing, and ventilation with the cabinet plan.
- Helping you choose finishes that tie the island into the rest of the kitchen, from flooring and countertops to lighting.
The goal is a kitchen that feels open, flows properly, and gives you an island or peninsula that you enjoy using every day.
Helpful companion reads on our site:
- Kitchen Remodel Layouts, Storage & Materials That Last (Toronto Kitchen Remodel Playbook 2025)
- Toronto Range Hood & Kitchen Ventilation Guide 2025
- Modern Kitchen & Bathroom Renovations on York Mills Road, Toronto
- Third Street, Toronto – Full Home Renovation
Ready to plan an island or peninsula that actually fits your Toronto kitchen?
If you are dreaming about adding an island or peninsula, but are not sure what will truly fit, we can help you test options and build a layout that works in real life. Contact us today to book a consultation.
📞 Call us at: 437-259-9632
✉️ Email us at: jgcontractingyyz@gmail.com
🌐 Website: https://jgcontractingyyz.com
