An island is a valuable fixture in many kitchens, offering a place to prepare and serve food, and even a spot to sit down for a meal if the island has an overhang under which you can slide some stools. Homeowners often hire kitchen remodeling contractors to build them custom islands, but if you already have an island in this part of your home, you may still wish to consider hiring a professional. If you feel that your current island is too small for your needs, you may wish to think about increasing its size. Your contractor may be able to expand the size of the island; alternatively, it may be more cost effective to tear it out and build a new one that is larger. Here are some times that you may want a larger island.

You Do More Entertaining

If you've recently started to do more entertaining in your home, it's possible that your current island lacks the size to suit your needs. Family members and friends often gather around the island when you're working in the kitchen. Often, you'll even want to use the island's top for serving a variety of appetizers. If you're increasingly hosting larger gatherings in your home and you feel that a larger island would better suit these get-togethers, speak to a remodeling contractor.

You Need More Storage

While you can use the top of your island in a number of ways, there's a good chance that you use most of the space inside of the island for storage. Homeowners often face increased storage needs over time. For example, people will frequently acquire new kitchen equipment, serving dishes, and other items — all of which require storage space. You might want a larger kitchen island because it will provide you with more storage space for your kitchen items.

You've Bought A New Appliance

The purchase of a new kitchen appliance may make it necessary to think about a larger island. This is especially applicable if you aren't buying a new appliance to replace an old one. For example, if you don't currently own a dishwasher but you'll soon be buying one, you need to think about where you'll place it. Some homeowners favor having the dishwasher in the island because of its central position, but this may not be possible if your existing island is small. In this scenario, a larger island can provide the space that you need for this new appliance.