Kitchen Island Size Calculator
Find the biggest island your kitchen can hold while keeping comfortable aisles, and how many stools fit along it. Based on widely used kitchen planning clearances.
Open Floor Space
From the front of the counters to the opposite counters or wall.
Who Cooks?
Seating at the Island?
36 in is the usual minimum.
Your Island Size Will Appear Here
Measure the open floor where the island would go, then click “Size My Island.”
Islands, Carts & Stools Worth a Look
Hand-picked products to help you get the best results on your project.
Rolling island
Kitchen Island Cart with Butcher Block Top
- ✓Rolls out of the way
- ✓Extra prep space
- ✓Storage shelves below
Counter stools
Counter Height Bar Stools, 24 in
- ✓Sized for 36 in counters
- ✓Fits 24 in per seat
- ✓Footrest for comfort
Pendant lighting
Island Pendant Lights, Set of 2
- ✓Task light over the island
- ✓Adjustable height
- ✓Farmhouse and modern styles
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
The Clearances Behind the Numbers
Work aisles: 42 or 48 in
Leave 42 in between the island and the counters where one person cooks, and 48 in if two people often cook together.
Seating: 15 in overhang, 24 in each
Counter-height seating needs about 15 in of overhang for knees and 24 in of length per stool. Behind the stools, allow 44 in if people walk past (36 in at a dead end).
Walkways and depth
Keep 36 in at each end of the island. Islands need at least 24 in of depth for base cabinets; we cap suggestions at 48 in so the middle stays reachable.
Island Size by Open Floor Depth
| Open depth (168 in long) | With seating, one cook | No seating, one cook |
|---|---|---|
| 120 in (10 ft) | Doesn't fit | 36 × 96 in |
| 132 in (11 ft) | 46 × 96 in, 4 seats | 48 × 96 in |
| 144 in (12 ft) | 48 × 96 in, 4 seats | 48 × 96 in |
| 156 in (13 ft) | 48 × 96 in, 4 seats | 48 × 96 in |
Computed with the calculator: 36 in end walkways, 44 in behind seats. For ideas on styles and materials, see our farmhouse kitchen island ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Allow 42 inches of aisle on the working side for one cook (48 for two) and 36 to 44 inches on the seating side, plus at least 24 inches of island depth, or about 39 inches with counter seating. That means roughly 10 to 11 feet of open floor between counters for an island with seats.
About 24 inches deep (one row of base cabinets) and 36 inches long. If you want seating at counter height, add about 15 inches of overhang and 24 inches of length per stool.
Plan about 24 inches of island length per counter-height stool. A 72-inch island seats three; a 96-inch island seats four.
Consider a peninsula attached to the counters, a narrow table, or a rolling island cart you can move out of the way. These give extra prep space without blocking the work aisle.