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Kitchen Island Design & Installation in Los Angeles
Islands sized for real clearance, with seating, storage, power, or a prep sink. Designed, built, and installed under one contract.
- Clearance checked before design
- Seating, sinks, and cooktops
- LADBS permits pulled for you
- Written, itemized estimate
CSLB Lic. [#000000] | Bonded & Insured | Written Workmanship Warranty
Book a Free In-Home Visit
We measure the room, mark clearances, and scope the island. No charge, no obligation.
Form fields: Full name, Email, Phone, Project address, Scope (Kitchen island, Cabinet refacing, New or custom cabinets, Countertop installation, Full kitchen remodel, Not sure yet), Preferred date, Tell us about your kitchen. Submit button: Book My Free Visit (red #E12228).
Free Clearance Check
We measure your kitchen and tell you if an island fits, or if a peninsula works better. Book a slot.
Power & Plumbing Planned
Outlets, a sink, or a cooktop planned with the permit, not after. See how it works.
An Island That Fits Your Kitchen, Not Just the Photo
Serving: Los Angeles, the Valley, Pasadena, Burbank, Mar Vista, and the South Bay.
Kitchen island design and installation in Los Angeles starts with a tape measure, not a style board. An island needs clear walkways on every working side, and many LA kitchens are narrower than the photos you’ve saved.
We measure first and tell you straight whether an island fits. If it doesn’t, a peninsula or a narrower island gets you the seating and prep space without blocking the dishwasher.
Then we build it: base cabinets, top, outlets, and any sink or cooktop. In slab-foundation homes across the Valley, adding a sink means trenching the floor, so we plan plumbing before design is final.
- Clearance marked on your floor
- Seating sized per stool
- Outlets planned to code
- Slab viewing for the top
- Cabinets matched to your kitchen
- Written workmanship warranty
Certified Service
CSLB Lic. [#000000]
Build Your Island With the Rest of the Kitchen
An island usually brings matching cabinets and a new top. Each page explains what the work involves and how it fits the island schedule.
Not sure where to start?
[YOUR PHONE]
Kitchen Remodeling in Los Angeles
The full remodel: layout, cabinets, counters, island, and permits under one contract.
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Kitchen Cabinet Refacing
Reface the perimeter cabinets to match a new island, without tearing them out.
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Custom Kitchen Cabinets
Island base cabinets built to size, with drawers, seating, or appliance space.
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Countertop Installation
Island tops in quartz, granite, or quartzite, including waterfall edges.
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Choosing a Kitchen Island Contractor in LA
Ask who handles the electrical and plumbing. A cabinet shop can build an island, but outlets, a sink, or a cooktop need licensed trades and a permit.
Ask what the price includes. A low bid often leaves out floor patching, outlets, or slab trenching, then adds them later. Every line below gets priced in your contract up front.
- Clearance and layout plan
- Stone or wood top
- Outlets to code
- Prep sink plumbing
- Downdraft or ceiling venting
- Slab trenching for plumbing
- Island base cabinets
- Seating overhang and supports
- Pendant lighting over the island
- Cooktop gas or circuit
- Floor patching around the base
- Permit filing and inspections
What Working With Us Looks Like
One point of contact
Your project manager answers the phone, schedules the trades, and owns the install dates. You never chase an electrician for an answer about your own island.
Written scope, written changes
Everything in the contract is a line item. Any change gets priced and signed before a crew touches it, so nothing shows up on a final invoice as a surprise.
A clean site, every evening
Dust barriers at the openings, floor protection along the path, and cleanup at the end of each day. Most homeowners stay in the house through the whole job.
Five Island Layouts That Fit LA Kitchens
Your room’s width decides which island fits. These five layouts cover most Los Angeles kitchens, from galley bungalows to open Valley ranches.
L-Shape + Island
The most common layout. The island sits across from the corner and adds prep and seating. It needs about [42] inches of walkway on the working sides.
U-Shape + Island
Works only in large kitchens, since the island needs clearance on three working sides. It gives the most counter space of any layout.
One-Wall + Island
A single run of cabinets with the island parallel to it. Common in open-plan remodels and condos, where the island holds the sink or cooktop.
Peninsula
An island attached at one end. Peninsulas give you seating in rooms too narrow for a true island, and they don't need a walkway on the fourth side.
Seating Island
An island built mainly for stools, with a deep overhang on one side. Plan about [24] inches of width per stool.
Kitchen Island Styles LA Homeowners Ask For Most
Pick an island that matches or contrasts on purpose. A painted island in a different color reads intentional; a near-match reads like a mistake.
Contrast Color
The island in a deeper color than the perimeter, like navy or green under a white kitchen. It gives the room a focal point.
Waterfall Edge
The top runs down both ends to the floor. Waterfalls suit modern and mid-century kitchens and need a mitered joint.
Furniture Style
Turned legs, a toe kick, and furniture-like trim. It suits Craftsman and Spanish homes in Highland Park and Los Feliz.
Two-Tier
A raised bar ledge hides the prep side from the living room. Two-tier islands suit open-plan kitchens where guests sit.
Butcher Block Top
A wood top on a painted base. Butcher block warms up a white kitchen, and it’s a working surface you can cut on.
Island Types by What They Do
Decide what the island is for before you pick a size. A seating island and a cooking island need different depth, power, and venting.
Island type
Best for
Watch out for
Needs
Prep island
Cooks who want counter space
Too deep and you lose walkway
Outlets to code
Seating island
Families and guests
Shallow overhangs hit knees
[12–15] in. overhang
Sink island
Cleanup facing the room
Needs slab trenching in postwar homes
Drain, vent, and a permit
Cooktop island
Cooking while facing guests
Venting is harder than on a wall
Gas or circuit plus venting
Storage island
Small kitchens short on drawers
Adds little seating
Drawers on the working side
Seating
Plan about [24] inches per stool and [12–15] inches of knee space. A 7-foot island seats three on one side.
Power
Island outlets follow the California Electrical Code, which sets count and placement. Your electrician plans them with the permit.
Plumbing
A prep sink needs a drain and vent line. On slab foundations, that means cutting and re-pouring the floor.
Venting
A cooktop island needs a ceiling hood or a downdraft. Ceiling hoods need duct runs through the ceiling to outside.
Adding an Island in Your LA Home Type
The age of your house decides whether an island fits and how hard utilities are to run. Here’s what we usually find, by era.
1920s–30s
Spanish & Craftsman
Narrow galley kitchens rarely have room for an island. A peninsula or a small rolling cart usually works better, and it keeps original tile and built-ins.
1940s–60s
Post-War Tract
Slab foundations make island plumbing a trenching job. Outlets are easier, and removing a wall to an old dining room often makes room.
1950s–70s
Mid-Century Post-and-Beam
Open plans and wide rooms suit islands well. Exposed beams limit ceiling hoods, so cooktop islands often use a downdraft instead.
Any era
Hillside Homes
Raised foundations make plumbing easier than on slabs, but delivering a large stone island top up steep stairs needs a bigger crew.
Any era
Condos & HOA Buildings
HOAs often limit plumbing changes to stack walls, so condo islands usually hold seating and storage rather than a sink.
Permits for a Kitchen Island in the City of LA
An island with no power or plumbing is furniture and usually needs no permit. Add outlets, a sink, or a cooktop, and you need an LADBS permit, often with plan check.
Plan check usually required
- A prep sink in the island
- Outlets on a new circuit
- A gas or electric cooktop
- Removing a wall to make room
- Ceiling hood ducting
Usually no permit needed
- An island with no power or plumbing
- A new top on an existing island
- A movable cart or butcher block
- Cabinet refacing on an existing island
- Plug-in pendants on existing boxes
Title 24 applies to pendants
New pendant and recessed lights over an island must use JA8-rated, energy-efficient fixtures with proper controls under California’s energy code.
Outlet rules changed in 2026
California’s electrical code for islands changed with the 2025 code cycle. Your electrician plans outlet count and placement with the permit.
Slab trenching adds time
A sink in the island of a slab-foundation home means cutting the floor, running pipe, and re-pouring. It adds a few days and an inspection.
Why Homeowners Pick Us Over a Cabinet Shop
Cabinet shops build the box; they don’t pull the permit or run the wiring. We design, build, and connect the island under one contract.
- Line-item scope, so you see every outlet and pipe
- One project manager answers your calls start to finish
- Cabinets get ordered only after you approve the layout
- Dust barriers and daily cleanup, so you can stay home
- Payments tied to milestones, never to a calendar
- A written workmanship warranty you can hold us to
- Crews who work on our jobs only, not day labor
Licensed & Insured
CSLB Lic. [#000000]
Free On-Site Estimates
Measured, not guessed
Written Warranty
On our workmanship
Local LA Crews
No day labor on site
How Your Kitchen Island Gets Built
An island runs in six phases. The permit and cabinet build run together, so you’re not waiting on one to start the other.
Phase 01
Measure & plan
We measure the room, tape the island outline on your floor, and check every walkway. You approve the size before design goes further.
Phase 02
Design & permit
We finalize cabinets, top, seating, and utilities, then file with LADBS if the island has power or plumbing.
Phase 03
Rough-in
Electricians and plumbers run new lines through the floor. On slab homes this is when trenching happens. A rough inspection closes the phase.
Phase 04
Floor patch
The floor gets patched around the island footprint, so the base sits level and the flooring meets it cleanly.
Phase 05
Cabinets & top
Island cabinets get set and anchored, then the top is templated off them and installed about [a week] later.
Phase 06
Connect & walkthrough
Outlets, sink, cooktop, and pendants get connected and inspected. We walk the island with you and don’t call it done until you do.
Find Out If an Island Fits Before You Commit
One visit tells you if an island fits, what size, and what the utilities involve. You don’t pay for it, and you don’t sign anything.
- Clearances measured on site
- Island size taped on your floor
- No obligation and no pushy follow-up calls
or send the form and we’ll call you back.
Book a Free In-Home Visit
We measure the room, mark clearances, and scope the island. No charge, no obligation.
Form fields: Full name, Email, Phone, Project address, Scope (Kitchen island, Cabinet refacing, New or custom cabinets, Countertop installation, Full kitchen remodel, Not sure yet), Preferred date, Tell us about your kitchen. Submit button: Book My Free Visit (red #E12228).
Kitchen Islands Across Los Angeles County
We build islands from the Valley to the beach cities, including condos and hillside homes. If your neighborhood isn’t listed, call and ask.
- Sherman Oaks
- Studio City
- Encino
- Tarzana
- Woodland Hills
- Van Nuys
- North Hollywood
- Burbank
- Glendale
- Pasadena
- Altadena
- South Pasadena
- Eagle Rock
- Highland Park
- Silver Lake
- Los Feliz
- Echo Park
- Hancock Park
- Mid-Wilshire
- West Hollywood
- Beverly Hills
- Brentwood
- Santa Monica
- Pacific Palisades
- Culver City
- Mar Vista
- Playa del Rey
- El Segundo
- Manhattan Beach
- Redondo Beach
- Torrance
- San Pedro
- Long Beach
Kitchen Island FAQs
Click a question to see the answer. The first one is open to start.
How much space do I need for a kitchen island?
Plan about [42] inches of walkway on every working side, and [48] if two people cook at once. Add the island’s depth, and most kitchens need about 12 to 13 feet of width for a true island.
How big should my kitchen island be?
Most islands run [2–4] feet deep and [4–8] feet long. Size it from the walkways in, not from the photo. A small island with room around it works better than a big one you squeeze past.
How many stools fit at an island?
Plan about [24] inches of width per stool and [12–15] inches of knee space under the overhang. A 6-foot island seats two comfortably, and an 8-foot island seats three.
Do I need a permit for a kitchen island in LA?
Only if it has power or plumbing. An island without outlets, a sink, or a cooktop usually needs no permit. Add any of those, and you need an LADBS permit, which we pull for you.
Can you add a sink to my island?
Usually, yes. A sink needs a drain and vent line, which means cutting the slab in most postwar LA homes. Raised-foundation homes are easier. Decide before the cabinets are ordered.
Can I put a cooktop on my island?
Yes, with venting. A cooktop island needs a ceiling hood ducted outside or a downdraft vent, plus a gas line or dedicated circuit. We plan the venting first, since it limits where the cooktop can go.
Island or peninsula: which should I choose?
Choose an island if you have clearance on every working side. Choose a peninsula if the room is too narrow. A peninsula gives you similar seating and prep space with one less walkway.
Should my island match my cabinets?
It can match or contrast, but pick one on purpose. A contrasting color reads intentional. A near-match that’s slightly off reads like a mistake, so we bring finish samples for both.
What if the floor is damaged under the new island?
We stop, photograph it, and price the repair as a written change order before touching it. Patching the floor around the island base is part of every estimate.
What's included in a kitchen island estimate?
Design, cabinets, top, seating supports, outlets, plumbing, venting, floor patching, permit, and install, listed line by line. If an item isn’t on the estimate, it isn’t in the price.
Other Remodels We Handle
Bathroom Remodeling
Full gut baths, wet-room showers, and waterproofing done to code.
Home Additions & ADUs
Detached ADUs, garage conversions, and room additions from plans to permit.
Whole-Home Remodel
Every room on one schedule, one permit set, and one crew.
Planning Guides for LA Homeowners
BOOKING STARTS FOR [MONTH] AND [MONTH]
Find Out If an Island Fits in One Visit
The right island adds seating and prep space without blocking your kitchen. Los Angeles Home Remodelers designs, builds, and connects it under one contract. Book your free clearance check today.
- Free clearance checks, Mon–Sat
- CSLB Lic. [#000000], bonded and insured
- Written workmanship warranty
Mon–Sat, 8am–6pm
Book a Free In-Home Visit
We measure the room, mark clearances, and scope the island. No charge, no obligation.
Form fields: Full name, Email, Phone, Project address, Scope (Kitchen island, Cabinet refacing, New or custom cabinets, Countertop installation, Full kitchen remodel, Not sure yet), Preferred date, Tell us about your kitchen. Submit button: Book My Free Visit (red #E12228).