Peninsula vs Island: Which Suits a Thai Open-Plan Home?

An island is a free-standing block you can walk around. A peninsula is attached at one end, so it projects from a run or a wall. Both give you extra worktop and a social edge, but they make very different demands on floor area.

An island needs roughly 900-1000mm clear on all four sides. A peninsula only needs it on two or three. If your room cannot give the island its full perimeter, the peninsula is not a compromise, it is the correct answer.

Putting a sink or hob in an island means running water, waste, power and extraction through the floor slab. In a condo that is often restricted or expensive. A peninsula can usually draw services from the adjoining wall instead.

An island reads as a centrepiece and suits large villa kitchens open to a garden. A peninsula defines a boundary and works well in Thai apartments where the kitchen edges a living space rather than sitting inside it.