KITCHENS
KITCHEN ISLANDS TAKE CENTRE STAGE
Central to over three quarters of kitchen designs is the island .
Whether it is a small transitional link to the living room in an open plan kitchen , or a large statement piece of furniture , the kitchen island is the heart of the kitchen and the home .
Following the pandemic , the kitchen has transformed into a place where food is prepared and socialising takes place , homework is done and home offices created , and above all it is the place to relax and enjoy time with family and friends . So the kitchen island has to be a multi-performance design to suit whatever activity or time of day .
On one side it will commonly be a major storage facility where long linear drawers can house pans , crockery and cooking ingredients . Flip to the other side where the breakfast bar or banqueting seating will provide the ‘ social ’ element of the kitchen . On trend is often a change in cabinet material for this function to provide a warmer style with timber finishes becoming popular .
As bar stools become more comfy padded chairs the social side of the island is the perfect place for working , chatting or simply interacting with those preparing food .
Gone are bulky overhead extractors to take away odours and very popular is downdraft extraction either incorporated into the hob or as a pop up . Most hobs are now located on the island as cooking becomes a more visual and social activity rather than functional .
If space permits a small prep sink is perfectly located on the island , complete with a boiling water tap to provide instant hot drinks or water for boiling veg , pasta etc . Small wine fridges are sneaking into the island too to enhance social times . Or go one step further and install a counter top cooler on the island for a really luxurious addition .
As you ’ d expect from such a key part of furniture in the home , the shape of islands has evolved . Curves , double connecting islands , floating islands and everything in between help make this vital piece of kitchen design steal the limelight . Consider accent lighting under the island to enhance its beauty and allow for changing the mood of the kitchen with different colours .
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