Let’s have a trip around the islands that scatter and adorn many kitchens installed today. The island has replaced the humble kitchen table as a place to socialise and prepare food. It can be used as a central piece in a square shaped kitchen or be a functional break between the cooking space and the entertaining element of the kitchen.
When it is used exclusively as part of a kitchen it is a useful addition where the room is compromised with windows or heritage features that cannot be removed. The island also gets rid of the necessity to have the dreaded wall unit effect since much of the storage can be under the island in drawers or cupboards. In this way it can be multi functional, one side providing the cooking space or washing top area and the other side being used as seating and eating area.
The shape of these islands can vary. The long L shape is popular as well as the squarer look.The important thing to bear in mind is the proportions. It should not be so dominant but rather compliment the room as a whole and blend with the other units in the kitchen. From a design point of view, the island can be painted in a tonal shade that is different to the main run of units or indeed be in a different material either on the work surface or the base of the island itself. Another popular trend is to have lights running along the ceiling above the island. This is a nice touch but avoid being too generic and try to bring a sense of style and creativity into this area perhaps by choosing some vintage industrial lamps or antique Victorian lights.
The same goes for any seating you might use with the island. Here is a chance to be more imaginative adding some interesting stools or high-backed chairs. A nice touch is when the island has a lower portion where the eating area is and then the chairs can sit away from the main part of the island giving this part of the island a different mood. Here you can definitely change colour and texture to add some character to the room. Whether they are crafted from steel or modern Corian there is always a style that you can use in the kitchen island to enhance your kitchen’s look.