Cottage Kitchen - bespoke sustainable kitchen

Date

15.09.23

Kitchen Island Ideas and Units We Love

A kitchen island is an important feature, an island acts as a central point providing a special space for cooking, family time, and entertaining. With so many kitchen island ideas its important to ask yourself these questions…

WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING YOUR KITCHEN ISLAND

The first and most important question to ask is, what is important to you? Consider how you want your kitchen to work for you. What do you value most in your kitchen space? Do you want to host regular dinner parties? Would you like a space for your kids to be able to sit and do their homework while you cook? Or do you need some additional space for your kitchen?

Through our bespoke kitchen design service, we can cater to your every need. Whether it’s an open-sided island to display your dishware or a unit with beautiful hand-painted doors that keep everything tucked away, we can help. You might even opt to allow your island to make a statement. Contrasting colours and stunning worktops provide a serious ‘wow’ factor.

We’ve even built bespoke dog beds into island units – nothing is too much for our four-legged friends!

With this in mind, here are some kitchen island ideas to inspire you, as well as some of our favourite island units that we’ve designed over the years.

1. ISLAND STORAGE SOLUTION

The number one use for a kitchen island is to create additional storage within the kitchen. They are a golden ticket to hiding away crockery and keeping the kitchen space minimal and clutter-free.

Mix and match storage solutions to maximise the possibilities and incorporate a mixture of cabinets, drawers and open shelving – Cookbooks, wine racks, and glassware display; your island storage can be personal to you.

2. Kitchen Island Materials

The kitchen island is a great way to introduce new materials and colours into your kitchen.

The island doesn’t always have to be the same style and shade as the perimeter runs, more often than not, the island can be a little more playful and be the showstopping centrepiece for your kitchen.

Whether it is mixing up the design and using different, brighter or contrasting shades or as a way to introduce new materials and depths to the rest of the kitchen space.

Go bolder and be braver, after all the beauty of hand-painted kitchens is that you can switch it up in years to come should a new shade be released that catches your eye.

And if it’s not painted? Opt for a material to add a wow factor, fluted or slated panelling kitchen island brings addition textures to the room. Or opt for a statement material for a showstopper.

Alternatively, why not extend your worktop material down the sides of your island for a statement look?

3. Kitchen Island Shape

Islands don’t always need to be the traditional rectangle shape, if you have the space, L-Shape islands can be a great way to create a social space so that the island can be used for both prep and social areas with one half used as a cooking zone whilst the other could be utilised for homework whilst dinner is cooking. L-shaped islands are also a great way to incorporate banquette seating within the kitchen.

Alternatively, you can throw the rule book out and create an island that contours to your kitchen, like the bespoke island in our Bristol Kitchen Extension project.

4. Kitchen Island Worktops

When designing kitchen islands, using a different worktop on the island can be a playful way to incorporate a mix of materials into your kitchen.

Take our Steel, Marble, and Reclaimed Wood kitchen, we used a white Corian worktop on the perimeter run with the island using a Terrazzo Durat worktop made from recycled materials.

5. Mobile Kitchen Islands

The one question we hear the most is ‘Do I have space for a kitchen island?’.

If space is tight, we wouldn’t recommend an island to maximise the space you do have. Think about maximising ceiling heights and cabinet run lengths.

What we would recommend if you do have your heart set on an island and aren’t sure about the space, why not opt for a movable island? From small butcher blocks to full-sized islands on wheels, you may well be thankful for the extra prep space whilst maximising floor space and moving the island out of the way should you find yourself hosting!

6. Kitchen Island Appliances

Utilising your kitchen island to conceal appliances can be a way of freeing up space in your tall cabinets or perimeter runs.

Placing the hob on the kitchen island will make it a central focal point and a social hub, perfect for keen cooks and family cooking sessions. This will instantly make the space more welcoming creating an entertainer’s kitchen.

Why not add a wine cabinet? It’s perfect for entertaining and it frees up fridge space.

Additionally, utilise the back of the island by installing your oven. This helps to keep the rest of the kitchen minimalist with a sleek run of unbroken cabinetry, perfect for open-plan spaces shared with a lounge area.

There are plenty of integrated appliance options out to make use of your island.