It’s arguably the most important component of your kitchen when it comes to layout. With that in mind, we’ve put together our top tips and kitchen island ideas to help you master the island of your dreams…
What’s the Purpose?
First things first, let’s get back to basics. It’s crucial to be clear on the objective of your island. Perhaps you’re a keen cook and like to entertain? You’ll probably want a hob on the island, so you can socialise while cooking up a storm. Maybe you’re part of a large family, so you need more worktop space for food prep and additional seating. It could simply be that you have a large area to play with and want to include a beautiful centrepiece in the kitchen. Defining the purpose of your island helps ensure it’s built to meet your needs.
Colour & Texture
If you want a show stopping island, the choice of colour and material is the biggest game-changer. Considered as part of your overall kitchen design, a good kitchen designer will offer advice on bold, contrasting colours that will work with the rest of your kitchen or on-trend materials to create a feature.
We love this kitchen below, using SieMatic’s SLC handleless range in Java Oak, which contrasts beautifully with the tall units.
Please Be Seated
Almost all full-size islands will incorporate some form of seating. You can make this impactful by dropping down to a regular height table, as seen below. With the move to open-plan kitchens, this is a perfect alternative to a formal dining table and looks fantastic!
A quick and easy way to make your island ‘pop’ is by adding some bright bar stools or chairs; they’re straightforward to update further down the line, too.
Kitchen Island Illumination
The perfect lighting can transform your island from ‘just another piece of kitchen furniture’, to the ultimate focal point of your living space.
It’s not just the choice of over-island lighting (as important as that is); it’s the mood and atmosphere the light itself creates, and also how it complements other illumination, like under-worktop and plinth lighting.
For the project below, we lit up a Japanese inspired print paper incorporated into the back of the glass. Six delicate pendant lights highlighted the feature worktop without taking away from the simplicity of the design.
Work your Kitchen Worktop
There are so many ways to create an impression with your kitchen worktop. We love waterfall edges, where the worktop continues down the side of the island.
Multi-level countertops are a great way to separate dining and food prep areas. Create contrast on an island with no other prominent features (like a hob) by mixing materials such as quartz and wood.
Contact Us for Kitchen Island Design
If you’ve been inspired by our kitchen island ideas and you are thinking of updating your current kitchen, get in touch with our kitchen designers at The Myers Touch. We have years of experience in designing both traditional and modern kitchens that feature impressive and multifunctional islands.
Give us a call on 01962 600 700 or you can book an appointment here.