Kitchen islands are undeniably one of the most popular kitchen features. They epitomise luxury and offer to create a sophisticated focal point to your room. However, they don’t just look stunning. Whether you’re hoping to make your space more social or enhance your layout and gain extra work surfaces, a kitchen island could provide the perfect solution. Whatever your brief, if you are considering updating your kitchen, you’ll definitely want to bear these fantastic kitchen island ideas in mind.
Use An Island To Help Zone Your Space
Open-plan layouts offer lots of benefits, including making your home feel more spacious and social. However, if you choose to go open plan, you’ll need to set some boundaries to ensure your space works for everyone. Introducing an island is a clever way to separate your dining or living area from your kitchen, preventing family and friends from getting under your feet while cooking.
Offer Guests Somewhere To Relax
Likewise, kitchen islands provide an elegant and practical focal point for guests to gather, banishing evenings spent hovering awkwardly, drink in hand. Introducing seating to your island is a fantastic way to capitalise on their social nature, transforming your kitchen into the perfect place to host casual coffee mornings and sophisticated evening dos.
Or Opt For Something More Formal
Alternatively, if you have young children or would benefit from somewhere to enjoy sit-down meals, a dining island could offer the ideal solution. They provide a fantastic solution to maximising space in a small kitchen, allowing you to include an island and dining table in one room. We created this elegant bespoke dining area by fusing an L-shaped island with a custom-made tabletop. You can see this gorgeous feature in person by visiting our Petersfield showroom.
Enhance Your Layout By Installing Appliances
As well as introducing much-needed storage and worktop space to your kitchen, islands can provide a useful place to install appliances such as a sink, hob, or even an additional oven. If you’re struggling to streamline your workflow, an island-mounted sink or hob could be just what you need.
Add A Practical & Characterful Feature With Open Shelving
As you can see, kitchen islands offer lots of practical benefits. However, we know you’ll be just as keen to ensure your fabulous new island looks the part. Providing a place to display your favourite crockery, ornaments, houseplants, and cookbooks, shelves make a lovely, practical and characterful addition to any kitchen. Incorporating shelving into your island is a great way to add a touch of personality to your interior.
Introduce A Sophisticated Colour
To really accentuate your island’s dramatic presence, consider finishing your cabinetry in a luxurious contrasting tone. The deep navy island below brings a wonderful sense of depth to this bright and airy open-plan kitchen, transforming the atmosphere of the space. Introducing colour to your island can add another dimension to your design without overwhelming your interior.
Or Embrace A Luxurious Surface Finish
Another fantastic way to elevate your island is by embracing a bold textural finish. Striking organic surfaces such as marble, wood, concrete, and oxidised metals are very much on-trend at the moment. They have the potential to add a chic and stylish edge to your interior. The stunning waterfall worktop on this island showcases the exquisite marble finish beautifully.
Opt For Attention Grabbing Lighting
These gorgeous contemporary pendant lights do a wonderful job of emphasising the seating area at the end of this showstopping island. Hanging a series of eye-catching pendant lights over your island will not only draw attention to this beautiful kitchen feature but will also elevate your entire scheme.
Layer Your Lighting Scheme With Sleek Strip Lights
Lighting is so much more than just a practical feature. It can transform the atmosphere of your space depending on the task at hand, establishing a bright and airy setting for cooking or a cosy and sophisticated backdrop to evening gatherings. The lighting wrapping around this island, just below the worktop, creates a luxurious ambience.
Use Your Seating To Add A Splash Of Colour
If you decide to include seating alongside your island, you’ll certainly want to make the most of this fabulous feature. Bar stools come in a huge range of styles, colours, and finishes, allowing you to really capture your individual style and put the perfect finishing touch on your design.
Create A Characterful Ambience With A Freestanding Island
Opting for a freestanding island is a wonderful way to add character to a classic kitchen. Plus, leaving your floorspace clear can even make your room look bigger. Of course, if you’re planning to install appliances or plumbing, a freestanding design won’t be suitable. If you would like to discuss your options, our expert team would love to help.
Consider A Peninsula If You’re Short On Space
Not all of us are lucky enough to have the space required to house a showstopping kitchen island. However, you can reap many of the same benefits by incorporating a peninsula into your design instead. They can provide additional worktop space, storage, room for appliances and seating. Just like an island, they also do a great job of zoning open-plan kitchen diners and living spaces. And they look equally beautiful!
Whether you have your heart set on a showstopping kitchen island or are simply looking for the best solution to maximise your space, we would love to help. To discuss your project with our friendly and knowledgeable team, simply call us on 01730 233051 or email info@signaturekitchens.uk.com.
