Kitchen Islands: To have or not to have?
With the rise of open-plan living, the kitchen now plays more of a central role within the home and is often named the heart of the home. Homeowners are knocking down and moving walls in favour of larger, open-plan kitchen/dining/living spaces, resulting in an influx of kitchens with islands. Kitchen islands are a practical and efficient way to add more storage and appliances into your kitchen as a kitchen island can be used for various different purposes such as an additional seating area, a breakfast island, a place to install an extra oven, fridge or additional drawers and cabinets to store your utensils.
Aside from the practical benefits, your kitchen island is also the central focal point of your kitchen and is an area where friends and family will generally gather around. Therefore, it is important that your kitchen island is not only durable and practical, but highly stylish too. Since installing our first ever KCA kitchen in 1993 we have designed a variety of kitchen islands in different materials, colours and sizes to suit each home, in this article we share some of the benefits of kitchen islands along with things to keep in mind to ensure your island ticks all the right boxes.
Benefits of a Kitchen Island
Additional Storage Space
Space is an extremely important factor within any kitchen design and a kitchen island can increase storage capacity. You can store all of your belongings or add appliances to your kitchen island so that the rest of your kitchen will appear less cluttered. You can choose many different features for your kitchen island such as cabinets, drawers, shelves, deep drawers or book storage. A kitchen island can be a great way to incorporate more low-level storage too, as wall cabinets or harder to reach cupboards can be less practical for day-to-day. You can also have your appliances integrated into your kitchen island such as hobs, ovens, microwaves and disposal bins, to create the best flow.
Kitchen Island Seating Area
A kitchen island is a great way to add seating into your kitchen for your family and friends. Whether you opt to leave your kitchen island worktop free for cooking preparation, or to incorporate a hob, an island can help you to feel part of the space when entertaining guests, or help you to keep an eye on your children as they do their homework at the kitchen island table. Many people now opt to use their kitchen islands as a seating area rather than a dining table as it can save space and there are a number of combinations that can be considered including integrated dining tables, breakfast bar or banquet seating.
Extra Kitchen Appliances
Many people long for an additional oven, fridge or wine fridge but simply do not have space. A kitchen island is a perfect way to add these extra appliances into your kitchen, which is handy for busy families, keen cooks and kitchens that are used heavily. Appliances can also potentially be positioned on the rear of the island so they are out of sight, this helps to keep a more minimalist and clean aesthetic when observing the kitchen from the dining or living area beyond.
Ultimate Flexibility
Kitchen islands offer you ultimate flexibility when it comes to creating a design and its functionality to suit your lifestyle. With an extensive range of different materials, worktops, storage solutions and designs, you have the freedom to create a personalised and unique kitchen island which will meet all of your personal requirements.
A kitchen island can be designed to suit the exact shape and layout of your room, something that can be harder to achieve with off-the-shelf freestanding pieces such as kitchen trolleys or dining tables. Often an island will take the form of a square or rectangle, however for more complex spaces your kitchen designer may advise a more unusual shape such as an L-shape island or curved island to reflect the space.
At KCA we tailor kitchens and kitchen islands to you, so whatever your style, sizes, shapes, needs or requirements, we work closely with you to determine your individual needs. From the planning to design and installation of your kitchen and island, our team of skilled designers will work alongside you to ensure every little detail has been covered. Quality is paramount and we only partner with the most reputable manufacturers who use the finest high-quality materials. Their precision craftsmanship and eye for fine detail ensures that your kitchen is durable and built to last for many years.
To explore kitchen island design options to suit your style and lifestyle, contact our design team and we’ll be delighted to discuss your project with you.
