Dream Islands

 Kitchen Islands from Kitchen Solutions Kent

 A kitchen island or peninsula can dynamically extend the design potential of just about any kitchen.

The first kitchen island were the traditional farmhouse kitchen table that doubled as extra work surfaces as well as eating places.   But today you have the option of selecting islands of the same design and materials as the kitchen cabinets, whether the island is free-standing or integrated. Any free-standing piece of furniture with a counter height surface can serve as an island.  But most customers today require islands that offer hidden cabinets and shelves in addition to another work surface.

However, it remains that the island is most often used as an extra work surface or a casual room divider separating the kitchen from another family room. In either case, if you add under floor wiring, plumbing, and gas lines, the possibilities for an island's usefulness are endless. Once the plumbing and power lines are planned in just about any appliance can be located in an island.  One of the growing popular uses is as a place to house a sink. The option of facing toward the family room is so attractive that such a "kitchen island sink" has challenged the classic "under the window sink" in many homes.

But remember your needs and tastes are individual and only you can determine what kind of island you desire. In a smaller kitchen, you'll get maximum storage, convenience, and a neat appearance if you specify cabinets on both sides of the kitchen island. The common kitchen principle of extending every surface at least an inch beyond the cabinets to prevent dribbling down cabinet fronts especially applies to islands. Obviously, you'll need significantly more overhang for knee room  if your island is used as a breakfast bar.

An island opposite the fridge is a logical place for the microwave. It's still within the work triangle, which makes sense because most of what goes in the microwave comes from the fridge. Alternatively, if your microwave gets more use as a "snack fixer", you may prefer to locate it outside the triangle but still near the fridge in a combination "work island/snack bar".

In larger kitchens you may like to consider the thought that "if one island is good, two are better." A primary island may be stationed within the work triangle, housing extra storage, a fridge or refrigerator drawers, a sink, and so on. Another island might then serve solely as a breakfast bar.

But whatever your needs, an island or peninsula can open out those design possibilities and turn your new kitchen into the family room it really is.

Kitchen Islands in 2011

Kitchen islands will become the icon of modern kitchens in 2011 and it's easy to see why.

Because it is true that "everbody ends up in the kitchen", a well-designed island offers a casual place for people to congregate, cook and just eat snacks.

Kitchen islands are functional. They save space, are accessible from all sides and serve the function of a variety of tasks. Space saving is such an important consideration these days when many people have very small kitchens and no room for the old big kitchen table and chairs. Kitchen islands can be designed for many different uses. It really depends on what you want to do.

Fitted with a kitchen sink, hob, warming drawers, refrigerator and a dishwasher, kitchen islands make food preparation and cleaning up more convenient and social. Positioned as a room divider, a kitchen island creates a galley kitchen and provides a serving area from for parties. Kitchen Islands also add beauty and architectural interest to the kitchen.

Kitchen islands can be fixed or moveable, curved, rectangular, square or circular in shape. Islands can be plumbed and wired for running water and lighting. You can incorporate appliances such as sinks, ovens and dishwashers. Finishes can include wood, stainless steel, laminate, stone, metal, eco-friendly materials etc.

Dimensions can be customized to fit your particular space. Worktops can be as for any cabinetry can include a breakfast bar, overhung worktops for eating at. Storage can be added for kitchen utensils, decorative items, books and wine racks. A conventional extractor can be mounted above the kitchen island if it contains your hob but these days downdraft extractors are becoming more popular. Downdraft extractors can be retracted into a base unit when not being used.

Kitchen islands work well in U-shaped and L-shaped kitchens because they shorten the distance of the working triangle traffic. Islands also add beauty and architectural interest to any and all modern kitchens.

Kitchen Islands

The kitchen island that you can see part of in the above image was designed and built for a customer near Maidstone using kitchen units from our german kitchen partner Nobilia. The kitchen is in white high gloss and the kitchen doors are handleless. The kitchen island houses 2 hobs, one induction and a gas domino hob, a sink and drainer with instant hot water tap, a full waste recycling centre and, what you can't see in the picture, a seating area for four people at the right hand end of the island.

The kitchen island is 5 meters long and 1.1 meters wide. The units on the side nearest the bank of ovens are all deep drawer units and are 600mm deep and on the other side all the base units are 450mm deep. The amount of storage space the entire kitchen island provides is spectacular and the seating area works really well.

The worktop is in ice white corian and the high gloss white doors are set off with silver pilasters and panels. The overall effect is clean, modern and stunning looking.

There are not many kitchens that can house a kitchen island of these epic proportions but with the versatility of Nobilia's kitchen cabinets Kitchen Solutions Kent have designed kitchen islands that have worked equally well in much smaller kitchens. If I can find the picture that shows the whole kitchen island I will post it later.