The kitchen island is proving to be a very popular kitchen staple that many homeowners cannot live without. They are the perfect addition to add extra functionality and storage, as well as extending the worktop. Open-plan spaces have become dependant on these too because of their features and how they divide up the room.
History of the Kitchen Island
They were first introduced into kitchen design in the 1950s. During this era peninsulas and free-floating suspended upper cabinets began to make their way through. It was through legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s strong influence for the evolution of the kitchen island today. He believed that if the kitchen was the “psychological centre of the home” then a kitchen island is the very thing that makes the heartbeat.
In 1980 kitchen islands really became mainstream when technology and social changes helped it to become the centre of life in the kitchen. It has now become the main activity location for prepping meals, eating, homework, playing and entertaining. They can be long and slim, run parallel to the main kitchen run, be big and bold, neat and round in a compact room, or house sinks and appliances to fulfil your dream kitchen.
A Multi-functional Feature
You can use a kitchen island to separate the prep zone from the dining room, serving a multitude of purposes. A breakfast bar can be incorporated into the design with tucked under bar stools allowing you and your guests to sit and chat over a bottle of bubbly. Younger members of the family can also sit there and do their homework and get involved in what you are doing too.
The island can be used to build in lots of sockets instead of on the main run. They are very useful in powering small appliances like stand-alone mixers and food processors, as well as handy for charging phones and laptops.
Another way to make it as multi-functional as possible is to add lots of drawers and cupboards for endless storage possibilities.
Islands are also the perfect accessory to feature pendant lights. Suspended above the island makes for a real show stopper, as well as offering the vital task lighting needed in a kitchen.
Kitchen Island Ideas
Our client in Hertford Heath chose a granite worktop to finish their dark blue kitchen. They chose the Brazilian Granite Azzurite, which provides the space with a unique appearance and a luxurious finish. The kitchen underwent a major refurb and a kitchen island was added to the centre to provide the ultimate seating area, finished with sleek grey stools. We also fabricated an overhang on both sides with this stunning granite.
Our client in Harpenden chose the White Carrara Quartz to complete their hub of the home. It’s a sleek quartz with a subtle veining throughout bringing the ultimate luxury to this large open-plan space. The kitchen island in this room provides an instant modern style, with it being a darker hue it provides a great contrast against the light coloured kitchen cabinets. It sets for the perfect divider with plenty of storage cabinets and drawers and a place for the induction hob.
The layout of this kitchen is centred around the protruding brick column that sits in the middle. Our client opted for the ever so popular Carara Quartz in a 20mm thickness to complete the main run of units and the unique breakfast bar/island in the middle. Painted in a dark and light grey hue, this modern interior design features a two-tone colour scheme that will certainly allow the eyes to be drawn in.
Just look at this beautiful worktop surface we added to this historic kitchen. Our client chose a Quartz material – Cambria Langdon. It provides this lightly coloured hub of the home with a unique appearance made of bold colours. The profile edge is the Ogee which really sets this beautiful kitchen off.
Cawdor Stone Gallery are a division of the Cawdor Group, one of the UK’s leading natural stone providers. With over 30 years of experience, our highly qualified team have undertaken international projects of all sizes, providing high-quality materials and a comprehensive range of stone-related services to a range of projects. Contact us today for more info on our quartz and granite worktops.
