ISLAND style - an essential kitchen ingredient

Online, May 17, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Island units are a direct descendent of the cook's table, which traditionally provided the dining and work-surface in a large kitchen. Islands are now favoured because they are much more practical - the height is better for preparing food and you can allocate plenty of storage, integrate bins, sinks and appliances etc. However, in terms of creating a seamless and authentic look, it is important to draw on design elements from the traditional table such as visible legs and solid wooden surfaces - to ensure that the island doesn't clash with the overall kitchen design. This is especially desirable within an open-plan kitchen, where a comfortable, sociable look is essential.

Design tips
We ask one of the UK's most talented designers for his expert advice on planning an open plan kitchen diner. "Patrick Gunning of Barnes of Ashburton comments "The benefits of the open plan kitchen is the improved sociability, the chef no longer wants to be hidden away in the kitchen, cooking has become a shared enjoyable activity, and everyone can pitch in and be a part of the proceedings in a kitchen diner. People have always associated the kitchen as the heart of the home, but it is only with the advent of the kitchen diner that this has become reality - it is bringing families together, which is extremely important in our current frenetic lifestyles." In terms of planning, the island unit is also perfectly positioned to make the most of the popular 'working triangle' configuration, whereby the fridge, sink and hob are placed in a triangle formation to reduce traffic flow to a minimum. "If you use the island unit to host one or more of these key elements - the sink or hob for example - you can drastically cut down on the distance the chef has to travel when cooking, making life much easier and keeping everything close to hand," Pat Gunning explains.

By incorporating as much storage and as many in-built appliances as possible the island works well on many levels. "Many people like the design benefits and extra work-surfaces that an island unit provides, but don't actually realise their full potential. For example, we can incorporate built-in appliances, such as dishwashers, fridges and microwaves as well as the hob, sink and waste disposal unit. The Island really is a clever bit of kit and can make life much easier in the kitchen. It can be a convenient spot to gather around over morning coffee, a surface for the children to do their homework on while dinner is prepared, however, most notably it is an essential modern day practicality which allows additional preparation surfaces and much needed storage"

Style ideas
For a contemporary style why not choose an Island that is sleek and minimal in shape. A combined use of contrasting materials adds interest and texture to the design. For example, polished concrete work-surfaces look striking alongside darker timbers such as Wenge, Iroko or Cherry wood. For a more classic look, painted cabinets in neutral tones complement natural timber work-surfaces in Chestnut or Oak. Alternatively granite or natural stone work-tops are popular and with so many colours and types to go for your kitchen island can make a real style statement. Whether you choose earthy natural hues or striking black with a hint of sparkle, a granite topped island will look good and last for years.

Remember, when planning your kitchen try and personalise it in some way, for example the central island could include shelves for cookery books or a terracotta wine rack, maybe introduce some clever storage such as a bread drawer with built in board or individual spice drawers.

Today the kitchen island is the ultimate piece of kitchen furniture in terms of both practicality and style, the perfect choice for contemporary living.