Kitchen islands are an incredibly popular feature in modern and traditional homes alike. And, here at Hubble, our clients often benefit from introducing an island to their space.
Their versatile design can transform your layout, offering the surfaces and storage required to free up other areas of your kitchen. However, kitchen islands don’t just offer amazing practical advantages, they can make a stylish focal point to your space, enhancing the look of your design.
To give you a great insight into the fantastic advantages kitchen islands have to offer, we’ve put together this helpful guide.
Gain Worktop Space
Striking the ideal balance between storage and work surfaces can be a challenge. However, introducing an island is a great way to overcome this issue. In a large kitchen, a generously sized island can offer ample extra worktop space, allowing you to sacrifice work surfaces in favour of practical and versatile full-height units.
At Hubble, we specialise in designing stylish contemporary kitchens, and pairing an island with a sleek row of tall cabinets often helps us achieve the highly desirable ‘concealed kitchen’ look.
Create Additional Storage
As well as offering plenty of worktop space, a kitchen island provides impressive extra storage. Deep drawers tend to make better use of space than cupboards as they give easy access to the very back of your unit. This makes them an excellent addition to a kitchen island, particularly if you need somewhere to store pots and pans, crockery, or utensils. The additional storage created by including a kitchen island in your design also allows you to sacrifice some overhead cabinets, establishing a more open and inviting feel.
Achieve Optimum Arrangement of Appliances
If you have a one wall or L-shaped kitchen, finding a suitable arrangement for your appliances can be tricky and often results in limited counter space. However, with plenty of room to position appliances such as ovens, sinks, wine coolers and hobs, a kitchen island could offer an ideal solution to achieving a convenient and practical appliance layout.
Bear in mind that not all subfloors are compatible with the plumbing requirements of sinks and gas hobs. This being said, the latest downdraft venting hobs are perfect for adding to a kitchen island. You can read more about them by clicking here.
Add Casual Seating
From keeping an eye on the kids while you cook to hosting sophisticated drinks parties, casual bar stool seating makes a fantastic, versatile addition to any kitchen. Not only are bar stools an ideal place to perch for a coffee, but the design you choose can dramatically alter the tone of your space. Add a luxurious touch to your interior with a velvet pop of colour, or show off your design credentials with an iconic contemporary style.
Enhance Your Layout
Whether you find yourself dashing across your kitchen to reach your oven or dodging hungry children on the hunt for snacks, a kitchen island could be the answer to your layout woes. In a large kitchen, appliances and work surfaces can simply end up too spread out. A kitchen island can help bring your kitchen closer together, bridging the gap and establishing a successful working triangle.
In an open-plan space, a kitchen island can also help create a boundary between different zones, easing the transition from kitchen to living area and discouraging guests and family members from getting under your feet while cooking.
Great For Entertaining
Kitchen islands make a wonderful addition to entertaining. They create a great focal point for guests to gather around. And, with the option to add a sleek hob, luxurious wine cooler and bar stool seating, can be equipped with everything needed to take your hosting skills to the next level.
For more tips on creating a kitchen perfect for entertaining, please click here.
They Look Stunning
One last thing that shouldn’t be overlooked is their stunning appearance. Gracing the pages of many a glossy interior design magazine, the dramatic presence established by a luxurious island is undeniably as sought-after as their impressive practical features. As well as looking superb in its own right, an island offers the potential to enhance the overall impact of your space, allowing you to feature an accent finish, contrasting worktop, stylish bar stools or quirky shelving.
Find What Works For You
While kitchen islands undoubtedly offer many benefits, they don’t work for every client and every space. In a small kitchen, they can sometimes get in the way, making a room feel cramped. And some designers feel the drawbacks outweigh the benefits if an island is too small. A peninsula can make a great alternative. However, since bar stool seating is better suited to casual drinks than three-course meals, you might find a traditional dining table the best option for you.
Here at Hubble, our kitchens are meticulously designed to suit your needs and complement your lifestyle, and this includes your island. From peninsulas with breakfast bars to expansive islands featuring a host of cutting-edge appliances, there are hundreds of different ways to customise your design to suit your requirements.
If you’d like to discuss your project and learn more about the options available, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can call us on 01243 533727 or email info@hubblekitchens.co.uk.