Kitchen islands
Add a worktop to an existing piece of furniture. It will probably be cheaper than buying an island. Ideally the worktop will be the same as is already in the kitchen, or totally different for contrast Three pendant lights in different colours White units, wooden worktop, brass cup handles. Wooden floor, plenty of light
Open storage on the island saves money on drawers and looks more airy, so long as you don’t think it looks cluttered. Same for the walls which have open shelving instead of wall cabinets (items can get dusty and greasy, though, and you can’t put too many things on the shelves or they’ll look cluttered.
Sliding doors for the island cupboards mean you won’t have to move seating so far to get to the cupboards. But you’ll still need to move them Island has two materials in the top - wood, and a more practical area of worktop as well as the hob, with extractor in the ceiling. Glass splash back behind cooker - but is this easy to clean??
This island and the dining table and breakfast bar give three different heights for seating. The breakfast bar is high enough to push a high chair under for a baby. The bench adjoins the island saves space allowing for storage, choice of seating heights and a table.
Shows an extractor above the hob on the island
Pillars built into the corners of the island make it look like a more substantial piece of furniture
When there isn’t room for an island a peninsula can work well
Like the two heights and two different worktops for different functions
The white surfaces bounce light Thinner worktops are more period feature, and they’re cheaper than thicker ones
Add a bit of wood to warm up a colour scheme
One bold splash of colour with white But use tiny bits of the colour in one or two more places
There are composites that look like concrete but are a lot cheaper (for worktops)
Not a complete island because one end is against the wall Mix of drawers and open shelving Curved one end
In this one the worktop is bigger all the way round, which seems unnecessary.
A different way of adding table and seating, if you have the space Also note white with colour splashes
Mixed height tops 3 pendants Cupboards and drawers
Rounded corners Mix of cupboards, drawers and open shelves
Rounded table end Green colour
This hob mixes gas and induction
Nice lights - always have an odd number - 3 or 5 The island has curved corners
This island is mainly used as a food prep and serving area, but the island houses the microwave
There should be a metre clearance space around an island. If you don’t have this much space consider a small unit on castors that can be pulled into position when needed.
This island has a radiator at one end, painted to match the unit
Consider curves as they soften a room
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