Kitchen Kicker: Islands With a Difference
Be inspired by what's cooking in kitchen island design. These examples all venture into daring new territory
Rebecca Gross
22 January 2018
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design, and I study cultural history through the lens of architecture, design and visual culture. I have a Masters in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from Parsons The New School for Design, New York. My latest book is called "Ornament is not a crime: Contemporary Interiors with a postmodern twist."
Design writer and historian. I write about contemporary architecture and design,... More
Kitchen islands are a supremely functional component of a kitchen space, but they can also be standout architectural features. These kitchen islands are all kicking it up a notch as they are designed with a difference, whether in form, materials or patterns. Be inspired by what’s being cooked up in kitchen design and see which ideas you can steal for your next kitchen renovation.
This kitchen in Ballarat, Victoria, is a relaxed and social space in the home of architects Mick and Jules Moloney. They designed the island bench like a piece of furniture, and it sits off the floor to enhance the sense of airiness in the room. They also integrated the stovetop into the island to encourage conversation between the cook and those sitting around the bench. “We love that you don’t have to turn your back on the space,” Mick says.
The materials, which include black formply, are inexpensive, raw, durable and low-fuss to cope with wear and tear and inevitable knocks from the kids.
Learn more about this kitchen
Learn more about this kitchen
This cantilevered kitchen island in Melbourne has a concrete benchtop that anchors it to the ground. The cabinetry is American oak and, like the previous kitchen, it sits off the floor to enhance the sense of space – and makes it easier to clean.
Still in Melbourne, this kitchen has an impressive stone island bench that reflects the restrained palette throughout the house. Adding pattern, the encaustic tiles are Honeycomb Hex by Popham Design, a Moroccan studio where all tiles are handmade by skilled artisans.
A sleek and shiny kitchen island adds an industrial edge to this rural home on 10 acres in Tonimbuk, Victoria. The stainless-steel workbench reduces the visual weight and sense of permanence of the island, and the castors make it easy to clean up any spills or food that drops beneath.
Browse more industrial-style kitchens
Browse more industrial-style kitchens
This light and spacious open-plan extension to a house in Adelaide has a kitchen to match. With clean lines and a restrained palette the kitchen island is marble with white cabinetry.
There is space underneath the drawers, which don’t extend the full length of the island, enhancing the sense of spaciousness. LZF’s I-Club pendant light is suspended above, bringing the warmth of timber to match the timber flooring and stools.
There is space underneath the drawers, which don’t extend the full length of the island, enhancing the sense of spaciousness. LZF’s I-Club pendant light is suspended above, bringing the warmth of timber to match the timber flooring and stools.
Everyday breeze blocks have been used to add bold, geometric pattern to this kitchen in Adelaide, while the open design keeps the kitchen feeling airy and light. The breeze-block front on this kitchen island adds a decorative touch to this clean-lined and minimalist space.
“Our client came to us with a love of textiles and the Palm Springs influence, and they asked us to work this breeze block into the addition,” says Sally Wilson of SW-Architects. “Breeze blocks are a fantastic masonry element to work with.” Because internal masonry doesn’t need the same large mortar joints as external masonry, she recommends keeping the detailing thin and crisp to avoid too much bulk.
8 Breeze Block Features That Are a Breath of Fresh Air
“Our client came to us with a love of textiles and the Palm Springs influence, and they asked us to work this breeze block into the addition,” says Sally Wilson of SW-Architects. “Breeze blocks are a fantastic masonry element to work with.” Because internal masonry doesn’t need the same large mortar joints as external masonry, she recommends keeping the detailing thin and crisp to avoid too much bulk.
8 Breeze Block Features That Are a Breath of Fresh Air
The brief for this home in Dunedin, New Zealand, required a renovation of an older bungalow, creating a modern kitchen with a point of difference and space to entertain. The starting point was the five-millimetre compressed stainless-steel material that MCDesign decided to wrap around the end of the island like a giant rubber band.
The compressed stainless steel is paired with dark Caesarstone benchtops and concrete floors to create an industrial look. American oak cabinets warm the space; white lacquered cabinets add some gloss, and lemon accents introduce bold colour.
The compressed stainless steel is paired with dark Caesarstone benchtops and concrete floors to create an industrial look. American oak cabinets warm the space; white lacquered cabinets add some gloss, and lemon accents introduce bold colour.
Timber is a stunning choice for this kitchen island in a house in Barwon Heads, Victoria. The solid blackbutt timber benchtop is ideal for high-impact areas, and can be sanded back if damaged or scratched.
Blackbutt ranges in colour from cream to pale brown, sometimes with a slight tinge of pink. The timber can be stained, painted or polished, but in this case has only an oil finish.
Blackbutt ranges in colour from cream to pale brown, sometimes with a slight tinge of pink. The timber can be stained, painted or polished, but in this case has only an oil finish.
A wine rack in the kitchen island is a great way to keep your favourite bottles within easy reach. This kitchen island in a house in Perth has a marble-clad base and the benchtop has a timber wine rack for storing the stash.
In San Francisco, this island likewise has a wine rack at the end of the bench, but it’s the timber slab that is most distinctive in the otherwise pared-back kitchen.
“The owners wanted a very modern, clean and minimalist kitchen in keeping with their lifestyle and personal aesthetic,” says Carl Scheidenhelm of SF Architecture. “We wanted to balance this (or contrast it) with a very warm and natural element – the hand-selected live-edge walnut slab.” Scheidenhelm used a steel-bracing system embedded in the wood so it appears to float above the cooking island behind.
“The owners wanted a very modern, clean and minimalist kitchen in keeping with their lifestyle and personal aesthetic,” says Carl Scheidenhelm of SF Architecture. “We wanted to balance this (or contrast it) with a very warm and natural element – the hand-selected live-edge walnut slab.” Scheidenhelm used a steel-bracing system embedded in the wood so it appears to float above the cooking island behind.
Emerald green marble proved to be a hit at the Milan Furniture Fair in 2017. Marble has shaken off its reputation as something of a status symbol, and is instead being appreciated for its natural beauty. This green marble kitchen island in a home in Auckland has distinctive patterning, bringing characteristics of nature inside the home and serving as a decorative feature in its own right.
Marble is a hard-wearing material and it takes a contemporary postmodern turn in this New York home, paired with vibrant turquoise and industrial stools against a white backdrop.
Green and Brown Marble in Kitchens and Bathrooms
Green and Brown Marble in Kitchens and Bathrooms
On Waiheke Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, this all-timber kitchen was designed for a growing family and built on a tight budget. This kitchen island has a humble and handcrafted quality, with sliding cupboard doors and a simple but cheery yellow laminate benchtop.
Concrete by Design fabricated this custom concrete kitchen island for a home in Sydney. It may look monolithic from this side, but it is a shell for appliances, drawers and cabinet storage on the other side.
CAST Designs custom made this monumental concrete kitchen island for a house in Cottesloe, WA. It features distinct shadow lines and an integrated round concrete sink.
Tell us
Which kitchen island do you like best and why? Tell us in the Comments below, and like, bookmark and save the photos from this story into your own ideabooks.
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Browse more kitchen photos for inspiration
Tell us
Which kitchen island do you like best and why? Tell us in the Comments below, and like, bookmark and save the photos from this story into your own ideabooks.
More
Browse more kitchen photos for inspiration
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That’s where I leave my pineapple too!? Laughable
I cherish the Blackbutt bench top. The variety in hues are warm and engaging and would run with any shading kitchen and be joined with stone or solid bench tops. Your kitchen tiles are an essential expansion to any home remodel project. Buy Kitchen tiles on the web or instore at moderate costs.