Pro Reveal: 4 Designer Kitchen Islands With Ideas to Steal
Redoing your kitchen? Let these four striking and practical kitchen islands fuel your design thinking
Georgia Madden
13 May 2021
When it comes to open-plan kitchens, the island is the star of the show. We asked four design experts to reveal how they achieved that perfect balance between function and flair with their clients’ kitchen islands – essential information if you have a kitchen renovation planned anytime soon.
This story is the second part of a two-part story on kitchen islands. Read the first story here.
This story is the second part of a two-part story on kitchen islands. Read the first story here.
Image: Jack Lovel
1. Commentator: David Barr, director at David Barr Architects
Location: South Fremantle, WA
Set-up: An open-plan kitchen measuring around 14 square metres for a couple who love to entertain.
Architect: David Barr Architects
Stylist: Jo Carmichael
The client wanted a functional kitchen that allowed for food preparation and casual seating, which was in keeping with the design of the rest of the house.
The kitchen island must-haves were a concrete benchtop and sink and a concealed fridge.
1. Commentator: David Barr, director at David Barr Architects
Location: South Fremantle, WA
Set-up: An open-plan kitchen measuring around 14 square metres for a couple who love to entertain.
Architect: David Barr Architects
Stylist: Jo Carmichael
The client wanted a functional kitchen that allowed for food preparation and casual seating, which was in keeping with the design of the rest of the house.
The kitchen island must-haves were a concrete benchtop and sink and a concealed fridge.
Image: Jack Lovel
The island is crafted from concrete and plywood. The side that faces the dining room is kept clean, while the inward-facing side contains practical drawers and cupboards.
The island contains custom storage with integrated lighting, drawers with charging stations, a built-in oven, a small fridge and a dishwasher.
Ready to start your own kitchen renovation? Find a local kitchen designer on Houzz
The island is crafted from concrete and plywood. The side that faces the dining room is kept clean, while the inward-facing side contains practical drawers and cupboards.
The island contains custom storage with integrated lighting, drawers with charging stations, a built-in oven, a small fridge and a dishwasher.
Ready to start your own kitchen renovation? Find a local kitchen designer on Houzz
Image: Jack Lovel
The line of the kitchen island follows the line of the hall and the cabinetry on the rear of the kitchen wall, creating clear sightlines from one end of the space to the other.
Matching the concrete benchtop to the floor was the biggest challenge – we achieved this by creating numerous samples.
The line of the kitchen island follows the line of the hall and the cabinetry on the rear of the kitchen wall, creating clear sightlines from one end of the space to the other.
Matching the concrete benchtop to the floor was the biggest challenge – we achieved this by creating numerous samples.
2. Commentator: Katherine Wallis, interior designer and director at Wallis Design
Location: Nunawading, Victoria
Set-up: A 22-square-metre open-plan kitchen in a partially renovated Californian bungalow.
Interior designer: Wallis Design
Our client was looking for a space to entertain and prepare food in, which had plenty of storage. They wanted the island to contain easy-access storage, space for a couple of bar stools, and several power and data points for laptops and phone recharging.
The island measures 1,200 x 1,800 millimetres and was designed to suit the shape and size of the room. The house has stunning garden views and we positioned the island to make the most of them.
Location: Nunawading, Victoria
Set-up: A 22-square-metre open-plan kitchen in a partially renovated Californian bungalow.
Interior designer: Wallis Design
Our client was looking for a space to entertain and prepare food in, which had plenty of storage. They wanted the island to contain easy-access storage, space for a couple of bar stools, and several power and data points for laptops and phone recharging.
The island measures 1,200 x 1,800 millimetres and was designed to suit the shape and size of the room. The house has stunning garden views and we positioned the island to make the most of them.
The cabinetry surrounding the kitchen island is unified throughout the space for a cohesive look and feel.
We made a feature of the island by painting it bold blue (in Haymes Paint’s Thunder Bay) and adding copper door handles and copper pendants. We specified a two-pack polyurethane finish for the joinery in a Shaker-style profile.
The island drawers are different sizes to suit specific storage needs – smaller ones for cutlery and utensils, medium-size drawers for crockery, and deep ones for salad bowls and platters.
We made a feature of the island by painting it bold blue (in Haymes Paint’s Thunder Bay) and adding copper door handles and copper pendants. We specified a two-pack polyurethane finish for the joinery in a Shaker-style profile.
The island drawers are different sizes to suit specific storage needs – smaller ones for cutlery and utensils, medium-size drawers for crockery, and deep ones for salad bowls and platters.
3. Commentator: Melonie Bayl-Smith, director and nominated architect at Bijl Architecture
Location: Willoughby, NSW
Set-up: A 19-square-metre kitchen (including a butler’s pantry) in a five-bedroom home, in a conservation area for a family of five.
Architect: Bijl Architecture
Cabinet maker: Driftwood Joinery
For her kitchen, the client was after clean lines and a warm, fresh palette that included timber. She wanted the island to feel comfortable and approachable for children and adults to sit together.
Browse more kitchens with monochrome palettes
Location: Willoughby, NSW
Set-up: A 19-square-metre kitchen (including a butler’s pantry) in a five-bedroom home, in a conservation area for a family of five.
Architect: Bijl Architecture
Cabinet maker: Driftwood Joinery
For her kitchen, the client was after clean lines and a warm, fresh palette that included timber. She wanted the island to feel comfortable and approachable for children and adults to sit together.
Browse more kitchens with monochrome palettes
The client’s wish list for the island included an integrated sink and appliances, cookbook storage away from the cooking mess, an integrated pull-out step-down bench or desk for the children to draw or play at, and corner bench seating.
The resulting design contains a sink, pull-out bins with a touch drawer, three long cutlery and utensil drawers and an integrated dishwasher.
The island has two distinct zones – one for food preparation and one for dining.
We specified a mix of open and closed storage to give the client flexibility of use – particularly useful for a young family with growing children. It also creates visual interest and prevents the island from looking like a giant lump of joinery.
The resulting design contains a sink, pull-out bins with a touch drawer, three long cutlery and utensil drawers and an integrated dishwasher.
The island has two distinct zones – one for food preparation and one for dining.
We specified a mix of open and closed storage to give the client flexibility of use – particularly useful for a young family with growing children. It also creates visual interest and prevents the island from looking like a giant lump of joinery.
The wide, pull-out desk at the front is the perfect height for the children to use and can be neatly tucked away when they’re finished.
Touches of timber on the island tie in with the timber dining table and the joinery in the rest of the house.
It features a Caesarstone Cloudburst Concrete benchtop, Polytec Woodmatt Prime Oak laminate and Dulux Lexicon in a polyurethane finish to the cabinetry.
Touches of timber on the island tie in with the timber dining table and the joinery in the rest of the house.
It features a Caesarstone Cloudburst Concrete benchtop, Polytec Woodmatt Prime Oak laminate and Dulux Lexicon in a polyurethane finish to the cabinetry.
4. Commentator: Rebeka Morgan, builder and designer at BuildHer Collective
Location: Northcote, Victoria
Set-up: A 30-square-metre kitchen (including a butler’s pantry and laundry) in the extension of a large Edwardian home, for a lively and busy family of eight.
Builder and designer: BuildHer Collective
This kitchen needed to be striking but functional. We were looking for something that could serve a bustling family on a daily basis, but also an elegant cocktail party. The island was to be the hero of the space with the stone being of particular importance.
Location: Northcote, Victoria
Set-up: A 30-square-metre kitchen (including a butler’s pantry and laundry) in the extension of a large Edwardian home, for a lively and busy family of eight.
Builder and designer: BuildHer Collective
This kitchen needed to be striking but functional. We were looking for something that could serve a bustling family on a daily basis, but also an elegant cocktail party. The island was to be the hero of the space with the stone being of particular importance.
The client wanted the island to look and feel solid and to showcase the natural marble, while hiding functions on the other side (a sink, microwave, bin and large drawers).
We repeated the solid marble of the island in different areas in the home and the navy of the cabinets was used throughout in the skirtings, arches and period doors.
We repeated the solid marble of the island in different areas in the home and the navy of the cabinets was used throughout in the skirtings, arches and period doors.
The designers left enough space between the kitchen island and the dining table to ensure chairs can easily be arranged on all sides of the table.
We used Signorino Tile Gallery Fior de Bosco solid marble for the kitchen island and splashback. The striking dining table was custom designed. It has a Dulux Zeus Matt Canvas Cloth powder-coated steel top finish, and the base tiles are Academy Tiles’ Ice Mosaics 45 x 145 millimetres in Green.
Your turn
Which kitchen-island idea captures your eye here? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Want more on kitchens? Check out this Before & After: A Kitchen & Dining Area Made Lighter & Brighter
We used Signorino Tile Gallery Fior de Bosco solid marble for the kitchen island and splashback. The striking dining table was custom designed. It has a Dulux Zeus Matt Canvas Cloth powder-coated steel top finish, and the base tiles are Academy Tiles’ Ice Mosaics 45 x 145 millimetres in Green.
Your turn
Which kitchen-island idea captures your eye here? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Want more on kitchens? Check out this Before & After: A Kitchen & Dining Area Made Lighter & Brighter
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No1. Love pretty much everything- the pale timber, concealed fridge, no overhead cupboards, the way they have done the display shelving and the lights.
No.4 The dining table is beautiful, what great customisation
The kitchen natural stone is beautiful, however if they were wanting to showcase it I feel the heaviness of the dining table placed directly in front actually detracts particularly with the heavy feature legs/base of the table. Everything else is very tastefully done.
Just a suggestion for those open plan kitchens, the cupboards in the island unit used for storage of tableware not facing the open plan area to not have doors so that they are open and access is quicker and easier. A narrow drawer above each of the open cupboards can be used for cutlery and utensils.