A big island with seating for four and cooktop on a granite counter provided the centerpiece with plenty of room for helpers to lend a hand. Pull-out storage and drawers for pans, knives, dishes, cooking oils, spices and other elements of a chef’s desire, are all within easy reach to either side of the cooktop or in the wall of cabinets behind. Designer Jennifer Griffin called the island “tricky” as the cooktop has a down vent, “so we had to extend the sides of the cabinets and make the back panel a little extra thick to support the countertop,” she explained. Photographed by Stephanie Rosseel