Creating a multi-purpose kitchen with an island
If you’re fortunate enough to have a huge kitchen space, then installing a mega monolith island at its centre will instantly turn the room into a more practical, multifunctional layout. With distinct zones for food prep, cooking, serving meals and washing-up, an island allows you to do all these tasks and more while chatting with family or friends at the same time. No more turning your back on guests or being banished to a different room while everyone else gets on with enjoying themselves! An island makes for a much more sociable space, any time of the day and any season, too. Islands really come into their own during the winter months with Christmas and New Year celebrations taking on a much more interactive role, especially when laced with champagne and canapes on top. And don’t fret if your kitchen is less than roomy, as islands come in all sizes to suit any scheme, big or small.
Benefits of island living
Kitchens with an island offer so many benefits for everyday use. They will instantly create extra workspace and storage as well as providing the perfect spot for breakfast, lunch, catching up over coffee with friends, helping children with their homework as well as working from home or sorting out that never-ending life admin at the laptop with a coffee to hand. Whether it’s open-plan or broken-plan, island kitchens offer so many benefits and with different sized designs to choose from, it’s usually possible to fit one in. As a guide, the minimum space around an island should be 1000mm or ideally, 1200mm. This allows enough room to walk around the island with ease, as well as being able to open appliance or cabinet doors without obstruction. Our collections of classic and contemporary kitchens are available with islands that can be designed with any configuration of an integrated hob, oven, sink, storage and worksurface overhang for a handy breakfast bar. Choose an island to match the rest of your cabinetry in the same door style and colour for a co-ordinated look or go for a contrasting design, material or finish for statement style with instant impact.
Planning the perfect island
Here at Symphony, we have 50 years’ experience designing kitchens to complement all styles of interior. So, no matter what variations you need or how you want your island to look or be designed in terms of practicality, we can help. And whether you prefer open-plan or broken-plan, there is a kitchen style with an island to suit. Broken-plan layouts are the latest trend in kitchen design. These can be created by the use of zoned areas. The room has a spacious open feel with freestanding furniture such as an island, along with half-height walls, screens, shelving, dining table, bookcase, sofa, coffee table and so on, to create distinct areas for cooking, food prep, relaxing or entertaining. Open-plan schemes on the other hand are simpler. These can be created using just an island unit in the centre of the space. If you have a large area to plan for, check out our Princeton smooth Shaker design, which comes in Providence Blue, Pearl Grey, Indigo or Chalk White. It’s a contemporary take on the classic cabinet design and suits all styles of property, from new-builds to country cottages. The island is large enough for multitasking, with space for food prep, cooking, serving, eating and relaxing over coffee or a glass of wine with friends.
Princeton in Providence Blue and Chalk White
Traditional style
For a more traditional look, our New England design is a beautiful in-frame door that can be painted in any shade from our carefully selected paint palette. We love the Atlantic Green colourway with a feature island that includes a classic Belfast sink and open storage on one side with closed storage on the other. Add glazed dresser and plate rack display cabinets and you’ll instantly enhance the timeless appeal. Our traditional ranges also include the Wexford, Ashbourne, Austin, Cranbrook and Langdale designs, all of which can be created with an island at its centre.
Contemporary cool
For something sleek and seamless, we also offer a fantastic variety of contemporary and handleless kitchens. Our New York, Woodbury, Plaza, Alta and Linear Avant designs for instance can really suit smaller spaces thanks to their fuss-free slab doors. And with a compact island added in the centre, even the tiniest studio or apartment kitchen can become and instant multifunctional area perfect for modern living.
Linear Avant in Black & Caramel
Virtual reality with our Kitchen Designer
To help inspire you with ideas for islands, colour palettes, cabinetry styles, work surfaces and all the finishing touches, visit our online Kitchen Designer. This easy to use design tool allows you to create your dream kitchen in a virtual way, choosing your preferred style then pairing it with complementary or contrasting colours, worksurfaces and handles for an instant view of any number of creative ideas.
For more advice and information on how to create your dream kitchen, visit our Dealer Locator to find your nearest retailer.