Island life

In the history of kitchen design, the island offered an outpost for preparing lunches, serving meals, or just as an inviting point to gather round. Advances in cabinetry and appliance design mean today's island can contain the principal elements of the entire kitchen.

The owner of this space wanted a new kitchen that provided an effective work triangle and ample storage space, with everything at her fingertips, says designer William Landeros of Bulthaup by Kitchen Distributors.

"Mindful of the need to create both optimum efficiency and near-to-hand storage space, we decided to introduce two substantial islands to the space," says Landeros. "Both islands offer a range of practical advantages tucked away under the stainless steel surfaces."

One island is for cooking and serving, the other is principally for food preparation and cleaning.

"The cooking island, complete with glass shelf, has shallow storage fronting the living room and a pro-range top and preparation sink on the other side," says Landeros.

The sink acts as a multifunction workstation and comes equipped with several accessories, from snug-fitting chopping boards to strainers. Storage space beneath the sink features vertical niches to accommodate these accessories. The other island also offers plenty of storage, as well as two washing-up sinks, an icemaker, twin freezer drawers and two dishwashers.

The side-by-side layout ensures an efficient work triangle between the adjacent stainless steel refrigerator and the cooktops on one island, and the sinks and freezer drawer at the same end of the other island.

"Both islands feature wood veneer cabinetry, with elongated handles adding to the kitchen's linear emphasis," says Landeros. "The cooking island was built on legs, to allow for easy adjustment of its height."

Most of the kitchen's working surfaces are provided by the islands. However, a small baking area sits on the same wall as the refrigerator and wall ovens. Flanking the baking area are two appliance garages with roll-away stainless steel doors.

"Harmony is an important emphasis in this kitchen," says the designer. "For example, the same style of roller door is used to front a serving window from the kitchen to the dining room. While the roller doors are seen from the kitchen, bifold doors close off the servery from a diner's perspective."

There is also a wet bar, running parallel to the islands and finished in the same light wood veneer. This peninsula divides the kitchen space from the living area and, like the islands, contains many features. These include a sink, a dishwasher, a wine cooler and a refrigerator.

"We worked closely with the architectural detailing to achieve symmetry for the space," says Landeros. "The double hood straddling a central rafter beam provides a point of focus, for example. The rafters also contribute to another design focus the kitchen's strong linear nature."

Story by: Trendsideas