How much space does it take? A lot but not a lot
What is the best environment for an island kitchen? Surely you need a large space, both to give the island the right visual importance and to give the kitchen the maximum freedom of movement. The ideal is an open space with the dining area that opens onto the living room. So the island kitchen is perfect.
The island kitchen loves being with people: for lunch with the family, for a snack with the children, for dinner with friends. In this type of cuisine it often happens that there are several people simultaneously busy preparing and cooking. Therefore, consider that a distance of 120 centimeters is needed between the island and the wall bases, to allow the right freedom of movement.
But fear not, there is no need to have a kitchen of monumental dimensions: even an environment of normal sizes can be embellished with an island kitchen. This advantage is due to an even more functional and intelligent concept, with the island that becomes a work and cooking surface, a container for the pantry, and a convivial space with the snack counter that houses breakfast, snacks, even the main meals for two to three people.
How to arrange the elements of the island?
The central block generally houses the sink, the hob with its hood and various spaces to contain, generally dedicated to dishes, to have pots and pans close at hand.
The island does not necessarily have to be colossal, it can also simply consist of a sink, worktop and hob, without the counter. A minimal solution that prefers functional spaces over convivial ones, which are delegated to the classic table.
Request su request of multicolor?
Here it is absolutely a matter of taste. The important dimensions of the island can be enhanced by a color that contrasts with the rest of the kitchen, or minimized by using the same shades as the other elements.
There is also a third way: the monochromatic, neutral island and the multicolored wall elements, which create a pleasant visual movement.
The hood: the design is central
If in kitchens where the fire zone is wall-mounted the hood is often invisible and integrated into the wall units, in island kitchens the hood becomes the protagonist, suspended in the center of the room.
So the hood becomes a design factor, almost a sculpture that descends from the ceiling to interact with the lines of the kitchen and the island.
The island in full light
The lighting must also be designed according to the island, to give direct light to the worktop and hob. Forget the classic kitchen chandelier: here you can range on even very daring and scenographic design solutions, those that you would normally imagine only in the living area.
Because the spirit of the island kitchen is precisely this: to be the link between the kitchen and the living room. In fact, the wall elements, freed from the tasks of sink and hob, increasingly take on the appearance of modular compositions in the living area.
A kitchen like a living room, practically.
Does the kitchen island suit you?
The island kitchen is perfect for those who:
• has a lot of space in the kitchen;
• wants the most aesthetically pleasing solution;
• loves to cook in company;
• often organizes convivial moments;
• can move the gas, electricity and water connections to the island.
Why yes?
The central position in the kitchen allows you to maintain visual contact with the living area, creating an interaction with guests. Much better than cooking yourself while guests wait in the dining room!
The island top is useful both as a support surface for preparation, and as a counter for breakfast or an aperitif with friends. But if you are a large family, know that it will be difficult for 5 to sit down to eat every day at the island counter: this is why the classic table is always needed next to the island, perhaps less spectacular, but certainly more functional in everyday life when you it is many.
Why not?
The island kitchen does not install itself; it needs an ad hoc project and precise technical solutions. So it is to be avoided if you have to replace a linear kitchen and do not want to do masonry work to move the light, gas and water connections.
In summary: it does not create problems in a new house or in a complete renovation, it becomes decidedly more demanding in the event of replacing an existing kitchen with a different layout.
The central island intended for the work and cooking area becomes the center of attraction of the kitchen. It is the old concept of the “hearth” around which the family and their guests gathered, reinterpreted in a contemporary and design key.
Definitely an important choice, in terms of both design and financial commitment, compared to a traditional kitchen, but which repays these efforts with an out of the ordinary beauty, and a wow effect that is repeated at every glance. Every day of your life.
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