Are kitchen islands out of date Post Reply

[after dinner mint]

We are about rip out and re plan and install a kitchen onto our BTC terrace but I would love some thoughts on islands and whether they are still fashionable. We have one currently with under counter storage - you can't sit at it but we do like it.

My question stems mainly from the fact that the chap from Grand Designs implied just last week that they were no longer all the rage.

I know that it is all a matter of taste but I would hate to go ahead and install an out of date kitchen and regret it? Hoping to get some opinions from others considering kitchen redesigns just now. Any thoughts massively appreciated!

[No bites]

And I have heard green is unfashionable. I like it, but I don’t want to paint my living room a colour that someone else might not like.

[Btwmum]

Apparently people have got bored with them and prefer to have a normal kitchen with a proper table to sit at instead of stools. They also prefer to keep the kitchen separate in flats so when they have people over they can hide pots and pans. I think in a Victorian house where there is usually space for island plus table and having a separate kitchen is not feasible (if you do not make the middle room a kitchen..) it would be more difficult so island might still be used. However if there is no space for a proper table, I can see people putting the table instead of the island. Some islands are also terribly big taking the whole kitchen, so I expect their size to reduce. Some people with small kitchen are now using a small butcher table instead of an island.
It is hard to predict trends, so I would go for what you really like and think your family can use more.

[Alessandra Garcia]

Hi,
Kitchen islands are fantastic, provided there is enough space around them. Scale is key. You need to ensure that all cupboards and drawers are easily accessible. The effectiveness of a kitchen island depends on the size of the space as well as how your family lives and what they enjoy. For instance, my sister loves her kitchen island; her children often like to be around her while she cooks and do their homework there instead of at the dining table or in their rooms.
As a locally based interior designer with a background in architecture, I believe that what's most important is creating a space that makes you happy and works for your needs. I strive to ensure that my clients make the best use of their space while reflecting their style and personality.
If you need help planning your kitchen, I would be happy to assist you. Please feel free to contact me by replying here or through my website, www.orsettointeriors.com
 
Best regards,
Alessandra
 

[Jonny Dyson Property Consultants]

Personally I would always have an island as long as there is enough space to move around it.

On the same topic, but as an aside, if you do decide to go for an island then please consider putting your hob in the island as opposed to being against the wall.  Historically architects & builders have always placed the hob against the back wall so that the extractor duct is easy to run to the outside (usually above the wall units of the kitchen).  The problem I have with this is that whenever you are entertaining, the poor cook has to spend half their time with their back to the room.  Equally, once dinner is done, you are faced with a big stack of pots and pans that couldn’t fit in the dishwasher stuck in the middle of the island!!

There are plenty of other ways to duct an extractor these days, so I would suggest that if you do go for an island, have the hob in the island and the sink on the back wall.

Jonny
 

[dudette]

I agree with Johnny - having the hob on the island means you get to talk to your guests/family, watch TV etc while you’re cooking. We have both the hob, one of the ovens and a small prep sink on our island. The dishwasher and washing up sink are against the wall. I’m not sure it’s a question of “fashion” - just the fact that islands are practical as they provide more work surface and more space for hobs, sinks etc. I don’t quite get the massive ones though - they seem to take up far too much space and it just be difficult to clean the middle of them! Just a narrow one is fine.

[buildingworkinprogress]

thanks guys.

is there a rule for the size of the island in relation to the size of the room ?

our kitchen is about 35m2 so the temptation of putting a large island is pretty much there, but I am not sure I like the current trend of very large island.

wondering if there is a rule of thumb/guideline someone could come up with ?

also, are people happy with a sofa in their actual kitchen ?

thanks

[LilyRose]

We have a very large island. I absolutely love it. I stood around 4 men telling me not to go so big. They all now say they love it and that I was right. This man (the designer) is not the person in your home every day or cooking in your kitchen everyday. Find what you want and like and you will be happy.

Along with our enormous Island (with seating at the end) we also have a sofa, that is in constant use.