As far as kitchen development is concerned I think the kitchen island is just as important as sliced bread. This brilliant concept has been around for a while, but its really taking on a new spin with all the things you can put into your island today. It used to be you only had a little storage and a counter top, now you can run the entire kitchen from just the island area.
It’s pretty easy to have a discussion about kitchen island designs. Many islands are setup for extra eating spaces, with fancy bar stools for seating, a buffet area of sorts where a variety of yummy dishes can be placed. But today’s islands also offer the chef a wide range of options depending on their own cooking habits. My mother has her cooktop range on the island, along with a microwave, a a built in curio cabinet for displaying her favorite collectibles. Other islands I’ve seen have the dishwasher built in, and even appliances like ice makers, trash compactors and small refrigerators. Yes, if you wanted your oven there you could. There’s really no limit to the way you can design your island to meet your needs.
I take that back. The biggest limitation is the size of your kitchen. Some are so small there’s no way a permanent fixture would work, you wouldn’t be able to get around it. To that end you would want to consider a kitchen island cart. Something that’s flexible, movable, something that can be stored out of the way when not in use.
Unfortunately my kitchen is too small to have an island of any great use, but my next home I intend to make sure the kitchen is big enough for one. I think they’re fantastic.
