Have you ever noticed where family and guests naturally gather in your home? I bet most of us would answer with, “around the kitchen island.” Today, kitchen island is the ultimate expression of the kitchen’s move from the back of the house to the center of the home. Often times, it acts as a replacement for breakfast nooks and kitchen tables. So what elements create gathering kitchen islands?
Gathering Kitchen Island Elements
First and foremost, the most gathering-friendly kitchen island countertop material is wood. Wood is a naturally warm material, and thus is also an inviting material to cozy up to.
Design by Lisa Brosius of Boxwood Design
“There is no material that compares to the warmth and comfort natural wood surfaces give to a kitchen,” stated designer Lisa Brosius of Boxwood Design.
Design by Nikki Trivisonno of Somrak Kitchens, Inc.
Another key element in creating an island for gathering, is having both standing and seating room. Incorporating both is important, so guests that would prefer to stand have plenty of room without those who want to sit getting in the way of each other.
Design by Kitchenscapes
Did you know a kitchen island can be more than one tier? How clever is this two-tier kitchen island designed by Kitchenscapes? One area is distinctly for seating, more like the kitchen table, and behind it is more seating, with an adjacent counter for standing room, entertaining and more.
Design by Bianca Fathauer of Splendid Home Design | Photography by Kaunis Hetki Photographer
“This is a family that loves to cook and entertain so we incorporated their large commercial range flanked by perimeter quartz countertops, and a gorgeous walnut butcher block end grain countertop section. This is matched alongside by flat grain walnut pedestal table with built-in seating and storage,” stated the designer of this two tier kitchen island, Bianca Fathauer of Splendid Home Design.
Visit the Countertop Image Library on our website to see more gathering kitchen islands.
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