THE IRREPLACEABLE KITCHEN ISLAND: AN OBJECT OF UTILITY AND BEAUTY
At Cuisine Steam, we felt like writing a love letter to kitchen islands. Why not? After all, as a practical yet friendly space, the kitchen island is a must in every well-organized, welcoming kitchen.
Far from boring despite its classic stature, the kitchen island is always the centerpiece of the room. Rediscover this pillar of design with us!
A short history of the kitchen island
Contrary to what you might think, the history of the kitchen island as we know it doesn’t go back very far. It was already a thing in European kitchens, used by servants and cooks to prepare meals for wealthy families, but they would never have sat around it. It was only in the ’30s, thanks to the genius of designer Frank Lloyd Wright, that it acquired the reputation it has to this day. It should be understood that Frank Lloyd Wright was among the first (if not THE first) to eliminate the separation between the kitchen and the living room, thus creating the open living space.
From that moment on, the kitchen island ceased to be a simple workstation and was gradually integrated into American families’ lives. Then, new kitchen appliances start appearing, making meal preparation easier and giving the counter space a social appeal. The convivial destiny of this piece of furniture was then sealed by Julia Child, who, by filming her TV show standing in front of her island, completely changed the perception of the general public!
Today, the island is a space to experiment in the kitchen, to prepare daily meals and to have a good time with family or friends. It’s a bit like the heart of the kitchen! Besides its usefulness, this piece of furniture is aesthetic—a versatile design piece that can completely transform the look of a room.
What will be the main use of your kitchen island?
Are you a coffee sipper who likes to lean on the kitchen island, or would you rather throw yourself into preparing a feast for 10? Your kitchen habits will definitely impact the island design and its layout. Would you like stools so you can sit there? Do you need extra storage space? These are things to consider when selecting your ideal piece of furniture. Take a look at these kitchen islands for inspiration!
The storage island
Here, the kitchen island allows you to get organized, whether you need space for recipe books, dishes or pots and pans. It is an optimal aesthetic solution to compensate for the lack of cabinets and will keep the clutter off your counters!
The social island
Sometimes, the kitchen island is simply a great place to gather. Whether you prefer stools or benches, a kitchen island can be versatile enough to adapt to all tastes!
The culinary island
Sometimes you just want a workstation because it’s more convenient for cooking, nothing more, nothing less. That said, why not combine beauty with pleasure by choosing a piece that will be useful and attractive?
The eye-catching island
We mentioned it before: the kitchen island can easily step up as the room’s centrepiece. There’s nothing shameful in choosing an island simply for its gorgeous look.
The mobile island
The team at Steam Cuisine firmly believes that a kitchen island is not necessarily meant to be a gigantic monolithic piece. It can definitely be small and even mobile, so you can move it around as needed. It’s all up to you!
Need more inspiration for your dream kitchen island? Take a look at our projects!