Kitchens with an island: the perfect choice for fans of sociability

Kitchens with an island are proving more and more popular and sophisticated. Not just in loft conversions. Here are all the advantages of this particular type of kitchen.

They are synonymous with sociability. They offer versatile spatial organisation. They also have a superior styling impact. Today’s focus is on kitchens with islands, a favourite in contemporary homes.

Stylish, practical and super technological, island kitchens immediately bring to mind sociable dinners with friends or sophisticated show cooking sessions. It is no coincidence that this type of kitchen is used in TV programmes hosted by great chefs.
Usually placed on the boundary with the living room, island kitchens allow you to cook while keeping an eye on the living room too.

They are therefore ideal to try your hand at your favourite recipes without missing out on a good chat with family or friends.

Perfect for large open-plan settings, island kitchens are also suitable for rooms delimited by curved walls or by other particular architectural features. They can however also be fitted in smaller spaces, using the kitchen island as a simple worktop or snack counter.

This solution allows you to separate the kitchen from the dining room/living room without having to put up actual walls. It is a clever idea that allows the setting to remain airy, bright and that visually expands the perception of space. All the more so because a kitchen with an island can blend in seamlessly with the living room, both in terms of design, as well as colours and materials.
So if you dream of a kitchen with an island, don’t be daunted by the available square footage. This type of kitchen affords a veritable host of benefits.

Let’s look at the aspects to consider during the design planning or the purchasing phase in detail.

Kitchens with an island can play various roles

When planning a kitchen with an island, the first thing to ask yourselves is whether you want the island to be operational, to serve as a simple work surface or as a counter for breakfast and a quick snack.

If you went for the first solution, then you will need to plan for bigger dimensions. All the more so if the island is also to be fitted with the sink and/or hob. In order to move effortlessly around the island block and open drawers, wall units and cabinets, you will need at least 120-150 cm. The height of the island is similar to the rest of the kitchen, so around 90 cm.

Even more importantly, you need to take the systems into consideration. For the island to accommodate the sink, you need to plan for the connections and water drain during the construction or refurbishment work. Indeed, the piping must be concealed under the flooring, ducted under the island block. The same applies to the gas connection, electricity sockets and the suction hood.
For these reasons, a kitchen with this type of island would need to be planned as early as the design phase or before renovation work begins.
If creating systems specifically is not an option, then it would be preferable to choose a kitchen with a peninsula, in other words with one side up against a wall, housing the connections for the water, gas and electricity.

Kitchens with an island provide an additional work surface and more storage space

The kitchen island may also only offer an extra work surface. In this case, the island worktop can be intended for food preparation, or it can turn into a veritable table for quick lunches or snacks.

A kitchen with an island also generates more storage space. The part underneath the island can in fact be fitted with deep drawers to store utensils or larder units. It can also house appliances if an electricity socket is provided. On the living room side, it can be fitted with open compartments to store books and designer ornaments. To create the perfect integration between kitchen and living room.

Kitchens with an island foster sociability

Kitchens with an island promote sociability. Unlike traditional linear kitchens, fitted against the walls, these types of kitchen give the cook the chance to chat with their guests. They also offer the added benefit of keeping an eye on kids in the sitting room. And they also allow several people to cook together.
Don’t forget, as we mentioned earlier, that the island can turn into a practical counter at which to share breakfast, a quick lunch or drinks with family and friends.

Kitchens with an island are designed to blend in with the living room

Usually kitchens with an island are visible and overlook the living room. That’s why they should be planned with versatile solutions, which guarantee they fit together with the living room like a glove. The cabinets often have concealed doors that hide away appliances, hobs or sinks. The materials, finishes and colours mirror those of the living room. This camouflage look makes it difficult to tell where the kitchen ends and where the sitting room begins.

However, the island can also be made from a different material and in a different colour from the remainder of the kitchen. More daring customers can play with contrasts. They could for instance pick out a coloured kitchen island with a bright hue or in a particular finish. This way, the island will stand out from its surroundings, almost like a sculpture.

Kitchens with an island can become super-technological workstations

Kitchens with an island are not just attractively styled. They can also become functional and super-technological workstations. It is no coincidence that they are the preferred choice for show cooking sessions by the greatest chefs. Indeed, a kitchen with an island not only offers more space for food preparation, but it can also be equipped like a genuine “cooking station”. With hobs and a sink, obviously, but also with every type of accessory or appliance, including teppanyaki hot plates, professional ovens, blast chillers, wine cellars and plenty of other modern gadgets to impress your guests.

Abimis kitchens with an island

Professionally-derived kitchens by Abimis are entirely customisable in their configuration. Indeed, Abimis only makes bespoke kitchens. This means a kitchen with an island that truly accommodates all the needs of each individual client. From large islands for loft conversions to compact blocks for smaller apartments, super-accessorised islands with built-in hobs, to mere extra work surfaces.

Kitchens with an island by Abimis are robust, functional and top-performing, but also extremely stylish and attractive. Made entirely of AISI 304 stainless steel and welded without joints, Abimis kitchens with an island are in fact metallic monoliths with a sculptural appearance intended to take centre stage, whatever the setting.

That’s not all… They also guarantee maximum safety and hygiene in the kitchen while concurrently simplifying cleaning tasks.