The kitchen is the heart and soul of your home, where family and friends gather for shared moments, big and small, and a well-designed kitchen island can play a central role in ensuring your new kitchen renovation is both practical and balanced.

A kitchen island can serve a multitude of tasks, from relaxed breakfasts to study sessions, coffee breaks, and meal prep. The Balnei & Colina renovation experts can help design your ideal kitchen layout by optimising circulation space around your kitchen island so that you can create a comfortable work zone.

Kitchen islands are one of the most functional components of a kitchen renovation and is also a great place to make a statement and showcase your unique style in your kitchen renovation. Whether your kitchen design style is Scandinavian, boho, country, mid-century, or industrial — your kitchen island should complement your existing kitchen design style and be practical at the same time. 

In this month’s B&C journal, we share six clever kitchen island design ideas to inspire your next kitchen renovation. Enjoy!

Robert Fonti

Director, Balnei & Colina

 

Image via Pinterest

6 Clever Kitchen Island Designs To Inspire

1. Generous Sizing

Opting for a larger kitchen island can be a great way to make a lasting impression. 

Functionally, a bigger kitchen island increases counter space and gives you more room for appliances, meal preparation and informal entertaining. Add extra barstools to create a casual environment where everyone feels encouraged to sit and chat.

Design Tip: Allow 30 - 50 cm of benchtop overhang for comfortable dining. 

Aesthetically, the sheer size of your kitchen island can significantly impact how spacious your kitchen feels. For instance, the kitchen above feels high-end and luxurious because of its contemporary aesthetic and the island’s generous size, and it feels modern and bold, taking its place as the true hub of the home. 

Have you considered a kitchen renovation that truly makes the most of your space? Our Balnei & Colina, kitchen design Sydney team are experts at combining everyday practicality with stunning designs you’ll love living in. 

 

Image via Architectural Digest   

Image via Domino 

 

Balnei & Colina | Kitchen Renovation

2. Waterfall Edge 

If you’re looking for a sleek and clean kitchen island design, a waterfall edge could be the perfect solution for your kitchen.

What is a waterfall edge? It’s when the benchtop of your kitchen island extends out over your cabinetry at a 90-degree angle creating the appearance of a more seamless continuation of the chosen surface material.

The trick to creating a breathtaking waterfall edge for your kitchen island is to align the veining or grain of your benchtop, so the edge appears seamless. It’s a skill the Balnei & Colina kitchen renovation team has mastered over the years, making it just one of the many kitchen island designs we love to create for our clients.

The great news is this look can be achieved with a variety of materials — from marble and granite to travertine, quartz and even wood.

Design Tip: Match your waterfall countertop with other surfaces in your kitchen for a refined, contemporary look.

To learn more about benchtop materials and finishes, visit the blog: 6 Kitchen Benchtop Surfaces To Inspire Your Next Kitchen Renovation.

 

Balnei & Colina | Oatley Kitchen Renovation

 

Balnei & Colina | Kitchen Renovation

Image via Blakes London

 

Image via The Spruce

3. Curved design

Curved kitchen island designs are a fun and fresh alternative to the more typical squared-off kitchen island shape. 

A curved kitchen island is excellent for open-concept, family kitchens, as they add more seating space, and you don’t have to worry about little ones bumping into sharp corners. 

Design Tip: Adding reeding (semi-cylindrical ridges — as seen in the example above and below) is a popular approach to styling curved islands. This look adds depth, character and softness to the hard surfaces of a kitchen.  

There are so many ways you can customise this style of kitchen island — whether you want a complete oval, a curve on only one end or a wraparound island that follows the flow of the room. Contact the Balnei & Colina kitchen design team to see how we can bring your kitchen renovation to life.

 

Image via Daha Architecture

Image via All & Nxthing Interiors 

 

Image via Better Homes and Gardens 

4. Accent Colour

Are you wondering where to add a splash of style to your kitchen?

The kitchen island is a great way to introduce colour to a kitchen renovation. Whether you want to make a bold statement with a bright colour or use a more subtle tone, colour is an excellent way to showcase your interior style. 

In predominately white kitchens, a colourful kitchen island design immediately draws attention and can make your kitchen feel distinctly your own. 

If a subtle approach to colour is more aligned with your style, plenty of options are available to you, too. For example, if you’re planning a neutral kitchen, you could use a darker-toned neutral for your kitchen island to add depth to the space. 

Design Tip: Repeating colours or patterns throughout your kitchen will help to blend a contrasting kitchen island into your space and create a more cohesive look. Consider your light fixtures, window treatments, rugs, and countertop accessories carefully.

 

Balnei & Colina | Kitchen Renovation

 

Balnei & Colina | Kitchen Renovation

 

Balnei & Colina | Zetland Kitchen Renovation

5. Clever storage 

Your choice of kitchen island design is an aesthetic decision, but there are practical considerations. Kitchen islands can be masterfully designed to add extra storage to your kitchen, which can be particularly useful if you don’t have a large kitchen or need to store substantial amounts of crockery and appliances.

Adding storage to your kitchen island can be done in many creative ways — you could incorporate it into the exterior design of your kitchen island or opt for hidden storage your guests would never know was there. 

Your kitchen island can be designed to include a wine rack, shelving, glass doors, or even a hidden space for your microwave, dishwasher or laundry equipment. 

Thinking about how you want the kitchen island to function and what design elements to include is a good way to customise your kitchen design to provide precisely the kind of practicality you need and ensure the space will serve you well for years to come. 

To learn more about smart kitchen storage ideas, visit the blog: 5 Kitchen Storage Solutions To Save Space.

 

Image via House Beautiful 

Image via Edmund Barr

 

Image via Architectural Digest

6. Mixed Materials

Mixing your materials is a creative way to enhance your kitchen’s visual impact. One of our favourite ways to do this is by creating a kitchen island “zone” that expertly contrasts with the rest of your kitchen. 

This is a great way to create a personalised look that reflects your unique style, but there are still important design rules to follow when mixing material design elements. 

The team at Balnei & Colina love using kitchen island materials that differ from your other kitchen surfaces, but we always want to ensure your space feels cohesive. 

For example, the slate grey kitchen island below works with the blue cabinets because they both have cool tones. The kitchen island also compliments the grey veining in the backsplash and chrome hardware. 

Another example is the bold metallic-look island shown above. The white benchtops tie in with the white backsplash, and chrome hardware and fittings are purposefully placed within the kitchen, tying the look together. 

At first glance, there don’t appear to be any similarities between the feature islands and kitchens, which almost feel more like backdrops, but when you look a little deeper — they’re there.

Mixing materials in the right way creates depth and contrast in a kitchen design. When executed correctly, the different elements work together effortlessly — even though the experts know it’s designed with purpose.

 

Image via Homes and Gardens 

 

Image via John Downs Photography 

Ready to design the ideal kitchen for your home? Leave it to the experts at Balnei & Colina renovations.

From design, manufacture to construction; our Sydney-based kitchen renovation experts would love to transform your home.

Book a kitchen design consultation today at 1300 450 320; send us your project details via this contact form, or book a call to discuss your kitchen project in more detail. You can also email us directly via info@balneiandcolina.com.au.

Visit us at balneiandcolina.com.au and connect via Facebook or Instagram to keep up with the latest kitchen design trends.

 

Balnei & Colina | Malabar Kitchen Renovation

Image via Brigid Arnott

Image via Kitty Lee Architecture 

Image via Homes To Love