How to design your kitchen with an island
When it comes to furnishing or renovating a kitchen, the island is one of the most popular trends of recent years. Modern kitchen island with seating offers numerous advantages: extremely versatile, they add new spaces and, in general, help make everyday life easier.
Designing the perfect island kitchen requires careful planning, and it is advisable to put it into action by turning to high-quality experts and manufacturers. Refer to companies that stand out for their ability to combine function and design and that adapt to the specific needs of your home and your spaces. Among these Doimo Cucine, a 100% Made in Italy company that boasts decades of experience in the furniture and kitchen sector.
The well-executed layout of the kitchen with an island. Combined with a captivating aesthetic like the one proposed in the very current designs by Doimo Cucine. It guarantees a smooth workflow and a comfortable space in which to cook, but not only.
Dimensions and proportions
First of all, you will need to understand the actual measurements of your kitchen. Look at the room as a whole and also note the location of doors, windows, and any appliances already installed.
Often we fall into the mistake of thinking that in a very large kitchen, it is easier to insert the island, but be careful: regardless of the size. In order to prepare everything in the best way, it is good to ask yourself a few questions.
What is the main purpose of your kitchen with the island? Cooking at the center of the scene? Have breakfast in a dedicated area? Get extra storage space for tools?
Also, calculate the dimensions of chairs and stools. Above all, never underestimate the passage areas. A too-narrow space would be uncomfortable and impractical. But even an excess of empty spaces could turn out to be just a waste of time and energy. They are used to move from one element of the kitchen to another.
The heart of the house
The kitchen with island is an excellent candidate to be the beating heart of the home. If you opt for an island, be prepared, because yours will be a very lively kitchen! The kitchen with island by its nature is a welcoming space, suitable for gathering loved ones, perhaps while a meal is being prepared or enjoying a snack with friends. We will meet around the island on many occasions, such as for breakfast, a night snack, or a drink with the guests.
Carefully plan the seats, the space required for the legs and the height of the top concerning the stools or chairs, to allow everyone, young and old, a comfortable stay.
Even small kitchen islands, although more compact. Usually, offer at least a couple of seats, ideal for a friendly chat with a friend, or to work on the computer in peace.
Much more space
One of the most exciting features of the kitchen island with seating is the optimization of space, which is essential in every room of the house. There are endless possibilities to obtain a well-organized environment, from shelves of all kinds to deep drawers, from open display cabinets to real integrated bookcases.
A modular kitchen system such as Style by Doimo Cucine is the right answer to these needs: through highly customizable compositions, you can benefit from many effective options to add new surfaces, essential for keeping order and having everything at your fingertips.
A large kitchen can make the most elegant display cabinets and shelves, perhaps with glass doors: here, space can be used to display even less essential but equally beautiful objects. Such as your collection of recipe books or your children’s drawings.
If the kitchen is small, on the other hand, deep cabinets and cabinets will help you to tidily store pots, utensils, and all those useful items in the kitchen that would otherwise struggle to find suitable accommodation.
The work plan
The work surface of the kitchen island with seating must be in tune with the habits of the inhabitants of the house and, often, with their relationship with the stove, as Doimo Cucine suggests in its proposals. Materials play a decisive role and range from classic quartz, laminate, or stainless steel. Timeless and always popular, to new generation materials such as Corian® or Fenix NTM.
Whether you prefer a worktop in marble, quartz, or an innovative technological material, it is important that you find the right balance between aesthetics and practicality. The worktop must reflect who will use it—providing suitable characteristics, such as durability, elegance in the lines, and the ability to resist bumps and scratches.
Induction hobs are used more and more, a safe choice, even in the presence of children. If you plan to place a hob on your island, remember that all the important elements, such as the refrigerator and sink. Must be close enough to each other to avoid unnecessary long journeys from one point to another.
The hob on the island can be a source for a social occasion: the cook at work, for example, will finally be able to interact with others towards the outside, without isolating himself from the other bystanders.
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Style
In addition to the practical aspects, the island contributes decisively to enhancing the style of your kitchen. From the hood to the worktop, from bar stools to open compartments. Every single element can add that extra touch to your kitchen. Transform an anonymous place into a refined or ultramodern environment.
SoHo by Doimo Cucine represents well the idea of an industrial style kitchen, exquisitely New York inspired, in a skillful combination of steel, glass, and natural wood.
For those who love a more romantic or classic style, materials such as laminate and granite remain timeless, even in this case. However, we remain on a very current profile thanks to important choices such as the use of eco-friendly materials. As in the splendid Aspen by Doimo Cucine, an excellent example of an ecological kitchen.
Take advantage of the captivating lines of the kitchen island with seating to emphasize your style and personality. You can choose whether to follow a single style line for the whole room or, on the contrary. Insert an island that breaks the mold, distinguishing itself from its surroundings to reaffirm its role as the undisputed protagonist of the kitchen.
Either way
Consider that cooking usually has to last many years. So, it’s risky to rely on a passing fad. However, beautiful it may be. Choose the colors and lines that you like without feeling obliged to necessarily follow the latest home decor news. This does not mean having to make unfashionable choices, on the contrary. Some trends, such as that of the kitchen with island, have resisted for years and have now established themselves as a solid and winning choice.
If you are a lover of strong or particular shades, consider inserting them as accents and notes of color. Keeping a more neutral base that over the years can keep the charm of your kitchen unchanged, even if you change tastes.
The Pros and Cons of kitchen island with seating
The kitchen with the central island was initially the prerogative of large kitchens. While over the years, it has become a solution that can also be adapted to smaller spaces. Beyond dimensions and aesthetics. However, it is not always the right solution for us.S o, let’s try to evaluate all aspects well.
The spaces of modern homes tend to shrink. So, much so that if once it was a good idea to have a kitchen and a dining room. Now the kitchen merges with the dining area. Up to expand into the living room. Giving the kitchen a more convivial tone. And the living area a more informal one.
Just as the kitchen is the center of the house, so, the island becomes the center around which the whole environment revolves—becoming a fundamental element. However, to understand if this open solution is suitable for us and our way of moving around the stove. Let’s ask ourselves a few questions and evaluate the pros and cons because most of the decisions will be taken already in the design phase.
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kitchen island with Seating: PROS
Entertainment
The island allows you to cook and share all stages of preparation with your guests—both for the height of the worktop and for the centrality in the room. The island is, in fact, made to move around and is therefore suitable for those who love entertaining friends or family by juggling fires and cutting boards. For those who love to have an audience that admires it while it is at work. It is thus increasing the risk of error.
Hidden
Appliances such as ovens and dishwashers can be incorporated under the island worktop and therefore remain hidden behind the part facing the living area. In this way, they will not be visible, even for those who do not like exposed appliances. It allows a good solution between aesthetics and functionality. The important thing is to have the necessary space behind the island module. To open and extract things from the oven or to load the dishwasher.
Plenty of space under the top
In addition to the appliances. The space below the worktop can be used with doors and drawers. Inside which to store everything you need while cooking. In this way, the wall units are freed, making room for more. Also, in this case, it will be necessary to have enough space behind the drawers to be able to rearrange the objects. Extract them and store them.
Greater depth
The island allows for a much deeper worktop than a normal top. In addition, the top of the island is equipped, and this allows you to take advantage of every centimeter available between the sink. Burners and ad hoc elements, also gaining in functionality.
No splashing on the wall
Being positioned in the center or on one side of the room and not leaning against a wall. With the island, it is impossible to splash the wall behind the fires. Cooking and above all frying, it happens to stain the wall behind the fires and then to have to clean up with even difficult maneuvers. With the kitchen island with seating, what gets dirty is the only floor. Which is much easier to clean up and keep in order.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tt7nxr8hrk
kitchen island with Seating: AGAINST
Kitchen smells
Suppose a good extractor hood has not been designed above the island. Keep in mind that all kitchen smells will spread into adjacent rooms. It certainly does not bother the smell of biscuits or that of a cake. But rather persistent and annoying odors such as those of certain vegetables (cabbage, for example) and fish.
Footprint
Depending on its size, the central block can make the environment a little heavy and create problems with moving between the various spaces. One of the main movements to consider is that relating to the opening and closing of the doors of the different appliances. Because in addition to the size of the door. The size of the person who has to rummage inside it. Putting away or extracting large and heavy tools must be considered.
Pipes and drains
The position of the island must be well thought out in the design phase. It must be evaluated if it is possible to bring the various light. Gas and water connections and related drains. When it is not possible to bring gas, the only viable solution for the burners is the induction hob. But check that your cookware is suitable for this type of cooking because otherwise. You will have to consider this additional expense for the replacement of all the cookware.
Lighting
Even the lighting will be well thought out in the design phase as the only light source will be from above and placed directly above the island. You will not always be able to take advantage of additional lights if they are not designed together with the suction system.
Height of the worktop
To work on it, the worktop of the island must be higher than a standard kitchen table. So, if you will also use the island for eating, instead of using the chairs, you will have to opt for stools. Stools do not always have a comfortable seat and for long dinners or to entertain guests. They can be a little more uncomfortable than ordinary dining chairs. Such as padded armchairs.
Number of seats
If your island is also to be used as a table, consider that despite the clutter, you will not have many seats for seating. Part of the space on your top will be occupied by the sink or the burners or both.
Tablecloths and runners
You are not having a standard top, such as a table. When you use the island for lunch, you will not be able to use the ordinary tablecloths to dress the top. But you will only have to use runners or American placemats.