Pro Reveal Part 2: Inside 4 Fantastic Kitchen Islands
In the second of a two-part series, we deep dive into the making of four striking kitchen islands
Georgia Madden
5 May 2021
Looking for ideas for a kitchen island that delivers on both looks and functionality? Here are four kitchen islands that tick all the right boxes – along with insights from the designers on exactly how they did it. And don’t miss part one of this story here.
1. Commentator: Warwick Mihaly, architect and principal of Mihaly Slocombe
Location: Kew, Victoria
Set-up: An open-plan, entertainer’s galley kitchen
Mihaly says: Our clients sought a functional island with clever storage and timeless materials. Their must-haves included a dishwasher, bin, bench seating for breakfast and casual gatherings, good lighting, versatile storage and some display areas.
The curved end connects with the shape of the overall house and provides more room to circulate at this end of the kitchen/living area.
We included a kicker at the base of the joinery unit to make it more comfortable for the person working at the bench (they can tuck their toes underneath it).
We contrasted blackbutt timber veneer with a slender Carrara marble benchtop.
Open storage was included so our clients could show off their amazing collections.
Location: Kew, Victoria
Set-up: An open-plan, entertainer’s galley kitchen
Mihaly says: Our clients sought a functional island with clever storage and timeless materials. Their must-haves included a dishwasher, bin, bench seating for breakfast and casual gatherings, good lighting, versatile storage and some display areas.
The curved end connects with the shape of the overall house and provides more room to circulate at this end of the kitchen/living area.
We included a kicker at the base of the joinery unit to make it more comfortable for the person working at the bench (they can tuck their toes underneath it).
We contrasted blackbutt timber veneer with a slender Carrara marble benchtop.
Open storage was included so our clients could show off their amazing collections.
Image by Tatjana Plitt
2. Commentator: Steven Drehspul, director at building firm Standout Projects
Location: McKinnon, Victoria
Set-up: An island in a kitchen that connects the meals/cooking area with the living room
Builder: Standout Projects
Architect/interior designer: Phil Burns
Drehspul says: The brief was to replace the previous rectangular kitchen with a more contemporary design that allowed for better circulation. We specified a 5.1-metre, galley-style design in modern finishes.
Materials were chosen for their performance in a heavy-use environment where stains and spills can occur. Constant cleaning and wiping can damage poorly chosen materials.
2. Commentator: Steven Drehspul, director at building firm Standout Projects
Location: McKinnon, Victoria
Set-up: An island in a kitchen that connects the meals/cooking area with the living room
Builder: Standout Projects
Architect/interior designer: Phil Burns
Drehspul says: The brief was to replace the previous rectangular kitchen with a more contemporary design that allowed for better circulation. We specified a 5.1-metre, galley-style design in modern finishes.
Materials were chosen for their performance in a heavy-use environment where stains and spills can occur. Constant cleaning and wiping can damage poorly chosen materials.
We chose cast in-situ concrete for the benchtop as no other material can span 5.1 metres without a join. The timber veneer is Eveneer Ravenna and the brass laminate is from That Metal Company. All of these materials have an honesty and an authenticity to them, but at the same time they’re durable and designed to last.
Brass laminate detailing adds subtle elegance without overwhelming the space.
Open shelves at the end of the island create the perfect spot for displays and to store cookbooks – they’re visible but out of the way.
The island houses a dishwasher, large sink, coffee machine, drawer and cupboard storage, integrated bins, open shelves and casual seating.
Brass laminate detailing adds subtle elegance without overwhelming the space.
Open shelves at the end of the island create the perfect spot for displays and to store cookbooks – they’re visible but out of the way.
The island houses a dishwasher, large sink, coffee machine, drawer and cupboard storage, integrated bins, open shelves and casual seating.
3. Commentator: Jeremy McKenzie, director at cabinet-making firm Makers Zoo
Location: Geelong West, Victoria
Set-up: A communal hub that connects the kitchen, dining room and living room
McKenzie says: The clients wanted the island to be minimalist, clean and warm.
The black steel rods in the wine rack echo the grid-like pattern in the tiled splashback for cohesion. The punch of black here also adds ‘eye-strike appeal’.
White laminated birch plywood for the cabinetry and raw birch for the plywood wine rack work with the kitchen’s simple aesthetic.
Find a kitchen designer near you
Location: Geelong West, Victoria
Set-up: A communal hub that connects the kitchen, dining room and living room
McKenzie says: The clients wanted the island to be minimalist, clean and warm.
The black steel rods in the wine rack echo the grid-like pattern in the tiled splashback for cohesion. The punch of black here also adds ‘eye-strike appeal’.
White laminated birch plywood for the cabinetry and raw birch for the plywood wine rack work with the kitchen’s simple aesthetic.
Find a kitchen designer near you
The island includes a dishwasher, slide-out bin, wine rack, cupboard storage and drawers.
Tip: The kitchen is a hugely important room in a house, so include textures and materials that intelligently tie in with the whole space.
Tip: The kitchen is a hugely important room in a house, so include textures and materials that intelligently tie in with the whole space.
4. Commentator: Neil Hipwell, director at building firm Futureflip
Location: Caringbah South, NSW
Set-up: An open-plan kitchen in a townhouse
Hipwell says: The client’s brief for the island was contemporary, minimalist, bold and sleek. It also needed to integrate aesthetically with the adjoining living space.
The monochromatic black-and-white palette creates a contemporary look and feel. The TileCloud Kit Kat tiles add textural appeal but are in keeping with the simple palette. They also have quite a minimalist feel.
The island contains a sink, dishwasher, drawers and pull-out bin drawers.
A slender Smartstone benchtop in Nieve White looks sleek and contemporary. The effect is luxurious, but the kitchen design was actually very cost-effective.
Your turn
Which of these kitchen islands appeals to you the most? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Want more kitchen island insights? Don’t miss the first part of this story, which ran last week: Pro Reveal: Secrets of 5 Striking Kitchen Islands
Location: Caringbah South, NSW
Set-up: An open-plan kitchen in a townhouse
Hipwell says: The client’s brief for the island was contemporary, minimalist, bold and sleek. It also needed to integrate aesthetically with the adjoining living space.
The monochromatic black-and-white palette creates a contemporary look and feel. The TileCloud Kit Kat tiles add textural appeal but are in keeping with the simple palette. They also have quite a minimalist feel.
The island contains a sink, dishwasher, drawers and pull-out bin drawers.
A slender Smartstone benchtop in Nieve White looks sleek and contemporary. The effect is luxurious, but the kitchen design was actually very cost-effective.
Your turn
Which of these kitchen islands appeals to you the most? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Want more kitchen island insights? Don’t miss the first part of this story, which ran last week: Pro Reveal: Secrets of 5 Striking Kitchen Islands
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I’d like a kitchen bench without sink or hob but it can make for a very crowded back wall, so most of us will end up with one or the other. in our current home we built a 4m plus x 1.4m island - and I’m completely over it. Can’t reach dishes left the other side and am forever walking the full length of the thing. We have just finished building a new house and the kitchen bench is 1.1m and 3 m long. Doesn’t look nearly as spectacular but I’m sure I won’t be cursing it constantly.
Surprised at the negativity today- these kitchens are pleasant and compared to many featured on this site, not obscenely excessive (only one I really objected to was the renovation broker pictures in the comments)
I actually like these kitchens, they appear to all work with their environment and appear cohesive.
I’m finalising plans currently and I do want the sink and hob on my island bench. I love talking to people while finalising a meal. Prep will be done on the back wall (typically where you put the hob) and I agree with that person who had a 4m bench, way way to long.