As an architect, kitchen islands become aesthetic centerpieces for the space. Modern innovations in kitchen appliances and materials mean your only limit these days is your own imagination. Here are our top picks of the latest, most innovative, tech-savvy, unusual and amazing island designs that are sure to inspire you. Enjoy the pictures and ideas!

From Trendir

Islands have to work to make them earn the space they occupy. Here are the four things islands can do and some design suggestions for each function.

Cleanup
•Clearance for the dishwasher door in the open position.
•Pull-out garbage and compost bins next to the sink.
•Easy access to dish and silverware storage.
•Storage for dish towels, dish soap, etc.
•Dual-height counters to hide dirty dishes from view.

Food Prep
•Outlets for small appliances.
•Refrigerator and cooktop close by.
•Access to compost bin or disposer.
•Prep sink and butcher-block counters are good additions.

Cooking
•Heat-resistant countertop (stone, tile, metal) for hot pans.
•At least 18 inches of space on either side of cooktop or range.
•Overhead vent hood or downdraft fan (with second exhaust fan in ceiling).
•Raised eating area out of the range of spatters.

Informal Dining
•Counter height/width designed for standard-size chairs/stools.
•Softly contoured edge profile is most comfortable for leaning on.

Great Architectural Presence: Substance & Style

Futuristic Kitchen Island Design – Flying Kitchen [Unikat]

The Flying Kitchen from Unikat is your country kitchen gone wild! It’s wood with attitude, and a super sense of style to boot. This futuristic design hailing from Germany features a substantial island of wood, wrapped in sleek stainless steel for an aesthetic that says “welcome” and “check me out” at the same time.

Unusual Kitchen Island by A-EM Architects [unusual design]

A perfect example of how you can make an island into a statement – with great architectural appeal – is this unusual design by London-based A-EM Architects. This contemporary kitchen island has been described as “a bright orange liner gliding across a sea of deep rich walnut.” The design is country-cum-urban, once again boasting this trendy combination of old and new, tradition and innovation, side by side.

Luxury Kitchen Island – Solid Stone [The Cool Hunter]

A very long, solid stone island on these photos is a fascinating modern design by French architects. If you’re looking to make a sumptuous style statement, doesn’t this awesome luxury island just say it all? Pictured here in a luxury mansion designed by Paris-based Jouin Manku, the aerial images of this raw slab show the power of nature in your decor space. The island’s gently veined shades of gray and the rough-around-the-edges shape create a raw yet refined finish to the modern culinary space. It would be a sin to have this spectacular, gorgeous hunk in your home and not have it at the heart of it all!

Contemporary Italian Kitchen – Arclinea Boston

[18 Mar 2009 | One Comment | ]

About Arclinea
Arclinea was established in 1925 in Vicenza, Italy by Silvio Fortuna as a craft carpentry workshop that became ‘Arclinea Cucine Componibili’ in 1960. Dedicating all its resources to exquisite kitchen cabinets, Arclinea gained recognition in the high-end international luxury kitchen sector. Arclinea’s success was confirmed by public and experts alike at the Milan Trade Fair of 1963, thanks to the Claudia, the first Italian kitchen with built-in appliances. Since then, Arclinea has been incorporating the technology and solutions applied to professional kitchens and adapting them to the various requirements …

Open Kitchen Cabinets Design Ideas

[2 Mar 2009 | One Comment | ]

Few rooms are more appealing than a bright, that invites family and friends to gather round. Design your kitchen, it is a good idea to make your kitchen an integral part of your living area with open spaces. Opening your kitchen into another room, you will make both the kitchen and the other room look more spacious. Moreover, you can easily show off the latest kitchen cabinetry, appliances and cabinetry that you use in your kitchen with an open kitchen. Opening up the kitchen also reduces your kitchen remodeling costs, …

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Tags: Contemporary kitchen, European kitchen cabinets, ideas for kitchen, pictures of kitchen

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 at 9:15 pm and is filed under Kitchen Design, kitchen islands. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.