In the last decade the built-in kitchen island has become such a sought-after feature in today’s kitchen, that it is arguably one of the biggest value-added improvements you can make to your home. Let me clarify for you why this is.
In today’s fast paced world most of us are challenged when it comes to leading a balanced life. In order to keep up with the demands of modern day existence we are expected to do more things in less time. The best room in the house to assist a person in performing multiple tasks at once is the kitchen.
KITCHEN DESIGNED BY DESIGN FOR CONSCIOUS LIVING
In the kitchen, the central task of food preparation can easily be combined with socializing, working on a project or computer, monitoring and/or assisting with homework, planning, eating, feeding family members and pets, listening to music, and watching television. Therefore, designing a kitchen that supports multi-tasking has become, for many families, a necessity; and the key component that allows this to happen is the kitchen island.
For a kitchen island to support productivity and interaction between family members it must be designed as an axis around which all things rotate. Improper planning could lead to additional chaos. For example; if you try to cram an island into a kitchen that is too small, this will negatively affect traffic flow. Without adequate room to move around people will not be drawn to the kitchen because the kitchen slows them down and/or causes them stress.
A well-designed island will draw people into the room because it provides them with a reason to go there; like having electrical sockets to plug in their computers and phones, and snacks from easily accessible fruit bowls, jars and bar fridges. Seating will be comfortable, with adequate space between guests and room under the counter for knees. This will encourage family members to chat with the chef, look up a recipe, or work on homework.
I suspect the kitchen island will be here to stay for a very long time, as I do not see our love affair with “crazy busy” slowing down any time soon. With that said, it pays to design your kitchen island carefully and thoughtfully, making sure that it adds as much value to your home and support to your family, as possible.
At Design for Conscious Living® we offer our clients full interior decorating and design services, and this includes spatial planning. Let us put our expertise to work for you.
