Kitchen islands are one of the most asked-for design features here at Roundhouse. In fact, almost all of our bespoke kitchen designs include a luxury kitchen island. That might be a kitchen island with seating, a small kitchen island for extra storage or a curved kitchen island to add a showstopping feature. One size (or style) certainly doesn’t fit all! And let’s not forget, your entire kitchen design revolves around this central element. That’s why nailing kitchen island design is so important. If you’re not sure where to start, help is at hand with our five expert tips. Book a design consultation today and find out how we can work together to create the perfect kitchen island.

Read on for our kitchen island design rules.

Consider a kitchen island with seating

Eat-in kitchens are here to stay. And kitchen islands of every size are a great place to include an eating and seating spot. Whether you want a small perch with bar stools or a built-in kitchen island dining table, is up to you. But you’ll need enough space in your luxury kitchen room for a kitchen island with seating to work well. Design rules recommend around 3.5 – 4 feet of clearance around a kitchen island to prevent chairs bashing into perimeter base units. And for maximum comfort, factor in at least 24 inches of width per seat. Don’t forget about worktop space too. In this beautiful bespoke kitchen design, the eye catching quartzite surface is perfect for preparing food while friends can sit and chat with a coffee.

Max out on a large kitchen island

Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to bespoke kitchen islands. But sometimes, a showstopping large kitchen island is the ultimate design statement. In this spacious open plan extension, the magnificent large kitchen island takes centre stage. Blending dark-stained timber doors with a striking worktop, the result is streamlined luxury for everyday living. Large kitchen islands are practical solutions too. Here wide pan drawers and a comfortable dining spot create a kitchen island that ticks every box: storage, seating and style. Head to the Roundhouse Gallery to see more beautiful and unique kitchen islands we’ve designed for our happy clients.

Make a small kitchen island work hard

You don’t always need a large luxury kitchen room to make a kitchen island work. Some of our most beautiful bespoke kitchens include small kitchen islands that are perfectly proportioned for all your needs. Take this light and bright Classic bespoke kitchen. The small kitchen island bridges the gap between the Shaker-style wall units, to create an ergonomic yet elegant kitchen design. To enhance the period features and high ceilings, our designers used a fresh colour palette with vintage kitchen island lighting. There’s also space for a neat, kitchen island sink and extra storage. Who said small can’t be beautiful? Not us.

Create extra kitchen island storage

Not having enough kitchen storage is a major headache for many of us. So why not boost smart storage ideas with a bespoke kitchen island. Roundhouse can tailor kitchen island storage around your wishes with cupboards, open shelves, cubbyholes and much more. Think wide, deep pan drawers that can take heavy loads but glide out effortlessly. Or how about bespoke utensil drawers to organise all your kitchen kit and a built-in wine fridge to keep bottles in tip-top condition. Our designers can utilise every inch of kitchen island storage with narrow pull-outs, book displays and even a ceiling rack as demonstrated in this clever kitchen design.

Look at L shaped kitchen islands

Have you thought about an L shaped kitchen island? While rectangular and square kitchen islands are popular, an L shaped kitchen island offers so many benefits. You’ll get masses of extra storage and worktop space for starters. Then there’s the option of a two-tier kitchen island with an integrated kitchen island dining table, as pictured in the Hardings project. There’s a seamless flow to an L shaped kitchen island too that will create a joyful kitchen design with everything to hand. Of course, you’ll need the right amount of space for this sort of modern kitchen island, but that’s where Roundhouse expertise can help. Head to our How We Work page and find out exactly what you can expect when you partner with us.