Please can someone tell me the point of having an island in the kitchen - it seems to be all the rage at the moment. As far as I can see it just gets in the way of normal free-flow movement!
It's mostly about looks, I think. They do look great, but I don't think they impede movement.
You can do your chopping etc., put the peelings and whatnot down the waste disposal and wash your hands at the sink all in the same space. You'd have your fridge and oven positioned so you don't have to move around too much. And then you can sit at the same space to eat.
If you have a HUUUUUGGE kitchen, I think they look good and you can sit and eat at them. My kitchen is teensy weensy . No room for even the tiniest islet !
Our island is the best thing we ever did when planning our kitchen - it gives more work space and socialising space. I often see huge kitchens on telly which are crying out for an island rather than having masses of unused space. An island was a necessity for us when planning our kitchen. Each to your own though.
I'm a huge fan of islands in large kitchens, they are the modern equivalent of having a large kitchen table in the middle of the room where food prep was undertaken. Islands have the added benefit of having appliances and storage built in.
we only have a tiny kitchen, and my so far unfulfilled dream is to have a much larger kitchen, so we can have an island. All that work surface ..... sigh ...
The point is :- More - working/storage/cooking/washing/eating space.
They work well in large kitchens, but some people insist on having one whether it works or not... "Oh I must have an island darling!" - more money than sense!!!
My island is 4 metres by 90cm with bar stools at the back. If I had put the worktop/units against the wall I would have had an unusable space in the middle.