Island Fever

Kitchen islands are hardworking and good-looking

Islands are the workhorse of today’s kitchens, but their designs are elevating them to be showstoppers as well. Working triple duty as a furniture piece, cooking prep station and a dining spot, islands are fashioned to be functional, but who says they can’t be stunning too? Designers are packing in the pretty with interesting materials, posh details and dramatic color palettes. And in homes designed to be enjoyed and lived in, today’s kitchen islands often serve as hubs where homeowners entertain their guests. For home chefs who also want to be a part of the action, nothing facilitates a lively cooking experience more than an island where guests can pull up a chair and enjoy a cocktail with the cook.

DUNAGAN DIVERIO DESIGN GROUP ▲

In a family room with limited space for a freestanding dining table, the design team turned a challenge into an opportunity by transforming the kitchen’s island into a multifunctional feature by integrating a custom oak extended tabletop from the sink-based island. The room’s tropical modern design includes floor-to-ceiling Boffi wood cabinets that add eye-catching contrast with the island’s white marble. That same marble, which was sealed to ensure its durability and low maintenance, repeats on the countertops and backsplash for a continuous streamlined appearance. Beautiful as well as functional, the island features hidden cabinets on the outer and interior sides to house the owner’s beloved dinnerware. dunagandiverio.com

House Of One

This transitional kitchen was designed to feel warm and inviting with its combination of compelling colors, materials and textures. The Opustone vintage Calacatta marble used throughout delivers timeless pattern and movement to the space and draws inspiration from the base cabinets painted in Rosemary by Sherwin Williams. In contrast, the island’s cashmere-hued wood slats give the room a more contemporary profile. To establish the island as the anchor of the kitchen, the designers located the range on the island as opposed to a nearby countertop. Promoting the room’s open look and feel, open shelving replaces upper cabinets and displays the owner’s cookware and family photos. houseof1.com

Jim Dove Design

The oversized island, which features a double sink, plenty of counter space and storage overlooks the impressive accent wall created with De Gournay wallpaper and museum-grade glass functioning as the backsplash. The West Palm Beach home’s wood island, accented with decorated panels bookended with rounded columns, is topped with Cambria quartz. The kitchen’s design nods to both the past and present by teaming modern vernacular architecture with hints of glamour sprinkled to reflect the Florida of yesteryear. jimdovedesign.com