kitchen work islands

Kitchen Work Islands - Kitchen Slavery Or Convivial Living?

Kitchen work islands enjoy a legacy from the work tables and islands found in commercial establishments and restaurants. 

They're fully equipped with preparation areas, sinks, electrical outlets, storage shelves and cabinets, warming areas, drop-leaf butcher blocks, and a host of other optional features.

But kitchen work island designs for the home double as serving and eating areas, may feature bar service, wine racks, and other amenities, and focus more on convivial living than kitchen slavery.

If you're one of those who dreams of cooking while you're at work, you'll no doubt be proud of the work island's legacy, but if you'd rather join the guests when you entertain later, or better yet, have them join you, there are plenty of design ideas on how to integrate a home work island into your kitchen's floor plan and decor.

Mimicking Their Commercial Counterparts

Kitchen islands are available in numerous designs and styles - Contemporary, Modern Stylish, Traditional, Country and French Country, Avant Garde or Hip, Salon, and others are all very popular.

All are available with a combination of cabinets, drawers, shelves and bins for increased storage, as well as many of the traditional features of a work island that make cooking and entertaining so much nicer.

Northern Maple, Red Oak, Poplar, Birch, Pine, Ash, and exotic woods, some plantation grown, are commonly used as base materials, but modern work island designs are often made of stainless steel, mimicking their commercial counterparts.

Wood finishes are usually natural or oiled, stained or painted, some hand-painted or hand-rubbed, Stainless is sometimes painted or powder-coated but is usually clear.

Work islands usually feature stainless or butcher block tops.

Butcher block is hard Maple blocks laminated end or edge grain to prevent cracking and warping, and it is sometimes featured as a drop-leaf cutting surface in combination with a stainless work surface so expensive cutlery is not damaged or dulled during food preparation.

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