Picture Perfect: 50 Kitchen Islands From Perth to Paris
Our coffee-break escape offers you 5 minutes’ worth of images to inspire and delight
Deirdre Avenell
May 27, 2018
Houzz editorial team. DIY/decorating nut, photographer and jewellery designer.
Can you see a kitchen island without imagining a cool, casual, comfortable place for family meals and intimate entertaining? We certainly can’t, which is how this collection came about. If you’re looking to set up your own island bar, take a look at these examples from around the world for inspiration.
1. Simplicity itself. Barwon Heads, Victoria, Australia
2. Cutaway style. Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
3. Single space. Copenhagen, Denmark
4. Multitasker. Dublin
5. Sophisticated slice. Sydney
6. Glass house. San Sebastian, Spain
7. Rustic living. Montreal
8. Charcoal charm. Auckland, New Zealand
9. Tucked away. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
10. Neutral ground. Cologne, Germany
11. Upholstered elegance. Calgary, Alberta, Canada
12. Saltshaker stools. Perth, Western Australia
13. Social space. Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
14. A different angle. Germany
15. Contemporary cool. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
16. Smaller side. Bilbao, Spain
17. Get the lowdown. Perth, Western Australia
18. Primary colors. Greater London, U.K.
19. Light as air. Paris
20. Family time. Auckland, New Zealand
21. Mixed and matched. Waihi Beach, New Zealand
22. Slim-line space. Copenhagen, Denmark
23. Slab style. Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
24. On the edge. Montreal
25. Stepping down. Lyon, France
26. Breakfast bar. Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
27. Squeeze on in. Toronto
28. Unusual heights. Japan
29. Eclectic energy. Lyon, France
30. Bar or booth? Tipperary, Munster, Ireland
31. All in one. Dresden, Germany
32. Natural surroundings. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
33. Lined up. Amsterdam
34. Curves ahead. Charleston, South Carolina
35. Face-to-face. Toronto
36. Backing up. Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
37. See right through you. San Francisco
38. Industrial flair. Tel Aviv, Israel
39. A little out there. Hamburg, Germany
40. Bright and breezy. Leicestershire, England
41. Color my world. Ireland
42. Two-tone. Manchester, England
43. Drop-down dining. Alicante, Spain
44. Cool indigo. London
45. Candy striper. Auckland, New Zealand
46. Tucked in. Italy
47. Top-drawer. Kanagawa, Japan
48. Changing levels. Amsterdam
49. Dine in. Japan
50. End note. Hong Kong
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I have something very similar to #34 except the table and island are the same height and uses the same countertop. We do not have a separate dining room so this is where we sit and eat everyday. It's quite spacious with seating for 5 to 6, plenty of room for a household of just my husband and me.
To me, many of them similar to #20 look like Diners. My first thought when I saw that photo of #30, was asking the 'waitress' behind the counter for some water. :)
But I guess that's what many folks want in order to eliminate a separate dining room. I just can't get use to eating in a kitchen or even a living room or office/study/library room.
I prefer a dining room in which is conducive to good conversation and environment for relaxation while dining. I enjoy the dining table and a comfortable chair even eating solo and use my table for a number of functions including making my lists of things that need to get done, shopping, planning out meals and so on.