The kitchen is perhaps the most important room in the home yet it is the only room that is not named by its function. You have a living room, dining room, family room, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. So what is the function of the kitchen and how does it fit in to our daily lives?

For most of us, the kitchen is the heart of the home and where a lot of what we do every day happens. Aside from the activities associated with providing nourishment, it’s often the only place where busy families get to interact on a daily basis and when we entertain, there is no way to keep the main action out of the kitchen.

The vast majority of the kitchens built since the 70’s were designed to have a table for dining and other household activities at one end with a working kitchen at the other. However, the furniture and equipment required for the respective activities isn’t really compatible and typically both require space that they compete for at the expense of the other. There really has to be a better way to accommodate all of the activities that happen in the room that we call the kitchen.

Unless you’re going to remove a wall there is only so much space so it needs to be used effectively. The kitchen table is the biggest extravagance. If you have a dining room table, why have another just a few feet away? Without the table you could probably have a large, super functional kitchen with all of the storage and working space you need, and maybe even larger appliances if you wanted them.

But what about all the other things, like eating, homework, entertaining, or just plain chatting over a cup of coffee. That’s where an Island with provision for seating is a better solution. An Island redefines the kitchen space by dividing the room into a working kitchen and a social space with a large countertop as the common ground.

Two sides to the island story:

  • The kitchen side offers additional cabinet space for convenience features such as pot drawers, a pullout recycle centre, appliance lift or under counter microwave while the extra-large surface is great for food prep, baking and serving. The island stretches out the working kitchen allowing for better positioning of appliances and a more efficient overall workspace.
  • The magic of the seating side is that it clearly belongs to the people using it. They can sit “at” the kitchen as opposed to siting in it. It’s a more casual experience quite unlike sitting at a table and appeals to family and friends alike. An island means no more competing for floor space and it’s perfect for entertaining because you can have a lot of people in the room without anyone being in your kitchen.

Replacing the table with an island will improve the efficiency and enjoyment of everything that you do in this exciting new space making it much more than just a great

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