Four beautiful kitchen islands which push the boundaries of what can be done

Spacious open plan kitchen with cabinets a mixture of styles from Mark Wilkinson Furniture. The American style fridge freezer is from Sub-Zero

(Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

published 4 October 2019

The rise and rise of the kitchen island has been nothing short of remarkable — no new design, it seems, is complete without one. Popular culture has caught up to the point where having an island is not so much kitchen furniture as a lifestyle accessory:

https://www.facebook.com/hurrahforgin/photos/a.855659774449093/3071459502869098/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARC1LS5M_VB6MNYzQZp85XyeCQICtVr6bjJrjkEcxksvcnyxuYvFtCoyi2eT2rlrr9BLXK8ojAZtelUxKg2v3KYctnz0PiZSJsJulT8K1GNwbEEMm6XUyVTmKkUxS-mO2Inc0yYfAgiaPkvkMyyFOMNLqkTtwUXZcr2fUDTXUhzrqZw-phMe9GD4HAPSaMdAMv0k1BFtzFoauMBIfTiZBWvlDZYo8KOyijsCNLVoGDhhjFHmir3loC9Em-LR-jqaoh4DgcHwd4RHI5rXmL8mcxEokiCYs98uPeU9o315hPKnhutGw1bZsJb8_WuEinI5fIv5lSSfuSqd4ueeeAgBCU9TNw&__tn__=-R

But interior design always has an element of an arms race to it, and thus it's no surprise to see people out there pushing the barriers of what is possible with kitchen islands.

Here are three examples which have caught our eye:

Shapely curves

This New England painted island, featuring sweeping curves is by Mark Wilkinson Furniture. Another of Mark Wilkinson's designs is shown at the top of the page, ideal for a smaller kitchen. From £35,000 — www.mwf.com

Shining example

A highly polished plinth lends this Original Hand Painted island from Smallbone of Devizes a light, ethereal feel. Kitchen prices start at £70,000 — www.smallbone.co.uk

Return to Victorian

This handsome prep island takes its inspiration from a Victorian cook’s table, as reimagined for the 21st century by Guild Anderson Furniture Makers. Kitchens from about £30,000 — www.guildandersonfurniture.co.uk

Art Deco kitchens: An ageing classic look that is still pushing new trends

Art Deco is almost a hundred years old, and its modern revival now dates back almost 15 years – but it's

Credit: Photograph by Andreas von Einsie

How to seamlessly blend the old and new when transforming old rooms into country kitchens

Charlotte Hughes has created a family kitchen that looks as if it has evolved over time.

Neptune's kitchen design with dogs in mind.

Canine cubbyholes: Dogs have taken over our homes — and now they're taking over our kitchens too

Country Life's interiors editor Giles Kime on a bold new idea which bows to the inevitable and gives a pair

Rugs, lighting and furniture can be used to zone a large room and make maximum use of its potential for cook- ing, dining, socialising and relaxing. Kitchen by Tom Howley (0161&ndash;848 1200; www.tomhowley.co.uk) — Rugs, lighting and furniture can be used to zone a large room and make maximum use of its potential for cooking, dining, socialising and relaxing. Kitchen by Tom Howley – www.tomhowley.co.uk

How to design a truly sociable kitchen: ‘It’s hard to believe that there was a time when a kitchen was simply a room for cooking and washing-up’

Kitchens have long been the hub of family life, but designs don’t always reflect that. Amelia Thorpe spoke to kitchen

Giles Kime is Country Life's Executive and Interiors Editor, an expert in interior design with decades of experience since starting his career at The World of Interiors magazine. Giles joined Country Life in 2016, introducing new weekly interiors features, bridging the gap between our coverage of architecture and gardening. He previously launched a design section in The Telegraph and spent over a decade at Homes & Gardens magazine (launched by Country Life's founder Edward Hudson in 1919). A regular host of events at London Craft Week, Focus, Decorex and the V&A, he has interviewed leading design figures, including Kit Kemp, Tricia Guild, Mary Fox Linton, Chester Jones, Barbara Barry and Lord Snowdon. He has written a number of books on interior design, property and wine, the most recent of which is on the legendary interior designer Nina Campbell who last year celebrated her fiftieth year in business. This Autumn sees the publication of his book on the work of the interior designer, Emma Sims-Hilditch. He has also written widely on wine and at 26, was the youngest ever editor of Decanter Magazine. Having spent ten years restoring an Arts & Crafts house on the banks of the Itchen, he and his wife, Kate, are breathing life into a 16th-century cottage near Alresford that has remained untouched for almost half a century.