I’ve talked a lot on this blog recently about the move towards ‘unkitcheny kitchens.’ Pinterest predicts that for 2024, kitchens will be personality-led and full of vintage pieces, while kitchen trends point towards a shift away from your standard integrated kitchen island in favour of a freestanding option that looks more like a considered piece of furniture. The freestanding table island has had an upgrade from its common rustic form, as the ‘furniture island’ becomes one of the most desired elements within modern kitchen design. Sophisticated and stylish, the luxury furniture island is spacious and full of functional storage, but would not look out of place in other areas of the home as an elegant sideboard or a large cabinet.

Mostly bespoke and made as part of a kitchen remodel or renovation with carved wood, intricate joinery and detailing, furniture islands are a central statement piece within kitchen design. Due to their size and location within the room, furniture islands often carry the entire design scheme for the kitchen, with cabinets, tap choices and sinks fading into the background. The countertop choices of furniture islands are endless and they need not be the same material as the countertops found within the rest of the space.

The move away from a more functional, streamlined kitchen design has been occurring over the past couple of years. Designers and stylists, like those at Boss Design Center, have often featured table lamps with fabric shades tucked into the nooks of kitchen worktops to create a homely atmospheric glow, away from the usual harsh task lighting found within a kitchen. There has also been a surge in specialist kitchen cupboard paint in multiple colours, as demand for more personality-led kitchens is favoured over standard unit shades of white or grey.

The great thing about a furniture island is that while being part of the kitchen, it is something else in its own right entirely. It need not be the same material nor painted shade as the kitchen cabinets, it just needs to merely work alongside them. This gives a lot of design freedom and choice to mix up materials and add extra warmth and depth.

The stylish and timeless appeal of the furniture island means that this trend is definitely here to stay; we will see a lot more of them going forward, although not everyone is convinced! I recently spoke to a designer who said she could never entertain one as the thought of having to climb underneath to clean stray crumbs and bits of food really would put her off!

Are you on board with the furniture island? Let me know in the comments!