Island living: The enduring trend for kitchen islands

If you ask someone what would be in their dream kitchen, the chances are an island would be top of many UK consumers’ wish lists.

Just take look at social media and you’ll find islands taking centre stage in the most inspirational of designs, while research into kitchen trends consistently lists them among the most wanted features. Indeed, according to research carried out by YouGov for HSBC’s recent Your Money’s Worth: Defining Wealth in 2025 report, 10% of respondents associated wealth with having a kitchen island, highlighting their aspirational appeal. So why is the UK a nation of islands lovers?

Multifunctional appeal

As the trend for open-plan living gained traction and the kitchen opened up to include living and dining areas, islands became a central, sociable, multifunctional hub within the space.

As well as creating extra much-needed storage, many kitchen islands incorporate a sink and tap or an oven and hob to accommodate a variety of meal prep and cooking requirements. While some homeowners want their island to be a stand-alone piece of furniture, others incorporate seating for informal dining and to provide somewhere for guests to gather while the cook is preparing the food.

Now, with broken-plan living making its mark on kitchen design, we’re finding consumers are increasingly using kitchen islands to help create definition both physically and visually. Having zoned kitchen and living areas within the same multifunctional space caters for a variety of differing requirements from cooking to working and is appealing to homeowners who want solutions that complement their lifestyles. 

Personalised designs

While space considerations may impact the size of an island and what homeowners incorporate in it, as the trend for personalisation continues to grow, we’re finding consumers are becoming more creative with their island designs. After all, island units are made to be the focal point of a kitchen, and consumers are embracing individuality when it comes to colours and textures.

With the trend for mixing and matching showing no sign of slowing down, the latest island units are being used to create contrast and add character to the kitchen. Capturing the look, Crown Imperial’s Textura range is newly available in four wood finishes, including this walnut light woodgrain effect, and looks stunning when paired with the Uno range in reed green, as seen here.

As well as offering kitchens in a variety of classic and contemporary styles, Crown Imperial’s portfolio features a myriad of colours and finishes to help retailers create personalised designs for their customers.

Statement lighting

Designers have long been incorporating hobs into island units, but the growth of cooktop extractors has meant that overhead cooker hoods are no longer required. Not only does this allow more design freedom with the positioning of the hob within the island unit, but it allows consumers to introduce statement lighting above it.

As well as being the UK’s largest kitchen furniture, appliance, sinks, and taps supplier to independent retailers, Waterline Distribution also stocks Sensio Lighting’s extensive portfolio of lighting products, which can help designers elevate kitchen designs and accentuate island units.

For more inspiration and information on Waterline’s full range of products, visit www.waterline.co.uk or call 03330 149 149.