Family Life Around a Kitchen Island

RESIDENTIAL

The owners wanted to keep talking with their family while cooking. Designed by Linda Simons of LSA Architects, the kitchen shares an open space with the dining and living areas. From the worktop, there are views of the dining table and living area.

Stone kitchen island with three bar stools, an inset sink and a linear pendant — Three seats line the front of the stone island; behind it, white cabinetry surrounds the cooktop and splashback.

Two sides of the island

The 3,810 mm-long stone island incorporates a sink, with room for three bar stools on the side facing the dining area and under-bench storage on the working side. Children can sit here to do homework or chat with a family member preparing a meal.

Side close-up of the stone island, sink and pendant — A sink is set into the island, with a slender pendant suspended above the worktop.

A pantry behind a sliding door

Food preparation does not always finish before guests arrive. A separate pantry beyond the main kitchen contains a sink, an integrated dishwasher, appliance storage and extra worktop space. Closing the sliding door hides the preparation area from view.

Behind an arched glass door, the wine storage area has racks and an under-counter wine fridge. The dark door frame and racks contrast with the surrounding white cabinetry.

Open arched glass door and wine racks inside the wine storage area — The wine storage area behind the arched glass door contains racks, glass shelves and an under-counter wine fridge.

Stone and white cabinetry

Grey and pale-gold veining runs through the stone worktops and splashback, surrounded by white cabinet fronts. A brass-coloured tap serves the island sink, with a slender gold-coloured pendant above. A white-fronted oven and steam oven are built into a run of tall cabinets.

Kitchen working aisle, cooktop and white appliances in tall cabinets — A working aisle separates the island from the cooktop, with a white oven and steam oven built into the tall cabinetry at one end.

Arched glass door to the wine storage area beside an arched passage opening — An arched opening to the passage sits beside the dark arched door frame of the wine storage area.

The dining table close by

A timber-toned dining table stands between the island and sofa, with green chairs around it. Daylight enters through the arched glass doors to the side, where white sheer curtains hang. Seen from beside the sofa, the dining table, island and cooktop beyond are all in view.

Sofa, timber-toned dining table and stone island in one open space — Viewed from the living area towards the table and island, no solid partitions separate the living, dining and kitchen areas.

Tall kitchen cabinets, pantry opening and adjacent staircase — An opening beside the tall cabinets leads to the pantry; pale colours predominate in both the kitchen and the adjacent staircase.

Whoever is cooking can join the family conversation without leaving the worktop. When the preparation area needs to be out of sight, the sliding door can simply be closed.

Project credits

Kitchen design — Linda Simons, LSA Architects
Cabinetry — Styl-a-kitchen
Cabinetry colour — White on White, Dulux
Benchtops and splashback — CDK Stone
Cabinetry hardware, sink and taps — ABI Interiors
Flooring — French Oak Floors / Latte
Photography — Elise Scott
Images and original feature — Trendsideas
Editorial adaptation — 01DES