Tossing up whether you need a kitchen island bench in your new kitchen design? Here are some of the reasons why we are definitely fond of a kitchen island bench.

Kitchen island benches became favoured in family homes when open-planned living spaces spiralled in popularity. Often designed to seamlessly integrate the cooking headquarters to other areas of the home, the kitchen island bench serves its purpose well.

Other than extra bench space, the kitchen island bench has many hidden talents. Catering for the life of the party to the breakfast bar introvert. Underestimate the importance of an island bench in your kitchen design, and you will be missing out on plenty of conveniences.

Here are our top reasons why the importance of a kitchen island bench should not be overlooked in any kitchen design.

 

A kitchen island storage king

A major bonus of a kitchen island bench is the additional storage space that you can achieve.

Island benches generally incorporate draws or extra cupboard space that can often be lacking in a kitchen (and we all know you can never have too much storage space).

Here are some kitchen island bench storage ideas that come to mind:

• tuck waste and recycle bins neatly under a kitchen island bench so not to interfere with the cooking area, or worse, having them sitting on the floor as an eye-sore
• integrate open shelving under the benchtop to display your collection of cookbooks and foodie magazines
• add a slide-out rack to hang tea towels and hand towels out of the way
• include a refrigerated draw specifically to cater for cheese and spreads, or the kids’ snacks so they leave the fridge alone!

Doors, shelves, pop-out features, and draws; the options with kitchen island bench storage are abundant. And, if you are overwhelmed with the options available – our kitchen design experts can help you decide.

Extra seating

A kitchen island bench provides flexibility for additional seating. Whether it be an area for the kids to sit and watch dinner being prepared, or to do their homework under your watchful eye.

An island bench also provides space to house extra guests when entertaining. It promotes the opportunity to interact with your guests whilst you’re still cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

Don’t have a huge amount of space to play with? A few extra seats and a bit of storage always goes a long way, regardless of the size of the island bench.

 

Create a moveable kitchen island bench

You like the idea of extra seating and bench preparation space when it’s busy, but you don’t fancy the lack of floor space when your kitchen is not so popular. Simple – get a kitchen island bench on wheels! Just roll it away when you are done to capitalise on the storage space in another area of the home, such as the living room.

 

Kitchen island charm

A kitchen island bench can prove as decorative as it is functional. Dress up the face in just about any finish you like – gloss, matte, timber, steel, glass, or stone. This can add finesse to the overall aesthetics of your kitchen and can be a real bonus for kitchens lacking some character.

There are many reasons why people love a kitchen island bench. These simple advantages are part of the reason why a kitchen island bench remains a popular inclusion in home designs today.

Need help deciding whether a kitchen island bench is right for your design? Contact our kitchen design team for an expert analysis. Start your chat with us here.