Inspirational and stylish kitchen islands and breakfast bars from Ray Munn…

---

Kitchens now more than ever really are the ‘heart of the home’.

Naturally the heart of the kitchen itself, an island unit is where everyone migrates to! It’s a room that family members and friends visiting (prior to lockdown of course) naturally migrate to, so if there is a breakfast bar or island unit in the kitchen, it’s the place that everyone congregates around!

AN ISLAND UNIT WILL CREATE A NATURAL DIVIDE BETWEEN THE KITCHEN AND OTHER LIVING AREAS…

Not all kitchens are large enough for a dedicated breakfast bar or an island unit, and it’s not always on a customers’ wish list either, so when we are designing a new kitchen for a client, we always ascertain their requirements before any designs commence.

TYPICALLY AN ISLAND UNIT IS A STAND ALONE PIECE OF FURNITURE.

A kitchen island unit and breakfast bar are very similar to each other, but with one major difference: a ‘true’ island unit is a stand alone area, while a breakfast bar tends to be attached to either an existing worksurface or to a wall.

A BREAKFAST BAR IS USUALLY AN EXTENSION OF A WORKSURFACE OR WHEN SPACE IS AT A PREMIUM, IT TENDS TO FACE A WALL.

Frequently, and especially in open plan homes, a kitchen island or breakfast bar acts as a division to separate the kitchen area from the adjacent rooms.

An island unit nearest the working kitchen area and a breakfast bar on the opposite side is functional, stylish and sociable— both can feature some sort of seating area, with a breakfast bar housing more casual style dining, whereas an island can accommodate both breakfast bar casual dining or lower level dining table with chairs or booth type, built-in seating.

Low level booth style seating softens the overall feel of a kitchen, which inherently tends to be very linear— both an island unit and a breakfast bar not only provide extra worksurface and additional storage, but stylish looks too. In fact, shapely tables and chairs or bar stools can softening the overall scheme, which might otherwise appear very angular with the fitted kitchen units.

---

SIMPLE ORGANIC SHAPES SOFTEN THE CRISP LINEAR DESIGN OF AN ARREDO 3 ITALIAN KITCHEN.

Given that a kitchen island unit and a breakfast bar are relatively similar to one another, but at the same time different in terms of design and structure, is there a point in having both?

A BESPOKE BREAKFAST BAR IS CLEVERLY INCORPORATED INTO THIS ISLAND UNIT WITH SYMMETRICAL ATTENTION TO DETAIL…

---

‘Hybrids’ are possible and bring together the best of kitchen island designs and breakfast bars. In fact, in some instances they are ideal, as one side acts as a regular kitchen island, while the other becomes an attractive focal point bar!

---

KEY TO SUPERIOR KITCHEN DESIGN IS COHESIVE CO-ORDINATION, SOMETHING THAT AT RAY MUNN KITCHENS WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN!

---

Obviously, at Ray Munn Kitchens we don’t just design your new kitchen layout. Key to superior kitchen design is co-ordination, in terms of complementary finishes and materials, and styles chosen.

DYNAMIC LIGHTING AND ALMOST ‘FLOATING’ OPEN SHELVING ARE REALLY SOPHISTICATED ADDITIONS TO THIS FABULOUS ARREDO 3 KITCHEN…

An ultra modern Italian kitchen lends itself to sleek seating and minimal lighting solutions, whereas a more classically styled kitchen will embrace more organic style seating, soft furnishings and even opulent chandeliers!

ADD OPULENCE AND ALLURE INTO A CLASSICALLY STYLED KITCHEN WITH AN ELABORATE CHANDELIER AND A DECADENT FEATURE COLOUR…

---

Even if we can’t see you in person, now is the ideal time to start planning your new kitchen, albeit ‘virtually’!