As well as creating a dramatic focal point, a striking island surface can help take the entire scheme to the next level. Angelica Hedges rounds up 10 kitchen islands with incredible work surfaces.
1. The Lagoa Pink Marble surface from Cullifords features a natural blend of dramatic dark veining through clouds of soft pink, with additional tones of grey and white providing the designer with a broad selection of hues to work with for the rest of the scheme. Formed from a polished Portuguese marble, the surface has a thickness of 20mm. The worktop itself is said by Cullifords to be scratch, stain, UV and heat resistant, forming a durable yet artisanal statement piece.
2. The Roundhouse Urbo Kitchen is shown here featuring striking African Fusion Satinato on the worktop and central island, bringing a touch of daring elegance with its strong, dark hues, and contrasting white and gold veining. Urbo cabinetry with lacquer in Farrow & Ball's moody colour Railings, and a glass splashback complete a design that's bursting with style and personality.
3. From British Standard in collaboration with Charlotte Cosby, creative director at Farrow & Ball, this unique piece has been formed using a mottled jade terrazzo and resin. The standout countertop surface features vibrant colours, with chunky, bold patterns. The rest of the scheme picks out hues in the worktop – behind the island is a range cooker in mineral green, while Farrow & Ball's Setting Plaster features on the walls and cabinetry, bringing a warmth that softens the stark shapes of the countertop.
4. 510 Impermia from Caesarstone’s Porcelain Collection has a dramatic Black base animated with slivers of White veining, and is available with a Honed or Ultra Rough Finish. It comes in a thickness of 12mm, and is said to be ideally suited to a kitchen environment due to its resilience, and heat resistant properties, offering the look of a natural product but with the advantages and durability of sintered porcelain.
5. Ledbury Studio's Camden kitchen project features a stunning work surface designed by Lara Bohinc of Bohinc Studio that has been formed from a selection of Italian marbles. Bohinc's signature rounded shapes have been selected in colours that complement earth tones, and inlaid into an aged-brass edge trim. The effect is to elevate the entire space with a central island that doubles as a work of art.
6. This statement island in a kitchen designed by Humphrey Munson features Bianco Eclipsia quartzite, which was bookmatched to ensure a continuous and seamless finish from the island top down the waterfall edge. Contrasting with the light hue of the natural quartzite and not visible in this image is the Bowler Black colour of the island cabinetry. The rest of the furniture is painted in the softer Tailored Grey tone, picking out the lighter tones of the island's surface.
7. This Roundhouse Urbo and Metro Kitchen has a central island featuring Farrow & Ball’s Pitch Black with an antique brass plinth, and a Patagonia Natural Quartzite worktop. Shown here is the internal lighting system, that was was formed with the intention of creating a bold glow from inside the natural stone and made with Perspex carcase sections so that carcase lines wouldn’t show through the material. The luxe effect is enhanced with a Blenheim Antique mirror splashback behind.
8. RAK Ceramics' Elle Marble offers the natural-looking beauty of marble combined with the many practical advantages of hearwearing porcelain tiles. Featured here on the kitchen island and splashback in White with dark veining, it's also available in a Black version with white highlights, and comes in tiles of 7 sizes, with the largest being 1350 x 3050mm.
9. Pictured here is Macchia Vecchia, part of CRL Stone's Ceralsio collection of impermeable and stain resistant ceramic worktops suitable for the kitchen, as well as bathroom countertops, flooring, wall-cladding, and media walls. Its unique and high-pressure manufacturing process creates a versatile yet visually striking surface. Available in a natural or polished finish and in a 20mm thickness, the surface has a marble-inspired pattern with gold veining on a crisp white background.
10. This kitchen is designed by John Willox Design with sustainability in mind and created using Rotpunkt products. The island is made with a 20mm Dekton worktop in Trilium, offering a mix of colours with intense, volcanic blacks and greys. Made with up to 80% recycled material, Trilium was the first eco colour available by Dekton for an environmentally friendly industrial look.
