The island kitchen: divided into two blocks of furniture
Open spaces and fluid passages: the island kitchen favors socialization and conviviality of living at home.
The island kitchen is the classic example of a perfect modern kitchen composition in order to keep the view to the living room unobstructed. The most common island kitchen configuration is that consisting of a group of columns aligned in parallel with the island.
In front of the large storage area (with pantry and built-in appliances) the island kitchen is placed, which contains the operational working area, equipped with countertop, sink and hob, and in some cases with a snack top.
Cooking area design on the island kitchen
The transformation of the traditional linear kitchen into a modern composition with the cooking area located on the central island kitchen is the dream of many, but unfortunately not always achievable. For two reasons: space and installation connections. But don’t despair: unless the kitchen is really small, you can do this by making choices.
As I said, one problem is that of the connections for the gas, electrical or water installation. But this can be solved by creating a platform (concealed either in the floor or ceiling) for the passage of gas or water pipes and electrical cables. As for the hood, the connection to the chimney can be difficult, but to solve both the problem of gas and the evacuation of cooking smoke, a solution is to design the cooking area with an induction hob equipped with integrated ventilation system. Thus, the ambient, whether it’s a separate kitchen or open-space, integrated with the living room – will be more airy.
How to solve the dining place? Choosing a snack counter connected to the worktop.
Hob with integrated ventilation system
The hob with integrated ventilation system allows the air to be sucked not upwards, but downwards by a device placed in the center of the hob, on the short or long side. Only a grid is visible. Smoke and cooking fumes are transported to the outside through a channel located under the furniture kitchen units or, if the system is not exhausted but only with filters, the air is purified and then returned to the environment through special grids integrated in the furniture plinth.
Due to the presence of the suction device, the hob has a built-in height higher than the standard, generally with 20 cm, which doesn’t allow the introduction of the oven in the lower furniture unit. Moreover, in the 4-zone version, it is more than 60 cm wide.
There are also available models with the ventilation system located on the long side of the hob, with removable mechanism or flap system: these are recommended in kitchens with a countertop depth of 70 cm or on islands kitchen and peninsulas with increased depth.
The filters for the extractor hood can be removed and cleaned in the dishwasher. Also, the interior can be cleaned, completely safe, and a special valve allows the collection of liquids.
