I was asked to design and make a kitchen island which would provide plenty of storage and have some form of seating for the dining table. It has to be the heart of the kitchen and provide a focus in such a large space.
It is always nice to have an open brief and large space to work with, it allowed me to design something which I feel is not only incredibly practical but also stylish and unique.
I thought Sycamore would would make a lovely solid, clean looking and stable top. Straight grain Oak end panels and door framework. The Sycamore and Oak tones really well with one another and it also complements the Oak flooring.
I used some beautiful solid Pippy Oak for the main 6 drawer fronts and kept the natural waney edge in tact which acts as a pull to open the drawers. I really liked this detail on the finished kitchen island, I feel it provides a connection between the raw, natural material and the finished item. Epoxy resin was used to fill the open knots and pips.
The drawers are made from some beautiful streaky Sycamore, sourced from the Greater Manchester Tree Station. Its a tricky material to use because of the hard and softer patches but it is well worth it when you see the finished drawers! They all sit on top quality full extension, soft close drawer runners.
To complement the solid pippy Oak and tie everything else together I used locally sourced pippy Oak veneer on the panels of remaining doors and drawer fronts. The veneer was book matched on all the panels, front and back.
The island contains a double pull out bin which sits on soft close runners. Its a nice addition and adds another element of practicality.
The Sycamore top wraps around to form the seating. There is additional storage under the seating.
