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Designers interviewed by Livingetc say angular kitchen islands can add a visual focal point and respond to a room’s layout. In one Belgian project, the homeowner said the island’s shape helped keep a walkway open. Designers also describe practical challenges with storage, seating and appliance clearances.
Designers are increasingly using angular kitchen islands as visual features and to respond to a room’s layout, according to a Livingetc report. In one Belgian project, homeowner Eline De Bruyne said the island’s shape helped keep a walkway open. The designers also say custom forms require careful planning for storage, seating and appliance clearances.
The report describes a range of approaches, from subtle “nips and tucks” to more pronounced, sculptural shapes. In one example, Polish studio Akurat designed a “chopped” island for an irregularly shaped property. Studio founder and creative director Maciej Ryniewicz said the team angled the island against the directions set by the walls so the piece felt in harmony with its surroundings, no matter which direction it was approached from.
Designers cited by Livingetc describe the island as an opportunity to give a kitchen a distinct design identity. Romaine Alwill, director of Sydney studio Atelier Alwill, said utility features such as islands can be treated like sculpture and can set a tone for a home. She said an angled form can challenge assumptions about what a kitchen bench should look like and contrast with standard cabinetry.
The examples in the report include a hexagonal island made with terrazzo and a wood base by Madrid studio Plutarco, and an island by Atelier Alwill that echoes chamfered window details in the home’s architecture. In a Belgian project, owner Eline De Bruyne and interior designer Oskar De Roover combined curved and angled edges; De Bruyne said the geometry helped keep the walkway open. Studio Duggan used Verde Guatemala stone to clad an island that the report describes as appearing like one huge block of marble.
How Angled Edges Shape Kitchen Movement
The design choice may affect daily use as well as appearance. The report describes examples in which island shapes responded to an irregular property or echoed architectural details. In one Belgian project, De Bruyne said the shape helped make the most of the space and keep the walkway open and easy to move through. That is a project-specific account, not evidence that every angular island improves circulation.
For homeowners, the trade-off is between a distinctive focal point and the practical requirements of a working kitchen. The report says that non-standard forms can make planning storage, seating and work surfaces more complex, and Alwill noted the need to fine-tune clearances for legs, dishwashers and storage. The examples show different design intentions and responses to particular spaces, without establishing a general rule for when an angular island is most suitable.
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From Irregular Rooms to Sculptural Forms
Livingetc says it began noticing angular islands in more designers’ projects after featuring Akurat’s “chopped” island. Ryniewicz told the publication that the property’s irregular shape prompted the studio to offset the island from the directions established by the walls. The report presents that project as an early reference point for the recent design interest it describes.
Angular does not mean one fixed design. The report covers subtle nips and tucks to islands as well as hexagonal, bevelled and mixed curved-and-angled forms. Designers also used varied finishes, including neutral stone, terrazzo, timber and marble. Alwill said neutral stone can let the form do the talking, while Plutarco co-founder Enrique Ventosa described mixing materials in the studio’s project.
“By offsetting the directions set by the walls, we defined a shape that felt in harmony with its surroundings, no matter from which direction you approached the furniture piece.”
— Maciej Ryniewicz, creative director and founder of Akurat
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What the Design Examples Cannot Establish
The report offers designers’ explanations and selected project examples, but it does not provide measurements, circulation studies or comparisons with conventional rectangular islands. It therefore does not establish that angular islands generally improve room flow, or quantify how much space a particular shape might save.
The report does not discuss costs or construction timelines, and it does not quantify how angled edges affect storage capacity. Although it includes some context about household use, it does not assess whether each layout would suit different household needs. The examples describe practical considerations such as sinks, dishwashers, seating and storage, but do not establish how those considerations apply across kitchens generally.
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Planning the Island Around Daily Use
For anyone considering the design, Livingetc advises working with a kitchen designer or architect to integrate the features needed in the island. The report says to account for work surfaces, seating, storage and appliance clearances. Alwill said her own project required fine-tuning, and that leaving the sink off the island helped; she also said the room had enough space to allow greater depth for the angles.
Livingetc’s report does not identify a formal next industry milestone or provide a forecast for how widely the look will spread. It discusses practical considerations including circulation, work surfaces, storage and the desired design effect, without setting out a general rule for whether the approach suits a particular home.
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Key Questions
Can an angular kitchen island improve movement through a room?
It can help in some layouts, according to designers cited by Livingetc. In one Belgian home, Eline De Bruyne said the island’s shape helped keep a walkway open. The report does not establish that the effect applies to every kitchen.
What practical issues come with a non-rectangular island?
Storage, seating, work surfaces and appliance clearances may be harder to coordinate. Romaine Alwill said clearances for legs, dishwashers and storage needed fine-tuning in her project.
Do angular islands have to be made from statement materials?
No. The examples in the report use materials including terrazzo, wood and stone. Alwill said a neutral stone can keep attention on the island’s shape rather than its finish.
Should a sink be built into an angular island?
That depends on the design and household’s needs. Alwill said not having a sink on her own island helped with its layout, but the report does not present that as a rule for other kitchens.
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