Kitchen island corbels and how to use them
Picture your house. What is the place families and friends spend the most time together? Sure, the living room is a good candidate - most often, you’ll find chairs, sofas, TV, and other means of relaxation and entertainment. But when it comes to food, family, and fraternity, there’s no place more popular than a kitchen.
Historically, kitchens have always been the place people gravitate towards. Cooking the food invites desire to lend a helping hand, which invites good-natured chatter, which invites a happy, excited and glowing atmosphere. In the olden days, people collected around the stove for the warmth of the fire, and for the warmth of the human connection. It’s the place of activity, of childhood memories of watching mom bake cookies, it’s quite possibly, the heart of the home itself.
And when you move into your new home? You always think of the kitchen first - building it, getting appliances, and of course, decorating it just right.
With all of this in mind, let’s talk about kitchen islands and what they represent.
Kitchen islands are the centerpiece of modern homes - they’re both functional and beautiful. They provide additional storage space, they can be used for meal preparation as well as dining, a place of relaxation, or even a home office. Their layout, adding another space for tasks, improves efficiency. All-around, a kitchen island is a great choice for a workspace in the kitchen for many reasons.
One crucial design element that often gets overlooked but plays a big role in a kitchen island is the corbel.
Corbels, architectural brackets, have multiple purposes and there are good reasons to have them installed. For example:
- Structural support
If your kitchen island has an overhang countertop, it needs support to prevent it from sagging or breaking. Corbels distribute the weight evenly, providing support, safety and durability, both for space on the workstation and for ergonomics. - Ease of installation
There’s nothing hard about installing a corbel; by following simple instructions, you can install them without professional help.
And let’s not forget the aesthetics!
Corbels provide not only practical support, but also an opportunity to add character to your whole kitchen. They come in many designs, from modern to traditional, from opulent to minimalistic. Your kitchen is done in a rustic style? There’s a corbel for that!
With such a breadth of designs, it’s hard to pick the right one. Let us explore some of the options!
- Traditional styles
Intricate carvings, scrollwork, fluting… these corbels call to mind the imagery of the aristocratic kitchens from the old days. The meals prepared on the fire stove, the natural, dignified look of the ancestral home, passed down through generations, enriched by each and every owner. Corbels, modeled and carved by hand from high-quality wood, are great at providing that kind of look for your kitchen island.
- Modern styles
If you desire a kitchen that looks sleek, clean, modern, there’s no better way to go about it than ensuring appropriate corbels. You’ll want corbels with clean lines, geometric shapes, simple colors - the elements of the non-ostentatious look of the modern interior design.
- Rustic style
The inviting warmth of the rustic style is hard to deny. Rustic-style corbels, with their natural wood tones, rough-hewn edges and distressed finishes, are perfect for providing the feeling of a cozy, comfortable home out in the country.
- Antique
Time of ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt is considered by many a beautiful age, filled with splendid architecture. You, too, can fill your house with the atmosphere of the great past by utilizing corbels using the style of the S-scrolls, acanthus leaves, volutes, all of the beautiful signifiers of those bygone ages.
There are many more styles to choose from, but these are the main ones - and you’ll definitely find something appropriate for you by looking for the sense you’d want the interior to convey.
When choosing corbels, make sure they’re proportional to your kitchen island and countertop overhang. They should provide support without overwhelming the design, after all. Make sure they’re strong enough to do that!
The design should be matched with the overall theme of your kitchen. For instance, ornate corbels pair well with traditional kitchens, and simple designs naturally complement modern aesthetics.
Of course, you should also consider the material, placement, and installation method; with all of this in mind, be assured that the corbels for kitchen islands are a small detail, but they can make a big impact. They blend form and function, and whether you’re looking for a subtle, cozy interior, or a bold statement, the right corbels can tie your kitchen together. The variety of styles, materials, and finishes you can choose give you near-endless possibilities.
And investing in high-quality corbels doesn’t just enhance the kitchen island; it ensures its longevity. Take your time to explore options!