Enjoy spending time with family and friends? Create a beautiful social hub in your kitchen with a co

We all enjoy those Sunday afternoons relaxing with friends; traditionally in our house this is also accompanied with a large glass of red. More and more we find ourselves pushed into a tiny corner of the lounge, holding our wine precariously over the beige carpet as the kids have the run of the house.

This got me thinking; how can we adults create a social oasis in our homes that is still functional? After all we don't all live in sprawling mansions with oodles of space to spare.

The answer: the humble kitchen island. Practical in the sense of under counter storage and worktop space but it can also add a contemporary and stylish talking point within your home.

It also has the added bonus of replacing those tired breakfast bars of the past and creating a focal point for family life.

An island provides a place to gather friends, free from the little darlings as they run off the sugar from the ice cream factory and perhaps most importantly, a safe haven to rest a glass of wine or two.