I guess it depends on what you want to use it for (obviously not for eating!). The style of the piece lends itself to patina so it might be fine. You can always replace the stone in the future if it just doesn't hold up.

Over all it looks really impractical--I could see it being great in a craft/sewing room, but somehow I can't get past the open storage and how you'd get the spider webs out from under the base shelf... :)

Carts like this become catchalls. Who knows what will be put on this! You can do better. Look at IKEA.

I like the drawers in this island and the overall style. But I hadn't noticed how difficult it might be to keep clean. I guess I really want something that will either go all the way to the floor or have enough clearance for the roomba to go under it.

I'll keep looking and maybe even price out what it would cost to do custom.

I think Daisy did it right! A custom cabinet maker (or furniture maker) could make you something exactly like you want and in that style--with a top material that doesn't make you think "hmmmmmmmmmmm".

It's very cute. I didn't think about the Roomba. Maybe it would fit? It's worth checking one out in person if you can.

Zoomy, errr Roomba, is my new design assistant. If it doesn't go to the floor and Zoomy can't fit under it then I won't buy it. Just got my first one in December, and I love that thing!

Yes, I completely agree! Especially something like an island in the kitchen where things are bound to get under there.

No, no....just no.

May be a good design inspiration - but poorly executed with cheap materials. Spruce (softwood) and limestone (porous).

I can see something in OAK with SOAPSTONE or MARBLE - but the above combination at $2700 is a really bad idea.

Ok, I found this one (and it's a little less expensive), but it has a bluestone top with a wax finish. I searched GW and found mixed results as to whether it would make a good countertop – some say it stains and scratches easily, but there doesn't seem to be a clear consensus.

There's a lot of conflicting information on soapstone, for instance, but after reading about here from people who had it on their counters, I went with soapstone in my current kitchen and I love it. Could bluestone be the next soapstone?

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/bluestone-kitchen-island/s327089

"Could bluestone be the next soapstone?"

NO! You're making me sound like I'm in my terrible twos! Bluestone is flagstone, a type of sandstone, a sedimentary rock consisting of feldspar and Quartz held together by silica. Soapstone is a metamorphic rock primarily composed of talc. They could not be more different in their composition, which wouldn't matter at all if it didn't impact on their performance. We need Karin_mt here! I'm not a geologist.

Are you trying to satisfy a purely aesthetic need, or are you hoping to use this surface as a working space for food preparation, rolling out pastry, etc...? Also, is there a reason you are looking for a prefabricated island?

I was thinking it would be cheaper to go with a prefabricated island, and I like the look of these two. But I find it strange that they are using such non standard countertop materials. If it was soapstone I'd know exactly what I was getting and I like the fact that you can use it as a pastry surface, but you don't have to worry about staining and etching.

I think that with an island, people will be gathering around it, sometimes to do prep or plating, but also just to set a glass of wine down and nibble on snacks.

I'll see if I can get a quote for a custom built island that is similar in design to these two, but with a soapstone top.

Edible, I don't know where you live but where I am islands are on craigslist all the time either used or someone wiling to make custom for you. I got one to use as a folding table in my laundry room, 50" wide. It was fully customized with soft close full extension drawer glides, extra deep drawers custom painted maple. I chose a wood top but could have picked up a stone remnant. With the wood top I paid $600.

Do you live any where near a Williams-Sonoma? This piece is on display in most stores.

Full disclosure - I work in a W-S store. We use ours for display. Most recently our sale cookware was stacked on it. It held a ton of weight. We are in the midst of resetting our floor displays and it is now front and center. Trust me, customers take no where near the care with the island you will as the owner. It still looks great.

You won't find soapstone in a prefab island of reasonable size - it weighs a ton. I would definitely price out the cost of building an island and getting soapstone cut to size and shipped to you. Do you like open space and a furniture-like appearance, or are you more interested in drawers and covered storage?

I second the custom island approach. I recently had one made for hundreds less than this piece. However, mine is 6 ft long, made of solid redwood, topped with marble, and we designed it to fit perfectly into our kitchen. So I think you can do better. The problem with the ready to go options are that they are limited by weight concerns which limit the size, material, and configuration options. If you do go ready made, a restoration Hardware has nice options, but they are even more expensive than this one. I will say that it is a lot of work to go custom, but it is so worth it every time I look at my island. It has really become the centerpiece of my kitchen and everyone wants to gather around it. If you are in the Bay Area, I can recommend the furniture maker who did mine.

I haven't seen the one at Williams-Sonoma, but actually my DH saw it there and really liked it and that's why I was checking it out. I should go look at it in person. It would be good to see how it's held up and also to get ideas for what I might do differently if I was to get a custom built one.

I'm not in the Bay Area, but our contractor works with a local cabinet maker, so I think that's a good place to start. I just have to figure out the design so I can get an estimate. I like the idea of some drawers for storage, but I also like the furniture-like appearance. The slatted drawers in the WS piece look they would be good for storing onions and potatoes.

If anyone has photos of custom built islands that combine storage with an open feel, please do post them!

Mine is counter height. It has two shelves that run the length of the island equally spaced. I store cookbooks, cookware, and our fancy plates on the shelves at the moment but I still have a lot of space to play with. The dimensions for the counter are 72 inches x 30 inches and there is a two inch overhang on all four sides. There is space below the bottom shelf but I am not sure if a roomba would fit. It was not designed for people to sit at it, but everyone loves to gather and chat.