5 New Kitchens With Island Designs Worth Considering
See how pros created kitchen islands with various features that support storage, seating, style and work surface
If a kitchen island is at the top of your wish list, you’ll want to spend some time thinking through the features that support your needs. For ideas on style, function and details worth considering, check out these clever kitchen island designs recently uploaded by pros.
2. Furniture Style in Bleached Walnut
Designers: Aaron Mollick of Studio AM Architecture & Interiors (architecture) and Kelly Hohla Interiors (interior design)
Builder: Rob Hoxie of Hoxie Huggins Construction
Location: Seattle
Homeowners’ request. “The home’s historical organization was not conducive to modern living,” architect Aaron Mollick says. “The new kitchen space was created by remodeling other previously smaller space functions. This allowed stronger visual and physical connections to other larger common spaces.”
Kitchen island. Custom furniture-style bleached walnut island with seating and lots of prep space on a marble-look quartz countertop. “The large furniture-style island maintained a traditional vocabulary that would not visually diminish the scale of the room yet still provide functional requirements of storage and informal seating,” Mollick says.
Other special features. Geometric mosaic marble tile backsplash. White oak flooring with a reactive custom stain. Soapstone perimeter countertop. Dark perimeter cabinets, range hood and range.
Tile: Small Doheny, Liaison collection, Ann Sacks; project photographer: Aaron Leitz
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Designers: Aaron Mollick of Studio AM Architecture & Interiors (architecture) and Kelly Hohla Interiors (interior design)
Builder: Rob Hoxie of Hoxie Huggins Construction
Location: Seattle
Homeowners’ request. “The home’s historical organization was not conducive to modern living,” architect Aaron Mollick says. “The new kitchen space was created by remodeling other previously smaller space functions. This allowed stronger visual and physical connections to other larger common spaces.”
Kitchen island. Custom furniture-style bleached walnut island with seating and lots of prep space on a marble-look quartz countertop. “The large furniture-style island maintained a traditional vocabulary that would not visually diminish the scale of the room yet still provide functional requirements of storage and informal seating,” Mollick says.
Other special features. Geometric mosaic marble tile backsplash. White oak flooring with a reactive custom stain. Soapstone perimeter countertop. Dark perimeter cabinets, range hood and range.
Tile: Small Doheny, Liaison collection, Ann Sacks; project photographer: Aaron Leitz
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3. Reclaimed Wood With a Chopping Block
Builder: Nate Lange of Lange Custom Builders
Location: Archbold, Ohio
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters); 15 by 20 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The vision for this guesthouse kitchen was for it to feel welcoming and laid-back at their sheep and goat ranch,” builder Nate Lange says. “They wanted to use reclaimed materials as much as possible. Most of the reclaimed materials have sentimental value to the family, and they wanted to incorporate the materials into the guesthouse as a way to remember their many memories. They wanted the reclaimed lumber to feel reminiscent of the old days.”
Kitchen island. Reclaimed wood with a chopping block. “The materials used for the island are reclaimed cedar porch posts,” Lange says. “The black granite countertop with leather finish was chosen to complement the black structural brackets used to hold the timbers together in the home. The chopping block at the end of the island was removed from an old factory that had a steel press.”
Other special features. Custom inset cabinets with exposed hinges and painted in yellow (Midday, Sherwin-Williams) and warm green (Dried Thyme, Sherwin-Williams). The structural timbers and ceiling timbers are reclaimed fir and oak from a historical tobacco barn in Pennsylvania. The ceiling panels are pine with a custom polyurethane finish.
Builder tip. “Use what you already have as much as possible and know that memories can be just as valuable as great design,” Lange says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “When we were trying to move the chopping block into the kitchen, we realized it was very heavy,” Lange says. “We wondered, ‘What in the world did we get ourselves into?’ It ended up taking eight people to move it into the kitchen.”
Cabinets: Custom, Lange Custom Builders
10 Kitchen Island Features Pros Always Recommend
Builder: Nate Lange of Lange Custom Builders
Location: Archbold, Ohio
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters); 15 by 20 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The vision for this guesthouse kitchen was for it to feel welcoming and laid-back at their sheep and goat ranch,” builder Nate Lange says. “They wanted to use reclaimed materials as much as possible. Most of the reclaimed materials have sentimental value to the family, and they wanted to incorporate the materials into the guesthouse as a way to remember their many memories. They wanted the reclaimed lumber to feel reminiscent of the old days.”
Kitchen island. Reclaimed wood with a chopping block. “The materials used for the island are reclaimed cedar porch posts,” Lange says. “The black granite countertop with leather finish was chosen to complement the black structural brackets used to hold the timbers together in the home. The chopping block at the end of the island was removed from an old factory that had a steel press.”
Other special features. Custom inset cabinets with exposed hinges and painted in yellow (Midday, Sherwin-Williams) and warm green (Dried Thyme, Sherwin-Williams). The structural timbers and ceiling timbers are reclaimed fir and oak from a historical tobacco barn in Pennsylvania. The ceiling panels are pine with a custom polyurethane finish.
Builder tip. “Use what you already have as much as possible and know that memories can be just as valuable as great design,” Lange says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “When we were trying to move the chopping block into the kitchen, we realized it was very heavy,” Lange says. “We wondered, ‘What in the world did we get ourselves into?’ It ended up taking eight people to move it into the kitchen.”
Cabinets: Custom, Lange Custom Builders
10 Kitchen Island Features Pros Always Recommend
4. Open Display Space and Seating
Designer: Matt Dolan of The Kitchen Studio at Pine Street
Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Size: 310 square feet (29 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Open up and connect a kitchen and dining room to gain space for entertaining friends and family.
Kitchen island. The design allows space for prep and gathering without guests getting in the way of the cook. The open shelves on the end provide a focal point display space. “They also store candy and treats for the grandchildren,” designer Matt Dolan says.
Other special features. “Glass cabinets provide a decorative element and help to bounce natural light through the space,” Dolan says. “Tall shallow pantries provide ample storage without cramping floor space and flow. Beaded inset cabinetry provides a classic treatment, while muted grays and whites on the walls, countertops and perimeter cabinets keep the space fresh, open and inviting.” Paneled undercounter refrigerator drawers keep beverages close at hand and combine with counter-to-ceiling cabinets to create a beverage center for entertaining.
Designer tip. “Paneling the undercounter refrigerator and dishwasher keeps our base cabinetry continuous and allows the cabinetry to read as elevated furniture rather than simply kitchen boxes,” Dolan says. “Backsplash tile was installed to the ceiling at both windows and the range area to elevate the design with texture and light.”
Cabinets: Madison in Nimbus (perimeter) and Madison in Iron Gray (island), recessed inset door styles, Wood-Mode; countertops: Ethereal Dusk, Silestone by Cosentino; pendant lights: Kinsley in brushed nickel, Z-Lite; main backsplash tile: Saratoga in Gris Nuage, 2½ by 8 inches, Garden State Tile; paint colors: Drift of Mist (walls) and Snowbound (ceiling), Sherwin-Williams
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Designer: Matt Dolan of The Kitchen Studio at Pine Street
Location: West Chester, Pennsylvania
Size: 310 square feet (29 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. Open up and connect a kitchen and dining room to gain space for entertaining friends and family.
Kitchen island. The design allows space for prep and gathering without guests getting in the way of the cook. The open shelves on the end provide a focal point display space. “They also store candy and treats for the grandchildren,” designer Matt Dolan says.
Other special features. “Glass cabinets provide a decorative element and help to bounce natural light through the space,” Dolan says. “Tall shallow pantries provide ample storage without cramping floor space and flow. Beaded inset cabinetry provides a classic treatment, while muted grays and whites on the walls, countertops and perimeter cabinets keep the space fresh, open and inviting.” Paneled undercounter refrigerator drawers keep beverages close at hand and combine with counter-to-ceiling cabinets to create a beverage center for entertaining.
Designer tip. “Paneling the undercounter refrigerator and dishwasher keeps our base cabinetry continuous and allows the cabinetry to read as elevated furniture rather than simply kitchen boxes,” Dolan says. “Backsplash tile was installed to the ceiling at both windows and the range area to elevate the design with texture and light.”
Cabinets: Madison in Nimbus (perimeter) and Madison in Iron Gray (island), recessed inset door styles, Wood-Mode; countertops: Ethereal Dusk, Silestone by Cosentino; pendant lights: Kinsley in brushed nickel, Z-Lite; main backsplash tile: Saratoga in Gris Nuage, 2½ by 8 inches, Garden State Tile; paint colors: Drift of Mist (walls) and Snowbound (ceiling), Sherwin-Williams
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5. Purple With Fluted Detail
Designer: Ruchi Agrawal Mohan of DesignbyRuchi
Location: New York
Size: 114 square feet (11 square meters); 15 by 7½ feet
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners are a young family with two kids; both husband and wife love to cook and entertain,” designer Ruchi Agrawal Mohan says. “They wanted lots of storage for all their spices and cooking utensils. The vision from very early on was to open up the kitchen into the great room beyond, add lots of specific storage and update the overall kitchen and appliances.”
Kitchen island. Eight-foot island in purple (Kalamata by Benjamin Moore) with fluting detail. “It gives my clients ample storage, prep surface for days and a place to gather around,” Mohan says. “The paint color is deep and saturated, and in the satin finish it has a brightness that I feel will look like a statement on a cloudy or a sunny day. We didn’t want to add seating or storage on the back of the island. Also, as this island back is visible from the dining room and the living room, I wanted the design to be a great view. We evaluated a few different fluting designs and decided on a rounded fluting, which is easy to clean and safe for the kids. We kept the fluting only on this one surface and kept the rest of the cabinet design similar across the whole kitchen. I wanted it to be a feature moment and hence used it sparingly.”
Other special features. Sage green perimeter cabinets (Garden Path by Benjamin Moore). Travertine-look porcelain tile backsplash. Marble-look quartz countertops. “I kept the countertop and backsplash neutral so that the colors in the cabinetry can stand out and have a moment,” Mohan says.
Designer tip. “It’s not only what you select, but also what you intentionally choose not to that makes the design and where your eye rests and goes,” Mohan says. “The editing, curating is what makes good design.”
Backsplash tile: Travertino, Nasco
15 Ways to Kick Your Kitchen Island Up a Notch
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Designer: Ruchi Agrawal Mohan of DesignbyRuchi
Location: New York
Size: 114 square feet (11 square meters); 15 by 7½ feet
Homeowners’ request. “The homeowners are a young family with two kids; both husband and wife love to cook and entertain,” designer Ruchi Agrawal Mohan says. “They wanted lots of storage for all their spices and cooking utensils. The vision from very early on was to open up the kitchen into the great room beyond, add lots of specific storage and update the overall kitchen and appliances.”
Kitchen island. Eight-foot island in purple (Kalamata by Benjamin Moore) with fluting detail. “It gives my clients ample storage, prep surface for days and a place to gather around,” Mohan says. “The paint color is deep and saturated, and in the satin finish it has a brightness that I feel will look like a statement on a cloudy or a sunny day. We didn’t want to add seating or storage on the back of the island. Also, as this island back is visible from the dining room and the living room, I wanted the design to be a great view. We evaluated a few different fluting designs and decided on a rounded fluting, which is easy to clean and safe for the kids. We kept the fluting only on this one surface and kept the rest of the cabinet design similar across the whole kitchen. I wanted it to be a feature moment and hence used it sparingly.”
Other special features. Sage green perimeter cabinets (Garden Path by Benjamin Moore). Travertine-look porcelain tile backsplash. Marble-look quartz countertops. “I kept the countertop and backsplash neutral so that the colors in the cabinetry can stand out and have a moment,” Mohan says.
Designer tip. “It’s not only what you select, but also what you intentionally choose not to that makes the design and where your eye rests and goes,” Mohan says. “The editing, curating is what makes good design.”
Backsplash tile: Travertino, Nasco
15 Ways to Kick Your Kitchen Island Up a Notch
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen design stories
Browse kitchen photos
Hire a kitchen remodeler
Shop for your kitchen
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Designers: Harper Halprin and Aaron Leshtz of AAHA Studio
Location: Los Angeles
Size: 170 square feet (16 square meters); 10 by 17 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The overarching theme of this project is modern Spanish style through a California lens,” designer Harper Halprin says. “In the kitchen specifically, the client’s goal was to blend the kitchen and living room into a cohesive shared space, as well as incorporate a more adventurous design, rather than proceed with standard plain kitchen colors. Our client also wanted a bigger punch, on a tighter budget, so we had to think critically about materials and use of space to achieve these aims.”
Kitchen island. Natural wood with vertical V-channel detail. “We introduced an island that matches the style of the perimeter cabinets for continuity. However, it is accented in a natural wood finish to create a neutral border between the kitchen and the living room while retaining the flow of the floor plan,” Halprin says. “It is highly functional, featuring storage on both sides, as well as a microwave drawer and beverage fridge, plus seating for entertaining.”
Other special features. Maple cabinets custom-stained green with a vertical V-channel accent. Glossy green porcelain backsplash tiles. Limestone countertops. Custom plaster range. “The thoughtful incorporation of a mid-tall cabinet at the end of the run of cabinets on the sink wall works to provide punctuation for the kitchen and is also a termination point for the tile backsplash,” Halprin says. “It simultaneously keeps the room open while also creating a natural ending point as well as an opportunity to display objects or plants.”
Designer tip. “It’s OK to take chances and be bold,” Halprin says. “You can push boundaries and design outside normative trends if the design is balanced and rooted in function. It will be a great statement and make you enjoy it that much more every time you use the space.”
Wall and ceiling paint: Pearly White, Sherwin-Williams
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