Before and After: 4 Kitchens With Game-Changing Islands
See the thoughtful storage, stylish seating and dashing good looks that help these kitchen islands transform the space
Evolving from the humble cook’s worktable of yesteryear, kitchen islands typically are now hubs for socializing, having casual meals and even doing homework. So when the four older islands below outlived their usefulness, designers went bigger and better. With copious storage, space for seats and style in spades, these new versions act as both visual and functional centerpieces. Might any offer ideas to take your own kitchen up a notch? Let us know in the Comments at the end.
After: Steeves landed on a high-contrast but warm design inspired by Belgian farmhouses. She extended the kitchen to include an eating area by the bay windows, where the kids also do homework and art projects, and a much bigger island (10 feet, 2 inches by 4 feet, 4 inches).
The new island sits within the work triangle and offers plenty of room for preparing meals. It also has seating for three, storage on both sides and a dishwasher on the far side. The top is Caesarstone with subtle purplish-black veining, and the base cabinets are clad in black laminate by Greenlam. Above, three substantial pendant lights fit the island’s scale and add touches of warm brass.
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The new island sits within the work triangle and offers plenty of room for preparing meals. It also has seating for three, storage on both sides and a dishwasher on the far side. The top is Caesarstone with subtle purplish-black veining, and the base cabinets are clad in black laminate by Greenlam. Above, three substantial pendant lights fit the island’s scale and add touches of warm brass.
Read more about this kitchen
2. Bonanza in Blue
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with three grown sons
Location: Sudbury, Massachusetts
Size: 470 square feet (44 square meters)
Designers: Jodi Swartz of KitchenVisions (lead designer) and Tasha Young (technical designer) of Young & Co. Design
General contractor: Creative Home Improvements
Before: A small island with a cooktop did this Massachusetts kitchen few favors; it had no seating and almost no work surface. Plus, the kitchen itself was dark and dated and lacked a pulled-together feel. With their three sons now grown, the homeowners brought on designer Jodi Swartz to give the kitchen a major makeover.
How Much Room Do You Need for a Kitchen Island?
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with three grown sons
Location: Sudbury, Massachusetts
Size: 470 square feet (44 square meters)
Designers: Jodi Swartz of KitchenVisions (lead designer) and Tasha Young (technical designer) of Young & Co. Design
General contractor: Creative Home Improvements
Before: A small island with a cooktop did this Massachusetts kitchen few favors; it had no seating and almost no work surface. Plus, the kitchen itself was dark and dated and lacked a pulled-together feel. With their three sons now grown, the homeowners brought on designer Jodi Swartz to give the kitchen a major makeover.
How Much Room Do You Need for a Kitchen Island?
After: Painted a cheery blue (Hemlock by Benjamin Moore), the new, larger island is a lively focal point. Six rattan seats make for stylish perches, and they allowed Swartz to refashion the original adjacent breakfast area as a small fireside lounge.
The cooktop now has its own home opposite, leaving the ample island top free for prepping and eating meals. A microwave drawer within the island makes efficient use of space, while plenty of room remains for storage cabinets, including rollouts for small appliances, and soft-close drawers. The island top is European Mountain White Danby marble, which has striking greenish veining. White walls and perimeter cabinets add to the bright feel, while dashes of black, including via the fridge panel, provide contrast and keep the look sophisticated.
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The cooktop now has its own home opposite, leaving the ample island top free for prepping and eating meals. A microwave drawer within the island makes efficient use of space, while plenty of room remains for storage cabinets, including rollouts for small appliances, and soft-close drawers. The island top is European Mountain White Danby marble, which has striking greenish veining. White walls and perimeter cabinets add to the bright feel, while dashes of black, including via the fridge panel, provide contrast and keep the look sophisticated.
Read more about this kitchen
3. Fine for Dining
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: Ada, Michigan
Size: 330 square feet (31 square meters)
Designer: Oliver McCarthy of Delight in Designs
Before: Despite its long and narrow profile, with tight seating on two sides, this island still added to the cramped feel of the kitchen. The Michigan retiree homeowners tapped designer Oliver McCarthy, who uses Houzz Pro software, to give their kitchen more breathing room, a fresh look and better functionality.
10 Dos and Don’ts When Designing a Kitchen Island
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: Ada, Michigan
Size: 330 square feet (31 square meters)
Designer: Oliver McCarthy of Delight in Designs
Before: Despite its long and narrow profile, with tight seating on two sides, this island still added to the cramped feel of the kitchen. The Michigan retiree homeowners tapped designer Oliver McCarthy, who uses Houzz Pro software, to give their kitchen more breathing room, a fresh look and better functionality.
10 Dos and Don’ts When Designing a Kitchen Island
Photo by Troy VanLangen of Above the Horizon Media
After: McCarthy removed a partition (the fridge wall in the previous photo) and expanded the kitchen into the formal dining room. This added 180 square feet to the kitchen’s footprint and allowed for a generously sized island with seating for six — the new main dining spot. Ivory engineered quartz with gray and taupe veining tops the island’s earthy brown-gray base and contrasts with the stools’ tan performance leather upholstery. The sink side of the island houses a beverage center, a microwave drawer and storage drawers.
Stools: Russell, Amisco
Read more about this kitchen
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
After: McCarthy removed a partition (the fridge wall in the previous photo) and expanded the kitchen into the formal dining room. This added 180 square feet to the kitchen’s footprint and allowed for a generously sized island with seating for six — the new main dining spot. Ivory engineered quartz with gray and taupe veining tops the island’s earthy brown-gray base and contrasts with the stools’ tan performance leather upholstery. The sink side of the island houses a beverage center, a microwave drawer and storage drawers.
Stools: Russell, Amisco
Read more about this kitchen
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
Before Photo
Photos by Eric Kruk Photography
4. View Master
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their youngest child, who’s 17
Location: Paradise Valley, Arizona
Size: 250 square feet (23 square meters)
Designer: Amy Klosterman of AB Design Elements
Contractor: La Casa Builders
Before: As part of a whole-house gut remodel, these Arizona homeowners tasked designer Amy Klosterman with streamlining their hodgepodge kitchen. One important wish list item: an island big enough for casual seating. Using inspiration photos from Houzz, Klosterman designed an elegant space with proportions that suit the 13-foot barrel-vault ceiling.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
4. View Master
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their youngest child, who’s 17
Location: Paradise Valley, Arizona
Size: 250 square feet (23 square meters)
Designer: Amy Klosterman of AB Design Elements
Contractor: La Casa Builders
Before: As part of a whole-house gut remodel, these Arizona homeowners tasked designer Amy Klosterman with streamlining their hodgepodge kitchen. One important wish list item: an island big enough for casual seating. Using inspiration photos from Houzz, Klosterman designed an elegant space with proportions that suit the 13-foot barrel-vault ceiling.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
After: At 9½ by 4¼ feet, the island fits three stools and has touch-latch cabinets in the knee space as well as storage on the sink side. The boldly veined Neolith Calacatta Luxe porcelain top matches the perimeter countertops, and the base, like the perimeter cabinets, is painted in Benjamin Moore’s Edgecomb Gray. The neutral colors usher the view toward a custom antiqued-zinc hood from one angle, while those sitting at the island can enjoy the backyard vista through a new, larger sink window.
Read more about this kitchen
More on Houzz
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Read more about this kitchen
More on Houzz
Read more kitchen stories
Browse kitchen photos for ideas
Find a kitchen remodeler
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Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two young kids and a dog
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Size: 577 square feet (54 square meters)
Designer: Lori Steeves of Simply Home Decorating
Before: Wasted space between the kitchen and family room of this Canadian home offered designer Lori Steeves a fantastic opportunity. The goal: to create more space where one of the homeowners, a vegan, could prepare meals, and where the couple and their two kindergartners could hang out as a family. And the 1990s style had to go.
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