10 Ways to Dress Up Your Kitchen Island
Give this key kitchen feature a style overhaul with new paint, trims or other decorative details
The kitchen island bench is often the home’s hub, where family and friends gather to help with the cooking (or just the eating). This central position makes it an important design feature and a great place to add personality to your kitchen. Re-dressing the island can provide a dramatic face lift on any budget. Here are 10 of my favourite ideas you can use to give the heart of the house a little love.
2. Mirror
If you’d prefer to have your island float away rather than stand out, mirrored fronts – or mirrored kickboards, in the case of this kitchen in Brisbane, Queensland, by Kim Duffin – help lighten the look of the whole room. Mirrored materials can make bulky kitchen cabinets visually vanish and help the floor appear to run on forever. For vintage charm, use mirror with an antique finish.
If you’d prefer to have your island float away rather than stand out, mirrored fronts – or mirrored kickboards, in the case of this kitchen in Brisbane, Queensland, by Kim Duffin – help lighten the look of the whole room. Mirrored materials can make bulky kitchen cabinets visually vanish and help the floor appear to run on forever. For vintage charm, use mirror with an antique finish.
3. Wood
Another way to lighten an island visually is to simply match its faces to the flooring material so the two blend together. Letting wood, timber veneer or laminate wrap around the island is unexpected but warm and inviting without being heavy.
If you have leftover flooring after a renovation (most often there would be enough for at least one face of the island), consider using it to wrap an island.
Another way to lighten an island visually is to simply match its faces to the flooring material so the two blend together. Letting wood, timber veneer or laminate wrap around the island is unexpected but warm and inviting without being heavy.
If you have leftover flooring after a renovation (most often there would be enough for at least one face of the island), consider using it to wrap an island.
4. Panelling
To soften a chunky island, consider incorporating classic panelling. It suits cottage-inspired traditional kitchens well, but as you can see here in this kitchen by FenRen in Sydney, NSW, it also works beautifully in transitional or contemporary cooking spaces by adding texture with a simple geometric sensibility.
To soften a chunky island, consider incorporating classic panelling. It suits cottage-inspired traditional kitchens well, but as you can see here in this kitchen by FenRen in Sydney, NSW, it also works beautifully in transitional or contemporary cooking spaces by adding texture with a simple geometric sensibility.
5. Furniture Styling
Giving an island furniture-like details makes it feel even more like its own little hub of activity separate from the functional cabinets around it. Even an existing island can get an upgrade by putting legs or feet on the exterior.
You’ll want to add leg detailing before painting (that is, in the design phase before construction commences) to have the finish match perfectly.
Giving an island furniture-like details makes it feel even more like its own little hub of activity separate from the functional cabinets around it. Even an existing island can get an upgrade by putting legs or feet on the exterior.
You’ll want to add leg detailing before painting (that is, in the design phase before construction commences) to have the finish match perfectly.
6. Moulding
Another way to achieve a furniture-like appearance is to embellish the island’s faces and corners with moulding. This provides a sense of elegance that’s essential to Shaker-style and transitional kitchens. It’s a good long-term investment since the stately look will likely stay in demand.
Another way to achieve a furniture-like appearance is to embellish the island’s faces and corners with moulding. This provides a sense of elegance that’s essential to Shaker-style and transitional kitchens. It’s a good long-term investment since the stately look will likely stay in demand.
7. Island Cart
This design trick is a bit of a cheat because unless you can add a new moveable island cart to your existing kitchen, you’ll have to replace your fixed island altogether. Nevertheless, if your island bench is beyond salvaging (or if you don’t have one to start with), substituting it for a freestanding cart lends a real chef’s-kitchen vibe and a more open look.
This design trick is a bit of a cheat because unless you can add a new moveable island cart to your existing kitchen, you’ll have to replace your fixed island altogether. Nevertheless, if your island bench is beyond salvaging (or if you don’t have one to start with), substituting it for a freestanding cart lends a real chef’s-kitchen vibe and a more open look.
8. Salvaged Materials
Look to vintage or salvage stores for recycled materials such as old pressed-tin ceiling tiles, distressed lumber or metal sheets from restaurant kitchens and upcycle them into a custom front treatment. This kitchen in Perth, WA, by Etica Studio does it with style.
Depending on your existing kitchen design, you may be able to retrofit them without too much trouble.
Look to vintage or salvage stores for recycled materials such as old pressed-tin ceiling tiles, distressed lumber or metal sheets from restaurant kitchens and upcycle them into a custom front treatment. This kitchen in Perth, WA, by Etica Studio does it with style.
Depending on your existing kitchen design, you may be able to retrofit them without too much trouble.
9. LED Lighting
Install LED lighting strips to the underside of the island benchtop, the base, or both to bring a fun modern element and extra brightness to the whole space. Again, this is best done in the design phase before building work begins.
How Do I… Choose Kitchen Lighting?
Install LED lighting strips to the underside of the island benchtop, the base, or both to bring a fun modern element and extra brightness to the whole space. Again, this is best done in the design phase before building work begins.
How Do I… Choose Kitchen Lighting?
10. Hardware
One last idea is to upgrade the hardware in your kitchen. Timber and brass are unstoppable trends in kitchen design, and a little gold-toned hardware or timber handles will give your kitchen a new feel with no need for a hammer or paintbrush.
To recreate this look, consider using a few dummy drawer or door fronts to dress up the back of your island.
Your turn
What are your secrets for dressing up your kitchen? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Keen to learn insiders’ secrets to designing the ultimate kitchen island? Find out here with Pro Reveal: Inside 4 Fantastic Kitchen Islands
One last idea is to upgrade the hardware in your kitchen. Timber and brass are unstoppable trends in kitchen design, and a little gold-toned hardware or timber handles will give your kitchen a new feel with no need for a hammer or paintbrush.
To recreate this look, consider using a few dummy drawer or door fronts to dress up the back of your island.
Your turn
What are your secrets for dressing up your kitchen? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images for inspiration, and join the renovation conversation.
More
Keen to learn insiders’ secrets to designing the ultimate kitchen island? Find out here with Pro Reveal: Inside 4 Fantastic Kitchen Islands
Looking to expand your palette but hesitant to make a big splash? Repainting just the island (or even only one side) adds a dash of drama without the effect of visually shrinking the space that can come from dark or vivid cabinetry. Pair the island with contrasting bar stools for even more life.
Ready to redo your kitchen? Find a local kitchen designer on Houzz to discuss the possibilities for your budget