New This Week: 8 Cool Kitchen Island Ideas
Consider a shelf for laptops, an industrial steel dolly, a wood table on casters and other fun kitchen island designs
Mitchell Parker
6 March 2020
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative trends, breaking news, industry analysis and humor.
Houzz Editorial Staff. Home design journalist writing about cool spaces, innovative... More
Kitchen islands have a lot to offer in terms of adding storage and work surface and creating better traffic flow. So it’s no surprise that more than 60% of renovated kitchens feature an island, according to the latest Houzz data. But while having an island is common, the design of islands can be anything but. Angled, open, on wheels, made of wood or made of steel, islands follow no set rules in terms of design. The following eight kitchens show some cool things you might want to consider for your island.
1. Laptop Storage
Designer: Melinda Woodruff of M Woodruff Design
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Size: 157 square feet (15 square meters); 9½ by 16½ feet
Homeowners’ request. Update a dated kitchen and get rid of the downdraft range over a curved island that prevented the homeowners from using the island as a gathering space. The renovation also included adding pantry storage, new lighting and a new range. “The first step in addressing this list was to relocate the range to a wall so that the island could be utilized as the multipurpose space they desired,” designer Melinda Woodruff says. “They were a bit unsure of this change initially, but after seeing the first round of drawings, they were completely on board. This also allowed us to incorporate the larger, pro-style range they desired as well as a furniture hood that they were excited to add as a design feature.”
Island details. Natural walnut base with a 3-inch quartz countertop that resembles white Macaubas quartzite. The island doubles as the homeowners’ office workstation, so Woodruff added a slim shelf below the countertop for storing a laptop and other materials. Outlets at the back let the owners recharge their laptops. Drawers on one end store papers and other supplies. “The shelf and drawers turned out to be a simple yet ideal solution,” Woodruff says.
Other special features. Bronze-accented pendant lights. Gray glazed ceramic backsplash tile.
Designer tip. “Take the time to find a designer that you trust and enjoy working with,” Woodruff says. “Creating a beautiful space that meets all of your needs truly is a collaborative effort between the client, the designer and the contractors. Be open to suggestions and allow your designer to guide you, but don’t be afraid to ask questions and offer feedback. Also, allow plenty of time to plan so that nothing is overlooked. Developing a design is a process, and it doesn’t happen overnight. I believe that one of the reasons that this kitchen was such a success is due to my clients’ open-minded attitude, participation and patience throughout the entire process.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “One of the clients’ objectives for the new design was to eliminate the existing bulkheads above the wall cabinets,” Woodruff says. “I consulted with the contractor when we initiated the design process to confirm that the bulkheads could be removed, and he assured me that it wouldn’t be a problem. It wasn’t until the day after I ordered the cabinets that I realized that the bulkheads had not yet been opened to confirm that they could be removed. We discovered that there was plumbing in a very unlikely spot that would prevent the removal of the bulkhead. I immediately put a hold on the cabinet order and revised the design to incorporate shorter wall cabinets and a taller, stacked crown molding to accommodate the plumbing. Major crisis averted.”
Pendant lights: Placuna, Uttermost
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Designer: Melinda Woodruff of M Woodruff Design
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Size: 157 square feet (15 square meters); 9½ by 16½ feet
Homeowners’ request. Update a dated kitchen and get rid of the downdraft range over a curved island that prevented the homeowners from using the island as a gathering space. The renovation also included adding pantry storage, new lighting and a new range. “The first step in addressing this list was to relocate the range to a wall so that the island could be utilized as the multipurpose space they desired,” designer Melinda Woodruff says. “They were a bit unsure of this change initially, but after seeing the first round of drawings, they were completely on board. This also allowed us to incorporate the larger, pro-style range they desired as well as a furniture hood that they were excited to add as a design feature.”
Island details. Natural walnut base with a 3-inch quartz countertop that resembles white Macaubas quartzite. The island doubles as the homeowners’ office workstation, so Woodruff added a slim shelf below the countertop for storing a laptop and other materials. Outlets at the back let the owners recharge their laptops. Drawers on one end store papers and other supplies. “The shelf and drawers turned out to be a simple yet ideal solution,” Woodruff says.
Other special features. Bronze-accented pendant lights. Gray glazed ceramic backsplash tile.
Designer tip. “Take the time to find a designer that you trust and enjoy working with,” Woodruff says. “Creating a beautiful space that meets all of your needs truly is a collaborative effort between the client, the designer and the contractors. Be open to suggestions and allow your designer to guide you, but don’t be afraid to ask questions and offer feedback. Also, allow plenty of time to plan so that nothing is overlooked. Developing a design is a process, and it doesn’t happen overnight. I believe that one of the reasons that this kitchen was such a success is due to my clients’ open-minded attitude, participation and patience throughout the entire process.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “One of the clients’ objectives for the new design was to eliminate the existing bulkheads above the wall cabinets,” Woodruff says. “I consulted with the contractor when we initiated the design process to confirm that the bulkheads could be removed, and he assured me that it wouldn’t be a problem. It wasn’t until the day after I ordered the cabinets that I realized that the bulkheads had not yet been opened to confirm that they could be removed. We discovered that there was plumbing in a very unlikely spot that would prevent the removal of the bulkhead. I immediately put a hold on the cabinet order and revised the design to incorporate shorter wall cabinets and a taller, stacked crown molding to accommodate the plumbing. Major crisis averted.”
Pendant lights: Placuna, Uttermost
Find a kitchen designer near you
2. Industrial Steel Dolly
Designer: Kim Ronemus Design
Location: Stratford, Connecticut
Homeowners’ request. A simple, open and airy space with durable finishes that could stand up to short-term-rental traffic.
Island details. An industrial steel dolly from a closed-down factory. “The result was a great splash of color and storage that was open and airy and had some extra workspace,” designer Kim Ronemus says.
Other special features. Open shelves made of reclaimed wood. Oversize pendant lights found at a flea market. Painted grayish-white flooring.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to use oversize lighting fixtures in a small space,” Ronemus says. “I found these in Texas at the Round Top flea market. They are real midcentury statement makers, but because they are hanging over the island, they don’t take up any space. They just add that unexpected tongue-in-cheek character.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “People kept telling me not to paint the floor,” Ronemus says. “About half the floor was covered with ’80s style terra-cotta tile, which was dark brown and extremely heavy looking. We ripped up all of that and put down real wood planks and then painted the whole floor a grayish white. Immediately the whole house felt airy and inviting, like a sea breeze. And yes, it wears and scuffs, but that’s what makes it even more beautiful and lovingly lived-in. It makes it less precious looking and more like a beach cottage where you can kick off your flip-flops and put your feet up.”
Shop for kitchen islands and carts
Designer: Kim Ronemus Design
Location: Stratford, Connecticut
Homeowners’ request. A simple, open and airy space with durable finishes that could stand up to short-term-rental traffic.
Island details. An industrial steel dolly from a closed-down factory. “The result was a great splash of color and storage that was open and airy and had some extra workspace,” designer Kim Ronemus says.
Other special features. Open shelves made of reclaimed wood. Oversize pendant lights found at a flea market. Painted grayish-white flooring.
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to use oversize lighting fixtures in a small space,” Ronemus says. “I found these in Texas at the Round Top flea market. They are real midcentury statement makers, but because they are hanging over the island, they don’t take up any space. They just add that unexpected tongue-in-cheek character.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “People kept telling me not to paint the floor,” Ronemus says. “About half the floor was covered with ’80s style terra-cotta tile, which was dark brown and extremely heavy looking. We ripped up all of that and put down real wood planks and then painted the whole floor a grayish white. Immediately the whole house felt airy and inviting, like a sea breeze. And yes, it wears and scuffs, but that’s what makes it even more beautiful and lovingly lived-in. It makes it less precious looking and more like a beach cottage where you can kick off your flip-flops and put your feet up.”
Shop for kitchen islands and carts
3. ‘Good, Sturdy Table’ on Wheels
Designers: Jacob Albert and JB Clancy of Albert, Righter & Tittmann Architects, and Kerry Wilson
Location: Connecticut countryside
Size: 165 square feet (15 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The kitchen renovation was part of a comprehensive renovation of the house, a beloved rustic retreat our client’s grandparents had built in the 1920s,” architect Jacob Albert says. “The kitchen probably hadn’t been updated since the 1950s. Everything needed doing but in such a way as the old patina would remain. [The homeowners] love to cook, so it had to be a real working kitchen. But it also had to be an inviting room, which it really wasn’t before.”
Island details. A painted wood table on wheels with a butcher-block top. “The island is just a good, sturdy table — a much-used workspace but also a place to pull up a couple of chairs,” Albert says. “Since the room is small, it helps not to fill the center with a solid block of cabinets.”
Other special features. Butcher-block perimeter countertop. Painted checkerboard-stenciled floor.
Designer tip. “The open spice shelves and trellis-like pot rack help keep the space open and not too clogged with built-in cabinets,” Albert says. “It’s in the spirit of this old and informal house.”
Designers: Jacob Albert and JB Clancy of Albert, Righter & Tittmann Architects, and Kerry Wilson
Location: Connecticut countryside
Size: 165 square feet (15 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “The kitchen renovation was part of a comprehensive renovation of the house, a beloved rustic retreat our client’s grandparents had built in the 1920s,” architect Jacob Albert says. “The kitchen probably hadn’t been updated since the 1950s. Everything needed doing but in such a way as the old patina would remain. [The homeowners] love to cook, so it had to be a real working kitchen. But it also had to be an inviting room, which it really wasn’t before.”
Island details. A painted wood table on wheels with a butcher-block top. “The island is just a good, sturdy table — a much-used workspace but also a place to pull up a couple of chairs,” Albert says. “Since the room is small, it helps not to fill the center with a solid block of cabinets.”
Other special features. Butcher-block perimeter countertop. Painted checkerboard-stenciled floor.
Designer tip. “The open spice shelves and trellis-like pot rack help keep the space open and not too clogged with built-in cabinets,” Albert says. “It’s in the spirit of this old and informal house.”
4. Two Levels, Two Countertop Materials
Builder: Jeremy Peterson of Westin Hills
Location: Longboat Key, Florida
Size: 270 square feet (25 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A large, open, coastal-contemporary kitchen. “The previous space was very closed in and separated from the main living space,” says builder Jeremy Peterson, whose clients found him by searching on Houzz. “We removed the walls closing it off from the living area, continued the vaulted ceiling into the kitchen and moved a supporting beam up into the attic. We also incorporated the previous dining area into the kitchen by providing a lot of seating around the kitchen island.”
Island details. The multilevel design includes a lower portion with seating for up to nine guests and an upper portion for prep work that includes a sink, dishwasher and microwave drawer. Both countertops are quartz.
Designer tip. “What really made this space was the vaulted ceiling we continued into the kitchen from the living space,” Peterson says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “We were concerned about being able to support the lower bar top on the kitchen island,” Peterson says. “Normally these tops are cantilevered out and [don’t need an] independent support structure. We had to design a custom concealed steel support structure for the lower bar top. I knew we could design one to carry the heavy load, but carrying the load and making it small enough to be concealed was the challenge — one, of course, we were able to overcome.”
Builder: Jeremy Peterson of Westin Hills
Location: Longboat Key, Florida
Size: 270 square feet (25 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A large, open, coastal-contemporary kitchen. “The previous space was very closed in and separated from the main living space,” says builder Jeremy Peterson, whose clients found him by searching on Houzz. “We removed the walls closing it off from the living area, continued the vaulted ceiling into the kitchen and moved a supporting beam up into the attic. We also incorporated the previous dining area into the kitchen by providing a lot of seating around the kitchen island.”
Island details. The multilevel design includes a lower portion with seating for up to nine guests and an upper portion for prep work that includes a sink, dishwasher and microwave drawer. Both countertops are quartz.
Designer tip. “What really made this space was the vaulted ceiling we continued into the kitchen from the living space,” Peterson says.
“Uh-oh” moment. “We were concerned about being able to support the lower bar top on the kitchen island,” Peterson says. “Normally these tops are cantilevered out and [don’t need an] independent support structure. We had to design a custom concealed steel support structure for the lower bar top. I knew we could design one to carry the heavy load, but carrying the load and making it small enough to be concealed was the challenge — one, of course, we were able to overcome.”
5. Raised Baking Station
Designer: Candace White of The WhiteHouse Collection
Location: West Linn, Oregon
Size: 320 square feet (30 square meters); 16 by 20 feet
Homeowners’ request. This kitchen is part of a speculative home that was custom designed for Silver Oak Custom Homes. “As a modern farmhouse in a country setting, it was important that the kitchen was the heart of the home, had great flow, entertained beautifully and had a fresh look,” designer Candace White says.
Island details. Stained hickory wood base, raised baking station (painted in Pure White by Sherwin-Williams), prep sink and quartz countertops.
Other special features. Contemporary chandelier. Glossy white subway tile with white grout.
Designer: Candace White of The WhiteHouse Collection
Location: West Linn, Oregon
Size: 320 square feet (30 square meters); 16 by 20 feet
Homeowners’ request. This kitchen is part of a speculative home that was custom designed for Silver Oak Custom Homes. “As a modern farmhouse in a country setting, it was important that the kitchen was the heart of the home, had great flow, entertained beautifully and had a fresh look,” designer Candace White says.
Island details. Stained hickory wood base, raised baking station (painted in Pure White by Sherwin-Williams), prep sink and quartz countertops.
Other special features. Contemporary chandelier. Glossy white subway tile with white grout.
6. Two Islands, Multiple Materials
Designer: Marta Blachowicz of Martitect Design
Location: San Luis Obispo, California
Homeowners’ request. Combine the wife’s love of industrial style with the husband’s love of modern. “The result is modestly elegant with a seamless flow that incorporates natural wood with stone, steel and multilayered lighting,” designer Marta Blachowicz says.
Island details. Matte gray bases that recall brushed steel, made by an Italian company called Fenix that combines paper and resins. White marble top on the island closest to the range acting as the main prep space. High-gloss walnut top on the foreground island, which is more of a bar and entertainment area. Walnut-lined island nook the homeowners use to feed their dogs.
Other special features. Marble slab backsplash. Walnut-wood-paneled wall with open cubbies made of the same gray material used for the island bases.
Designer: Marta Blachowicz of Martitect Design
Location: San Luis Obispo, California
Homeowners’ request. Combine the wife’s love of industrial style with the husband’s love of modern. “The result is modestly elegant with a seamless flow that incorporates natural wood with stone, steel and multilayered lighting,” designer Marta Blachowicz says.
Island details. Matte gray bases that recall brushed steel, made by an Italian company called Fenix that combines paper and resins. White marble top on the island closest to the range acting as the main prep space. High-gloss walnut top on the foreground island, which is more of a bar and entertainment area. Walnut-lined island nook the homeowners use to feed their dogs.
Other special features. Marble slab backsplash. Walnut-wood-paneled wall with open cubbies made of the same gray material used for the island bases.
7. Freestanding Marble-and-Metal Piece
Designer: Katja Lauterbach of Duett Design
General contractor: Peter Ranney of Ranney Blair Home Renovations
Location: Roswell, Georgia
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters); 10 by 30 feet
Homeowners’ request. A dramatic black-and-gold kitchen without too much ornamentation.
Island details. A freestanding piece with a marble top and black metal legs with gold accents. “The color inspiration for the kitchen was drawn from that island,” general contractor Peter Ranney says.
Other special features. Matte black frameless flat-panel cabinets with brushed-brass hardware. Porcelain slab perimeter countertops and backsplash resembling Calacatta marble.
Wall sconces: Sal, Regina Andrew
Designer: Katja Lauterbach of Duett Design
General contractor: Peter Ranney of Ranney Blair Home Renovations
Location: Roswell, Georgia
Size: 300 square feet (28 square meters); 10 by 30 feet
Homeowners’ request. A dramatic black-and-gold kitchen without too much ornamentation.
Island details. A freestanding piece with a marble top and black metal legs with gold accents. “The color inspiration for the kitchen was drawn from that island,” general contractor Peter Ranney says.
Other special features. Matte black frameless flat-panel cabinets with brushed-brass hardware. Porcelain slab perimeter countertops and backsplash resembling Calacatta marble.
Wall sconces: Sal, Regina Andrew
8. Angled With Raised Chopping Station
Designer: Wendy O’Brien
Location: Lake Oswego, Oregon
Size: 320 square feet (30 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A traditional-style kitchen with more storage, a larger island and a workspace separate from the eating and entertaining areas. “The family is also tall and asked for my advice on raising the counter height in order to reduce back strain while chopping food, and to eliminate as many upper cabinets as possible,” designer Wendy O’Brien says.
Island details. An angled design — the result of a staircase on the other side of the wall to the right in this photo — maximizes countertop and storage space. The island includes a raised walnut cutting board on one end and a seating area on the other, as well as a prep sink, trash pullout, microwave drawer, beverage cooler and cookbook cabinet. The base cabinets are painted in Magnetic Gray by Sherwin-Williams.
Other special features. Perimeter cabinets painted in Pure White by Sherwin-Williams (walls are Lattice, also by Sherwin-Williams). Quartz countertops and backsplash. Accent cabinets with curved fretwork.
Designer tip. “I love a kitchen that is easy to clean,” O’Brien says. “Using the same counter material as your backsplash creates a seamless look with no grout lines. It can be cost prohibitive for some clients, so we use a large-format tile in some cases.”
More on Houzz
What’s Popular for Kitchen Islands in Remodeled Kitchens
Plan Your Kitchen Island Seating to Suit Your Family’s Needs
Get more kitchen design ideas
Find a kitchen designer
Shop for kitchen products
Designer: Wendy O’Brien
Location: Lake Oswego, Oregon
Size: 320 square feet (30 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A traditional-style kitchen with more storage, a larger island and a workspace separate from the eating and entertaining areas. “The family is also tall and asked for my advice on raising the counter height in order to reduce back strain while chopping food, and to eliminate as many upper cabinets as possible,” designer Wendy O’Brien says.
Island details. An angled design — the result of a staircase on the other side of the wall to the right in this photo — maximizes countertop and storage space. The island includes a raised walnut cutting board on one end and a seating area on the other, as well as a prep sink, trash pullout, microwave drawer, beverage cooler and cookbook cabinet. The base cabinets are painted in Magnetic Gray by Sherwin-Williams.
Other special features. Perimeter cabinets painted in Pure White by Sherwin-Williams (walls are Lattice, also by Sherwin-Williams). Quartz countertops and backsplash. Accent cabinets with curved fretwork.
Designer tip. “I love a kitchen that is easy to clean,” O’Brien says. “Using the same counter material as your backsplash creates a seamless look with no grout lines. It can be cost prohibitive for some clients, so we use a large-format tile in some cases.”
More on Houzz
What’s Popular for Kitchen Islands in Remodeled Kitchens
Plan Your Kitchen Island Seating to Suit Your Family’s Needs
Get more kitchen design ideas
Find a kitchen designer
Shop for kitchen products
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Love everything
What a beautiful hood in #5. Great kitchen photos!
We use our island as the only eating space in kitchen. Seating is on 3 sides on one end. It is clear of sinks and cooktop. For my personal preference it’s the only way I would have an island. The non eating end is close to the stove and works great as work space. Most of the time it is cleared off with a little decoration in the middle, as you would a dining table. For me if the island is clear, I can handle a bit of everyday mess and clutter. A bit of an island oasis in the middle of my busy kitchen!