70 Best Kitchen Island Ideas for Kitchens Large and Small
We gathered all our best kitchen island ideas, from unique antique finds to custom-built pieces.
The right kitchen island can add so much functionality to the heart of your home. Need more prep space in a small kitchen? A rolling cart can do the trick. Got a bit more room? An island can provide a ton of extra storage, accommodate a sink or appliances, or serve as a casual dining and entertaining space when you pull up a few stools for seating. Here, we’ve gathered our best kitchen island ideas for spaces large and small.
If you’ve got the skills, you can DIY a kitchen island on a budget using reclaimed materials, or you can use these ideas to jumpstart a conversation with your designer or contractor. And if you love farmhouse-style kitchens, you’ll find so many ways to repurpose old pieces—a timeworn bakery table, an antique printer press worktable, an old-school hardware store counter, to name a few—into unique kitchen islands that no one will have but you, no assembly required. (Of course, a brand-new piece can still deliver the farmhouse chic aesthetic—check out Diane Keaton’s dreamy home to see how chicken wire-faced cabinet doors on an island add rustic charm).
While it's totally fine to match the finishes to the rest of your cabinetry, you can also make your island an accent piece. For instance, you can add personality to an all-white kitchen by painting an island one of our favorite kitchen colors. Or, switch up your countertop surfaces by topping an island with butcher block, honed marble, or wallet-friendly zinc. You'll see examples of all these concepts and more in the kitchen island ideas that follow.
Anna Logan is the Senior Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she covers design and decorating trends, home features, and gift guides. She also produces home features and styles content for the print magazine. When she isn’t working, can often be found digging around antique shops for the perfect find. Follow her adventures on Instagram!
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