Kitchen Island Designs

Of all the rooms in your home, the kitchen island is possibly the most versatile. It can serve as a backdrop for starters, cocktails, and conversations, and it can create another counter while cooking. So don’t leave such a busy room unadorned. If you’re looking for help creating the kitchen island of your dreams, follow our guide to get a little bit of design inspiration.

Double duty

If you enjoy entertaining, you may already understand the frustration of trying to chat with guests while you cook them a full meal at the same time. As a multi-purpose room in the house, your kitchen island is a great place to separate you from your guests. Pull up a set of matching stools or chairs so you can park your guests far enough away from any food preparation. Check out the kitchen island we installed in this South Orange, New Jersey kitchen that creates the perfect space for entertaining.

Counter stool with low backrest

One of the advantages of having a kitchen island over having a partitioned off room is that one island gives you a view of the rest of your home. If you’re looking to add some counter stools to your kitchen island, consider a low-back option to help maintain lines of sight in your home. And if you’re looking for help with counter stools, check out these 10 options our designers love.

marble

With this year’s focus on designing with natural elements, we will continue to source marble and wood materials for any number of areas in the home. And that certainly includes the kitchen. If you’re looking for a way to add a bit of marble to your kitchen, decorate your kitchen island with a top of white marble like we did in this luxury San Francisco apartment.

Contrasting island

When deciding on a neutral color scheme, it is worth remembering the importance of creating a high-contrast palette. And the kitchen island is another place where you can create a stark contrast. We love the look of a black and white kitchen. If you don’t want to install black cabinetry, consider adding a black kitchen island like we did in this modern Montauk hideaway.

All white kitchen island

All-white rooms often feel boring and are often difficult to clean. However, if your kitchen already contains many contrasting elements, you should opt for an all-white kitchen island. This Westchester family home has beautiful hardwood floors, so we installed an island adorned with white cabinets and topped with white countertops.