The natural texture of the wooden cage along with the matching cabinet pulls adds just enough warmth to make the family’s gathering spot feel approachable and inviting. All the sleek black details in this kitchen, from the pantry door to the bottom cabinetry and kitchen island, are instantly warmed up with the wooden countertop on the kitchen island. Bright bar stool cushions create a striking contrast and tie the white cabinetry into the space.
From the distressed floors to the rough-hewn wood ceiling beams, this custom Pennsylvania house by Classic Colonial Homes is full of rustic beauty. The wooden island countertop helps capture the feel of an 18th century New England farmhouse kitchen. Dip your toe in the color pool instead, whether you store colorful pottery in glass-front cabinets, bring in colorful furniture, or paint a large piece like this kitchen island in Tropical Moss by Dunn-Edwards Paints. The marble kitchen in this example is part of a grey and white kitchen scheme with a matching marble backsplash.
The wall tiles are by Waterworks, the stove is Viking and the stools are by York Street Studio. The 19th-century Windsor chair is a family heirloom, and the 1920s English pendants are from BK Antiques. In this railway depot turned home in upstate New York, the cabinetry and marble-top kitchen island are custom made, the aveda tuition 2021 nickel display case is 19th century and the pendants are by Urban Archaeology. The kitchen of Bobby Flay’s Hamptons home features custom-made cabinets and an island painted in Benjamin Moore’s Majestic Blue. The brass pendants are by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort, and the French bistro chairs are by Beaufurn.
A wine refrigerator tucks into the end of the kitchen island in the minimalist kitchen. It’s a efficient use of space that maintains the room’s clean, open lines. Navy modern bistro stools with solid elm wood seats at the island allow family or guests to enjoy a drink or snack while visiting with the host or hostess at the cooktop. If you need that extra countertop space in your kitchen but don’t have the budget for one, don’t forget to look for old furniture pieces online or at garage sales. Even the most simple furniture pieces can be repurposed into an island for the kitchen.
Double marble and Caesarstone-clad islands, which complement pendants by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort, are the highlight of an airy kitchen in Orem, Utah, family home designed by Alice Lane Home Collection. In the kitchen of a stunning Alex Papachristidis-designed Manhattan apartment, the custom island is topped with brushed stainless steel. This sculptural kitchen island, in the Sydney home of Aussie designer Tamsin Johnson, ranks among the best we’ve ever seen. The bespoke creation, carved from a piece of gray Bianco Gioia stone, is equal parts work of art and family gathering spot. “Reclaim” was the name of the game in this London townhouse designed by local firm Retrouvius. That philosophy extended to the upcycled kitchen island, which began life as a pair of mirrored museum cabinets.
If you can’t afford to replace your kitchen island, then work with what you’ve got! In this ultratrendy mother-daughter home in West Vancouver, Canada, PlaidFox worked with the existing island but remixed it with a fresh coat of teal paint, funky lighting, and plush seating. Slim-profile wooden countertops generally create a more contemporary feel than super-thick slabs, as you can see in this kitchen in Lyon, France.