As far as kitchen design goes, most of the fuss (and fun) can center on statement-making elements like cabinet colors, backsplashes, and lighting. Kitchen islands, on the other hand, can often get lumped into the boring, functional category. As pragmatic as a kitchen island may be, it’s an essential supporting character amid life’s daily rhythm, as Australian designer Tamsin Johnson points out. “Islands really serve as a family anchor in the home,” she shares. “They seem to magnetize congregation, so they almost create a sort of refuge. In this way they are not just a practical object but they become a crossbeam in the family architecture.”
Such importance naturally commands good design. In fact Johnson’s own kitchen island—a cantilevered stone monolith that could have been plucked straight out of OMA’s model shop—was featured front-and-center in our April 2022 issue.
So what makes for a scene-stealing kitchen island? “They need to look solid and permanent, like they were always there and not like an afterthought,” Johnson says. “Stone certainly gives them gravitas, but each kitchen will be different.” And even if you have a slim budget, there are still wallet-friendly ways to create a unique kitchen island. Johnson, for her part, suggests using a hefty antique table instead of something generic and off-the-shelf.
For more inspiration, peruse the 60 kitchen ideas below to discover how you might begin crafting an island of your own. Go ahead: get stranded.
1
Bold and Beautiful
2
Modern Lovers
3
Sleek Waterfall
4
Cottage Chic
5
Salvage Beauty
6
Primary Rules
7
Color Blocked
8
Minty Fresh
9
All-Over Marble
10
Old World Glam
11
The Node Knows
12
Monolithic Marble
13
Terrazzo-Topped
14
Patinated Brass Island
15
Sculptural Island
16
Rustic yet Refined
17
Lacquered Looker
18
All that Brass
19
Pepper Granite
20
Walnut Veneer Island
21
Curved Island
22
Tile and Marble
23
Butcher Block Island
25
Vintage Table Island
26
Gray Marble Kitchen Island
27
Stainless Steel Kitchen Island
28
Sleek, White Marble Kitchen Island
29
Steel and Walnut Kitchen Island
30
Double Kitchen Islands
31
Classic Kitchen Island
32
Salvaged Marble Kitchen Island
33
Wood and Grey Kitchen Island
34
Subdued Grey Kitchen Island
35
All-White Kitchen Island
36
Majestic Blue Kitchen Island
37
Blond Wood Kitchen Island
38
Bold Kitchen Island
39
Gray And White Kitchen Island
40
Rustic Kitchen Island
41
Custom-Made Kitchen Island
42
Oak Kitchen Island
43
Hague Blue Kitchen Island
44
Swedish Table Hague Blue Kitchen Island
45
Crisp White Kitchen Island
46
Modern Kitchen Island
47
Caesarstone Kitchen Island
48
Cast-Iron Kitchen Island
49
Icy Blue Kitchen Island
50
Marble and Oak Kitchen Island
51
Sophisticated Kitchen Island
52
Wine Refrigerator Kitchen Island
53
Modern Caesarstone Kitchen Island
54
Stainless Steel And Walnut Kitchen Island
55
Honed Carrara Marble Kitchen Island
56
Dark Wood Kitchen Island
57
White Ash Kitchen Island
58
Lush Green Kitchen Island
59
Cool Blue Kitchen Island
60
Quartzite Kitchen Island
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