Kitchen Island Ideas with Seating and Storage, Big or Small
Islands you can eat at, store things in or roll away, for large kitchens and small ones. Check which one fits on your own plan before you buy.
You like to cook, guests gather in the kitchen, and the worktop is never long enough. An island can fix that. It is a kitchen unit that stands in the middle of the room, not against a wall. Below are kitchen island ideas with seating, storage and unusual shapes, for large kitchens and small ones.
An island can be just a work surface or a place for storage. It can also hold:
- a sink;
- appliances;
- sliding drawers and shelves.
As a rule, nothing hangs above an island except lamps and sometimes a hood. Every kitchen is different, though. A pantry island, for example, gives you extra space to cook and keeps the room calm and cozy.
Is a kitchen island worth it?
Yes, if you choose the type that fits your room. A small island, an island on wheels or a narrow bar works where a large island does not.
Many people think an island is only for large, expensive kitchens. In their view it takes up a lot of space, looks heavy and brings more trouble than use. The ideas below show the opposite: the right island is comfortable, good-looking and useful. For each one, you will see what it gives you and what it asks of the room.
Islands for a large kitchen
A very long island
This one needs a large house. In return, the black curved work surface and the dining table become one piece. You cook at one end and eat at the other.
Marble island
Marble is one of our favorite materials. It goes with any texture and color, it is practical, and it looks good. That matters on an island, because the island is the part of the kitchen everyone sees.
Country-style island
Wood countertops are the most popular choice for an island. Choose a shade or texture that contrasts with the rest of the kitchen: the island then marks off its own zone.
Double island
The owners of this kitchen used two countertops to separate the breakfast table from the work surface. The reason is simple. Eating at a wooden table is more pleasant than eating at a work surface.
Kitchen island ideas with storage: what can an island hold?
Decor, dishes, books and food. An island with open shelves keeps all of them within reach.
Island with a hood
A hood in the middle of the room, above the island, is an unusual idea. You can attach shelves to the hood too. Keep what you put there attractive: it is visible from far away. This example is an industrial-style 3D project design.
Multifunctional island
An island is more than a place to stand. It can store all your kitchen utensils.
Island for a pet
Cat and dog bowls often end up scattered across the kitchen, under your feet, and they do not look good. The owners of this kitchen found a simple, neat solution and built it into the island.
Islands you can eat at
Multilevel island
Cook on one level and raise the dining part. Water and dirt from cooking then do not reach the place where you eat, so the island stays easier to keep clean.
The island as the dining table
A common belief says the kitchen island should not be the main dining table of the house. Many kitchens break that rule today, and the island works as the table.
Table island
You may not like a heavy island full of drawers and appliances. Use a large, high table instead. Sit at it on bar stools, and the whole family can cook dinner together around it.
Suspended island
One part of the island can hang free, without support from the floor. It takes no floor space and still works for a family meal.
Levitating island
The dining part of this island has no legs. It is comfortable to sit at, and the kitchen looks light and airy, although the island itself weighs a lot.
Which small kitchen island ideas work?
An island on legs, a narrow island, an island on wheels or a very small one. Each leaves more floor free than a heavy, massive island.
An island on legs
An island does not have to be heavy and massive. It can stand on legs and still have roomy storage drawers.
Narrow island
A narrow island holds less, but it makes a good bar: a place for snacks and a buffet.
Island on wheels
A small kitchen does not always have room for an island. Then push it aside. An island on wheels can be any size, even very large. Roll it out of the room or move it to the wall when you need the floor.
A very small island
Nobody says an island must be huge. To make coffee or cut cheese, you need only a little space, and that space can be in the middle of the kitchen.
Island by the window
We are used to thinking that an island must stand in the middle of the room. Natural light is a good reason to break that habit. Move the island closer to the window, and work there becomes more comfortable.
Which kitchen island shapes work besides a rectangle?
Square, round and corner-free islands all work. Fewer sharp corners mean less chance to hit them.
Square island
Many people believe an island must be rectangular. A square one holds all the plates and still leaves room for decoration in the center.
Round island
An island can have any shape, even an irregular one. This helps when a rectangle or a square does not fit your kitchen.
An island without corners
Designers like to find a solution that nobody has seen before. This island has no corners at all, so there is nothing to hit or scratch yourself on.
Make the island the feature of the room
An island is never hidden. Treat it as the main decoration of the kitchen, or even as an art object.
Bright island. Paint it in a contrasting or unexpected color.
Metal island. Wood is the main material for kitchens, but an island can be made of metal. It looks unusual and catches the eye from across the room.
Monolithic island. A solid block of concrete, with no traces of seams or fasteners, looks like a sculpture in the kitchen.
Sparkling island. Use a trend to show the character of your kitchen. Here one brass leg shines and turns the island into a piece of decor.
Before you choose
One piece of advice applies to every idea above: plan the space around the island before you install it. Leave enough free floor on every side, or the kitchen will feel overloaded.
The free space is easier to judge on your own kitchen than on a photo. Measure the room in Home Planner and draw it as a 2D plan. Then open Kitchen Collections, choose an island from the Kitchen Island category and check the walkways in 3D. You can also furnish the room with items from world-famous brands, create visualizations of the result, or take ideas from predesigned layouts for a bedroom, bathroom or living room.
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