Kitchens
Incorporate wine storage. If you’re always struggling to find a spot for your wine collection, ease your frustration by adding wine storage to your island.
MaterialsChoosing to match or contrast the island to the materials of the room is a critical decision. Choosing a fine hardwood will make it more furniture-like. Matching the surrounding cabinetry will clearly say it’s a part of the kitchen, while choosing an altogether different material will make it more of a table and something clearly distinct.The island here contrasts the cabinetry but draws on a similar tonal palette. The black counter and hardware accents along with the pendant fixture tie this composition together without relying on one single material. It’s a more complex dialogue that adds richness to the kitchen. This island is 16 feet long with 40 inches of clearance around it and an amazing cantilevered seating area measuring 78 by 40 inches.
FocusOne undeniable advantage of the long island is that it allows for a change in the traditional orientation of kitchen tasks. It does this by creating a workspace large enough to allow for all of the kitchen work — preparation, cooking and cleanup — to occur in and around the island, allowing the cooks to face their guests and family gathered in the kitchen.This island’s design lends a laboratory vibe to the space. It’s freestanding and furniture-like, permitting dining for the entire family at one end, open and closed storage at the opposite end, and preparation, cooking and serving in between. It’s also proof that even a large island can feel light and open. Being proportional to the space is key here, and I love how this one functions as a communal worktable.
1. Compact ComboDesigner: Dianne Berman of Delo InteriorsLocation: TorontoSize: 320 square feet (about 30 square meters) Year built: 1975; was renovated in the early ’90s, and this recent update was completed in 2015Kitchen seating: Given the small footprint and square shape, designer Dianne Berman knew she had to make every inch count. By grouping the dining space with a large island and connecting the bench seating to it, she created one path of travel around the entire kitchen rather than two. “This layout also created a more intimate feel,” Berman says. “The homeowners can cook and prep while family and friends gather around the table, bar area or island. Everyone faces toward the center of the space, which makes conversations flow.” Homeowners’ request: Clean lines, minimal ornamentation and a calm color palette. Functionally, they wanted space to entertain small and large groups of friends and family. The entrance to the home opens to this space, so storage for coats, boots and shoes was a must. Berman integrated built-in cabinets and drawers beneath the stairway.Why the design works: To make the kitchen feel larger, Berman carried the backsplash to the ceiling. She also kept...
It gives you the chance to use a wood that is no longer available. One of the homeowners of this Connecticut home had fallen in love with the aged look of kitchens she saw on her travels to Africa — nail holes, mortise and tenon joints, and imperfections in the wood just made it better in her eyes. The pros at Crown Point Cabinetry got their hands on this American chestnut wood from a dismantled barn in Virginia and made the cabinets and other wood accents in the room from the wood.Be aware that working with reclaimed wood does have its challenges. You’ll have to decide if it’s worth the extra effort and labor costs. The pros on this project first had to X-ray the wood to find the hidden nails, then remove them and replane the boards. They finished the wood with a honey stain and a glaze.See more of this kitchen
Why Use Reclaimed Wood? It brings a special charm to the kitchen. Reclaimed wood lends a sense of history, as you think about where the wood lived in its former life — perhaps your cabinets were crafted from a sturdy beam, your floors were recycled from a house that is no longer standing or your butcher block came from a 19th-century charcuterie in Paris. It can also contrast beautifully with the sleekness of surfaces like stainless steel, tile and stone.It can add age to a new kitchen in an instant. This stunning European-style kitchen looks decades old, thanks to the planks of reclaimed white oak on the ceiling and island. The planks originally came from a mushroom farm. The carpenters planed, sanded and treated the planks with an eco-friendly clear sealer. Wood fabrication: Exclusive Woodworking
A sole dining table is a great way to incorporate a workspace that seamlessly switches over to a dining space, but it’s also a place where people face one another — instead of the cook — for a type of gathering most islands don’t provide. Here an antique table set with antique chairs breathes an old-fashion feel into this otherwise white kitchen by Sage Kitchens. A small rolling island in the background can act as an additional workstation when needed.
4. Butcher Block Cart Designers: Erik Fagerland, Chris Woodby and Scott Fagerland of EFA Architect / BuilderLocation: Long Beach, Washington Size: 192 square feet (17.8 square meters); 12 by 16 feet (3.6 by 4.8 meters)Homeowners’ request: Expand the kitchen of an existing beach cabin to gain more natural light and openness.Island alternative: Butcher block cart. “Because of the overall width of the kitchen, we could not fit a traditional island,” architect Scott Fagerland says. “There would not have been enough room on either side.”
This final table is made from the same material as the cabinetry in the kitchen. The heavy oak top plays against the oak floors and helps this table do true double duty as an island. A table in a position like this lends itself to better conversations and easier meal preparation by multiple cooks. It sums up the expression "heart of the home" perfectly.
Color makes an island a jewel. A big splash of turquoise makes this Austin family’s kitchen island a focal point. With the help of interior designer Amity Worrel, homeowners James Spindler and Mina Kumar added a pecan wood table-height extension to one side to create an eat-at area. Island paint: Arsenic No. 214, Farrow & BallSee the rest of this home
Connecting spaces in London. In Michael and Courtney Adamo’s Victorian home, a large island creates a transitional zone. The kitchen side is made for food prep, while the other is a great area where their four children can work on projects and homework. See the rest of this home
A family gathering spot in Dallas. When renovating after a tornado hit their home, John Gilliland and Lenore LoCascio wanted an island large enough so the whole family could gather and have conversations. Instead of the typical straight-line bar, they added wraparound seating at one end of their island. “This is our favorite spot in the house,” Gilliland says. “This is the center of it all.”See the rest of this home
Going multipurpose in Newfoundland and Labrador. In Jonathan and Tammy Greenland’s Canadian home, the island has a seating area that wraps around two sides, lots of storage and prep space, and even a range. See the rest of this home
This simple metal base adds another modern element to the room. The open design, with a base that’s set back from the sides and ends, creates a lot of legroom and is visually lightweight to match the thin profile of the countertop. Another diner could probably be placed on the end. Allow 24 inches for each chair width and a minimum table width of 30 inches for comfortable seating.
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