A roof over the head, clothing, and meals have been the utmost necessity of mankind for ages. This marks the end of the struggles and hardships of the life of wilderness once endured by the early civilizations and the shifting of cultures from the woods to the rural and later the urban settlements.

A house has always been the dream of humankind for amenities, prevention from wild animals, protection against harsh weather, and various other purposes.

A body without a soul and a home without a kitchen are incomplete. A kitchen caters to one of the biggest demands of the human body- food, which charges man with the energy required to carry out our day-to-day tasks. Traditionally, the kitchen is a place where you cook and a room where healthy relationships are maintained. Therefore, it is equally important for us that, like all the other house spaces, we should make our kitchen a place worth its importance.

Why Is Kitchen Island a Good Option?

A kitchen island is a good option for a unique kitchen outlook. It gives your kitchen an attractive look and adds more storage space to the smaller kitchens. These islands serve as the dining table when the cooking part is over.

Therefore, selecting a complimentary furniture set like stools and chairs can make it even more creative. They also fulfill the purpose of storage as the space in islands can be utilized by providing shelves or cabinets on the island.

People who are planning for the renovation of their old kitchen can also give a thought to recreating the kitchen using kitchen islands. This will give their kitchen a new and modern look. These islands are also helpful in managing space in small houses as they help save the separate dining area space and counter space.

List of Things to Do in a Kitchen Island

To make your kitchen island unique and stunning, you can either copy the designer’s styles already available in the market or create your kitchen island by adding a few more features to the existing islands. You can even hire designers to make a custom kitchen island for you.

Following are a few ideas that can assist you in your journey of creating an astounding kitchen island with a homey feel.

1. Size of the Kitchen Island

This is the first thing that should be finalized. If you have a lot of space in your kitchen, you can go for both the large and small kitchen islands as per your budget and preferences.

Large kitchen islands usually benefit joint families as they can accommodate the whole family. By adding a little creativity and experimenting with the furniture, appliances, and lighting, you can create a stunning island and will receive tons of compliments.

2 . Experiment with the Material of the Island 

There are many options available in the market from which you can choose a suitable material for your kitchen and the one you think will completely suit your kitchen. Marble, stone, tile, and stainless steel are the most popular options available to customers.

You can use stones and marble to give your kitchen an artistic look. They prove to be a good choice to prevent damage due to heat and are extremely durable and long-lasting. If you want to add a vintage look to your kitchen, go for a kitchen island that is either completely made up of wood or one with a wooden countertop. To showcase a modern lifestyle, one can opt for islands made of granite.

To prevent any scratches and marks on the island while chopping or cutting vegetables, the butcher block is the best option for the countertop of the islands. Butcher block countertops will also help give your kitchen a vintage look. Tiles and stainless steel are the best when someone is looking for budget-friendly material for the kitchen island. Stainless steel is also the easiest to clean.

3. Color 

Colour grips the eye, and a kitchen island holds no exception. Color has the power to create an impact on the users and the visitors. Similar is the case of kitchen islands, too. The perfect choice of color combinations helps make the kitchen more lively and attractive.

While black and white are the favorite colors of many designers for a custom island, you can always come up with unique color combinations chosen according to your preference. 

Brown-colored cabinets help in giving the island a modern look. Colors like black and brown also give the kitchens a bold and complete look. As per the latest trends, grey color has been the preference of many customers to give their islands a different look. The color blue is also in trend. You can even go for contrasting combinations for your kitchen. 

It is your wish whether you want to select a complimenting island with shelves or one that is contrasting with the cabinets. However, having an idea of both looks is always beneficial, as just a minute difference can greatly impact the kitchen’s overall look.

Apart from these factors, the island’s material is also decisive and pivotal in deciding the kitchen’s outlook. A variety of materials are available to choose from, which include ceramic ones as well as mineral alternatives.

4. Shape of the Island

The shape of the kitchen island, too, plays an important role in the overall look of the islands. Generally, the traditional island has a rectangular or square shape. However, the shapes can be altered based on the customer’s taste. These are best for kitchens that have a lot of space. But with time, the trends have changed with the introduction of new shapes and patterns.

Nowadays, countertop overhang patterns are gaining a lot of popularity. What makes these islands unique is that one side can be used for food prep and the other for seating purposes, thus making it a multipurpose one.

A V-shaped kitchen island or islands with round edges can be considered for a modern look. Depending on your choice, you can add shelves or cabinetry on the island to use the maximum space.

5. Add-Ons

If you are still not satisfied after experimenting with the color, material, and size of the island, then you should shift your focus toward the add-ons to make the island look more creative and visually appealing.

A wide range of add-ons, like shelves and drawers, can be added to utilize the maximum space. You can also go for open shelves.

For example, designers have experimented with the supports of the kitchen island. One of the designers has developed the concept of turned legs to make the kitchen island look unique. People with a small kitchen can add open shelves or cabinets on the island to save cabinet space and make the kitchen look more spacious. To add a classic look to your island, you can add lighting features and accessories like a spoon holder, napkin stand, etc.

6. Fixtures

Fixtures are an add-on to the islands. The fixtures include a sink, stove, counter, shelves, or drawers. The overall style of the kitchen island is also determined by adding these fixtures and is often enhanced by these fixtures. The long island can accommodate many more fixtures than a smaller one.

But it should not be forgotten that large islands can utilize more space in the kitchen, making the kitchen look congested unless a pre-management strategy is present. Thus, you should plan well in advance regarding the number of fixtures you want to add to your kitchen island. This would depend on the number of tasks you want to use on the island; generally, more tasks require more fixtures.

Don’t forget to add a switch to the island if you wish to use a microwave and other appliances. Accessorize your island with the proper accessories for a complete look. However, add just the essential fixtures to your island if you want a modest look.

7. Experiment with the Design of the Kitchen Island

There is no end to the creative ideas that can come into a person’s mind. One can create beautiful and eye-capturing masterpieces with a little change in the existing styles. Movable islands are one such example of innovative ideas. You can create a different island, or if you love doing experiments, try experimenting with existing kitchen accessories or patterns to design your island.

Lastly, a vibrant design or pattern can help elevate the monotonous-looking kitchen island. If you are confused about what to do, then you can take the help of the various styles of kitchen island ideas available on the internet.

8. Location of the Kitchen Island

Like any other factor, the island’s location is equally important in determining the kitchen’s overall look. If all the other factors, like the color, shape, and size, are perfect, but you don’t place the island in the required place, it might also spoil the kitchen’s look. Thus, the location of the kitchen island should be decided beforehand on a priority basis.

Moreover, if the island is not built at the place where it should be built, then chances are that the kitchen starts looking crowded. Therefore, be more cautious while choosing a suitable location for your kitchen island to achieve the complete look. It should be placed where it doesn’t make the kitchen look congested as well, and the movement of the people is also not affected. 

Bottom Line

One thing that you should not forget whenever you are planning to either add a new island or are about to recreate the older one is that you should have a clear picture of the final look of the same beforehand as chances are there that if you make decisions in a hurry, then you might spoil the look of your kitchen island as well as destroying the look of the kitchen instead of enhancing it.

If you don’t have a clear idea of the island or the fixtures you want to add, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. If you want to create the island yourself, then there is no harm in taking ideas from the designers, as it is your dream kitchen.