A kitchen island is an attractive focal point for any kitchen. If you have the space, it can serve as a breakfast bar, a homework spot, a home office, or somewhere for a casual lunch or dinner. They can also be a really eye-catching style statement, helping you create the look you really want in your kitchen.
As with anything else, kitchen island trends are changing all the time. But there are plenty of trends with good staying power, helping you make sure your kitchen island will still be fashionable in years to come. Let’s look at some of the top trends for 2024 and how you can harness them for your own kitchen island design.
Top Kitchen Island Trends for 2024
When you’re looking for inspiration from the latest trends, keep an eye out for trends with staying power. You might want to be on-trend, but your kitchen island still needs to look good in five or ten years. Here are some of today’s kitchen island ideas that offer a timeless look and feel.
Multi-level kitchen islands
Kitchen islands are typically single-level, but designers have been playing with split-level islands recently. An island at more than one height offers a unique look while also having some practical advantages. By splitting a kitchen island into two, you can have two parts that are used for different purposes. One part could be used for food preparation, while the other is used as a table for dining.
Kitchen island tiles
If you’re looking for kitchen island design ideas that offer some oomph, you might like the idea of tiling the front of your island. It immediately turns your kitchen island into a feature that catches the eye as soon as you walk into the room. You can add colour and maybe also a fun pattern to your island with some attractive tiling. It also helps to protect the island and makes the surface really easy to clean too.
Fluted surfaces
Add some texture to your kitchen island with fluting. Fluted kitchen islands can look modern or more traditional, drawing on various interior styles. Fluting can look really sophisticated and it’s fantastic for creating some rounded curves among some of the harder lines of a kitchen. You can choose fluting in different styles or a variety of materials, getting the look you want for your kitchen island.
Raised kitchen islands
Kitchen islands may typically be set on the floor, but raising them up on legs is another option. If you’re looking for the best kitchen island ideas for a smaller kitchen, this is one technique that could work to help create the illusion of more space. It’s a good way to increase the sense of light around the kitchen, or maybe you just want to show off your flooring as much as possible.
Kitchen storage
Some people might worry that kitchen islands take up too much space, but one of the kitchen island renovation ideas you could consider is using it as storage. There’s plenty of space underneath the island to put in shelving or cupboards, so you have somewhere to put plates, glasses, or even ingredients or cookbooks. A mix of storage types can give you lots of flexibility.
Double-up islands
Why have one kitchen island when you can have two? For big kitchen island ideas, consider the benefit you could get from two kitchen islands that could be used for two different purposes. One could be used as a dining table, and the other for food preparation, or you could have two separate work areas. It can also help to create a better flow when people are moving around the kitchen.
Innovative Layouts for Island Kitchens
Getting the layout right when you want to install a kitchen island can be tricky. You have to consider the size of the kitchen and how you want to use it.
Some island kitchen layout ideas:
- Have a split surface, with one area for food prep and the other for eating
- Use the island to install a sink or hob
- Zone the floor to make the island stand out more
- Have two islands in a larger kitchen for more space
- Carve out space for stools to offer island seating
- Include storage in your island
- Explore some unique shapes for something different
Choosing the Right Size for Your Kitchen Island
How big should your kitchen island be? If you’re working with a smaller kitchen, you obviously want to limit the size so it doesn’t take up too much space. The most important thing to remember is that you need enough space for traffic around the kitchen. When people are moving around, they shouldn’t bump into each other or the surfaces.
Designing Your Large Kitchen Island
For a larger kitchen, you might want your island to be larger to take up more space. A smaller island could get lost and make the proportions look strange. The good news is that a larger kitchen island can become a multipurpose space. But to make sure it’s functional, you need to think carefully about what features to include and how to divide up the available space both on top of and underneath the island.
Long Island Ideas for Spacious Kitchens
One option for your kitchen island in a larger space could be to make the island longer. This works out if you want to create a dining space as the island can act as a dining table. Or you could have a food preparation area at one end, perhaps with a sink or hob, and a dining space at the other end.
Integrating a Diner Space with Your Island
Kitchen islands often double up as dining spaces. If you want your island to be used for eating, you might want to think about how to make it comfortable. Setting stools within the island means you can scootch in closer with legs underneath. Consider how to protect the underside of the island from swinging legs too, perhaps with tiling or another durable surface.
You can choose from a huge range of kitchen island trends and ideas to design the perfect island. Look at the latest trends, but make sure you’re thinking of the future too.
