Custom Kitchen Islands

Nothing sets a kitchen up to function smoothly like a custom kitchen island.

The concept of a kitchen island has been around for centuries. American farmhouses often had oversized worktables where family meals were prepared and served. Kitchen islands can be customized to meet any homeowner's needs. If you love to cook, you can design a kitchen island with a prep area, a stove top, a double sink and plenty of work space. If you love to entertain, you can create a beautiful kitchen island where friends can gather for drinks and appetizers or coffee and dessert. You can build in plenty of storage space too to keep serving bowls and party dishes. If you tend to eat quick meals on the go, you can build an island where you can eat a quick meal so you don't have to set the table for every meal. If your kitchen is the hub of your family life, you can build a multilevel island where the adults can prepare meals while the children do homework.

When designing a kitchen island, consider the basics first and then customize the design according to your personal needs.

• Kitchens function best when the sink, oven and refrigerator are laid out in a triangle design. This allows for the most efficient workflow.
• Kitchen islands do not work well in small kitchens because they usually interfere with traffic flow.
• If a kitchen island will house a cooking range, you should install a hood over it for proper ventilation.
• If you plan to use your kitchen island for storage, you need to plan for easy cabinet access.
• If you plan to install a sink on your kitchen island you should plan space for a garbage disposal and dishwasher too.
• Small kitchen islands can be built simply to add surface space in a kitchen. These islands can hold a television, a microwave or even just a decorative bowl of fruit.
• Kitchen islands make great transitions from casual living to formal dining in homes with open floor plans.
• How you plan to use your island will dictate the top surface. Do you need a butcher block top for chopping or a laminate top for easy clean up? If you plan to do a lot of baking, consider marble or granite.

Once you've thought through the basics of kitchen design and you are clear about how you will use your island, you should figure out your budget. Custom islands can be simple and inexpensive –made from lumber and butcher block. Or they can be elaborate and pricey with marble tops and copper accents. The final consideration in a custom island for the kitchen is style.

• Create a French country look with a light marble top, copper accents, distressed wood and colorful tiles in fruit patterns.
• Design a kitchen island on wheels if you live in a small space like an apartment, and need portable storage and extra surface space in several different rooms.
• Complement a contemporary kitchen with a triangle shaped island accented with a sleek stainless steel surface and an ecoglass tiled backdrop.
• If your decorating style is unique, keep things interesting with an oval shaped island. Use a bright colored paint on the sides of the cabinets or install glass doors in the storage area.
• Make a Zen workspace out of bamboo following contemporary Japanese style.
• Set up a casual family space inspired by Americana style. Use maple or pine wood, ceramic knobs and red paint accents.

The possibilities are endless when you customize your kitchen island. Search the Internet and consult do it yourself magazines to find patterns that meet your budget, style and needs.

• Country Style Decorating Ideas
• Bathroom Design Pictures
• Interior Paint Color Combinations

• Country French Style Basics
• Common Themes for Teenage Bedrooms
• Designing for Small Spaces
• Basics of Color Design
• Asian Style Interior Design

• Category:How Tos, Projects and Rooms
• Old World Style Interior Design
• Butcher Block Kitchen Island
• Kitchen Island Design
• Spring Themes