Beautiful Kitchen Designs with Big Islands

Explore kitchen designs with big islands to inspire your own renovation.

Are you looking to create an amazing kitchen space? A big island is everywhere in kitchen design now and can provide you with functional and stylish spaces for cooking, drinking and dining.

Take advantage of the latest trends in kitchen designs to create an inviting, luxurious and functional space with a larger island. Make your kitchen the envy of friends and family! Best of all, learn how to combine design elements to make a beautiful kitchen with a big island look that effortlessly combines fashion and function.

Tips for Picking a New Kitchen Island

Kitchen Island Size

When considering the size of the island you want, it's important to take into account the size of the rest of the kitchen. Larger kitchens can most likely accommodate a big kitchen island, like this 1970s remodel kitchen. Smaller kitchens do not usually have the space for a large island and will look funny if you don't allow for enough space to walk around all the sides of the island.

Also consider the length. Do you want a long island and can your open space provide it? Our original plans had two smaller islands in the kitchen layout. But after careful consideration we opted to take those out and put in just one big island with a bar.

Usable Space

I wanted our central island to have many uses in our kitchen area. Here are some of the most prominent ways we access it.

• Breakfast bar - Informal eating areas are a big perk with families. It's a great way to use the counter space for an additional dining area that is more casual.
• Extra seating area - I bought bar stools to sit at the breakfast bar. It's also very useful to be able to accommodate a few more friends around meal time.
• Kitchen sink placement - I opted to put my sink in the center of the kitchen island instead of on the opposite counter. This is the perfect place because it is central to my food prep area.
• Work space for homework and projects - Even though my kids have desk areas in their bedrooms, they like to be where everyone is. We have done homework at our island more times than I can count.
• Food preparation area - This is the main area for our prep space since it is so big. I love to make cookies here because of the large extra work surface.
• Extra storage space - We purposefully designed this kitchen area with a few things in mind. I put the garbage, dishwasher and extra storage in this central island.

Color Scheme

Out of all the kitchen designs I have seen, my very favorites are the ones that pick a timeless color scheme. A neutral kitchen is ideal because you won't have to rip out backsplashes or flooring as trends change. Instead, just change out accessories for a fun refresh.

I opted to go with a white kitchen mixed in with white walls and light wood. A light engineered hardwood on my floor space ties in nicely to the wood accents in my pantry. I also opted for a white ceramic wall tile backsplash that provides character to my white kitchen.

Countertop Material

I really like when islands are different then the rest of the kitchen, making it feel like a strategic design element and not built-in furniture. Right now the plan is to have a wood island and white quartz countertops.

Stone countertops like marble, granite and quartz are well worth the money for something that will have a significant amount of longevity and durability. Wood countertops might be more of your style if you like a cottage and farmhouse style. Concrete is ideal if you love a modern and contemporary approach that is low maintenance.

Lighting

Although not directly tied to a kitchen island, consider lighting above your island when creating a kitchen design. A bigger island should need quite a bit more lighting on your work space. We opted for hanging pendant lights in addition to our canned lighting.

Inspirational Kitchens with Big Islands

This stunning collection of kitchens with big islands has inspired my future dream kitchen design.

I love the wood island with the grey cupboards. And like I said before, it's a good idea to have the island be different from the main color scheme. It makes the island really pop! (source unknown)

This island is wide enough to fit two chairs on both ends, in addition to having counter space. If you want more eating space that doesn't include your dining table, creating a wider island will help with this. The extra space for seating is nice and doesn't eliminate any usable counter space.

This super cute kitchen is from our friends at The Refined Farmhouse. I love the large hanging pendant lighting that provides a focal point over the island space. And this white and classy farmhouse style is so gorgeous!

And this farmhouse styled island is by Nikki Grandy and is incredibly unique! Notice key farmhouse elements like the large cross at the end and the traditional shiplap plank appearance on the sides. Plus, you definitely don't see a bench too often with islands, but it fits this chic space perfectly.

This is one of the lengthiest islands I've seen from this makeover by JoAnna Gaines. If you can create a huge island that will give you a ton of storage, this is a great option to eliminate multiple cupboards. And you can't deny that the surrounding design elements are just gorgeous, especially all of that open shelving.

Try out these small scale open shelves for an accent wall in your kitchen.

What a fun island shared by McGee and Co. This island is unique with its darker color scheme as well as farmhouse and modern elements tied together.

Also, I love the storage compartments built in on the side. I am a huge fan of built-ins in my home - see my entertainment room and the area around our TV! Use these for bringing in stylish home decor or for styling dishes or even cookbooks.

Instead of one big island, how about two? I love the idea of having two islands for storage and more space. And if it can work in the space for your kitchen, why not? It is especially helpful in providing more eating surfaces.

Having a big kitchen island in your home is the perfect way to bring the family together and create a functioning, beautiful kitchen. It's the perfect marriage of form and function, and the best way to make your kitchen a hub of activity. A big kitchen island can provide extra counter space, more storage, and an opportunity for the family to get together and talk while cooking.

With the right planning, your kitchen design with a big island can be the center of activity for many years to come. Enjoy creating memories in the heart of the home!

Happy Designing!

Brooke