Ideas to Replace a Kitchen Island

When replacing your kitchen island, you have an increasing variety of styles to choose from depending on your needs and your kitchen size. Consider matching the decor of your kitchen or using your island as an accent piece for diversity. People can eat around the island or it can serve as a wet bar. You may want an island with a built-in stove or sink or you may want to downsize to a smaller, simpler kitchen island. Does this Spark an idea?

Drop Leaf Island

Islands work best in medium to large, L- or U-shaped kitchens. If you have a small kitchen, replace your island with something small or the island will become an obstacle. Consider using an ordinary, rectangular, drop-leaf table as a kitchen island; in fact, you may already have one. You will have not only a surface for your food preparation, but also a place for dining in your kitchen.

Drop-leaf islands may be stationary or have wheels. The pull-out leaf becomes a breakfast bar where family and friends can sit and eat.

Rolling Island

Replace your kitchen island with a portable, rolling island. You can have any type of top you desire, even matching it to your current kitchen decor or cabinets. Rolling islands work well for all kitchen sizes, especially small kitchens, allowing you to roll them around to the location convenient for you. In a small kitchen, you can move the island under a counter or against a wall when you have finished. You can build your own rolling island or purchase one inexpensively.

Suzanne Ardley, author of "The Kitchen Planner: Hundreds of Great Ideas for Your New Kitchen Island," states that stainless steel and wood are the most popular choices for portable kitchen islands. Stainless steel provides a washable, heat-proof, hygienic surface. Butcher block made with hardwoods like beech and maple offers a good chopping surface but it must be cleaned well since it absorbs odors.

Consider adding functions to your rolling island, such as a pull-out trash bin and additional baskets or shelves for storing utensils and pans. Use your rolling island in another room to serve buffet food when entertaining.

Add or Improve Features

Make a list of what you like about your current island and what you want from a new one. You may discover you do not need to replace your entire kitchen island but that it might benefit from a few minor changes. For example, you may just need to route a water line through the floor to your existing stationary island to add a dishwasher or a sink, or route a fuel line to add a stove. If you simply want a new color, consider painting your island or refacing it. Add more lighting, if necessary, by changing the bulb brightness or add more lighting fixtures above your island.