Styled, Staged & Sold

Bringing you the latest home design and staging trends. From REALTOR® Magazine.

3 Ways to Design the Perfect Kitchen Island

Large islands have become the prominent feature in kitchens. Home remodelers are realizing its importance and have made it the focus area of their projects. In a survey of nearly 2,600 homeowners, a third said they added an island during renovations, and nearly a quarter said they upgraded their current one.

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Kitchen island with black pendant lighting

Photo credit: Rachel Loewen © 2019 Houzz

Supersizing the island is one big trend, the Houzz survey finds. A third of remodelers had kitchen islands that measured seven feet long; another 39% had one that was six to seven feet long.

Contrasting Colors

White countertop kitchen island with built in sink.

Photo credit: Darlene Halaby Photography © 2019 Houzz

Two in five renovating homeowners added or upgraded their island cabinets with a contrasting shade to the main fixture. Gray was the most popular choice at 26%, followed by blue (19%) and black (11%).

Using contrasting colors on the island countertop was also common among remodelers. The most popular choices for contrasting the island was white (23%) and medium wood (21%).

Shiny Pendants

White countertop kitchen island with gold metal pendant lamps

Photo credit: Jessica Cain © 2018 Houzz

Turn the spotlight on the island: 92% of homeowners who upgraded their kitchen island also chose to install new lighting. Try something bold in brass or chrome.

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