Good design solves a problem. Often that means throwing away convention. When it comes to kitchen islands, consider the common rectangular shape just a starting point. The following photos added to Houzz this week show how changing the shape of an island can create better circulation paths and room for dining tables, prep space, more seating — and even a geeky detail like a coded binary message set in a concrete countertop. Sometimes it’s hip not to be square.
Karen Berkemeyer Home
Karen Berkemeyer Home
5 Alternative Shapes for a Kitchen Island
1. L-Shaped
Designer: Iris Michaels of Karen Berkemeyer Home
Location: Westport, Connecticut
Size: 240 square feet (22 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A large, functional kitchen in a clean, bright transitional style. A dining table was a must.
Island shape. To make room for a dining table, designer Iris Michaels made a cutout in the 48-by-28-inch island to create a small L.
Karen Berkemeyer Home
Special features. Thassos marble backsplash with mother-of-pearl inlay in a chevron pattern. Quartz countertops that look like marble. Concealed-hinge cabinets.
Designer secret. “We recessed an entire wall back 2 feet into another room to open up the kitchen … allowing us to create an island that just wouldn’t have existed before,” Michaels says.
Backsplash: Magdelena, New Ravenna; countertops: Statuario Fantastico, ColorQuartz
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South River Custom Homes
2. Prominent Bend
Designer: Katie Townsend of Ferguson for South River Custom Homes
Location: Midlothian, Virginia
Size: 204 square feet (19 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. South River Custom Homes designed this model home that combines Craftsman and farmhouse styles with more modern elements.
Island shape. An angled island makes room for extra seating and a butcher block-topped prep station.
Special features. Dark gray-blue cabinets. Custom oak range hood. Backsplash of 2-by-8-inch white tiles in a herringbone pattern with dark gray grout. Industrial-style iron-and-wood stools. Wrought-iron light fixtures.
Designer secret. “We know that white kitchen cabinets are very in style right now, but we really wanted to go with something new and drastic to help this kitchen stand out,” says Alex Greene, an office manager at South River Custom Homes. “Once we settled on the blue cabinets, the rest of the kitchen was designed around them. Plain white tile and natural wood colors allow the cabinets to make a statement while everything else is kept simple.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “That butcher block top that we love so much was actually thrown in last minute as a fix,” Greene says. “The rest of the island is Cambria Brittanica Quartz, which we selected because it has some lovely gray veining in the white top. However, once the top was installed, we realized that the turn in the island created a seam in the quartz and that gray veining wouldn’t line up. We wanted to change the countertop on that end to get rid of the ugly seam, and that’s when we came up with the idea of installing a butcher block top instead.”
Wall paint: Repose Gray, Sherwin-Williams; furnishings and staging: Vicki Macenka of Interior Transformations; cabinets: Trevino in Baltic, Echelon Cabinetry; custom hood: Shiloh Cabinetry
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Kaplan Thompson Architects
Photo by Irvin Serrano
3. Subtle Bend
Designer: Phil Kaplan of Kaplan Thompson Architects
Location: Cundy’s Harbor, Harpswell, Maine
Size: 260 square feet (24 square meters); 13 by 20 feet
Homeowners’ request. A social kitchen that would accommodate many guests and activities. It also had to have direct access to the outdoors, through a screen porch with amazing views of the water.
Island shape. “The island was elongated parallel to the water view, and truncated at the end both for circulation and to match the vibrant form of the house,” says architect Phil Kaplan.
Kaplan Thompson Architects
Photo by Jamie Salomon
Special features. “Geek alert,” Kaplan says. “The concrete countertop is 4 inches thick and has a special code set into it from the ASCII binary character table, which spells out the house’s nickname, Plus Sapins ("more pines” in French).
Designer secret. “The window into the screen porch [see previous photo] had to open for true transparency during the summer months, but we also had to respect the homeowner’s goals of high performance and net zero-ready efficiency,” Kaplan says. “A triple-glazed, hydraulic window allows for a flush counter to remain, fully bringing the outdoors in and connecting all members of the family.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The homeowners really wanted to get the concrete counters right, and were very concerned they couldn’t get the exact level of quirk and craft they wanted. They ended up persuading a good friend to come up for a week to do it. The result is amazing.”
Custom concrete countertop: Patricia Shields of Metro Green
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Herlong Architects
4. Bar and Table Add-On
Designer: Steve Herlong of
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Size: 414 square feet (38 square meters); 18 by 23 feet
Homeowners’ request. A casual coastal home that holds up to wear and tear from a large family.
Island shape. An attached wood table and bar counter offers plenty of extra seating for casual meals and for kids to do homework while the adults cook.
Special features. Glass-front cabinet towers. Sconces above windows. Dark-stained wood floors. Glazed-tile backsplash.
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O'Neil Industries Inc.
5. Pentagon
Designers: Robert O’Neil of O’Neil Industries (kitchen design) and Nate Gaubeart of Cabinet Genies (cabinetry)
Location: Naples, Florida
Size: 399 square feet (37 square meters); 21 by 19 feet
Homeowners’ request. An open layout with sufficient traffic flow for entertaining.
Island shape. “The island shape is made up of applying a triangle-shaped section to the end of a rectangle-shaped section,” says designer Robert O’Neil. “The design was for a combination of functionality and aesthetics. Due to the shape, two additional bar stools are able to be added, and the countertop follows the exterior wall for a nice clean look.”
O'Neil Industries Inc.
Special features. Quartz countertops in a marble look. Satin brass finishes. Slate-gray island (Slate by Benjamin Moore). White cabinets (Cloud White by Benjamin Moore).
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