Islands That Work

Our "Cord Project" includes a large island designed for entertaining, working, and cooking. Design: Cheri Freestone, freestone design-build

Are you feeling cramped in your kitchen? Is there a lack of counter space or entertaining area or perhaps storage? Not to worry, as many of today’s kitchens can accommodate the addition of an island to help solve some of these common issues. Islands can be cabinetry, a piece of fun furniture, or even an industrial cart that adds flexibility to the space. With the push to get ready for the holidays, it’s time to get creative!

We designed the "Cord Project" island to include loads of storage, plus a cooktop, electrical outlets, and a large countertop for maximum function and efficiency. Design: Cheri Freestone, freestone design-build.

Islands are a wonderful way to increase your prep and cooking space, move guests to an area to congregate that is not right by where you are cooking, and also to store all of those “little things” that really add up to needing a lot of space in your cabinets. Here are some of the bonuses of adding an island to your kitchen:

1. By building an island that has an extended countertop on it, you create a bar area that is perfect for guests. Adding comfortable and durable stools that coordinate with your décor adds function and visual appeal to the kitchen area and your guests can converse freely, away from the hot stove, running water, and back and forth of the cooking process inside the kitchen.

The "Stover Project" kitchen, designed by Cheri Freestone, offers abundant storage and useful shelving, along with bar seating.

2. Storage is abundant in islands that feature built-in drawers and/or shelves. Custom spice drawers, utensil areas, and shelves for cookbooks and pans take these items out of your food and dish storage area and they are neatly tucked away. No more crammed spice cabinets or small drawers filled to the brim with spatulas and spoons!

Modern hardware on the drawers and cabinets of the "Stover Project" kitchen island streamline the look and feel of this efficient piece designed by Cheri Freestone.

3. Visual appeal can be huge if an island is designed right. Islands afford you the opportunity to add color through paint or tile, repurposed materials, wood, and metal. Adding color and texture to an island that is positioned in the center of the room draws the eye to that area and creates a “hub” of design that will draw guests to it and also add great impact to the overall look of your kitchen. Islands run the gamut when it comes to design; don’t be afraid to experiment with whimsical furniture or carts.

These cart examples, from traditional to industrial, are all available for purchase through freestone home.

A relcaimed table serves as a repurposed, fun piece of furniture in its new role as kitchen island. Rustic wood adds to its visual appeal. Photo: Wix.com

4. Enjoying entertaining is much easier when you can be near your guests and not separated from them while cooking or preparing plates. With an island, guests have a place to sit or stand, eat appetizers, have drinks, and also talk to you while you work. In addition, an island can feature a cooktop if you’d like, making it easy to face your guests while at the stove or make dishwashing more social by including your kitchen sink on the island.

The "Kraft Country Kitchen" has it all: room for guests to move around, bar seating, a sink on the island, and lots of storage in deep drawers and cabinets. Designed by Cheri Freestone.

5. If you want to be extremely party-ready, add a semicircular island! This gives you room for more seating typically than a straight bar and also allows for a unique visual in the room.

Islands are a fabulous kitchen addition when they’re done right, keeping efficiency, space, and room flow in mind. That added punch of color or texture can make it all come together beautifully.

Ready to purchase a fun piece for your kitchen?

Contact freestone home at: 970.692.4332

October 1, 2018

Author: Dawn Duncan is the Owner of Yellowbright, Inc., a Fort Collins, CO-based marketing firm specializing in writing, editing, and social media. dawn@yellowbrightinc.com 970.980.6399