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A Quick Guide to 5 Different Kitchen Island Styles

Kitchen islands are a highly desirable home feature, and there are many great reasons for that. Functionally, they provide tremendous value to the cooks and hosts who need to get the most out of their kitchen space, as well as additional storage. Aesthetically, they are a dramatic addition to any kitchen and can be customized to fit nearly any design vision. Although many people would love a kitchen island, too many homeowners feel their space simply couldn’t accommodate one. In some cases, that may be true, but the reality is there are many styles and configurations that can be implemented in powerful ways. If you’re considering the addition of a kitchen island in your home, here are five different island styles that may be exactly what you need.

L-shaped
L-shaped island counters are extremely customizable, and can therefore be designed to fit many kitchen layouts. Each side can be adjusted to the appropriate length to fit your space, and they typically offer generous storage, as well as the convenient ability for multiple cooks to be using each side. L-shaped island counters are a great option for those who enjoy creative designs and don’t want to feel restricted by clean lines.

U-shaped
U-shaped kitchen islands offer similar benefits to L-shaped counters, but with even more space as well as the ability to be symmetrical if that look is desired. For the avid cook, U-shaped counters offer plenty of space to prepare and cook food, and for the enthusiastic hostess it offers equal space to spread out as desired. One slight drawback is depending on your kitchen’s layout, it may get tiresome to walk around the island while cooking, so keep that in mind when placing it in relation to your stove and other appliances.

Galley
Unlike L- and U-shaped islands, galley kitchens offer a sleek and straightforward design that is exceptionally easy to fit into many home layouts and harmonize with your desired aesthetic. Their streamlined nature allows for efficient storage and being able to efficiently move around them as needed, and appliances and stored items are always easy to access at a moment’s notice.

Rolling
For those homeowners with limited space, rolling islands are truly a dream come true. Rolling islands are mobile pieces of furniture that don’t require a hard installation, which means they can be moved off to the side once the cooking or entertaining is complete. If you really want to enjoy an island in your home, but don’t quite feel like you have room for it, this could be a fantastic choice to enjoy the best of both worlds without the commitment of a remodel and installation.

Furniture
Furniture pieces are the most creative of the options available because they are what you make of them. The limit is really only your imagination as new furniture, antique furniture, or even more unorthodox pieces could be designed to belong in your kitchen. Depending on your approach, a furniture island can really cement your kitchen as the home’s premier hang out spot, though it may not have as much storage as a traditional option.