1. GO FOR A BUTCHER'S BLOCK TO ADD A RUSTIC VIBE
As you'll quickly notice, with a lot of small kitchen island ideas, it's about thinking outside the box. While, you might not be able to fit in a full-sized built-in kitchen island complete with a sink and hob, you may be able to squeeze in a stylish second-hand find.
2. CHOOSE A PENINSULAR DESIGN
A peninsular kitchen island or breakfast bar is ideal for smaller spaces when it's just not an option to have an island in the center of the room. For a kitchen island to really work there needs to be no less than a meter between the edge of the island and either a wall or cabinetry.
3. BLEND A SMALL KITCHEN ISLAND INTO THE SPACE
Despite this being a small space, the kitchen island really works. It doesn't feel bulky in the room or make the space feel smaller by breaking it up, in fact, you barely notice the island at all – and that is the very reason it works so well. It essentially blends seamlessly into the cabinetry behind it as there's that cohesiveness between the bleached wood and the sleek white worktops. It also sits at the perfect height, spot on with the worktops so your eye level just sweeps straight over it, rather it breaks up the line of vision.
4. CREATE AN INDUSTRIAL FEEL WITH A STAINLESS ISLAND
Stainless steel kitchens and worktops are no longer just reserved for functional industrial kitchens, they are seeping into our homes too. And they are a great option for small kitchens as the stainless steel units you find in commercial kitchens are designed for tight spaces, and you can often find some really slimline designs.
5. CHOOSE A SLEEK AND SIMPLE DESIGN
Sometimes, in a small space, that age-old rule of less is more applies. This sleek modern kitchen is part of an open-plan space, so although space wasn't as tight as if you were dealing with a single small room, there was still a dining space and a living room to fit in alongside the kitchen. So with so much going and in being so multipurpose keeping things simple made sense.
6. MAKE A SMALL KITCHEN ISLAND A MAJOR FEATURE
Just because it's small doesn't mean your kitchen island can't be a major focal point. In fact, an island is a perfect place to go bold with your colors and materials and distract from the small proportions of the room.
7. MAKE IT MOVEABLE
Small kitchen layouts can be really tricky to work with and it gets even trickier when you want to add an island. But a very simple way around is it is to go freestanding, make your layout flexible by having your island on wheels. It may sound a bit... retro, but as this deVOL kitchen proves, it can really well in a contemporary kitchen.
8. HAVE A SMALL ISLAND WORK HARDER
If you are dealing with a narrow kitchen, the go-to layout is usually a galley, with walls of cabinets lining either side. While this is efficient in terms of giving you plenty of storage, it can feel a bit imposing, so instead stick with just one bank of cabinetry and add in a narrow island. This keeps the space feeling open and airy and alludes to more space.
9. EXTEND THE WORKTOP EVER SO SLIGHTLY
Want to make your small kitchen island work just a little harder? Double it as a breakfast bar with clever kitchen island seating ideas. Simply exented your island's worktop every so slightly so it creates an overhang that's big enough to tuck a stool under and provide a comfortable place to perch. Just be sure to pick seating that can really easily be kept out of the way when not in use so it's not taking up any of that extra square footage.