Even if you’re blessed with miles of countertop space in your kitchen, everyone can benefit from an island. Whether it’s small and movable or has enough room for a range and some seating and island creates a focal point that creates more balance in the room, and it gives you that little bit of extra space for cooking, entertaining, and even doing homework. Even better? Outfitting that island with a natural stone top maximizes its beauty and can be a budget-friendly way to use real stone in your home. Let’s check out all the benefits this kitchen must-have can offer!
All About The Island
A kitchen island is a freestanding space, usually in the middle of the room, that is open on all sides. It can either be permanently affixed to the floor, or it can be freestanding and movable. The latter is great for small kitchens, as it can be moved out of the way or even into another room when space is at a premium. Both also offer tons of storage options, as many models come with different configurations of drawers and cabinets—whatever you need to get the most out of your room. Permanent islands are ideal for large or medium-sized kitchens since they can double as a seating area or a hub for entertaining your friends. It’s perfect for setting out a buffet or acting as a makeshift bar, and when the party is over the island can hold onto appliances, since it can be outfitted with electricity. Another great option for a permanent island is to use it to house a range or dishwasher. This helps free up traffic along the walls and can help give the cook more prep space.
Why Outfit It With Stone?
First and foremost, putting a natural stone countertop on your island draws the eye straight to it. It’s important to create a focal point in any room, and the unique textures and colors of natural stone are guaranteed to make people stop and stare.
Putting natural stone just on your island, rather than all the countertops in your kitchen, helps to reinforce it as a focal point and can create an opportunity for some interesting color contrasts. Also, this is a much cheaper way to get natural stone into your kitchen. Even if you have a very large island, it will still likely be less costly to install a natural stone countertop just on that surface rather than on all other countertops. This is true even if you opt for a movable island.
In addition to cost, having stone just on the island is a great option if you’re interested in marble. Marble can be difficult to have on all your kitchen surfaces because it’s very high-maintenance and can stain and etch easily. If you love baking, having a marble countertop on your island can give you the space you need to prep buttery doughs and temper chocolate, while the rest of your kitchen can have multi-purpose countertops that can handle chopping and all manner of spills.
If your island is where you do most of your cooking, it would be wiser to forego marble and instead opt for granite, which is more durable and resistant to wear and tear. If you’re also looking to put stone countertops on the other surfaces in your kitchen, granite is still the stone you want to consider because of its lower maintenance and durability. If marble is still calling your name, you can opt to have a small slab installed on just a small portion of your island or countertops, which will still give you an area for baking and chocolate work without compromising your ability to function in the rest of your kitchen.
Extra! Extra!
Of course, you don’t have to stop at just covering the top of your island with stone. If you really want to get fancy with a permanent island, you can continue the stone slab down the sides, or cover the sides with a contrasting veneer stone. Or, if you want to make your freestanding island something really special, consider giving it an onyx top. Although this stone is quite pricey and needs to be handled very gently, it can be a gorgeous piece to pull out for entertaining. This is especially true if you are able to backlight the countertop, as it will give the onyx a subtle glow that will really wow your friends!
Whether you’re looking to install a permanent island or prefer one that’s movable, this kitchen must-have gives you the extra space you need to cook, entertain, and even just hang out together as a family with a bowl of popcorn and board game! Outfitting your island with natural stone is a cost-effective way to introduce this beautiful, one-of-a-kind material into your home, and it can create an outstanding focal piece in your kitchen that brings the whole room together. Feeling inspired? Check out our live inventory right here and start thinking about how one of these gorgeous slabs will look in your home!