In many kitchen designs, the island serves as the focal point of the space, capturing the attention of everyone who enters the room. For many, a kitchen island serves as the heart of the kitchen space and is the place where most food preparation tasks take place. Beneath their counter tops, kitchen islands offer storage space for cookware, tabletop appliances, bowls and kitchen utensils and tools. Some islands even function as breakfast bars and serving areas.

If your kitchen did not include a custom kitchen island in its design or if you're looking to upgrade your current island, you will have a large number of choices when shopping for a new stationary kitchen island. The tremendous popularity of kitchen islands means that top brands are constantly introducing new styles to give more choices to consumers. While this makes it possible to find a piece that is ideal for your tastes and the needs of your space, it can make shopping feel like a large undertaking.

We created this Buyers' Guide to Stationary Kitchen Islands to help shoppers who are unsure where to begin with their search for the best island for their homes. By reading over the questions and answers contained in the guide, you will be able to select the features that will come together to make the perfect kitchen island for your home. Then, you can limit your search to just those styles.

How do I know what size stationary kitchen island to buy?

For many shoppers, starting a search for a stationary kitchen island by deciding what size to look for quickly eliminates a large number of styles from consideration and simplifies the shopping process. Begin by measuring the space that is available in your home for your new island. Bear in mind that any walkway around the island will need to be 3 to 3.5 feet wide to ensure an easy flow of traffic through your kitchen.

The length and width dimensions obtained by measuring your space will give you an idea of the maximum size for your kitchen island. Then, you'll want to think about the minimum size that will suit your needs.

Length: Distance from Left to Right

For most people, 18 to 25 inches of counter top length are necessary to set up one task, such as a bowl for mixing ingredients or a cutting board for chopping fruits and vegetables. Pieces that are more than 36 inches in length will allow you to set up two working tasks, and styles that fall in between have extra counter space for equipment, ingredients and other items. Islands that will be used for seating will need roughly 24 inches of space for each person that will use the counter top as a substitute for a tabletop.

Width: Distance from Front to Back

For the minimum width of an island, you'll want to think about the size of the items that you may use on the counter top and ensure that there is adequate space available to accommodate them. The greater the width of the working surface on your kitchen island, the more small items you'll be able to line up from top to bottom across its surface as well.

Height: Distance from the Floor to the Island Top

As you think about the best height for your stationary kitchen island, you'll may have to balance your needs for a counter top that is a comfortable working height with the height that is required for comfortable seating.

The standard working height for people who are 5'4" to 5'10" tall is 36 inches. At this height, you will need to use tall bar stools for seating. Standard bar stools typically work with islands that are 34 to 35 inches tall, and these islands are an ideal working height for people less than 5'4" tall. Individuals over 5'10" tall are often most comfortable working at islands that are over 36 inches in height; however, very tall bar stools are needed to pair with islands of this size.

What styles of stationary kitchen islands are available?

Stationary kitchen islands come in a wide variety of looks, which fall into one of two categories: open styles and closed styles. Some manufacturers also produce specialty styles that are designed for specific purposes.

Open Stationary Kitchen Islands

In open stationary kitchen island styles, the base of the island is open, meaning that any items stored beneath the counter top are visible. These pieces usually look like large tables and may be square, rectangular or oval in shape. Typical open stationary kitchen islands are designed to enhance the look of a kitchen and will feature attractive stylistic elements to add to the decor. These pieces are sometimes used as kitchen tables for seating on a regular basis or when large crowds are gathered for a special event or party.

Some manufacturers offer work table open stationary kitchen islands as an alternative to traditional styles. These pieces are patterned after heavy-duty working surfaces used in commercial kitchens and are designed to be strong and durable, rather than attractive. These pieces usually are crafted from stainless steel, though some are stainless steel and wood combinations.

Closed Stationary Kitchen Islands

Closed stationary kitchen islands have cabinets and drawers below their counter tops and keep stored items out of sight. The closed style is typically what people envision when they think of what a kitchen island looks like, making closed styles more traditional choices; however, manufacturers make closed stationary kitchen islands in a wide array of styles to suit everything from country to contemporary decors. Most closed stationary kitchen islands are rectangular in shape, though a small number of manufacturers produce styles with oval counter tops.

Specialty Stationary Kitchen Islands

There are three primary categories for specialty stationary kitchen islands.

• Serving islands are designed for homeowners that frequently entertain guests. Typically, these pieces feature a wine rack and additional areas for keeping bar tools, equipment and even glasses. Some also have extendable counter tops that can be used for serving food or placing cocktails on the top of the island for service. Since they are meant for serving guests, serving islands are typically very attractive, with some featuring glass inserts in their cabinet doors to give them added appeal.


• Equipment stands are islands designed to hold large kitchen appliances, such as a commercial style food processor, ice cream maker or mixer. Often, equipment stands are shorter than an ordinary island, and most are open styles rather than closed styles. Usually, equipment stands are designed to be extra sturdy and the emphasis of their designs are on their strength rather than their aesthetic appeal.


• Breakfast sets are islands that come with matching stools. These sets make it very easy to find a stationary kitchen island that is a comfortable working height, but that will be equally comfortable for seating. Typically, breakfast sets feature closed style islands.

What counter top options will I find in stationary kitchen island collections?

While shopping for stationary kitchen islands, you'll find five primary choices for counter tops.

• Wood


• Butcher block


• Stainless steel


• Stone


• Granite

What base options are available in stationary kitchen island lineups?

As you shop for stationary kitchen islands, there are three primary styles of bases that you'll find among the collections of top brands.

• Wood in a natural finish


• Stainless steel


• Wood that is painted in one of a variety of colors

What storage options are featured in stationary kitchen islands?

Nearly all stationary kitchen islands have some type of built-in storage, but different styles will have different options available. Overall, there are six main types of storage features found in stationary island styles.

• Shelves, which can run the full length or an island in an open style or along the full width of an island in a closed style


• Drawers


• Wicker baskets, which function as drawers or storage bins


• Cabinets, which may have hinged or sliding doors


• Towel racks, which can be used to hold utensils if you purchase hooks to hang from the racks


• Pot racks

Are there other special features that are available in stationary island styles?

There are two special features found in some stationary island styles that are beneficial for some home kitchen spaces.

• Splashes are vertical panels attached to the counter tops of stationary kitchen islands. The most common type of splash is the backsplash, which travels along the back of the counter top and protects the wall behind the piece from becoming spotted and soiled during food preparation. Some styles of islands also combine splashes on the sides to keep messes off of the floor and surrounding areas in kitchens.


• Drop leafs are hinged wooden panels that can be raised and lowered to increase the size of an island’s counter top. Full drop leafs travel along the back of an island and are excellent to use to expand a working area for seating and serving. Side drop leafs are positioned on one or both sides of the island and give you extra space for working. Round drop leafs look like semicircles and are positioned on both the front and back of the island. When raised, they make the island into a round table for seating.