Food For Thought: Kitchen Island or Table?
Happy Wednesday! I am starting a new feature today called Food For Thought, it is basically like the Either Or feature I started almost two weeks ago except Food For Thought will focus solely on kitchen elements. Today I am showing kitchens that have either what is thought of as a "traditional" island (an extension of the cabinetry) or a work/dining table in the center. I have paired up ten options to compare to give you plenty of courses of this food (for thought)!
Choice One
These are both white kitchens with beams and black lights, the first with an island, the second with a table. Which do you prefer?
source, design by Jami Lancaster
Choice Two
These both have wood beams, wood floors, and statement lighting. Island or table?
source, design by Diane Keaton
Choice Three
One with a dark island, one with dark cabinets; one with an island, one with a table. Which one for you?
source, design by Andrea Mcqueen Design
source, design by Block Brothers Custom Cabinets
Choice Four
Wood beams, large pendant lights and statement range hoods. Island for four, table for six?
source, design by PLP Development
source, design by Isabel Lopez-Quesada
Choice Five
Two statement kitchens in every way. One with two islands, the other with a table (and a library!). Which does your gut lead you to!?
source, design by Lauren Buxbaum Gordon of Nate Berkus Associates
source, design by Jessica Helgerson Interior Design
Choice Six
Paneled ceilings, tall cabinets, and marble countertops. Large island in one, narrow table in the other. Decisions, decisions....
source, design by Amber Interiors
source, design by KELLY + CO DESIGN
Choice Seven
Both of these kitchens have dark cabinets, brass/copper accents and lower open storage. Would you rather sit at the island or the table?
Choice Eight
These kitchens have similar wood tones - one coming from the island in the center, the other from the table in the middle. Is one calling your name?
source, design by Lauren Smyth Interior Design
source, design by Meg Lonergan Interior Design
Choice Nine
The next pair of kitchens both have painted cabinets and white lights. One a working island and one a working table. Which one works for you?
source, design by Timber Trails Development Company
Choice Ten
Paneled ceilings, black range hood, and stacked cabinets - check. Large two level island for the first, long antique table for the second. This one is a really hard choice (for me at least).
source, design by Lauren Liess
source, designed by Maresca & Associates
Tipping Point?
Do you have a clear favorite - table or island? There are some gorgeous islands in these pictures, my heart goes for the table though, almost every time. My score is eight for the tables, one for the island (choice two), and one is a tie (choice ten). I was thinking about this and have concluded that is because in every house we had when I was growing up, my parents always had a table in the kitchen. We lived in seven houses and not one of them had an island. My last house is the first house I have owned that had an island in the kitchen and I loved it. The kitchen called for it. So does the kitchen in my current house. I think if a kitchen will not have enough storage without an island, and has space for an island then it is essential. This is most certainly the case with my current kitchen. I cannot wait until there is a large, beautiful island in there! If there is plenty of storage and room for the sink, dishwasher(s), and microwave without an island, I would much rather have a table though. What do you think? What was your final score? I would love to know.
To end this post, I am sharing two of my all time favorite kitchens, neither with a traditional island :-).
source, design by Amber Interiors
source, design by Taylor & Taylor Designs
I will be back tomorrow with another installment of Move In Ready. See you then.
Thank you for visiting today,
Kerry
