Island Dining Makes This Kitchen Feel Like Home
This custom design offers cooking and dining space to fit the needs of an active family with 4 kids
Erin Carlyle
July 27, 2017
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A widower and his four children
Location: Clarendon Hills, Illinois
Size: 266 square feet (24.7 square meters)
Designer: Stephanie Frees of Plain and Posh
The backstory: This homeowner, a widowed dad with four growing kids, needed a bigger kitchen that could fit all five of them. “The family all help out cooking the meals,” says designer Stephanie Frees. The goal was to have room for both meal prep and dining right in the kitchen. A dual-purpose island fit the bill.
Who lives here: A widower and his four children
Location: Clarendon Hills, Illinois
Size: 266 square feet (24.7 square meters)
Designer: Stephanie Frees of Plain and Posh
The backstory: This homeowner, a widowed dad with four growing kids, needed a bigger kitchen that could fit all five of them. “The family all help out cooking the meals,” says designer Stephanie Frees. The goal was to have room for both meal prep and dining right in the kitchen. A dual-purpose island fit the bill.
The style: The homeowner knew he wanted a white kitchen and the designer added another dimension with a colored island. “He loves blue; it’s his favorite color,” Frees says.
Island: The kitchen island is a custom design from Plain and Posh, with a walnut top. Frees had the ends of the island finished to look like table legs. When the family is working at the island, the counter-height bar stools can be pushed away to make room for meal prep.
Island paint: Hale Navy HC-154, Benjamin Moore; perimeter cabinetry: Highland cabinet door style in white paint, Dura Supreme Cabinetry; bar stools: Target; see more bar stools
7 White Kitchens That Make the Case for Painting the Island
Island: The kitchen island is a custom design from Plain and Posh, with a walnut top. Frees had the ends of the island finished to look like table legs. When the family is working at the island, the counter-height bar stools can be pushed away to make room for meal prep.
Island paint: Hale Navy HC-154, Benjamin Moore; perimeter cabinetry: Highland cabinet door style in white paint, Dura Supreme Cabinetry; bar stools: Target; see more bar stools
7 White Kitchens That Make the Case for Painting the Island
This end of the island nearest the oven serves as a baking center. “The mom was a big baker, so it was important to the two daughters to keep Mom’s mixer,” Frees said. “I made sure they had a special place for it.” The mixer lives in the cabinet to the left of the panel with the outlet; the kids can pull it out and use it on top of the kitchen island.
The microwave is discreetly tucked into the island’s end panel. “I hate seeing a microwave, so I try to hide it whenever I can,” Frees says. Cutting boards and trays are stored in the cabinet to the right of the microwave.
Floor: Frees had the oak floor stained a custom color to coordinate with the walnut island countertop.
Perimeter countertop: Forte Dei Marmi quartz by Difiniti; upper wall paint: Revere Pewter HC-172, Benjamin Moore
The microwave is discreetly tucked into the island’s end panel. “I hate seeing a microwave, so I try to hide it whenever I can,” Frees says. Cutting boards and trays are stored in the cabinet to the right of the microwave.
Floor: Frees had the oak floor stained a custom color to coordinate with the walnut island countertop.
Perimeter countertop: Forte Dei Marmi quartz by Difiniti; upper wall paint: Revere Pewter HC-172, Benjamin Moore
Cabinetry: Frees kept the top edge of the upper cabinetry unadorned so the room’s crown molding could stand out. She also made sure the cabinetry paint and molding color were distinct, noncompeting shades of white.
Lower-cabinet pulls: Charlotte pull M1917 6-inch in chrome, Top Knobs; upper-cabinet pulls: Charlotte pull M1915 4-inch, Top Knobs
Lower-cabinet pulls: Charlotte pull M1917 6-inch in chrome, Top Knobs; upper-cabinet pulls: Charlotte pull M1915 4-inch, Top Knobs
Family station: Behind the seating end of the kitchen island Frees set up the family bar and command center, which houses a mini refrigerator (the black edge is just peeking out), icemaker and drink fixings. Each kid gets his or her own drawer for stashing homework, laptops or lunch money.
Backsplash: Frees chose a mosaic tile backsplash that incorporated shades of blue, the homeowner’s favorite color.
Lighting: The homeowner purchased the pendants on his own through his builder.
Mosaic backsplash: Vihara 1-by-4 tile in Ichika Iridescent, Sonoma Tilemakers; range hood: Pro-Style wall-mount hood JXW9036WP 36-inch, Jenn-Air; oven: Pro-Style dual-fuel range with griddle and multimode convection 36-inch, Jenn-Air; cabinet pulls: Atlas Homewares; see more tile styles
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Lighting: The homeowner purchased the pendants on his own through his builder.
Mosaic backsplash: Vihara 1-by-4 tile in Ichika Iridescent, Sonoma Tilemakers; range hood: Pro-Style wall-mount hood JXW9036WP 36-inch, Jenn-Air; oven: Pro-Style dual-fuel range with griddle and multimode convection 36-inch, Jenn-Air; cabinet pulls: Atlas Homewares; see more tile styles
More
Homeowner’s Workbook: How to Remodel Your Kitchen
Trending Now: Color and Pattern Make These Backsplashes Stand Out
Details That Count: 11 Designer Secrets to Work Into Your Kitchen
Other Resources on Houzz
Find a kitchen designer near you
Shop for kitchen sinks and faucets
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vmbluelemur, this is a counter-height island. The stools or chairs are not bar height. Our island is counter-height, I am 5´6¨ tall and my feet can fit easily flat on the floor, although I would probably be guilty of putting my feet on the front rung of the chair. It would be much more of a strain on my body to have to try to lean over a table-height island or kitchen table for meal prep. It is a beautiful kitchen and I am glad it works for them.
I agree with hidesertkath. It's more difficult to sit and cut at a dining/kitchen table or even stand and reach at a dining table than it is at counter height. Counter height is pretty much the average comfortable height to stand and prep foods, cook and clean up which is about 36". Sitting on a chair that's comfortable for that height allows a person to sit and cook/clean/prep.
Now, try all that at a table height of 30". That's more of a strain. If you wonder how folks did it years ago, kitchen tables were higher or they sat with a bowl between their knees and a chair or stool nearby that held the additional food or tray. I know because I've watched my Auntie and Meemaw for years as they pealed potatoes or cut up veggies. I never saw them sit at the eatin' table to prep foods. It was either a bowl or the counter.