In my most humble opinion, the kitchen is by far the most important room in the home. This has a lot to do with the way that I was raised and the importance that I put on sharing meals with loved ones, but chances are that you feel similarly if you’re here.
I also put a lot of value into making meals together. The meal is just going to start being prepared once my guests arrive, as I love to have them join in so that we can create something together. That’s why I was so happy to move into my new apartment which allowed me to do such things.
To me, the perfect kitchen must have a good amount of counter space, a moderate amount of storage (that way you only have the appliances that you truly need) and most importantly, a kitchen island with corresponding stools for my guests to sit and watch me prepare their dinner (also so that I can call on them whenever I need a sous chef).
This specific kitchen gallery is dedicated to the kitchens that have just that: kitchen islands with seating. I have found some incredible kitchen-inspo in this gallery, and I hope that you do too! Happy browsing, happy cooking, happy eating.
1. The Picnic Seat Kitchen
Starting off this wonderful gallery with a truly adorable kitchen. There’s something particularly special about a kitchen that takes the time and space to store some books (cookbooks or otherwise) and that is the very first thing my eye was drawn to.
We have a very simple kitchen design going on here, with white cabinets, light gray countertops, and your regular old stainless steel appliances, but I find that the accessories are what makes this room rather special.
Along with the book shelf we see a very cozy rug hiding in between the kitchen wall and the kitchen island, and some lovely dark hardwood stools that bring a nice contrast against the otherwise light-color themed space.
2. The Checkers Kitchen
We have a kitchen here that has a main feature of a gorgeous waterfall style kitchen island. This means that the island’s countertop flows right down to the siding. This is a rather unique kitchen island in that it has a ton of front storage, and a cozy little nook for a couple seats right at the end.
This kitchen is particularly lovely to look at because it has light colors where they need to be, and darker colors where they need to be. The darker accessories like cabinet doors, pendant lights, and window frames bring some real drama to the space.
Just where the colors are where they should be, we finding wooden pieces right where we want them as well. Adding wooden accessories always helps to warm up a space and give it a natural vibe, and we see that here in the kitchen stools, the accessories found on the counters, and the dining table that’s just out of sight.
3. The Rounded Kitchen
I go absolutely nuts for anything that is even a little bit mid century modern, and this kitchen space is way more than a little bit. It’s rather unusual to find so many rounded surfaces in a kitchen, and I think that is what makes it so special.
The parallels with the main kitchen counter, the island, and even the vent hanging above the kitchen island all bring a very satisfying congruency. Not only that, is incorporates a bit of a casual factor, making it even more inviting.
You can never go wrong with teak, you can never go wrong with huge windows, and you can certainly never go wrong with leather butterfly chairs either. There is nothing about this room that I’m not obsessed with, and the design is courtesy of Johnny Grey Studios.
3. The Eggshell Kitchen
Now this is a kitchen that has a super unique and special kitchen island. On the back side we see that it has an area for prep and a kitchen sink built in. It also has some open shelving on one side, and another wooden addition for some seating. I think it’s especially smart to have the seating addition be at a standard height for an ideal sitting height.
The rest of the kitchen has a lovely classic feel to it with ivory cabinets and very similarly colored floor tiles. I love both the dark hardwood pendant lights that match the table perfectly, as the eggshell blue back wall brings you a lovely splash of color exactly where you want it. This design is courtesy of Kitchen Stori.
4. The End Table Kitchen
This is my perfect version of a vacation home kitchen. On the other hand, it’s kind of my perfect version of a home kitchen at the same time. I love the large, sandy colored tiles (that are almost definitely heated), that bring an almost beachy feel to the space.
We have a glorious custom kitchen island that features tons of extra counter space and drawers, but where the real quality lies is in the super cool rounded breakfast corner table that is slightly raised from the kitchen island. Two gorgeous kitchen stools nestle in perfectly under the matching wooden round table.
We see two large, stainless steel light fixtures that go perfectly with the other stainless steel appliances, and all of that is lightened up by white walls and white cabinetry as well. Not to mention that cheeky little wine fridge on the end, I see you! This kitchen design is coming from Harvey Jones Kitchens.
5. The Birchwood Kitchen
Now I don’t know if it’s birchwood for sure (I’m not a wood expert, what do you want from me) but what I do know is that a lighter stain of wood works so well in a kitchen space. With the natural lighting coming in from the skylight it almost looks like yellow, which is such a nice and cheery color.
Here is a kitchen design where simplicity just works so well. Simple cabinetry with a simple kitchen island, and a super mode and kitschy raised breakfast counter to add some dimension to the otherwise even space. This design is thanks to John Maniscalco Architecture.
6. The Happy Place Kitchen
This is a kitchen space that is just so cheery and bright, and I don’t think it’s just because of the gorgeous sunlight streaming in from those huge windows (you already know that I am just the biggest fan of a kitchen that’s set right off of a backyard or balcony).
The color combinations flow cohesively right through the entire room, from the wooden waterfall kitchen island with black backsplash and white stools, the white cabinets and wooden shelving, all the way to the little glimpse of the staircase we see on the right.
The happy place kitchen is a place that I could stay all day long, especially since those kitchen stools are at ideal sitting height. I adore the white brick backsplash and cement flooring, too. This design is courtesy of CHA Architecture + Construction.
7. The Charming Industrial Kitchen
In this photo we see an incredible example of an industrial style kitchen (we have a whole article about industrial-style inspiration if you’re interested!) that’s present in the brick wall and exposed foundation and piping.
To offset in the industrial bones we have rather classy and classic cream colored cabinetry (say that five times fast) and really crisp and clean light hardwood flooring. I think the best part of this room is the very generously sized kitchen island. I love how wide it is with a ton of space for kitchen stools, and of course we love a built in drop down sink. This design is brought to you by Harvey Jones Kitchens.
8. The Ship Deck Kitchen
I think that one of the best things about this kitchen is the really intelligently designed lighting system. We see rail lighting not only over the countertops and windowsills, but we even have lighting under the countertops as well – yet somehow without any lighting on the ceiling the room is still totally bright.
Another really special part about this room is how each portion of it is different – the wooden cabinetry on the left is different from the island which is different from the white cabinetry on the right. Though they are all different, it still all matches.
Another very special part of this room is obviously the exposed beaming on the ceiling which is why I named this room the ship deck kitchen. It provides a real rustic charm. And I see you down there little doggo! You make this whole room! This kitchen design is courtesy of Charnwood Kitchens & Interiors Ltd.
9. The Ovular Kitchen
The designer of this kitchen was so smart in using rounded edges for all of the major parts of the kitchen. It’s rare that we see rounded edges in western home designs, and I find it really does something so special for the feel of a room.
We start with head to toe windows of different framing, that goes so perfectly with the white cabinetry. This kitchen boasts gorgeous hardwood flooring and a custom kitchen island that is ovular in shape with a gas stove built right in. Gorgeous!
10. The Cute & Classy Kitchen
There are so many elements to this kitchen that are not only stylish, but they are timeless in their stylishness. You can never go wrong with a white marble countertop and it looks especially lovely on top of a wood panelled island.
We see an inlay of gray brick that goes all the way to the back room, which looks so good against the contrasting white cabinets. I think the little wooden shelves to display your best china are also a very quaint touch, especially since they match the industrial kitchen stools.
11. The Simple Kitchen
Here we have a lovely kitchen that really shows us that simplicity sometimes is the best policy. I always appreciate a design that uses very light features, but has dark contrast accessories right where they need to be. We see that here with the light floors, waterfall countertop, and walls, but black stools, window framing, faucet, and pendant lights.
This kitchen is clean and tidy and spacious. I love a kitchen that has a larger kitchen island than it has regular countertops. It just feels extra inviting and homey. Need a snack? Take a seat! Doing some homework? Take a seat! Want to help me with dinner? Take a seat!
12. The Regal Kitchen
I’ve done a lot of travelling throughout the United States, and there is a certain type of aesthetic that you see in a lot of mountain town homes, and this is the exact look that I remember. Classic, classy and timeless.
We have truly beautiful cabinetry work that blends right into the beautiful moulding found on the ceiling. You can tell that everything in this room is completely customized, seeing as everything melts together so beautifully.
Not only that, the kitchen accessories are truly impressive with that double gas stove and pot filling faucet right above it. The white tile backsplash is beautiful, and let’s talk about this kitchen island! It’s enormous and gorgeous, and it even has a pull-out portion so that you can choose if you want seating or not.
13. The White & Right Kitchen
There is something that is just so satisfying about a crisp and clean white kitchen, and if you happen to live a lifestyle where you can safely maneuver in a white kitchen without ruining it forever, then kudos to you!
We have simple white cabinetry found on both the upper and lower cabinets, blending right into the white walls and backsplash. I could honestly use a little bit more contrast here, but we do find some with the wooden and steel bar stools and lovely hardwood flooring.
14. The Black & Tan Kitchen
Now this is what I like to call a sexy kitchen. That’s usually what happens when you combine hardwood with black, and the designer of this kitchen did a truly wonderful job and bringing that scheme throughout the whole room.
We have minimal elements in the super sleek black cabinets and industrial seating, and especially in the gorgeous wooden waterfall kitchen island. Something extra special that I love here is the ceilings! It’s rare that you see an entirely wooden ceiling, and I extra love the mason jar pendant lights.
15. The Minimal Kitchen
You may have noticed now that I’ve chosen a lot of minimalist kitchens for this collection and maybe you’re starting to understand why. Since there’s always so much action going in a kitchen, it’s nice to have a blank slate to do your best artistry as a cook.
We have wonderful minimalist white cabinets with sleek steel handles that look so good in congruence with the long white kitchen island. And you know I have a kitchen island that has an essential appliance built right into it!
Though I dislike backless stools (for comfort, not for looks) but these are particularly attractive and give me a little mid century modern feel to them. This is a room that I could spend a lot of time in, especially considering the backyard is right there beside you. This design is courtesy of Element 7.
16. The Marble Kitchen
Another example of a timeless and classic kitchen design. Classic in the gorgeous white cabinetry and leather bound kitchen stools, and timeless in the moulding and amazing marble countertops. Despite this kitchen being so elegant, there is still a certain inviting element to it.
I love the L shaped kitchen counters with that really gorgeous Victorian backsplash above the stove. Then we have the gorgeous additions like the classic pendant lights and potted orchid on the kitchen island – gorgeous! This design is coming at you from William Byrd Homes.
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17. The Green with Envy Kitchen
I think that something missing from a lot of spaces these days is an incorporation of bright color. Now I can understand that committing to one single bright color can be quite the challenge, but what a wonderful way to bring life to a room!
The green that the designer chose works so effectively next to the black countertops, which in turn looks so punchy against all of the white cabinets that we see on the lower half of the kitchen. It’s minimal, it’s fresh, it’s modern, it’s everything! You can see the entire kitchen design on Houzz.
18. The Many Guests Kitchen
In my opinion, this is the perfect party house kitchen. Not only because there is so much space in it and so much seating, but because it has so much opportunity for decorations (and not to mention that is the perfect island to play drinking games on).
Here we have the perfect marriage of light and dark colors, contrasting the dark hardwood with the white countertops, the blue backsplash with the light gray wood flooring, and I am LIVING for the fact that the refrigerator is concealed by beautiful matching hardwood as the cabinets.
I love it when a kitchen really dedicates the majority of the counter space on the kitchen island, because this creates a very inviting and welcoming vibe to the room. It’s a multipurpose room and it works. The design is thanks to Hills & Grant.
19. The Homey Kitchen
This reminds me so much of my childhood home kitchen, from the huge kitchen island where I would eat my after school snacks, to the lovely landscape window over the kitchen sink where I’d help my mother do the dishes.
This is another timeless and classic kitchen that feels so homey and so right. We love a double oven, we love a camouflaged refrigerator, and we obviously love a huge marble kitchen island with a stovetop built into it. The pendant lights also provide an extra little oomph of lighting. This design is coming to you from Paul Moon Design.
20. The Kitchen Fit for a King (and his entire family)
This is a huge kitchen. This is a kitchen for the real deal cooks who need a huge amount of counter space, and what better to have to accompany all of the counter space and storage space than with a bunch of seating! Not to mention, those are truly gorgeous leather kitchen stools.
There isn’t a single thing about this room that isn’t impressive. From the giant kitchen islands with beautiful marble countertops and dark hardwood cabinetry, to the candle pendant light hanging over it, and the top of the line stainless steel kitchen appliances.
I’m so curious to know what the home owner does or how large their family is to merit such an enormous kitchen, but all I know is that they’re who I want to be when I grow up!
21. The Bistro Kitchen
I’ll be honest with you, I’ve watched a lot of reality television shows about Japanese eateries, and there is something about this kitchen that really reminds me of that style – where the chef is placed in the centre of the room, and those eating are circled around them at a high bar.
We see that here with a beautiful raised breakfast counter (or maybe ramen counter) with perfect matching high stools. I especially love the lighting in this room, where the ceiling is really elevated not only by the vaulted ceiling pot lights, but with the floor lights as well.
It’s a rather unusual shape to have the main appliances in the centre of the kitchen and all the surrounding storage space, but I think it works so well! The room is elevated even further with the all sleek stainless steel kitchen appliances. Amazing!
22. The Exposed Beam Kitchen
I just love this kitchen design! It’s so unusual to see a kitchen that is centred in the middle of a larger room instead of utilizing the walls for your cabinets and large appliances, but the openness of this room is super inspiring.
Starting out with that enormously impressive exposed wooden ceiling beaming and foundation beams that give us the shape of the room, it almost feels like you’re in a tree house. We have a moderately sized kitchen underneath, but the real emphasis is on the long diner style kitchen island.
Another special aspect to this space are all of the quaint accessories, with the wooden bar stools, the beautiful hanging pendant lights, and the showcase shelving in the back. I also just noticed that perfect square window and I love.
23. The Round End Table Kitchen
This is what I imagine the kitchen should look like when you look into a doll house kitchen for your best dolls. I don’t know if that made complete sense to you, I’m just trying to say that this is a perfect kitchen in every way shape and form.
I find that using lighter colors on the outside of the room really expands the size of it, especially when you keep the darker colors towards the centre of the room that we see in that dark hardwood kitchen island and matching stools.
This is one of the best kitchen islands in the whole kitchen. On one side we have the counter top dedicated to extra counter space, but on the other side we have a rounded high top table for you to have your tea and snacks. I love a round table, they’re the best for long conversations.
24. The Industrial Dream Kitchen
Gorgeous doesn’t even start to describe this kitchen space. It’s extravagant, it’s utility, it’s spacious, it’s everything that you could possibly want or need in your kitchen. Starting with the incredibly impressive vaulted ceiling with exposed wood beams and sky lights.
We have tons of industrial inspiration here through the ceiling, the vent, and the stainless steel refrigerator, and the overall shape and style of the kitchen island is perfectly classic and classy. We have black stools with high backs to ensure that you’re super comfy at the kitchen counter.
25. The Geometric Kitchen
Finally a kitchen design with a little bit of pattern to it! We see pattern in the absolutely sublime herringbone patterned wood flooring, and I love that the designer used the same wall paper for the backsplash on the kitchen island to match the backsplash on the back wall.
It’s especially effective when it’s contrasted against the white counter tops and cabinets. This is a very high end kitchen island with a built in stove top and kitchen sink. Overhead we have some beautiful golden pendant lights.
26. The Chessboard Kitchen
I think that this kitchen is my favorite in the entire collection. And yes, it certainly has something to do with that gorgeous checkerboard wood kitchen island. It’s unusual to have seating all the way around a kitchen island, but it turns the island into a round table vibe, which is one of my favorite things to have in a room.
Here we have a color scheme of wood, white, and black, which is truly the best thing you could do for a room. The wood provides warmth, the black and white gives dimension, and all of it together is completely timeless.
The wooden ceilings are gorgeous, the white pendant lights are endlessly classy, and the windows in this room elevate the entire thing to a whole other level. I could spend the rest of my life in this room and be entirely happy about it. This design is thanks to John Maniscalco Architecture.
27. The Minimal Dream Kitchen
You may have noticed that there have been several minimal kitchen designs in this collection, and even more kitchen designs that have a focus on a black and white color scheme, but I think it’s starting to become obvious as to why.
From the slick white kitchen island to the cabinets and even the flooring, this room is bright, airy, and clean. Then we receive black accents exactly where we need them, found in the backsplash and pendant lights. And don’t think that I didn’t notice that sexy fixed gear bike back there! You can see more of this home here. Designed by PartiDesign.
28. The Canary Kitchen
Soft, buttery yellow cabinets set the base for this room. China blue accents, especially in the tiled image in the backsplash, are highlighted by the yellow nicely. Metallic accents bring color and class into the kitchen to complement the warm wood of the island countertop.
This kitchen is quite unlike the other kitchens in this collection, but it’s just so incredibly cozy and warm. The color scheme is complete perfection with the canary paint and the China pattern tiling, and it’s bringing us a kitchen that makes you feel right at home.
29. The Country Classic Funk Kitchen
Bright is the name of the game in this room. Bright cabinets, bright walls, bright accents, even the floor is a bright honey-colored wood. Black chair legs help to break up the brightness and tie together the black accents in the appliances without feeling harsh in the space.
The gorgeous copper lanterns accomplish the same goal by breaking up space at the top of the room. The above island includes a stove. This is a room that has successfully incorporated several different stylistic inspirations and they all go together elegantly. See more of this home here. Designed by DLB Custom Home Design.
30. The Double Tier Kitchen
Bold blue tiles are enough to brighten up this space, so much so that the rest of the design can remain natural wood hues and white cabinetry. Separating the island cook space from the eating space of the counter is a genius idea and it allows the individual spaces to remain uncluttered.
The above island is interesting because the sink takes up much of the island counter space. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a two tiered kitchen island quite like this, and it is so genius and cute and darling. I especially love having the opportunity to sit with my feet on the ground at a kitchen counter at the same time! I don’t what I have against high stools!
31. The Fish Tank Kitchen
Color is a key component in this kitchen design. Navy blue cabinets are complemented by the frosted blue glass of the accent wall. The natural wood counter tops break up the dark colors of the room and more pops of color are added in the leather accent chairs placed around the end of the island.
The incredible glass accent walls almost make you feel like you’re inside a fish tank (hence the title of this kitchen). It’s amazing white colors can do to the overall vibe of the room, especially when lighting in incorporated into it. See more of this home here. Designed by Jerry Jacob Design.
32. The Crisp Kitchen
The pale palette of this room is broken up by the introduction of natural wood accents. The pale blue tiled walls add a difference in the shade of the room but keep to the washed out color scheme, helping to keep the space light and bright.
We’re closing out this fantastic collection with another unqiuely designed kitchen island that has one half dedicated to counter space and cabinet storage, and the other half is dedicated as a comfortable seating area. Like I said in the beginning, the kitchen is the most important room in the home, and the designer of this one understands that completely. See more of this home here. Designed by NC Office.
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