I have a small kitchen. And most days, it's cool. I have accepted the fact that I'm not going to have a proper place to make meals (or eat them frankly) until I move out of New York City.
I have a small kitchen. And most days, it's cool. I have accepted the fact that I'm not going to have a proper place to make meals (or eat them frankly) until I move out of New York City.
That hasn't stopped me from dreaming about the future - and looking at oodles of kitchen porn to serve as inspiration for my someday reno. Lately, I've had a major case of island envy, so much so that everything I'm pinning has a bold-colored one that's pretty much the polar opposite of the rest of the cabinetry color-wise. Naturally then, the island, the show pony and workhorse of the kitchen, takes center stage.
1. Bright Blue:
You pretty much can't go wrong with a blue painted island, especially in any sort of coastal setting. I also love the brass inlays and chevron detailing of this particular piece in this SoCal kitchen. It keeps the blue color from feeling too cottagey, which can be a thing with Shaker style cabinetry. Pairing the blue island with a row of gray bottom cabinets helps keep the look edgy as well.
2. Deep Navy:
Obviously, Amber Lewis of Amber Interiors didn't invent the accent island, but she's been getting after it in projects for a while, and I'm into it. First, we have a navy island - certainly a bold choice that stands out. And what's interesting here is that with just a coat of paint, she highlighted the pretty paneling on her client's existing island, made the kitchen way more dynamic, and created a visual buffer between kitchen and living room, which is clutch in an open plan. I actually think this makes the space look bigger, since it's not just a sea of white. The navy adds definition.
3. Not so Basic Black:
The dark island was so nice she did it twice, here in her own mother's kitchen with black paint - so you know it's a good design idea.
4. Soft Gray:
So far, we've looked at islands that don't shy away from bold color. But I think it's important to note that you can still create a showstopper accent piece and solidify a kitchen's design scheme with a more subtle, tonal color choice like Amber did here. Gray is still a color, people! Don't forget about it.
5. Just Right White:
Similarly, I think it's fair to also point out that white can be a dynamic choice for your island if the rest of your cabinetry is colored, as is the case in the Montreal cookspace.
6. Faded Green:
Sure, the bigger the island, the more impressive. But smaller guys can get in on the bold action, too. Chances are, if you find a true vintage painted table or cart at a flea market or whatever, some of the color is going to be chipping off. But I actually think that helps its case as a kitchen focal point. Every angle you view an "island" like this from is going to be different.
7. A Touch of Olive:
So far, we've seen the accent island work well with white cabinetry and a few other neutral colors (gray and blue namely), but I wanted to show a space where you can see how wood tone kitchen cabinets handle an island that has a pop of color, too. In this case, it's olive. But a rich jewel tone could also be very effective.
That hasn't stopped me from dreaming about the future - and looking at oodles of kitchen porn to serve as inspiration for my someday reno. Lately, I've had a major case of island envy, so much so that everything I'm pinning has a bold-colored one that's pretty much the polar opposite of the rest of the cabinetry color-wise. Naturally then, the island, the show pony and workhorse of the kitchen, takes center stage.
1. Bright Blue:
You pretty much can't go wrong with a blue painted island, especially in any sort of coastal setting. I also love the brass inlays and chevron detailing of this particular piece in this SoCal kitchen. It keeps the blue color from feeling too cottagey, which can be a thing with Shaker style cabinetry. Pairing the blue island with a row of gray bottom cabinets helps keep the look edgy as well.
2. Deep Navy:
Obviously, Amber Lewis of Amber Interiors didn't invent the accent island, but she's been getting after it in projects for a while, and I'm into it. First, we have a navy island - certainly a bold choice that stands out. And what's interesting here is that with just a coat of paint, she highlighted the pretty paneling on her client's existing island, made the kitchen way more dynamic, and created a visual buffer between kitchen and living room, which is clutch in an open plan. I actually think this makes the space look bigger, since it's not just a sea of white. The navy adds definition.
3. Not so Basic Black:
The dark island was so nice she did it twice, here in her own mother's kitchen with black paint - so you know it's a good design idea.
4. Soft Gray:
So far, we've looked at islands that don't shy away from bold color. But I think it's important to note that you can still create a showstopper accent piece and solidify a kitchen's design scheme with a more subtle, tonal color choice like Amber did here. Gray is still a color, people! Don't forget about it.
5. Just Right White:
Similarly, I think it's fair to also point out that white can be a dynamic choice for your island if the rest of your cabinetry is colored, as is the case in the Montreal cookspace.
6. Faded Green:
Sure, the bigger the island, the more impressive. But smaller guys can get in on the bold action, too. Chances are, if you find a true vintage painted table or cart at a flea market or whatever, some of the color is going to be chipping off. But I actually think that helps its case as a kitchen focal point. Every angle you view an "island" like this from is going to be different.
7. A Touch of Olive:
So far, we've seen the accent island work well with white cabinetry and a few other neutral colors (gray and blue namely), but I wanted to show a space where you can see how wood tone kitchen cabinets handle an island that has a pop of color, too. In this case, it's olive. But a rich jewel tone could also be very effective.