10 Ways to Customize Your Kitchen Island

Learn how to turn a ready-made island into a designer-worthy piece with a clever use of lumber, marble remnants and stylish hardware. Explore this bold, chef-worthy kitchen >>

Solid-surface countertops are intimidating because they usually come with a large price tag. A trick for getting a custom and budget stone countertop is to search stone yards for remnants. Remnants are smaller pieces cut from slabs, and they're often sold for a fraction of the cost since they're considered waste from more elaborate installations. We'll take it!

Looking to use your kitchen island as a breakfast bar but too short on space to make it work? Consider having your countertop material rounded at the edge. This still offers enough overhang for use as an eat-in area, but won't protrude into the kitchen as much as a full square or rectangle.

Give your kitchen island an architectural look with a shiplap update. Made from horizontal boards fastened with a 1/8-inch gap, shiplap adds a classic and casual cottage vibe.