Rustic Kitchen Islands

Rough-hewn wood, knotty surfaces and reclaimed materials make a shabby-chic addition to the kitchen in the form of a one-of-a-kind kitchen island.
Kitchen With Hickory Cabinets and Stone Backsplash

Rustic Kitchen With Custom Hickory Cabinets

Hickory wood cabinetry, custom-designed in Atlanta, Ga., establishes the room's subdued neutral palette. Wrapped by a waterfall-style granite countertop, the kitchen's island also features the warm, glowing wood.

Exposed beams, visible seams, aged and blemished wood—these are some of the hallmarks of rustic style when it comes to designing the home. And similar notions apply to creating the perfect rustic kitchen island.

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Rugged details, in fact, can help enliven the kitchen, establishing a time-worn, lived-in look in an otherwise newly constructed space. Think furniture-like, antique-style pieces (a carpenter's work bench or antique apothecary cabinet) that can be transformed into a rustic kitchen island with materials such as salvaged or raw wood, hand-carved details and rough-hewn, knotty surfaces.

Adding rustic style to the kitchen can be as simple as installing a reclaimed wood countertop on an old table and painting the base in a burnt orange, yellow, brown or green.

To create a rustic kitchen island that's truly part-and-parcel of its surroundings, choose woods that are indigenous to your region—oak, pine, birch, rosewood—and custom-design a kitchen island that looks and feels personal to your particular space.

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