BAR-STYLE KITCHEN ISLANDS. The biggest benefit you’ll get from this style of island is the leg room under the countertop. This is for homes where more dining room area is needed for eating in. ROUND KITCHEN ISLANDS. If you’re looking for a softer, more feminine design for a kitchen, try a rounded kitchen island. Unique to say the least, these kitchens will wow any buyer. They are great for traffic flow in instances where getting around the island may be an issue. This option is perhaps the most expensive because it will require expensive stone cutting for the countertop slab. DOUBLE KITCHEN ISLANDS. For that ultimate kitchen, where more is better, go with a double island. When your buyer was born to cook, designing a kitchen around two islands is the ultimate design. Talk about a wow factor! Double islands allow for two dishwashers, two sinks, loads of workspace and tons of storage. WATERFALL KITCHEN ISLANDS. Waterfall style islands are often found in more expensive high-end kitchens. They provide a sleeker feel, making them a good choice for a modern look. They are also more expensive because more stone is needed to create the overall look. Without a doubt, kitchen islands are the way to go in any new kitchen design. They add so much to the overall workspace and storage and offer a great look to any new kitchen. Today, most buyers expect some kind of island in kitchens. Thanks to the help of some gifted architects, the kitchen space has been transformed from simply a functional space to a place of beauty as well.
Finding the perfect style and size island is sure to enhance your next project. Adding a kitchen island could be the one thing needed to inspire and encourage more buyers to take a harder look at your project for their next home. Any kitchen project that focuses on creating a social hub feel that is welcoming and inviting is sure to wow any homebuyer.
GALLEY KITCHEN ISLANDS. Not really known for having a large amount of surface on which to work, galley kitchens can benefit from the addition of an island. A galley kitchen is long, and it can get tiresome for someone to have to walk back and forth the length of the kitchen during the preparation of food. Adding an island to this style of kitchen cuts most of the walking and reins in the length of the workspace. DOUBLE-TIERED KITCHEN ISLAND. You have to love a kitchen island that feels like a bar. These islands are great if you are trying to capitalize on using the kitchen to create a social hub. Just looking at an island like this makes you want to pull up a bar stool and sit down to have a chat with the cook. Plus, the raised tier hides where work is being done, allowing you to walk away from your mess to entertain without feeling like everyone can see it. FULLY FUNCTIONAL KITCHEN ISLAND. This is the island for you if you think bigger is better. A fully functional island is for larger homes where you really need to make a statement. These islands always give any kitchen a wow factor. They also exude a more designer and expensive feel. Yes, they do cost the most of the kitchen islands discussed! KITCHEN CABINET ISLANDS. Maybe the most common kitchen islands are designed out of kitchen cabinets. These both satisfy the need for more storage and the need for more workspace. This option can often cost less for the size you’re getting since you can build it out of ready-made cabinets.
MICHELE VAN DER VEEN
Michele Van Der Veen is the host of Good Day segments, including Flip It, Decorate Like a Designer, and Stage to Sell. She started her career in real estate investment more than 30 years ago. A published author, Van Der Veen has been recognized and featured in international magazines for her unique approach to interior design. Acquiring a formal education from the Interior Designers Institute of California, her experience stems from building custom homes to flipping more than 100 homes and working in commercial real estate development alongside her father at a young age. Not afraid to push the limit on her designs and investments, Van Der Veen will often be heard reassuring her team about her decisions by saying “Don’t worry, we are the comps!”
For more on Van Der Veen’s work or to contact her, visit iHeartHomescorp.com.
12 | think realty magazine :: september - october 2025
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