5 Kitchen Island Layouts We See Most Often

From seating overhangs to hidden appliance garages, here are the island configurations our designers build most.

The island is usually the centerpiece of a kitchen renovation, and it's also where clients spend the most time deciding on layout. Here are the configurations our designers build most often.

1. Seating overhang

A counter overhang of roughly 12–15 inches on one side gives room for stools without anyone's knees hitting cabinet doors. This is the single most common island request we get.

2. Hidden trash and recycling

Tucking pull-out trash and recycling into the island keeps it out of the main prep zone and out of sight from the rest of the kitchen or an open living area.

3. Prep sink islands

A second sink in the island creates a real second work zone — useful for multiple cooks or for keeping cleanup separate from prep during entertaining.

4. Waterfall countertop edges

A waterfall edge, where the countertop material wraps down the island's end panel, is one of the more dramatic upgrades available when you coordinate your cabinet and countertop order — something our team plans directly with PoshHaus Stone.

5. Two-tone islands

Pairing a different cabinet color on the island than on the perimeter cabinetry — a navy or green island against white perimeter cabinets, for example — is one of the easiest ways to add visual interest without redesigning the whole kitchen. Several of our brands, including 802 Cabinetry's Bolton series, are specifically built with multiple finish options that pair well for this look.

Planning yours

Island size and layout depend heavily on your kitchen's overall footprint and traffic flow — it's one of the first things we work through in a design consultation, well before finishes are chosen.