Designing a kitchen island with seating

As contemporary homes begin to ditch the formal dining room altogether in favor of more open (and casual) floorplans, table-style islands have become a major trend in kitchen design.

And whether that kitchen island table is a farmhouse-style table that's as perfect for entertaining guests as it is for doing homework, or a more modern, stainless-steel work table with room for storage, what makes a table feel island-like is its positioning.

Kitchen island tables are typically placed at the center of the kitchen and beneath a source of light—like a chandelier, pendants or track lighting. Another important consideration is seating—and whether the space allows for chairs on both sides.

If an island table will also include a bottom-row storage element, keep table height (and comfort) in mind when selecting island chairs or barstools. If one side of the table is closest to a busy work area (stove, oven or sink), it may make sense to limit the seating to one side.