22 Barnwood Kitchen Islands for the Environmentally Friendly Homeowner

Using new things is good but giving a new look to old things is even great! When you reclaim an old thing, it doesn’t just save money but it’s also good for the earth. If kitchen remodeling is on your mind for long, why not try barn wood? 

When you dismantle your old barn, instead of throwing the wood in the trash, you can use it for interior design.

This reclaimed wood can make some interesting pieces. Today, we’ll focus on kitchen islands. Perfect for adding functionality to your kitchen, these islands are even more resourceful when they’re made of barnwood.

Add a Lot of Drawers

A kitchen island takes up a lot of space. Don’t let that space go waste. Add a lot of drawers or small cabinet space where you can keep spices, kitchen towels, and other things you regularly need. Since a kitchen island is going to be where most of your chopping is going to happen, you can keep your set of knives here as well.

There are open spaces for spice bottles and even a handlebar to hang your hand towel there. That’s just one way to utilize space – you can come up with your own ideas.

Keep It to a Bare Minimum

A kitchen island is excellent for small kitchen jobs. Chopping up a salad, mixing up the batter, or keeping the dish of mince pie. You don’t need to go overboard and create an elaborate kitchen island. In fact, a plain and simple table can do the trick. 

This table here is made from old barnwood and is reused by painting it white. It offers some amount of storage, which is good for bins and kitchen towels. The top of the table is perfect for chopping, slicing, and dicing.

Make It a Shade Darker

I’m a big fan of all-white. This could mean the bedroom, living room, or even the kitchen. But if you’re going for an all-whiter, you need something to add accent to the scene. And the kitchen island can be the perfect choice for it.

Darker hues can draw focus among lighter shades. Create a truly memorable experience with a small but classy barnwood kitchen island made in dark grey. The countertop is kept light to provide a nice contrast. Perfect little extra workspace for someone who loves cooking.

Dining Space in Your Kitchen

If you have a big kitchen, why stop at a small table as an island when you can fit the entire dining table there. Keep chairs only on one side and you can have the perfect combination – chopping and slicing when you need a kitchen island and sitting down and eating when it’s time for a meal!

This table is made from reclaimed wood which is unfinished on one side to give it a rustic look. You can even create a divider using dishes to mark the territories – where the kitchen island ends and the dining area begins.

Fall for the Curves with a Circular Kitchen Island

Who said that kitchen islands can only be rectangular? Circular kitchen islands look even prettier with their beautiful curves. Check out this basic circular kitchen island that’s pretty much a table but serves the purpose beautifully. 

You can use it to chop, mix, and whip. And it can also hold your dishes as you prepare them for serving. Once done with the chopping part, use it as a coffee table. Invite your friends over for a coffee date and enjoy coffee or tea and evening snacks with them.

Rolling Multipurpose Kitchen Island

Add wheels to your barnwood kitchen island and you can take it anywhere in your house. When you’re done with the slicing and dicing, roll it out and it can be a coffee bar. And when it’s evening time, keep some wine bottles in it and there you have it – your very own liquor bar.

Apart from serving the purpose of a countertop, it also has enough storage area where you can keep your dishes, spices, trays, blenders, and what not. This way, your kitchen island can serve several purposes.

Try a New Look With Bold Colors

Brown, cream, and dark chocolate are some of the natural colors of wood, and this is why most people prefer these colors. Other people go for a different look – white, grey, or black. But only some homeowners want to take a bold stand and go for colors less chosen. 

Take a look at this red kitchen island. It’s bold enough to draw all attention to itself. And yet, it doesn’t look out of place. The cream countertop looks perfectly balanced with it. Apart from being useful and space efficient, it also gives a warm hue to the kitchen.

Give it a Rustic Look

This thick wood looks like a butcher block and isn’t just stylish but also very robust. The unfinished look adds to the charm of the kitchen island. It’s large enough to be used as a kitchen island as well as a dining table. 

It looks like the old tables used in the countryside when kids used to visit their cousins and it brings back so many memories. Perfect for a rustic setting, it also looks great in an otherwise modern looking kitchen. 

Accentuate the looks of this kitchen island by placing a granny style straw basket on top.

Kitchen Island for Small Kitchens

If you think your kitchen isn’t large enough for a kitchen island, think again. Check out this barnwood kitchen island that’s sleek and slim. And despite its small size, it still has space for storage. 

And to add to its functionality, it has wheels to help you roll it out so it can be used in other rooms as well. Want to bring an elaborate bed in breakfast for your loved one? This kitchen island will do the trick for you. 

It has an unfinished and raw look that gives it a special rustic charm that you might want in reclaimed wooden furniture.

Make a Two Tiered Kitchen Island

With a two-tiered kitchen island, you get two countertops at different heights. One is at the bar height and the other one is at the counter height. So you can prepare food while entertaining the guests. And it also offers the perfect place to sit down and eat.

A two-tiered kitchen island isn’t just practical but with barnwood, it is also eco-friendly and saves money. This kitchen island is white and has a countertop that matches the floor color. This makes it look extra stylish.

A Kitchen Island That Has It All

You can install your oven and stove on the kitchen island and make it a one stop place for all types of cooking. The rest of the kitchen counter can be used for other things. Or if you’re a homemaker who loves hosting parties, you’ll need more stoves than just four.

This kitchen island can be an extension of your main stove and you can cook snacks and bake a cake here while the main stove can handle all the main course dishes. You can use natural stone as the countertop and the rest of the kitchen island is made of barnwood.

Go Wild with Colors

In a previous point, I discussed bold colors like red. But even red can be subtle for some people. If you’re fresh and young, you might want to try some crazy colors that will bring out the personality of your kitchen.

Check out the neon color of this barnwood kitchen island. Thanks to its bright color, it doesn’t make it obvious that the wood is reclaimed. The countertop is glossy white and is going well with the neon shade of the island. It’s the perfect match in a modern home.

Make It Extra Stylish With Barn Doors

Barn doors have become all the rage. They slide open and close really easily and look very stylish. Barn doors can be used almost anywhere. Why not use them on your barnwood kitchen island? While the upper column of the island can consist of pull out drawers, the lower portion can have a storage area protected by a barn door.

This piece here has a single barn door but if you want, you can get double barn doors as well. The greyish color of the island is giving a raw and rustic vibe that’s going well with its polished countertop.

Barnwood Countertop with Brick Kitchen Island

Here’s a kitchen island that’s made of brick. It even has wall sockets so you can charge your phone! The countertop is made of barnwood and looks excellent. There is storage on the back and you can install either barnwood pull out drawers, cabinets, or barn doors – whatever you prefer.

The brick look gives the kitchen island a rustic appeal. The barnwood countertop is unfinished and kept raw to complete the look. Perfect for chopping and slicing, it also offers space where you can sit down and enjoy what you just cooked.

Make It a Bit Extra

If you’ve got the space and resources, why not make it a bit extra? Turn your kitchen island into a multipurpose unit where you can prepare food and then sit down to eat. But don’t stop there. Install elaborate seating (maybe a sofa) where you can entertain your guests as well.

And comfortable spaces aren’t just for guests. Heck, you deserve to sit down in a comfy place once you’ve done all the cooking and baking! This barnwood kitchen island is just perfect for that. Plus, the blue looks lovely against the whites of the place.

The Differently Shaped Barnwood Kitchen Island

We’ve seen rectangular barnwod kitchen islands and we’ve seen circular kitchen islands. But what if the barnwood you have is oddly shaped? It’s old wood after all. Of course, you can mend it. But what if you want to use it just the way it is?

Check out the differently shaped barnwood kitchen island. It’s like a combination of a circle and a square. While the square part can be used for slicing and dicing, the circular area can be used for sitting together over a cup of tea.

A Pull Out Barnwood Kitchen Island

A kitchen island does make the kitchen more modular but you can make the kitchen island modular as well. Check this one out – the drawers and other units can be pulled out. The advantage is that it’s easier to clean this way. Besides, it makes the piece more space-efficient.

Made from barnwood, the reclaimed wood gives it a unique look. The pull out section can be used for seating or to increase the counter space. The countertop also has a sink and a faucet – talk about being multipurpose.

The Luxurious Barnwood Kitchen Island

Live the royal life with this barnwood kitchen island that speaks of luxury. The seats are also made of wood, covered in leather upholstery. The countertop is made of marble and gives a very rich feeling. The colors of the island and chairs match the floor and create a warm ambiance. 

The island has enough storage for all your spices, crockery, and glassware. While the colors of this whole setup are very mellow, the green apples on the countertop create an accent (apart from being a healthy snack).

The Hollow Barnwood Kitchen Island

This unique kitchen island gives enough space for food preparation and also for sitting and enjoying the food you just prepared. It has some storage as well. And if you live in a small apartment, you might have a problem keeping all those chairs. 

After you’re done eating the snacks you made, just place the stools under the island. It’s perfect as it is space efficient, has storage options, and can be used for food preparation as well as consumption. Wonderful!

Kitchen Island Made of Barnwood Planks

This kitchen island is made of narrow barnwood planks. The planks have been glued together end to end and made to create a vertical base on which the countertop is installed. It’s not just differently shaped, but also very beautiful. 

The countertop itself is also made of barnwood. It doesn’t have any storage space, which isn’t an issue anyway because the kitchen has large and has plenty of storage. It’s the perfect area to sit with friends and share a cup of coffee too.

Kitchen Island with Pet bowls

If you’re making a place for your friends, how can you leave out your furry friends? This barnwood kitchen island has a special place where you can fit the water and food bowls of your dog. This way, when you enjoy a snack with your friends in the kitchen, your real best friend won’t feel neglected.

Plus, installing a pet space in the kitchen island isn’t very difficult either. Just fit a small fog bowl stand in the empty space – that’s it!

Two Kitchen Islands Instead of One

If you have enough space in your kitchen, why stop at one kitchen island when you can have two? These two islands are made of barnwood and while one has stove on it, the other one has a sink. You can install an oven in it as well.

Two kitchen islands mean way more counter space than usual.  So if you’re the kind of person who likes to keep all the ingredients ready along with all the required dishes before making something, you’ve found your perfect match – twin kitchen islands.

Barnwood Makes Kitchen Islands Better

Kitchen Islands are great by themselves. They provide extra space and extra storage. But when they’re made of barnwood, this just adds to their efficiency. After all, you didn’t cut any more trees but repurpose the existing wood. Plus, it’s cheaper!

Depending on your needs, you can finish the kitchen island or keep it looking raw. If you paint the barnwood and give it a nice finish, it’s hard to distinguish between barnwood and new wood.