oak kitchen island

Oak Kitchen Island - Strong Design, Imposing Style

An oak kitchen island combines beauty and strength - ship frames were once made of oak, and a very traditional appearance that looks just as stunning today.

Oak kitchen islands are often chosen for their good looks, but their strength allows them to support heavier work surfaces, granite or marble, for instance, and to provide stable platforms on a wheeled island or cart.

Oak, usually Red Oak, is commonly used in kitchens for cabinets but also for hardwood flooring, so kitchen islands made of oak often fit in nicely.

If you want the strength of an oak island but feel the natural finish is a bit too much, many models come with painted finishes.

Strength and Compatibility

Popular style choices for kitchen islands constructed of oak are Contemporary, Modern, Traditional, Country and French Country, Avant Garde, Victorian, European Bakery, and others.

Base finishes can be natural, oiled, stained, or painted and the finish can be hand-decorated and rubbed or distressed.

The top on an oak island, as already mentioned, can be of heavier materials like granite, marble, soapstone, or thicker dimensions of butcher block, but other top materials like hardwood and stainless steel are common.

Strength and compatibility with other materials and the kitchen’s design are all important, but features that make cooking more convenient should be foremost in your planning.

There are plenty of standard or custom ideas that can be incorporated into the design of an oak island.

Some, like drop-leaf or raised shelf breakfast bars bring the eating and cooking areas closer together and provide multiple uses between meals.

Features like wine racks, pot hangers, knife blocks, enclosed cabinets, drawers, shelves, bins, warming surfaces, sinks, and small refrigerators are all options that should be chosen to meet your needs and lifestyle.

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