25 Rustic Kitchen Islands Perfect for Any Kitchen

Farmhouse, farmhouse, everywhere. The rustic style is all over your feeds at the moment, taking us away from those sleek lines of modern design, and rustic kitchen islands are a great thing if you’re into the farmhouse style.

Rustic kitchen islands are one element of farmhouse decor that you can seamlessly add to any kind of home, no matter what your style is.

You’ll find that a rustic kitchen island is just the piece you’ve been looking for. Yes, even in a modern home, the worn edges and rough wood of a rustic kitchen island can make your space feel loved and lived in.

Take a look at these 25 rustic kitchen islands to discover which style will work best for you.

What Is Farmhouse Style?

Farmhouse style is a sophisticated way to bring provincial appeal into your interior design. It’s also a refined use for natural and raw materials in the construction of your kitchen.

While some farmhouse designs may incorporate some high-end materials like marble and crystal, many depend on natural wood and stone as the staples of the look.

Here are some of the other elements of a farmhouse style that you can incorporate into your rustic kitchen islands:

Reclaimed materials and salvaged architectural pieces: One of the keys to making your kitchen design look rustic is to incorporate older materials that have a bit of wear and tear on them for that authentic antiqued look. Incorporating new materials such as polished marble can help modernize a rustic kitchen, but need to be balanced with natural materials.
Wrought iron metal fixtures: Wrought iron brings to mind stables and blacksmiths, and helps to give your kitchen an old-fashioned flair. Alternately, copper fixtures are also a popular metal choice for rustic kitchens and rustic kitchen islands.
Plank flooring: While hardwood floors aren’t a requirement of a farmhouse-style kitchen, plank-style flooring in natural tones or stains will instantly add a rustic flair to your farmhouse kitchen. Another option is to go with flagstone flooring.
Vintage accents: Egg baskets, buffalo check dish towels, and other farmhouse accents will help visually emphasize your rustic design. If you have a bunch of neutral materials and colors in your farmhouse design, try adding a pop of accent color such as red or yellow to bring the whole room together.

The specific materials and accent pieces you use in your farmhouse style will vary depending on how you decorate the rest of your house. A craftsman-style farmhouse kitchen might incorporate stained glass pendant lighting, for example.

While a French country rustic kitchen might lean more heavily into wrought iron or distressed paint finishes.

How to Bring Rustic Kitchen Islands Farmhouse Style Into Your Home

There are several ways you can help bring farmhouse style into your kitchen other than installing a rustic kitchen island. Any rustic accent could realistically become the focal point of your farmhouse kitchen with enough visual emphasis.

Here are a few general tips on designing a farmhouse style kitchen around a rustic kitchen island:

Go with a neutral color palette. Most rustic kitchens are decorated in light, neutral color palettes to help keep the kitchen looking clean and spacious. Adding darker colors or black accents can also be done, but it will give your farmhouse design a bit of an edge.
Use diverse textures. Farmhouse style is an eclectic style. This style looks better if you layer several different types of natural materials such as linen, chenille, wood, and stone together.
Mix your metals. In modern kitchen designs, it is common to keep all of your fixtures to one metal type to create a unified design. In rustic kitchens, however, you’re better served by mixing a few metals together to give the room a more casual vibe. It’s best not to mix more than three metal types in the same room to avoid a muddled look.
Stick to natural materials where you can. Wood and stone are by far some of the best materials to incorporate into your kitchen design to quickly translate a rustic tone. Try leaving wood and stone materials in more natural states such as live edge countertops or unfinished flagstone flooring to reinforce the frontier feel of the interior.

Farmhouse and rustic interiors are relatively easy to design since they’re so versatile. Whether you prefer brighter, lighter colors and materials or a darker log cabin look, you’re sure to find some visual inspiration to help guide your design.

How to Build Rustic Kitchen Islands

If you’ve ever wanted to get into beginner’s woodworking, a kitchen island is a smart place to start. An island is one of the easier pieces of furniture you can construct if you have no other carpentry experience, and you usually only need simple woodworking tools to design and construct a rustic island.

Check out these YouTube tutorials to get started on building your own rustic kitchen islands:

Building your own kitchen island might require more money than buying and installing one since you may have to invest in some tools you didn’t own before you started.

However, you can make some of this difference up by incorporating reclaimed wood and other rustic materials.

How to Make a Kitchen Island Rustic

Incorporating natural and reclaimed materials is one big way to make your kitchen island look rustic, but there are many other aspects of the design you can look at to increase a farmhouse aesthetic in your

Look at your lines. Hard, straight lines can make an interior design look more modern, which can clash with a rustic design. Try going with uneven, organic lines in a farmhouse kitchen to keep things looking natural. Good examples of natural lines include wicker baskets and live edge countertops.
Add some farmhouse accents. Certain farmhouse accents such as egg holders or built-in potato bins will make your island look more rustic while also increasing its functionality with convenient storage features. Look at classic farmhouse patterns like check or floral embroidery to soften your kitchen’s look.
Consider a farmhouse sink. Farmhouse sinks not only help reinforce a rustic aesthetic, they are also very useful for washing large pots and pans if you like to cook. Installing a sink in your kitchen island frees up more of your counter space for food prep and decor.
Look at your lighting. Go with exposed light fixtures and more midcentury or industrial fixtures to keep your kitchen’s lighting looking rustic. Sleek modern pendant lighting may clash with a natural wooden island, or it may be a way for you to add a contemporary touch to an otherwise country design. It all depends on the look you’re trying to go for.

25 Rustic Kitchen Islands for a Farmhouse Feel

1. Marble Island Countertop

Marble is no doubt a classic choice for kitchen countertops. Pair it with a nice wood stain and you’ll have a look that is decidedly clean and rustic at the same time. Perfect for the kitchen that needs to go both ways.

Marble can help uplift a rustic design in the kitchen that needs to transition to more contemporary or luxurious architectural details in other parts of the house.

2. Beadboard Island

Many people find kitchen renovations daunting due to the sheer expense required to make everything reflect your style. When you’re thinking of revamping your farmhouse kitchen, just wrap your island in beadboard and you’ll find that’s enough said.

Beadboard can make your kitchen island look homemade even if you don’t build it yourself.

3. Rustic Stone Kitchen Island

Stone is such a wonderful decorating medium. All the colors and textures that the variations provide make it easy to choose one for your space.

Cover the boring bits of your existing kitchen island in your favorite shade for a real cabin-like look. Stone also comes in a wide variety of different colors and textures, so it’s easy to personalize your design.

4. Custom Wooden Island

You might think that your tiny farmhouse kitchen is just not big enough for an island, but you’re probably wrong. With some wood, stain, and a free Saturday, you can build a custom rustic island for your kitchen that will double your workspace.

Even if you don’t have the woodworking skills to make your own island, you can still get a custom island ordered from a carpenter.

5. Repurposed Dining Room Table Kitchen Island

It’s such a wonderful thing to find hand-me-down treasures in your parents’ or grandparents’ attic. Remember that big old dining room table?

Snap it up to use as a kitchen island. Being already lovingly worn down means you won’t be worried about using it to its full potential. Dining room tables are a practical option for setting up a rustic kitchen island with lots of surface area.

6. Wood Beam Modern Rustic Kitchen Island Accents

How do you bring rustic to a rather modern kitchen? It’s all in the wood. Give your island a makeover by lining the corners in some beautiful rustic beams.

The deep wood grain against your lighter cabinets will make a bigger impact than you think. Pairing dark wood beams with neutral-colored shiplap or beadboard is one way you can layer different textures for a modern rustic kitchen design.

7. Butcher Block Island with Rustic Kitchen Cabinets

Countertops can be the most expensive purchase for a kitchen, except for the appliances. So what do you do when you only have enough in the budget for the expensive counter choice and rustic kitchen cabinets?

You resort to butcher block on the island. Keep in mind that you should avoid cutting items directly on a butcher block to prevent bacteria build-up in the wood.

8. Wooden Island with Industrial Fixtures

When you’re leaning towards industrial styling in your home, you definitely need to think more rustic in your kitchen. A thick chunky wooden kitchen island will fulfill all your storage needs without diverting from the industrial feel.

Industrial pendant fixtures are a smart option for helping to incorporate a sleeker, more modern vibe to your island design.

9. Bright Accent Kitchen Island

Are you trying to bring color and life into your already rustic kitchen? Paint it. Choose the brightest color that makes you happy and paint your kitchen island.

Just that one pop will change the feel of the entire room, no cabinet painting is required. Incorporating a bright accent color into a neutral palette can instantly change your kitchen island into the focal point of the room.

10. Live Edge Countertop Island

A large kitchen with a vaulted ceiling obviously needs a large statement to take up the space. Treat yourself to a live edge countertop on your rustic kitchen island to bring some serious class and personality to your kitchen.

Live-edge countertops can be pretty expensive compared to traditional formica or stone countertops, but they’re a unique addition to your farmhouse aesthetic.

11. Vintage Table Island

When you want your sleek modern space to feel like home, it’s necessary to add a touch of vintage. Next time you’re out secondhand shopping, look for the wooden table with the pencil marks and roughened surface.

It will be the perfect kitchen island to add some warmth to your space. Check estate sales, yard sales, and Facebook groups to find vintage furniture for sale.

12. Shiplap Kitchen Island

It’s not a proper rustic post until shiplap has been mentioned. But in all seriousness, shiplap is the perfect way to add some interest and farmhouse flair to your dull kitchen island.

Plus, it’s a cheap weekend project which means five stars. Shiplap can help give a rustic look to a home with a coastal interior.

13. Concrete Countertop Island

Most people fall into one of two concrete counter categories: they like it or they don’t. If you’re a lover, don’t hesitate to add a concrete countertop to your kitchen island.

Concrete is durable and can give your kitchen a rustic look that is more converted metropolitan loft than a country farmhouse.

14. Wheeled Kitchen Island

Large families definitely need versatility when it comes to square footage. Rustic kitchen islands often have wheels that allow them to be rolled away when you have one too many cooks in the kitchen.

They are perfect for families that cook together. Rolling kitchen islands go well with islands that have bar storage, too.

15. Sleek Stained Kitchen Island

Of course you don’t have to have rustic wood for your kitchen island to fit into your rustic kitchen. A sleek dark stained wood will be a lovely modern touch to an otherwise textured rustic space.

Smooth, polished countertops can act as a nice balance to more rustic textures like flagstone and natural wood tones.

16. Farmhouse Island and Bar

Just because you’re going with a rustic look for your kitchen doesn’t mean that you can’t have some modern-day amenities. Using a kitchen with open storage shelves allows you to set up a small wet bar for entertaining.

This is a useful way to store your room-temperature wines and spirits along with any related glassware. See this look at Beyond the Picket Fence.

17. Rustic Farmhouse Kitchen Island Stools

Adding a rustic touch to your kitchen island doesn’t mean you have to go full farmhouse chic with your design. Just including some plain wooden stools with a marble countertop like this design at Trendir can help soften the look of your kitchen and give it a more casual air.

This is a smart-looking option for a more contemporary rustic farmhouse kitchen.

18. White Farmhouse Island with Natural Wood Counters

White color palettes look good in many different kitchen styles, but they look especially bright and clean in farmhouse designs.

Incorporating natural wood countertops and wooden stools like in this kitchen from Farm Food Family helps break up the monochromatic palette and give the room a unified look.

19. Gold Stone Island Countertop

Here’s another design that runs the balance between contemporary design elements and rustic farmhouse charm. Rustic elements don’t have to just be included as part of the scheme in a farmhouse or rustic design style.

You can also apply these rustic elements to more modern kitchens to help make their brighter color palettes and refined materials more casual. See an example of this look from This Old House.

20. Colorful Island Countertop Accents

If you’ve got your rustic kitchen decorated in a neutral palette, a way you can increase the farmhouse vibe of your design while also adding some color is to use colorful island countertop accents like the red checkered mats in this design from A’Bella Countertops.

21. Rustic Chic Farmhouse Sink Island

You can make your island look more rustic by adding a farmhouse sink. These deep sinks are practical for people who do a lot of cooking in their kitchen and regularly have a stack of dirty dishes to match.

This kitchen from Architectural Digest shows a rustic chic kitchen with several different wood types that give the room an eclectic look.

22. Rustic Island with Colored Rail Accents

Many rustic kitchen designs are centered around neutral color palettes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a touch of color to help brighten things up.

The teal-colored trim on this kitchen island from The Spruce adds some visual interest to the room and complements the copper pots and pans in a dramatic way.

23. Farmhouse Kitchen Island Trim

One way that you can add a rustic vibe to your kitchen is to look at the details. The barn door style trim on this island from Todd Romano is done in a beige color that acts as a useful backdrop for the color palette in the rest of the design.

Pairing natural wood panels with light-colored brick and plank flooring gives the entire kitchen a monochromatic look.

24. Wrought Iron Country Chic Kitchen Island

Here’s another rustic kitchen design from Todd Romano with a totally different color palette. For a rustic look that is more French country chic than the Western farmhouse, try incorporating darker colors and wrought iron accents for a sophisticated aesthetic.

A scrolled wrought iron foot on the kitchen island keeps the island from looking too bulky and cramping the kitchen.

25. Distressed Kitchen Island

Another way to bring across a French country aesthetic is to use a kitchen island with a distressed finish. This can help to make even new furniture look antique and rustic.

You can distress new paint on a kitchen island by gently rubbing away at the edges of the furniture with a piece of fine-grain sandpaper until the bare wood shows underneath. See an example of how to pull this look off at Woo Home.

Rustic Kitchen Islands FAQ

What Kind of Seating Should You Use with a Rustic Kitchen Island?

The kind of seating to use with a rustic kitchen island depends on the type of aesthetic you’re going for. If you’re going for a farmhouse look, you’ll want to look at more simplistic wooden chairs such as natural-wood bar stools.

If you’re going after a French country look, you should consider adding seating with wrought iron trim or wooden French counter stools.

What Kind of Lighting Should You Use with a Rustic Kitchen Island?

For a rustic kitchen, avoid lightings such as chandeliers or fancy globe lighting since these elements will clash with a farmhouse aesthetic. Instead, try going with some pendant lighting that features either stained glass or industrial metal fixtures.

This can help you give your rustic kitchen either a craftsman or a modern vibe depending on which materials you decide to go with.

What Materials Are Best for a Rustic Kitchen Island?

The best materials for a rustic kitchen island are natural materials like wood and stone. Some more refined materials such as marble can also be incorporated, but these refined accents should be heavily balanced by more simplistic elements in the rest of the kitchen.

Can You Build a Kitchen Island with No Woodworking Experience?

Building a rustic kitchen island can be done even by people who have little to no other woodworking experience.

Because building a simple kitchen island only requires basic tools and materials, it’s a suitable starter project for anyone who would like to get involved in intermediate home remodeling but doesn’t have the carpentry experience for more advanced projects.

Kitchen islands can also be made easily by repurposing other materials, such as old cabinetry or reclaimed wood. Since the design is supposed to be simple and unfinished, you can build a decent-looking rustic kitchen island without getting everything perfect.

How Is a Rustic Farmhouse Kitchen Different from a French Country Kitchen?

Rustic Americana interiors are similar to French country interiors in that both of these design styles use vintage elements and natural materials, but there are some distinct differences between the two styles.

French country has a more elegant, softer look with patterned fabric, distressed wood, or wrought iron accents that call to mind a Parisian cafe.

In contrast, rustic American farmhouse interiors tend to go the log cabin route – they are typically built around unfinished wood and stone elements and have a more casual feel than a French country design.

How Much Does It Cost to Install a Rustic Kitchen Island?

The cost of installing a rustic kitchen island can vary wildly.

Here are a few things that can affect how much it costs to install rustic kitchen islands:

Material type: If you install a marble countertop on your rustic kitchen island, you’re going to be looking at spending a lot more than if you installed a reclaimed butcher block or some other more inexpensive material.
Installation/construction: If you’re building your own simple rustic kitchen island, it’ll cost you a lot less than if you pay for a custom kitchen island to be built and installed by a third-party contractor. For remodeling on a budget, picking up some simple carpentry skills can save you hundreds of dollars in sweat equity.
Plumbing: Installing a sink in your kitchen island can be an important part of your overall kitchen design, but it’ll increase the cost of installing your kitchen island.

The average cost of installing a kitchen cabinet is $6,000. However, islands can be constructed for as low as $200 or as high as $20,000, depending on the materials used and the labor needed to install them.

Rustic Kitchen Islands Conclusion

Rustic kitchen islands can either help accentuate your existing kitchen interior or they can serve as a dramatic focal point for your design.

A rustic style is one of the most versatile looks you can incorporate into your kitchen, so you have tons of different materials, patterns, and colors to choose from.

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