Kitchen islands are valuable pieces of furniture that can serve many functions in our kitchens. They’re generally eye-catching pieces, but it doesn’t hurt to use some decoration to brighten them up and make them stand out.
That’s why we’ve prepared some kitchen island decor ideas and tips to help you get your kitchen island to the next level.
So, let’s start.
Plants
Plants can be used all around the house as effective decor, and kitchen islands are no exception. You can choose a lush green plant or go for a more exotic tropical plant (e.g., an orchid) if you’re after a more minimalistic, unique look.
This is one of the decor ideas for a kitchen island you can never go wrong with, whether you’re using it to decorate a lavish island made of luxurious materials or a simple, inexpensive kitchen island.
Any greenery on your kitchen island will add texture and color to your kitchen space and give it a natural feel.
Fruit Bowl
Displaying fruit bowls is a great way to use the food you already have in your house as decor.
They’re an excellent choice if you want to add a pop of color to your kitchen island. Best of all, this is one of the best modern centerpiece ideas for a kitchen island that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
All you need is a fruit bowl (you can use one you already have) and some fruit that’s in season, and you’ll be all set.
We recommend choosing a monochrome fruit bowl to provide some contrast to colorful fruit. But, if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can opt for an unusual shape or play with textures and materials.
Effective Art Pieces
If you want to make your kitchen island look stylish and sophisticated, you can try using small stylish art pieces as modern kitchen island decor.
Your island countertop can become a space where you can display your favorite tabletop sculptures. Place them in the center of your kitchen island and really make it shine.
Choose either one large statement piece or go for a sculpture set stylistically compatible with your kitchen design. This way, you’ll give your kitchen a harmonious, elegant look.
Flower Arrangement
Placing a lovely vase with flowers in the center of your island is probably one of the easiest kitchen island centerpiece ideas you’ll find. Use a simple glass vase, or go for a more unique piece (made of wood or marble) if your kitchen design allows it.
Depending on your kitchen style, you can choose different flower arrangements to embellish your kitchen space.
Keep it simple and opt for single-colored (e.g., white) flowers if you want to preserve the minimalism of your chic Scandinavian kitchen, or get flowers in many different colors for a more playful look.
Candleholders
Candleholders are always in style, so you can’t go wrong choosing them as your kitchen island decoration.
They’re available in various shapes, colors, and styles, so there’s no doubt you’ll be able to find one that matches your furniture and overall kitchen design well.
So, for example, if you want a dose of luxury in your kitchen, you can get some antique candleholders. Alternatively, you can buy some candleholders in abstract or geometrical shapes to set a modern vibe.
There are many ways to style candles and candle holders, but to avoid clutter and tackiness, we recommend keeping it simple, choosing just a few, and using them as a centerpiece.
Decorative Bowls and Vases
Although fruit bowls and flower arrangements are great decor options, if your decorative bowls and vases are unique and effective by themselves, you don’t have to put anything into them to use them as decoration for your kitchen island.
So, if you have a special collection of well-made, attractive bowls and vases, don’t be afraid to use it as a kitchen island centerpiece. Use bowls of the same style and similar color, but opt for different sizes to add more depth to the arrangement.
Cookbooks
Don’t know what to do with all the cookbooks you’ve collected over the years? Use them as decor for your island. This is one of the easiest, inexpensive ideas for kitchen island decor that allows you to use things you already have.
Simply choose the books whose covers fit the aesthetics of your kitchen and set them on your countertop. You can add one large book or stack several of them on your kitchen island surface for a more textured look.
You can also organize them however you like—by color, size, or just casually scatter them around.
Unlike most other decorations, they work the best if set on the sides of the countertop instead of the center. This way, they’ll help give the kitchen a nonchalant yet stylish look. If your island has open shelves, you can also display your cookbooks there.
Tray Display
If you’re new to home decoration and unsure how to create a harmonious arrangement of various decor items, there’s an easy solution. You can easily create a decorative display using a tray that’ll make everything placed on it look cohesive.
There are many tray decor ideas out there, most of which involve mixing and matching. For example, combining candles and vases, smaller plants and cookbooks, or different small art pieces is an excellent idea.
If you’re after a modern look, we recommend using a massive quality wooden tray and combining a smaller plant, a decorative vase with no flowers, and a smaller decorative sculpture on it.
Kitchen Utensils
Kitchen utensils are usually hidden in our kitchen drawers, but if you have some pretty wooden spoons or similar interesting kitchen items and accessories, you can use them as decor to enrich your kitchen island.
What’s great about this way of decorating is that it’s immensely practical. If you end up needing something to stir your delicious meal while using your built-in induction cooktop, they’ll be right within reach.
Display them in an elegant countertop utensil holder, and they’ll work like a charm.
Go for the holder that’ll match your kitchen design perfectly. For example, if your kitchen is modern, opt for light-colored ceramics, light wood, or stainless steel.
On the other hand, if you’re after farmhouse kitchen island decor and overall aesthetic, choose darker wood and natural materials.
Decoration Combo
Single decor pieces look the best on smaller and medium islands, as they help keep the space tidy and clutter-free. But, if you have a large island and want something more lavish in terms of decor, you can use your island cabinet as a small art gallery and create a beautiful display of all your favorite pieces.
You can use multiple items and mix them up. From candleholders to fruit bowls, everything can work together as long as it belongs to the same color palette or shares certain design and style features.
One of the safest centerpiece ideas for a large kitchen island is to place a set of massive candle holders in the center of the countertop and add a larger potted plant in the middle to add some depth.
Go for white (or any other light color), luxurious vintage design, or combine different textures and styles, and there’s no way you’ll go wrong.
FAQ
How do you accessorize a large kitchen island?
You can use a variety of decorative items to decorate a large kitchen island due to its size.
You could go for larger candles, vases, fruit bowls, cookbooks, and similar items, or mix and match various decor pieces to create a unique display.
As shown in the examples above, you can simply add a few larger candle holders and a larger plant, and you’ll be all set. Or you can combine a few different items on a large tray and accessorize your large kitchen island this way.
Are kitchen islands out of style?
Kitchen islands aren’t only not out of style, but they’re now considered a must in every kitchen with enough space to accommodate them.
Therefore, there are currently lots of options and styles to choose from.
What should I display on my kitchen island?
You can display various decorative items you have around the house on your kitchen island. From a fruit bowl to an art tabletop sculpture, anything can work great as kitchen island decor.
Just make sure to avoid too bulky or tacky items to maintain a clean, high-end look, and you’ll be all set.
For more inspiration and examples, check our kitchen island decor ideas above.
