When we were ready to renovate our kitchen,
I had to come up with an idea for the island.
Rather than have something custom made,
I wanted to find an antique piece
of furniture that would work.
But I couldn't.
I looked for almost a year,
and finally found this reproduction
English hunt board during a trip to North Carolina.
There were two tan marble slabs built into the top,
but I replaced them with carrera marble slabs.
It's almost ten feet long, and about 30" wide.
The open bottom gave us lots of room for storage
and displaying antiques.
I like the way the light passes through...
I like the way the light passes through...
keeps the room feeling much more open
than a solid piece would have.
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| Chunky French milled cold pressed soaps from my friend and antique dealer, Lisa. Click here. |
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| My Grandmother had Planter's peanut jars that she used as canisters. These are not hers but remind me of her. |
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| View from the back.... paper towels stored in a crock, dog treats in the lidded crock, and extra cat and dog food in the baskets. |
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| Swedish olive oil soaps in vintage bowls. Scallop-edged nesting bowls, also from Lisa! |
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| Little collection of antique mortar and pestle bowls. |
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| Little bitty one for herbs and salt grinding. |
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| I skirted the bar stools to hide the chew marks from when our black lab was a puppy. Bad puppy! |
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| Stirrups make great napkin holders. |
Do you have a piece of furniture
that you use as your island?
Tell me about it!
Tell me about it!
47 comments:
Yes, I use an old table we found in March an an antique mall, with an old wash tub at the end of it to hold dish towels and such. Love yours! Wish I'd had room for one that big!
Brenda
Alison, no island in our current home. For many years in our previous home, we used an old oak library table as the island in our kitchen. It had an open shelf across the bottom as yours does. It was much smaller in scale than your beautiful hunt board, but it served the purpose of added work space for our small kitchen.
Thanks for sharing these photos of your beautiful kitchen with its charming details. ~ Sarah
That is a beautiful piece, Alison! It works perfectly in your kitchen as an island. The wood is really rich looking and the marble tops keep it light. It must be great when you are entertaining.
Your island is, like the rest of your kitchen, perfection. It was worth all the time it took to find it. My little island was made by a co-worker who is a carpenter on the side. He made it from pictures I had gathered. It turned out just like I wanted...which was lucky because I really wasn't sure what I was getting! Hopefully I'll do a post on my kitchen next month. I have a painter coming to refresh my cabinets...they are looking a bit tired! Thanks for sharing your home...~Ann
Love your kitchen and the huntboard is perfect for an island. I love the marble inserts also. You have it displayed so beautifully. Everything looks fabulous. I have an island, however it is built-in and has the sink and dishwasher in it. My last house had a 12 island that I really miss. Love that much workspace. I always love seeing your home. Hugs, Marty
Alison, you truly have the most gorgeous kitchen I have ever seen! THe island is just perfection! I'm currently looking for something like yours. I can see my kitchen looking like your one day. It has the bones for it! Now I just need a money tree!
Your kitchen island is stunning! It's always such a pleasure to visit your stunning home!
Your island is really beautiful and I love your kitchen. If you check out my post today I'm seeking help for my small kitchen and the reno coming next month. I also have an antique oak table that I use for an island in the kitchen right now, however, there won't be room for it when we renovate as the fridge and dishwasher doors will hit it. It is pictured in today's post. I hope you will have a look at it and please excuse the old kitchen cabinets. The new ones will look a lot like yours! :-) Pamela
No, I don't, but I want yours!!
Just love the large piece for your kitchen island and that it is open and you can store all kinds of things underneath. Your entire kitchen is so pretty! My kitchen is very small so no island for me.
I'm back from your friends blog. What a beauty it is. I'm looking forward to getting to know her too. Your island is to die for, I wish I'd have thought of something like this when we remodeled many years back. It's always a pleasure to stop by here. hugs ~lynne~
Yes, I have an old painted piece that we use as an island in my Dad's guest house that I have pretty much taken over;) We found it in an antique shop and had our builder raise it up from the bottom with a skirt. It is no where as beautiful as your elegant piece but you can see it on my blog it you click on the link "Guest House".
Your choice of island is PERFECT for your space and style. It was interesting to see the vignettes on the shelves below, too!
Our island is fairly typical. We replaced the "stock" top with a wooden table top that my husband salvaged. I want to add some old split bed posts to it's corners to give it some character. I'd like something more unique, but don't know how I'd ever find the storage options that I have in this standard one...
I think we have room for an island even though the previous owner build a massive bar that really is too big. I would like something old but it is hard to find the right thing. Your island is just so impressive and fits the house perfectly.
Alison your island is such a gorgeous piece and it works perfectly in your beautiful kitchen!! Love all the antique pieces you have on the bottom. I don't have a piece of furniture for my island but we just redid our island to resemble a piece. Would love for you to stop by for a look, it's on my sidebar. Have a great week, Martina
I really love your kitchen AND your island! How unique and stylish especially with the marble insets. Just Beautiful!
Karen
Love the island...worth the wait! But I really love the bar stool skirts and the chandelier! Beautiful "show case" kitchen. Tiffany
I love this piece that you use as an island! Your whole kitchen is gorgeous!
I think that this is possibly everyones dream kitchen...it certainly would be mine. Just wonderful. I don't have any furniture in my kitchen but I do have a large 4X5 foot marble topped island which I love. Given the choice I would definately take yours.
Hi Alison! You are such a great girl!!! You have been a terrific friend--thank you for all of the kind words and promotion--you embarrass me so!
But...let's study the photos of you kitchen island...look at the way all of the items you have are arranged-- beautiful! Admire the diversity in which you have accessorized the piece--gorgeous! You are such a stunning talent in your own right...oh my gosh!!!!
Best, Lisa. The frenchman's wife.
Your island is stunning! What a great idea to add the marble!
Your entire kitchen is so stunning. Absolutely love the island, and the displays beneath. I also adore your fixture over the island. Well, I actually adore everything about your kitchen!
This is such a gorgeous island Alison.
I always enjoy my visits here.
I wish I had thought of something like this when we were building. Several months after we moved into our home, I found a table, the perfect hgt and width, made from reclaimed wood. Would have worked wonderfully.
Thank you for your visits and comments at the Back Porch. Very much appreciated.
Amazing!!! I wish I had the room for an island because if I did...I would totally use a piece of furniture as an island. Every time I see a kitchen with a piece of furniture used this way...I adore it and think...how can I do this? No way....I have a galley kitchen as it just won't work. But I love seeing your's!
We have to finish remodeling our master suite before I move to the kitchen remodel, but when we do I would love to use a piece of furniture for the island...your kitchen is amazing!!!
In our last house I used a sofa table that I found at a consignment furniture store. We put it on casters, and its oak top and painted base worked well with our wood and painted cabinets. I gave it to my mother-in-law when we moved.
I have island envy! Your island is amazing. I love the marble tops too. How great for making bread or pizza!
We don't have an island. Just a counter and cabinets in a "U" shape.
Alison,
I love your island and would love to do something like that for my kitchen. I adore your chandelier and skirted bar stools. Your kitchen is one of the prettiest I've seen.
Dee
I loved your island from the moment I saw it on your blog ~ gorgeous! Of course I have that silly black cart that I wanted to cover with zinc, alas, don't know if it will ever get done. Hope that someday I can have a massive long island like yours!
:)Heidi
Hi Alison! Your kitchen is gorgeous! There's not enough room in my kitchen for an island, but if I had a kitchen big enough, I would use an antique sideboard.
Kelly
thanks for revealing so many charming secrets from your island! the swedish olive oil soaps! and the island itself which fooled me--thought it was an antique for sure.
so much lovely in your gorgeous home!
ours is functional, minimal, and constantly in use. the barstools are distressed "naturally" so the more beat up they become, the more i say 'yep, that's the look we're going for.'
the corbels on our island are beautiful but my sons hit their knees on them and curse so they have given me pause at times.
michele
Your reproduction hunt board looks anything but reproduction! Its a beautiful piece and made the perfect island for your space. s for inspiration..........
~Emily
The French Hutch
That is one beautiful kitchen you have. And I just love the island, the piece is just perfect for the space. I currently have a peninsula and am not really loving it, probably never have. Would love to reconfigure the kitchen and have it replaced with an island. I just love all of the accessories you have displayed on the bottom. One day, when I redo mine I hope it looks half this gorgeous!
Marianne :)
I only wish to have something so beautiful! Yours is really gorgeous. I love all the special touches underneath too!
I love your island. It really suits your home and style.
I'm hoping to find something to replace our existing solid island. I like your comment about light passing through the island.
I will be following this thread to see what others are using for islands.
I'd say, this is working fine for me!!!
no island here, but a fun fun fun pub table
Wowzers! She's a beauty! The entire kitchen is gorgeous!
I wanted a green or blue island and found one on ebay for dirt cheap. And they delivered!
Such a graceful, useful, elegant island. It must be where everyone congregates?
gorgeous piece...i agree that the open shelf keeps it from weighing down the room...and it's styled so beautifully...good thing your naughty pup doesn't nibble on soap!
I absolutely love your island! The open bottom is my favorite part!
Alison ~ your island is lovely and so long!! What a wonderful work space that must be. We have a built in island with not a lot of charm, it does have a built in bookcase at the end for cookbooks which I appreciate. But I am not going to have island envy, I'm just glad I have one!
Always love stopping by, you have a lovely home.
Have a great day.
Sue
Oh Alison!! I LOVE it! Love the open shelf on the bottom too. Another spectacular job done!
xo
Caroline
I agree that the open bottom portion of your island makes the room feel more airy. Great choice. I especially like all the antique pieces that you actually use under there--not just for display. I guess I have a bit of my practicality from my mother! My island is built in and was done when I purchased the house. I would have loved to use a vintage piece.
Love your island! It's one of the pieces that made me fall in love with your kitchen when I first discovered your blog. Thanks for sharing the story behind it.
Shoot...I wish I did! Mine is just a boring island and if it was standing next to yours it would feel very intimidated :)
That thing is so incredible!
Your island is GORGEOUS, beyond gorgeous!!! It was well worth the hunt!!! Love all your pieces on it too. May I ask, what are your floors? They are beautiful too! XO, Pinky
Alison, has your home ever been in a magazine?!? This kitchen is certainly magazine worthy! I love the island. And I don't think carrera marble can be beat. Love the open shelving below and the ornate corners on the piece. I'm curious to know if there are drawers on both sides? I noticed the barstool skirts immediately and love them ~ I added skirts to my kitchen chairs a couple of years ago and everyone seems to love them. Love your novel use of the stirrup, too!
Thanks for sharing more of your beautiful home.
Big TX Hugs,
Stephanie
Angelic Accents
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