6 Questions to Ask Yourself to Choose the Right Butcher Block Kitchen Islands

If you’ve been considering butcher block kitchen islands for your home, then you’re likely already aware of all of the benefits they can provide, especially in terms of additional workspace.  However, there are an awful lot of different types of butcher block kitchen islands out there, with varying sizes, materials, and styles from which to choose.  How do you make that kind of selection?  Ask yourself the following questions to help to narrow down the various options so that you can pick the best possible installation for your needs and décor.

Question 1: What is your budget?

Consider what you are willing and able to pay for butcher block kitchen islands, even before you start looking around.  This will give you a much better idea of what your options are once you arrive at the home remodeling centers.  Butcher block kitchen islands have become an extremely popular feature, so narrowing down your choices to those that fit within your budget will make an important difference in reducing that overwhelming feeling that can come from seeing all of the styles at once. 

Question 2: What style of butcher block kitchen islands do you prefer?

Now that you know which options fit within your price range, have a look at the different butcher block kitchen islands styles that are available. As they are made with wood, this means that there are a large number of possible looks.  Indeed the type of wood will dictate a good amount of the quality, but it will also determine some of the design.  Do you prefer a lighter or darker wood?  Would you like a glossy finish, or is a more natural, rugged appearance more to your liking?

Question 3: What type of butcher block kitchen islands suit your décor?

Whether you are adding the butcher block kitchen islands to your current décor, or whether it is a part of a complete renovation, remember that it will need to match the flooring, cabinets, countertop, and furniture in the rest of the room.   This doesn’t mean that it needs to look exactly the same as all the other pieces in your kitchen, but it should at least blend with the colors and style that you have established in its decorating.  Your main concern will be the wood.  For example, if you have used maple elsewhere in the room, you will likely want to aim for a butcher block in a very similar maple shade.

Question 4: Do you want a movable or a fixed piece?

Many people are choosing butcher block kitchen islands that have locking casters so that they can be moved around to better suit the space needs of the room for any given occasion.  You will need to decide whether you’d like your furniture to be designed to stay exactly where you put it, or if you’d like it to have the ability to be shifted about the room, or even taken out of the kitchen altogether, when needed.

Question 5: Would you like your furniture to include storage?

Many styles of butcher block kitchen islands also include handy storage features, such as shelving (with or without a drawer) or cabinets.  This allows your furniture to perform double duty while increasing its practicality in your kitchen. 

Question 6:  What size butcher block kitchen islands do you want?

This question is an extremely important one and deserves a great deal of your attention.  Make sure to measure your kitchen very carefully so that you know the size of the area in which you’d like your butcher block kitchen islands.  It is very difficult to eyeball the size of furniture in the store, as the space is much larger, making the piece look much smaller.  You need to make sure that you have lots of room to walk around your island, or it will be much more hassle than it’s worth.  

Butcher block kitchen islands are highly practical additions to your décor that, when chosen properly, you will love for years to come. Take the time to make the right selection and you’ll never regret this investment.

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