A contractor has suggested that if we are modifying an island to replace a range with a cooktop that it might be a good idea to go with a contrasting cabinet and butcher block counter on the island, I have clear stained cherry cabinets and dark black granit with lots of blue/green in it.
I’m having fun on Houzz, but would love to hear thoughts on options from CCers who are into this stuff.
I personally prefer a unified look, but that’s just me.
I think a contrasting island is a great idea…and I’ve seen it done beautifully.
BUT I would NEVER go with a butcher block…ever. My neighbors just had a butcher block removed. Despite careful maintenance…it was a mess.
You might want to see if you can still find the stone to match existing countertops. I went through this last winter when I only needed to change the countertop in one of four areas, but it was a large area. While my stone was still being produced, it looked nothing like it had twenty years earlier.
My kitchen cabinets are a color called “wool skein” with a jacobean aging stain over them (think cream that looks a little grimy in the corners, but in a cool designer-ish kind of way) and the island is a dark bronze color (really it looks like a blackish taupe and goes well). I like the look a lot because the kitchen is really huge, and all that expanse of white would have been a lot.
I do have the same granite on all the counters, though. I’ve seen that go too horribly wrong on too many houses, where they thought they’d put a “fun” granite or solid surface on the island, and ugh, no. Too much.
The one time I’ve seen it done well was a white marble counter on the island, gray cabinets on the island, gray marble on the regular counters, and white cabinets. It was a very limited palette, and all the tones matched perfectly-the whites were all natural whites, and the grays were warm toned. I just wanted to drool over the elegance and restraint shown while incorporating so many different textures.
I wouldn’t do contrasting counters with a little kitchen because I’d say it’d look choppy, but I’ve seen just the cabinets work if there wasn’t too big of a contrast.
If you have wood right next to your cooktop, that may violate fire code-make sure you check if you want to go that way.
My island cabinet base and countertop material does vary from the rest of the kitchen cabinets/countertops and I’ve been happy with it. The island is build to look like a freestanding fairly massive piece of furniture and does have a butcher block (Boos) top with which I’ve been very happy. It is not a mess and has been easy to maintain for almost 20 years. I don’t chop directly on it and use cutting boards instead but do use it to roll or knead dough. Butcher block can also be refinished if needed, although I didn’t need to do it for 15 years. You can apply some Boos oil occasionally to help keep it looking fresh. Easy peasy. My kitchen cabinets are natural cherry with granite tops and the island is painted.
When the guy who custom made the kitchen came to refinish the butcher block a year or two ago, he actually took some pictures of the kitchen to show the handiwork to customers. He was impressed how it didn’t look dated all these years later. I’m still happy with it.
I have a different color granite on my island. Also the sides of the island that face out are tiled with marble matching the backsplash. It was originally just the matching cabinet color but there were no doors on those sides so I decided to tile it over.
It’s just personal choice either way. Some islands are really distinct in a way that to me doesn’t mesh, others are nicely integrated into the overall look. The best unmatched look to me is freestanding like @doschicos has.
You can’t go wrong with a matching island though. It’s quite possible unmatched islands will become a signature dated early 2000’s look.
My island has the same granite…but the part I used on the island has a lot of variation in the stone…as where the rest of the counters used the more uniform patterned sections.
I like contrasting cabinets and variable surfaces but I also do think it’s a fad so I guess I would make my decision based on how much I loved it when the fad fades. Or if you are someone that updates every decade or so go for it if you like it. Me I designed a kitchen at our primary home 25 years ago and knew it wouldn’t ever be changed til I’m dead and gone so it’s pretty classically simple with a limited palette. I do have a Boos chopping block work 'table" that is freestanding and I keep it oiled and it has held up very well.
When we did our big reno five years ago, the kitchen was one thing that was done. Our cabinets are a soft white, I actually forget the name of the paint color, and I chose a dark finish for the large island (we have two islands). It looks beautiful and I’m still happy with it five years later. The granite is the same throughout the kitchen. We have a lot of counter space so need four slabs of granite. Again, still in love with it after five years. 
In our vacation home, we have a large teak island in the center of the kitchen. The counters in the kitchen are a honed black granite. The cabinets are wood and painted a cream color. The teak island was custom made. We thought there would be too much stone if we used granite for the island, which is the focal point of the kitchen. Haven’t been able to keep the island in good shape.
I do think that a somewhat different island is fine, I like the “furniture” look, BUT:
–No butcher block, no wood. Not a practical surface. Too moisture sensitive.
–If the cooking surface is to be on the island it MUST have a hood. No dinky downdrafts. Get real.
Wow, we love love love our butcher block island. I’m so glad we didn’t have granite there (freezes your elbows as you read the paper at breakfast). Ours is finished with a very durable finish ( something from the Boos block group). We don’t chop on it, just a few light slices (like bread) . The finish has held up, and I wash it daily and sometimes spritz with 409 type cleaners. I have sealed a few deep slice scars with the rub-on finish Boos supplied.
Our island is nearly 7 years old and looks great. The biggest scars are a spiderweb of dents from grocery lists written with ball point pens. We don’t baby our kitchen and the island is hub central in our house. Seriously the best choice we made in our gut-to-the-studs remodel. It’s maple, the cabinets are a warm dark brown, the perimeter counters are white granite.
We have quarter sawn oak cabinets with granite countertops and matching cabinetry on the island with butcher block. Absolutely love the butcher block island - that Is where we eat most off the time and I didn’t like eating off of something as cold and hard as granite. The butcher block is in great shape, consistent use of cutting boards and soak it in mineral oil while we are on vacation.
I love my butcher block islandk, which is actually a freestanding table not an island, but I wouldn’t combine it with either a cooktop or a sink. I’ve got a combination of butcher block and a very dark soapstone. If I’d realized how much I’d love the soapstone I’d only have done my island in butcher block. My island has a tomato soup red base while my other cabinets are white. I love the little accent of color. I was never a fan of the furniture look, but I love my kitchen.
I’ve never been a fan of granite - to me soapstone has a warmer softer feel.
Honestly browse places like Houzz, but do what YOU like. It will all go in and out of fashion sooner or later.
My Inlaws have a butcher block island. Their house is over 30 years old and the butcher block still looks new. Granted they are clean freaks.
I have Corian counters and a granite island. The Corian is now dated but I like having two different surfaces. I like the look of a different color cabinet on the island but I do think it is a fad.
If a cooktop is on the island its not a good candidate for butcher block. You will want an easier to clean surface
And I totally agree about not having a down draft vent. They don’t do the job well enough. I made that mistake in my old house and was never, never happy with it.
My cook top is part of the island and there is no hood and no downdraft vent. The house was 5 years old when we bought it.
The island countertops and base match the rest of the kitchen though we plan to remodel in the next 5 years and stick with matching.
The teak island I have has no cooktop or anything else. The island is basically a large wood counter on top of white cabinets. People always gather around the island; I have coasters and placemats out, but the wood still gets nicked/scratched. We didn’t want to make huge structural changes in the kitchen when we remodeled and kept the island, which the previous owner had covered with copper. Talk about something that’s impossible to maintain.