16 Kitchen Island Storage Ideas

Maximize your kitchen island with these sneaky ways to carve out more storage and space.

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Island Storage All Around

Microwave Nook

Secret Storage

Pullout Storage

Concealing Columns

Built to Suit

Open Space

Space-Saver

Hidden Assets

Family Central

Hard Worker

Genius Design

Store and Display

Packed with Storage

Vegetable Storage

Vertical Storage

Spice Drawer

Spice Storage on the Side

Storage for Sponges

Hidden Storage for Recyclables

Rollout Storage for Pet Food

Workstation Storage

Slide-Out Drawers for Utensils

Serving-Tray Storage

Storage for Party Central

Wine Bottle Storage

Storage for a Stand Mixer

Storage Niche for Stools

Rollout Carts for Additional Workspace

Vertical Storage for Baking Pans

Storage for Wine

Storage for Electronics

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Island Storage All Around

Each side of this island is packed with storage, even beneath the eating counter. The side where the barstools are stationed houses roomy cabinetry storage. While accessing these cabinets requires moving the stools, the spot is ideal for stashing infrequently used items such as roasting pans, large serving platters, and some small appliances, leaving space in easier-to-access cabinets for everyday items.

Microwave Nook

Save counter space with a built-in microwave within your kitchen island. Keep in mind that the island will be need to be outfitted with the proper electrical components. Also consider how the microwave door will open; make sure the appliance is in a place where the door won�t run into anything.

Secret Storage

Create seamless storage with door fronts that look like decorative panels. A push latch opens these panels to reveal a magnet board on one side and an icemaker on the other. The cabinets behind the magnet board left only a sliver of space on the end of the island, but it was just enough room to include a play station, which keeps kids occupied while Mom or Dad cooks. The panel on the left conceals a deeper nook that houses an icemaker.

Pullout Storage

Keep frequently used pots and pans on hand with easy-to-access pullout shelves. Stainless-steel shelving offers a modern look, as well as a sturdy material for bearing the weight of heavy cast-iron cookware.

Concealing Columns

Column-style corners on this kitchen island prove to be more than just decorative. Opening the recessed panel with a push latch reveals hidden cookbook storage.

Built to Suit

The multipurpose island is the hub of this kitchen: A lower countertop equipped with outlets eases baking and meal prep. Open shelving offers extra storage space and easy access to cookbooks.

Open Space

Choose a long island with multilevel shelving for more storage in a narrow kitchen. Use baskets to wrangle dishes, produce, or cooking supplies to keep the kitchen looking clutter-free.

Space-Saver

An island can work in a smaller kitchen if it�s scaled to suit the size of the room. Though it�s only 2 feet wide (to allow plenty of clearance on all sides), this island offers a prep sink, a chef-friendly butcher-block top, and storage underneath and on the ends. Classic-look columns on all four corners of the island reflect an emphasis on furniture-style design.

Hidden Assets

This 10x6-foot island anchors the kitchen, providing a sink and space for food prep and serving. A microwave, warming drawer, built-in trash receptacles, and cookware storage reside below. Shelving on one end provides convenient space to display and store dishes.

Family Central

To maximize this island�s use, a storage nook was carved out to hold favorite cookbooks. Built to chair height, the countertop offers a convenient working space while accommodating both food prep and casual family meals. Beaded board along two sides of the island adds cottage charm, and the textural granite countertop makes the island the centerpiece of the kitchen.

Hard Worker

This island is loaded with storage, including a wine rack, recycling bins, spice drawers, space for dry goods, and a modest-size breakfast bar. Legs and feet give the island furniture style.

Genius Design

This three-in-one island combines a prep station with a banquette and a glass-front display cabinet. The working side of the island forms a prep station opposite the sink. On the other side, the raised banquette takes full advantage of the woodsy view and provides ample seating. Meanwhile, the back of the bench houses a glass-door cabinet facing the dining room. A drawer under the bench furthers the island�s storage capacity.

Store and Display

This U-shape island, topped with iroko wood, draws the family together for informal meals and provides the perfect spot for buffet-style service. On one end, cabinets offer storage; because the glass doors are visible from the dining room, the homeowners chose to make it a display area for antique blue-and-white serving pieces. On the working side of the island, the cabinetry offers a variety of storage options including drawers and traditional cabinets with pullout shelves.

Packed with Storage

Kitchen islands don't need to be huge to provide big storage benefits, as shown by this lean green storage station. This island's special storage features include a slot for a cutting board and a box corralling jars of supper staples such as pasta, beans, and rice. A compact hanging organizer makes use of open space beneath the work surface by holding rolling pins and paper towels. On the other side, a spice rack organizer keeps favorite spices and cooking tools close to food-prep central, and a wire drawer tucks away towels, dishcloths, and other linens.

Vegetable Storage

Onions, potatoes, and squash do best when stored in a cool, dry place. Give them what they need by storing them out of the way in a pullout wire basket beneath standard drawers.

Vertical Storage

You like to use your kitchen island as a location for mixing cookie dough and cake batter, right? So keep cumbersome baking pans and cookie sheets where you need them -- in vertical storage space below the island top (behind closed doors). If your kitchen island is in a fixed position (rather than on wheels), include electrical outlets behind tilt-down drawer fronts. They're perfect for plugging in a mixer.

Editor's Tip: If your kitchen island is big enough, install a handy roll-out recycling bin at one end.

Spice Drawer

Kitchen island drawers work perfectly for storing spices in a cool, dry location that will help them stay fresh. Label the lids if the jars are standing upright, or label sides of jars if they're lying flat or tilted.

Spice Storage on the Side

Spices and cooking oils stand ready thanks to shallow shelves and drawers built into the island (accommodating deep-storage options on the opposite side). The open shelving allows the cook to see what's available without having to read every label.

Storage for Sponges

Lucky enough to have a prep sink in your kitchen island? Then consider a clever tilt-out bin instead of a dummy drawer front. The tilt-out holds sponges and soaps exactly where they are needed for cleanup duties.

Hidden Storage for Recyclables

Stay green while looking stylish. An oversize pullout shelf keeps recycling bins hidden away from view yet handy, making it easy to do the right thing.

Rollout Storage for Pet Food

Keep Fido's food accessible but safe from snitching when your back is turned. Install pullout bins by attaching trays to drawer glides. Food slides out for feeding time, then tucks back into the armoire. No more wrangling bulky kibble bags and risking messy spills.

Workstation Storage

Create a spacious workstation at the kitchen island by installing pullout laptop shelves, electrical outlets, and Internet hookups. Such a setup is perfect for telecommuting as well as homework. And the high-visibility location means you know when the term paper or math assignment is actually being done.

Slide-Out Drawers for Utensils

Think outside the workshop and use mechanics' cabinets to hold a wide variety of kitchen utensils, pots, and pans. Their heavy-duty, smooth-gliding drawers make it easy to pull heavy cookware to a spot where you can easily grab what you need. The cabinets come with a bonus feature: safety latches that prevent small children from reaching into drawers holding sharp kitchen tools.

Serving-Tray Storage

Reserving a shelf beneath the kitchen island for serving trays keeps them out of the way but easy to find when expecting guests. The close-to-the-floor location suits seldom-used items, leaving convenient storage options for dishes and cookware you use every day.

Storage for Party Central

Large kitchen islands offer multiple opportunities for storing party essentials. Use open cubbies for storing cookbooks and pretty serving pieces. Leave enough room for refrigerator drawers that keep snacks and appetizers readily available to party guests. If you have enough space, include a wine refrigerator (shown here on the end) to keep your favorite bottles perfectly chilled and ready for pouring.

Wine Bottle Storage

Let your kitchen island double as a wet bar by building in orderly columns of cubbies for storing bottles of wine. Use solid doors to keep clutter at bay in deep cabinets&emdash;a great place to store your prettiest tumblers, wine glasses, and more.

Storage for a Stand Mixer

Unless you have an appliance garage, there's rarely enough room in your cabinets to store a standing mixer between baking binges. So include a tall shelf within or next to your kitchen island to hold the mixer, a stack of mixing bowls, or other baking supplies.

Storage Niche for Stools

Tuck a stool underneath the cook's side of the island to keep it out of a busy traffic pattern until needed.

Tip: If your kitchen doesn't have enough counter space, add a rolling cart that provides extra room to organize. See next slide for an example.

Rollout Carts for Additional Workspace

Extend your workspace and storage by tucking two rollout cards beneath the kitchen island. They're out-of-sight yet easily accessible. Choose a laminate top for the carts to provide extra counter space and use extra-deep drawers to accommodate dry goods, cookware, or other kitchen essentials.

Vertical Storage for Baking Pans

You like to use your kitchen island as a location for mixing cookie dough and cake batter, right? So keep cumbersome baking pans and cookie sheets where you need them—in vertical storage space below the island top (behind closed doors). If your kitchen island is in a fixed position (rather than on wheels), include electrical outlets behind tilt-down drawer fronts. They're perfect for plugging in a mixer.

Editor's Tip: If your kitchen island is big enough, install a handy rollout recycling bin at one end.

Storage for Wine

Keep white wines chilled at a perfect temperature in a handy compact wine refrigerator at the end of your island. Extend the countertop above the fridge to give yourself even more workspace for pouring, mixing drinks, and whipping up appetizers.

Storage for Electronics

Include electric outlets within your island to provide functional storage for cell phone chargers and other electronic toys—behind closed doors and off the counters. Smaller cubbies store your favorite red wines on their sides, perfect for keeping the corks moist.

16 Kitchen Island Storage Ideas

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