Rustic Kitchen Island
Emily is a young, talented designer, whose professional interests gravitate towards kitchen and dining spaces. She prides herself on her attention to detail, obsession with functionality, and appreciation for craftsmanship.
For the farm house, or your house, your home deserves something a little rustic. We give you our collection of rustic kitchen islands and carts. Made with quality distressed wood, these look frail, but they are far from it. These rustic kitchen islands and carts will give your kitchen a new conversation piece, and offset the humdrum style of many kitchens.
Our Picks
Rustic Wood Kitchen Island
Three Posts™
If you’re looking for something to last and fit in with your forever home, this solid wood kitchen island would be a good option. Made of 100% wood which won’t warp or damage easily, always a bonus if you have pets or children, the best feature of this island is the amount of space it offers for storage. The granite countertop will also give you more space to chop vegetables if your kitchen tends to be on the busier side.
Rustic Kitchen Island on Wheels
Williston Forge
Need something portable for dinner parties but worried it might look cheap or flimsy? With this well-constructed island, you don’t need to worry about any of that. The perfect mixture of style and function, the deliberately-distressed design in a rich shade of chestnut will add a cozy touch to any kitchen. Helpfully, the wheels lock in place so there’s no need to worry about the island moving once you have it where you need it to be.
Distressed Rustic Island
Birch Lane™
If you like your décor to look lived in, this kitchen island goes above and beyond with its rustic-inspired design. Complete with human-made wormholes, wood scoring, and standing on two sturdy legs, this island is beneficial if you have a smaller kitchen space but don’t want to compromise on storage. With two shelves, two drawers, and a towel rack for a dishcloth, the only downside of this island is that it probably would not fit more than two stools comfortably beneath.
Rustic Pine Kitchen Island
Bursting with charm and character in equal measure, this island is crafted in pine with a few small marking details throughout to add a key rustic feel to your kitchen. The sturdy brown countertop can act a much-needed space to prepare food and, even better, the cabinet area below features six shelves and two drawers for those all-important storage purposes. This island would suit most kitchens due to its simple color palette.
Rustic Kitchen Island with Seating
If you like to spend mealtimes surrounded by family and friends, this rustic set complete with a kitchen island and two matching stools, full-backed for comfort, is perfect for you. Another amazing feature of this set is that the island actually expands via a butterfly leaf to seat up to six people, ideal for entertaining.
Made of a durable and sturdy solid wood material all the way around, a disadvantage of this set is that you would have to purchase extra seating if you would like all of your guests to sit.
Rustic Kitchen Prep Table
Versatile and tasteful, this farmhouse-inspired kitchen island could be a place to prep meals or a side table depending on what you have planned in your kitchen. Coming in two beautiful shades designed to evoke the antique glamour of the past, duck-egg blue and a creamy off-white, this prep table would look just as lovely with some wine on its open shelves than it would with a vase placed on top for an accent touch. Additionally, the smooth countertop would be extremely helpful for cleaning purposes if there tends to be a lot of spills in your kitchen.
Farmhouse Rustic Kitchen Island
If you prefer more of a clean rustic look, this island looks straight out of a rural farmhouse and will add structure to any kitchen. With a classic silhouette, you and your guests will love the aesthetic of the sliding barn doors that cleverly conceal a myriad of storage space, great if you like everything to be tucked-away and tidy. Farmhouse fresh at its finest, the white-and-brown design will blend beautifully with most décor styles.
Two Tone Rustic Kitchen Island
Perhaps you’re looking for something a little less imposing and more on the light side for your kitchen – if so, this two-tone island offers space for storage alongside an airy design. The main feature of this island is the long legs, a contrast to other islands which usually have shorter legs and a large base. Because of this, the overall effect is sleek and refined with a vintage feel. However, the drawers contained within this island are shallow, meaning you could only store thinner utensils instead of larger appliances.
Expandable Rustic Kitchen Island
Do you have a large family who are always round at mealtimes? This oak-finish rustic island expands to create enough space for a group of people to enjoy. The trick is a leaf extension which is hidden for style but will be a huge help all year round. With a simple and natural wood design, the large gap beneath the countertop of this island means there’ll be plenty of room for you to stretch out your legs without any uncomfortable sitting positions.
Stainless Steel Countertop Rustic Kitchen Island
If you like your kitchen to be spotless at all times, this portable island is practical for hospitality purposes and fits in with the popular rustic style without compromising on functionality. The best feature is the stainless steel countertop, which offers an easy and non-stress way to clean up any meal prep or other cooking. The two shelves below the countertop also offer space for any pots or pans. If you cook a lot, this island will definitely stand up to any amount of chopping, marinating, or organizing without rusting or marking.
Buying Guide
The key to having a warm, welcoming country kitchen is by having the right furniture pieces. A necessity, especially in a kitchen with minimal space, is a rustic kitchen island and cart. Also known as portable kitchen islands, rustic kitchen islands and carts offer functionality in spaces that lack countertop space and storage cabinets. If you want to know how to choose the right unit for your home, check out our quick buying guide below.
How to select the right size kitchen island?
It's important for a rustic kitchen island's dimensions to work with your kitchen's size. The standard height of most islands and carts is 38 inches with a depth of 20 inches. Of course, different units come in various widths and lengths to accommodate the different sizes of kitchens.
If you are working with a large scale kitchen, you can select the unit that comes with doors and cabinets that pull open. Leave at least 2 ft. of space around your cabinet or drawer.
If a large rustic kitchen island and cart can't fit in your kitchen, opt for an island that's narrow with open shelving.
How to select the best surface for a rustic kitchen island?
Will you need a worktop? Perhaps you only need an island for storage. Would you be using the island/cart as your dining table or breakfast nook? Make sure you have answers to these questions before you shell out your hard-earned money as they'll ensure your needs are addressed.
If your intention is to use your island to prepare food, then get the unit that offers the best surface for cutting and cleaning. If it can withstand wear, the better. A strong, thick butcher top is the best surface for kitchens that see heavy daily use.
For a small kitchen, a rustic island and cart needs to be heavy duty as it'll be used as a sturdy work surface and a dining surface at the same time. A varnished wooden top will be able to give you exactly that - a dining table's look and feel as well as a sturdy, durable work surface for food preps.
Ends of kitchen islands and carts can be folded and pulled up as needed. Drop-leaf tops provide versatility in both large and small kitchens. However, they're especially useful in small kitchens as the leaves can be kept during the day and pulled only when there's a need to accommodate guests.
What are the pros and cons of kitchen islands with open shelving?
Some rustic kitchen islands and carts have open shelving to provide easy access and storage of pans and pots. Because there are no doors, foot traffic within the kitchen won't be interfered. This is the exact reason why open shelving is ideal for a small kitchen. Open shelves, of course, come with their own downsides. For one, they make a kitchen look cluttered, especially if you don't exert an effort at arranging and tidying up the contents of the shelves. They can also collect dust. Islands and carts with cabinet doors and drawers may be excellent at hiding clutter, but they also require enough room for the doors and drawers to open.
