There are thousands upon thousands of kitchen islands out there is every style, shape, size, color, and design you could want. But we're kinda in a hurry because we need to get our studio bar up and running like, pronto. Here are a few we found that might work, ranging from inexpensive to you-must-be-kidding-me expensive. Because we'll be using ours for our new YouTube videos and not in our kitchen every day, we'll probably look for a deal on this "set piece" and save our dollars for stocking our bar with the good stuff.
IKEA's Förhöja Kitchen Cart: $99.99
For a brand new kitchen island, this is about as inexpensive as it gets. Those of you familiar with IKEA know that if you stink at furniture assembly, you should pay a little extra to have one of their approved contractors come over and put the dang thing together for you. That way it won't fall apart with the weight of a dozen wine bottles. It has wheels on two of the legs which makes it easy to move around the kitchen but not so mobile as to wiggle around when you're slicing limes.
Crosley Stainless Steel Kitchen Island: $299.00. The body of this kitchen island is made from solid wood, and the top is a durable piece of stainless steel. That shelf you see in the middle is adjustable and the length of the drawers are as long as the stainless steel top. We love the little handle on the side to hang bar towels and think that the four wheels will come in handy for those of you who need to push this thing all the way from your apartment to your neighbor's down the hall.
Crosley Culinary Prep Kitchen Cart: $289.99 Tall and narrow, this compact cart will tuck away unobtrusively into a corner of your kitchen. It has a hang bar for your bar towel and a drawer for your tools. Because it's completely stainless steel, every little dent and dimple over the years will only add character and charm. It can hold up to 200 pounds, which I guess is for those of you might try to set a barrel of bourbon on top? The design also includes a place to store your cutlery set. Click on the link and check out the red version they've got too.
Venture Horizon Granite Kitchen Island: $349.95
This little kitchen island has it all: a space to store additional cutting boards, a cabinet, cubbies for wine bottles, drawers for utensils, and a hang bar for towels. And take note that the cubbie and drawer spaces are interchangeable. The top surface is hardwood with a granite inset, giving you the charm of wood but the practicality of stone. This design also comes in red. The only drawback is that it doesn't come with wheels and it's not exactly light to pick up and carry. Then again, purchasing four wheels from your local hardware store and attaching them to the bottom is easy.
Boos "OCO' Oak Country Table: $550.00Designed by John Boos, this cheery green kitchen island is pure quality. It's especially perfect for people who are in desperate need of more kitchen counter space. Light and airy, it will give you the extra surface you need without adding clutter or bulk to an already small space. It's topped with a butcher block of wood that will withstand years of chopping, slicing, and pounding.
Crate and Barrel Belmont Kitchen Island: $499.00 Designed by Bill Eastburn, this four-wheeled classic island will give you the extra space you need in your kitchen while hiding your cooking instruments (or full bar) behind paneled sliding doors. It has a 10" drop-leaf for an instant two-barstool counter, or additional surface area for meal prep. The hardware is brushed nickel, the interior shelf is adjustable, and the materials are made from sustainable rubberwood. They call the pretty green color you see here "mint," and it's also available in white.