“Everyone wants an island in their kitchen — the bigger the better. It is the most requested kitchen must-have we receive,” says Chad Kahle, president of Kitchen Vision of the Carolinas in Denver, North Carolina. And islands are getting bigger than ever, according to the 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study. Of the 1,780 homeowners Houzz surveyed about their recent or planned kitchen renovation projects, more than half (52%) were opting for islands longer than 7 feet. That’s up 10 percentage points from 2024.
As kitchen islands increase in size, so do the possibilities for customization. So what should homeowners be including to make the most of this popular kitchen feature? We canvassed kitchen design professionals to find out.
1. Seating
Seating is the No. 1 feature homeowners want their kitchen island to include these days, according to the pros we spoke to. “We get a lot of requests for seating at the island — specifically to have a place to eat quick meals or be able to help the kids with their homework while making dinner in today’s go-go-go world,” Kahle says.
Read more: https://www.houzz.com/magazine/pros-favorite-kitchen-island-features-stsetivw-vs~178083946