Dual Purpose Kitchen Island

Products that are versatile and have dual-purpose always win my vote! I found this well-built kitchen island that doubles as a breakfast bar. The kitchen island is available in three stylish finishes: Cottage Oak, Ebony, and White. One of my favorite features of this island is the open and enclosed storage space so, clutter can be hidden and prized possessions displayed for show. All you need are the stools and viola- enjoy quick and casual dining.

John Boos Gathering Block

Just the right size for many kitchens, this Gathering Block by John Boos lends a stylish hand in food preparation and entertaining. The 4" thick solid maple top has an endgrain construction with a transparent finish, creating the perfect place to slice and dice, or to serve up beverages for guests. The butcher block is available in so many vibrant finishes too, so you can add a little splash of color to the kitchen. This kitchen island is available with or without a wicker basket in case you need a little storage space for frequently used utensils. The slatted lower shelf holds baking dishes, cookbooks, small kitchen appliances or baking ingredients.

Glass Serving Cart

I don't do an awful lot of entertaining, but the Classic Glass Serving Cart by Bridgewater Gallery would certainly make having people over a little more fun. Sleek and elegant, the serving cart becomes a great little portable bar. Three glass shelves, supported by sturdy steel poles, are the perfect size for ice buckets, wine and liquor bottles, glassware, cocktail napkins, hors d'oeuvres, or whatever you're serving. Instead of serving the snacks from one location, put them on the cart and push it around. Casters make it easy to move the cart to wherever the party is.

Butcher Block Kitchen Island

When I dream of having a larger kitchen, I also dream of having a large kitchen island, one where there's plenty of room for food preparation and for storing all the kitchen items I use most frequently. I would love to be able to make it the prime focal point in the kitchen, as well as a gathering place for friends and family. The Harrisburg Kitchen Island with Butcher Block Top from Westmoreland Woodworks is made of Eastern white pine with a butcher block top and a distressed, antiqued finish. Three large drawers, an enclosed cabinet and open shelving provide more than enough space for my linens, utensils and small appliances like my blender and hand mixer. The traditional style of this kitchen island fits in with my heirloom-style furnishings and would definitely make an impact in my kitchen.

Handy Kitchen Cart

I have always dreamed of having a large kitchen with a kitchen island that has shelves and cupboards and plenty of room for baking and food preparation. Alas, what I do have is a small galley kitchen with counter space that is less than adequate, especially around holiday time when I do a lot of cooking and baking. I did find the perfect solution though - the Cucina Elegante Kitchen Cart from John Boos. This cart has a hard maple edge-grain top that's the perfect place for rolling out dough and also has drop-leaves that make the work surface larger if I need more room. The stainless steel base is equipped with sturdy shelves that keep everything I need in front of me. The best thing about this kitchen cart is that I can fold down the leaves and roll it into the corner when I'm not using it.