17 Floating Kitchen Island Designs

Some people hesitate to add an island because it obstructs traffic or makes the space look tight.  Although true in some cases, you won’t encounter such issues if a kitchen is well-designed. One way this is accomplished with a modern twist is with floating kitchen island designs.

A floating island gives the illusion that the countertop and sometimes the cabinet are suspended in the air, creating an aesthetically pleasing and sophisticated look.

What Is A Floating Island?

A recent trend in island styles is what we call Floating Kitchen Island. These are islands with counters that seem to float without support.

A floating kitchen island can be built and designed in various ways, but its main idea is to create a feeling of openness and lightness instead of using a solid base type. 

Types Of Floating Kitchen Islands

• Freestanding: most freestanding types have an open base; they usually only have a shelf or two underneath and is supported by four legs, making them look less bulky

• Cantilever: this is one of the most common ways to build floating designs. These are counters extending from a solid base (such as a column), appearing to float & support themselves.

Depending on the size and depth you require, a cantilever may or may not need additional support.

• Inset base: an inset base type is built similarly to ordinary islands, but the baseboard is inset so that it is almost not visible from a person’s view.

This results in a floating effect. This is a good option for those who want lots of storage space and a bigger surface.

• Monolith: this is usually found in newly-built contemporary layouts, wherein solid concrete is formed to create a floating counter.

Because concrete has rebars for support, this type is also highly durable.

Floating Island With Seating

An island clad in wood laminates is extended to create a cantilever with additional post supports that match the classic aesthetic of the space. 

The whole layout uses one whole piece of stone for a cleaner look. The cantilever also provides ample space so you can stow your counter stools when not in use. See more kitchen islands with seating here.

This look is perfect for modern spaces with its solid waterfall countertop and a vertical wood slat accent at the base to add more texture and dimension. The concrete finish of the counter allows for a seamless surface that looks elegant and modern. See more waterfall kitchen islands here.

This is an excellent example of clever use of materials. By choosing a high-gloss laminate finish on the inset base of this monolith countertop, this design is able to achieve that floating look and, at the same time, keep the precious storage space under the counter.

Professional chefs would love this layout with its stainless steel countertops that also doubles as the accent feature of the space. 

For this idea, it uses an inset base with stainless steel cladding to blend in with the light gray flooring. What’s great about this material is that it will not corrode, and it is very easy to clean & sterilize.

If you only have ample space for an island, this is a great example of how you can add a floating counter. A solid butcher’s block is added to the countertop to create an overhang for the counter seating.

This idea has a unique modern look that combines the looks and features of a freestanding style and a regular type.

The regular island only occupies half of the total length of the counter and is mainly used to house the cooking hob. 

The rest of the counter uses solid-surface material from the top to the legs and the flat base. The unobstructed base of the floating counter makes this look lightweight.

Floating Table

If you like the look of rustic kitchens, then a live-edge wooden design would be the perfect accent piece to any space. 

For this layout, the live edge wood countertop is supported on a column and is also supported by the perpendicular countertop, allowing it to have a large open base.

Apartments usually have a very limited amount of space and because of this limitation, some spaces need to be sacrificed. 

The dining area is one of the most commonly sacrificed spaces in small apartments, but the design featured in this photo is a great alternative if you live in a small apartment. 

A floating island table (peninsula) with an open base allows you to have a dining space & an additional prep area for a very small footprint. 

Adding a freestanding solid wood countertop to attach to your existing island is a smart and easy way to add a hovering countertop to your space. 

This also saves you a lot in renovation/demolition. The solid teak wood used in this design adds a nice accent to the all-white color scheme.

If you find counter stools or bar stools uncomfortable, you can also opt to add a cantilever dining height top to your existing counter. 

In this example, stainless-steel columns were used for additional support because of the large cantilever area. The lower height allows the use of normal dining height chairs for better comfort.

Open floor plans are a bit tricky to design, especially when the different spaces are close together. In this design, a bar-height counter was added to the existing island to help create a visual partition between the living and dining areas.

Floating Shelves

This rustic design cleverly uses the free space at the end of the bar counter by adding floating shelves design to specifically accommodate wine bottles. 

This not only provides storage space but is also a nifty way to decorate the space. See more ways to decorate kitchen islands here.

A cantilever extension was added to create a dining area on the island for this contemporary design. It also maximizes the space of the main counter by adding a recessed shelf underneath for a subtle display and storage area.

This is an excellent example of a freestanding kitchen island. The design features solid wood post legs and a butcher’s block top. 

One-third of the length is used for a storage drawer and a flaring shelf, while the rest of the counter has an open base, giving it an appearance of lightness.

See more related content in our article about the gorgeous contrasting kitchen island ideas on this page.