Kitchen Island Remodel Before and After: 27 AI Makeover Transformations
One of the biggest ways you can transform a kitchen besides remodeling the cabinets is by updating the island. It’s often the first thing you see when you enter the room, and the upgrade that can make the kitchen feel more custom. In this before and after gallery, you’ll see different island remodel ideas that all use the same basic kitchen layout, but change the island and fixtures so you can visualize different design styles. Through the use of advanced Ai picture generation software, we transform the island’s paint colors to add contrast, change countertop materials, bring in new bar stools, hang statement pendants that act like jewelry, and install built-in upgrades like microwave drawers, beverage fridges, and dishwashers. This way, you can visualize how certain changes can impact the overall kitchen style for inspiration.
The ‘before’ kitchen we used to base our transformation on is an attractive, bright, builder-grade space with neutral finishes. It features white shaker cabinets with brushed nickel bar pulls, a white subway tile backsplash, and stainless steel appliances that look good but don’t really stand out. There is a large window over the sink, lots of recessed cans, and two pendants for lighting. The island has a warm wood base and is topped with a white quartz countertop with an overhang to allow for eat-in dining. The floor is constructed with a light oak-look wood that helps everything appear brighter. The overall look is stylish and a little generic, making it the perfect canvas for a dramatic island after picture.
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Dusty Blue Island With Polished Nickel
This after transformation ditches the wood island for something softer and calmer, a dusty blue shade. This way, the kitchen feels more airy and transitional, and with the addition of rattan chairs, it fits more with the coastal style. The paint color used is in the dusty blue, gray-blue family. You can get a similar look by using Sherwin-Williams Dustblu, Benjamin Moore Smoke, or Farrow and Ball Light Blue if you want something more softened. The pendants were swapped with faceted, textured, clear-glass pendants for additional detail compared to the original basic globes.
Deep Teal Green Island Glow Up
This upgrade immediately makes one’s eyes turn toward the island, which becomes the focal point with its deep teal green base, and the seating that brings in a more relaxed texture. The cabinet base was done in a saturated deep teal green. To get this look in your own space, try Benjamin Moore North Sea Green, Sherwin-Williams Cascades, or Farrow and Ball Green Smoke if you want a deeper hue.
Black Green Island With Aged Brass
This kitchen design remodels the island by painting it a deep black-green and pairing it with aged brass, making it stand out as the focal point while keeping the perimeter layout the same. For a paint color like this, deep black-green that’s almost black, try Benjamin Moore Essex Green, Sherwin Williams Pewter Green, or Farrow and Ball Studio Green. Install aged brass pulls to help liven up the dark paint. Keep your countertop light by using something similar to this bright white quartz with minimal veining, so it doesn’t look too heavy. Use upholstered stools in a warm neutral, such as taupe or mushroom, to soften the contrast compared to the original gray seats. The lighting was also replaced with large brass globe pendants, giving it a jewelry moment that makes the remodel read high-end, designer.
Brick Red Island With Clear Glass Lanterns
If you want a warm and inviting ambiance, going with a brick red base turns the island into a statement piece with character. Its muted brick red, terracotta-leaning tone looks warm and earthy. To get this look, use Sherwin Williams Cavern Clay, Benjamin Moore Terra Cotta Tile, or Farrow and Ball Red Earth. The seating here was swapped for woven rattan chairs with light-colored cushions to add texture and make the red feel coastal-modern rather than rustic.
Charcoal Island With Linear Light Fixture
If you want a more modern upgrade, you should consider a charcoal shade that is deep, but still neutral. When paired with seating in cognac leather and a linear lighting fixture, that entire design shifts to a new high-end style. For a similar paint shade, try Sherwin Williams Peppercorn, Sherwin Williams Iron Ore, or Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal. If you want to keep it minimal, use dark hardware in a matte black style and replace the pendants with a single, suspended modern linear fixture in black.
Deep Plum Island Statement
This island’s deep plum base is bold and dramatic, and looks beautiful with its upgraded marble-look quartz countertop. To remodel the cabinet, the wood was painted in an eggplant-leaning purple with a saturated finish. To get a similar result, try Sherwin-Williams Potentially Deep Plum family like Darkroom or Blackberry, Benjamin Moore French Violet, or Farrow and Ball Brinjal. In the after image above, the gray upholstered stools were swapped with ivory bouclé stools with a soft texture and a rounded shape that gives it a designed vibe. The basic glass fixtures were switched with brass pendants with warmer metal to make more of an impression on visitors.
Dusty Rose Island Soft & Modern
By updating the kitchen with a muted blush central cabinet, it feels warmer and more elevated with the addition of brass ribbed lighting overhead. The wood was exchanged for a dusty rose pink tone that is muted, but still warms up the space. To get this result, try Sherwin Williams Pressed Flower, Benjamin Moore Proposal, or Farrow and Ball Setting Plaster.
Family Friendly Island With Speckled Quartz And Dishwasher Drawer
This family-friendly traditional design is all about practicality while still looking upgraded with its salt and pepper style quartz and crisp white island that blends with the perimeter cabinetry. To get this look, use Sherwin Williams Pure White, Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace, or Sherwin Williams Snowbound. The ‘before’ image pendants were swapped for large lantern fixtures in a dark bronze, so it has a more transitional farmhouse style.
Emerald Island Update
This bold design paints the island’s base and lower cabinets in a rich, rich emerald color, making the room feel custom. Brass hardware pulls were added to give it that high-end pop that matches beautifully with the ribbed glass pendants. To get a jewel toned, saturated emerald green like this, use Benjamin Moore Essex Green, Sherwin Williams Hunt Club, or Farrow and Ball Studio Green. The gray chairs were exchanged for more modern-looking ones with white molded seats and simple legs. In addition, a microwave drawer was installed on the seating side, so there’s extra cooking functionality on the outside to prevent foot traffic in the main meal prep lane.
Light Oak Fluted Island With Beverage Fridge
For a custom remodel design, this island becomes a furniture piece with fluted oak ribbing and a lighter wood tone. It’s paired with a marble-look quartz top, soft dome pendants, and a built-in beverage fridge, so the upgrade adds functionality and style. To get a light oak look like this, wrap the sides in fluted or reeded panels. Go with a Scandinavian-look natural white oak, with a matte clear coat finish. Add a glass-front beverage fridge on the end, if you like entertaining, or want a more convenient place to store all of your soft drinks and other beverages.
Matte Black Island With Induction And Linear Pendant
A matte black and white kitchen is a sharp makeover that, when combined with black linear lighting, creates a modern minimalist design that makes the space feel more architectural and stylish. The quartz countertop was wrapped down the sides, creating a waterfall effect that contrasts gorgeously with the black stools, which match the hardware pulls that keep the theme going. To get a paint shade like this, use Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black, Benjamin Moore Black Onyx, or Sherwin Williams Iron Ore.
Minimal Taupe Handleless Island With Pop Up Outlet
Pursuing a softer modern aesthetic, this island’s base is painted in a taupe greige shade that warms the room without fighting with the white cabinets. To get a cabinet color similar to this, use Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige, Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray, or Sherwin Williams Balanced Beige. Other changes for this transformation are slim black frame stools with light fabric seats and a thin linear pendant in a brushed nickel for a minimalist silhouette.
Modern Navy Island, White Quartz and Brass Pendants
Pairing white cabinetry with a navy island adds contrast and makes the kitchen feel like a true remodel, not just a paint job. To get a saturated modern navy paint hue like this, try Sherwin Williams Naval, Benjamin Moore Hale Navy, Farrow, or Ball Hague Blue. Other elements that work well for this design are the under-counter microwave that was installed at the end of the base near the refrigerator, the bouclé-style white stools with slim black legs, and sleek brass cone pendants.
Mustard Ochre Island Contrast
By adding this mustard ochre island, it becomes the statement piece and elevates the entire space, so the center stays bright and the perimeter cabinetry tones it down so it’s not overwhelming. This earthy tone of mustard brings warmth, comfort, and even optimism and energy, and pairs excellently with white or creamy cabinetry. To get a mustard ochre, look for one that is more golden than yellow, try Farrow and Ball India Yellow, Benjamin Moore York Harbor Yellow, or Sherwin-Williams Cut the Mustard family. Other elements that were changed are the white upholstered stools with black frames, and matte black dome pendants that give a modern contrast against the base and outer cabinets.
Natural Oak Island With Black Accents
This is a warm modern upgrade that uses a lighter, natural oak base, paired with black accents in the hardware and pendants that make the design feel current and a little more graphic. For something like this use natural light oak with a matte clear finish so you get that beautiful organic Scandinavian look. Install black accessories and finishes that look sharper against the white cabinetry background.
Olive Green Island
An olive green island brings some freshness and an earthy quality to the kitchen that feels much softer than if you used emerald or navy. To get a muted olive green, muted with a slightly brown/khaki undertone like this, try Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog, Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage if you want deeper and warmer, or Farrow and Ball Olive. Keep the warmth going by bringing in brass metal pulls, and matching dome pendants, which complement olive really well and keep it from feeling flat. Elements like woven wood stools offer a natural texture that fits the overall soothing vibe.
Plaster White Island With Statement Stone Top
This creation brings out the drama by adding a bold statement quartz waterfall countertop that becomes the first thing you see when you enter the room. The base is a plaster white that has a matte finish and is not bright or glossy. To get this look, try out Benjamin Moore White Dove, Sherwin Williams Alabaster, Farrow, or Ball School House White. To get the counter right, use a high-contrast marble-look quartz with heavy veining and a waterfall end. Add updates like these sculptural bouclé stools in creamy white, and tall alabaster-style cylinder pendant lights to match the luxury vibe.
Sea Glass Island With Ribbed Glass Pendants And Microwave Drawer
If you want your kitchen to go coastal without being beachy, this sea glass design idea brings in color in a quiet way. By including blue-green tones in the base cabinets and installing ribbed glass pendants that add sparkle and texture, it feels modern and stylish without going full glam. To find a sea glass paint similar to this, look at Sherwin Williams Sea Salt for a deeper version, Benjamin Moore Quiet Moments, or something in the Benjamin Moore Healing Aloe family.
Stone Block Island With Thick Edge Waterfall And Ice Maker
This goes for the wow factor by making the island the star with a chunky slim-sided waterfall countertop in quartz and painting the base a creamy off-white. An interesting custom detail here is the addition of an undercounter beverage cooler and the sculptural pendant pair that goes with the creamy base below. To get a pick like the island’s base, consider Benjamin Moore Pale Oak OC-20 for a warm-greige, Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray HC-173 if you want slightly warmer, or Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige SW 7036 if you want a beige-greige hue.
Taupe Handleless Island With Minimal Linear Pendant And Pop Up Outlet
This island’s base features a handleless taupe cabinet that feels modern and calm and is enhanced by a pure white quartz waterfall countertop. There is a slim linear pendant overhead that further promotes the minimalist vibe. To get a warm taupe hue like this, consider BM Pashmina, or SW Accessible Beige for a deeper shade.
Terracotta Clay Island Warm Up
A terracotta palette brings in instant warmth and charm that plays perfectly with brass pendants and light wood stools. The overall effect is a soft Mediterranean feel that happens without needing to change the layout. To get a clay tone like this, try out SW Cavern Clay for a softened vibe, Sherwin-Williams Redend Point SW 9081 for a warm-clay, or Benjamin Moore Terra Cotta Tile 2090-30 for a richer terracotta. Pair it with bright brass pendant lights and matching hardware pulls if you really want to make the center stand out.
Walnut Island With Mid Century Stools And Beverage Fridge
Going a little darker on the island but still using wood with a rich walnut base makes the whole kitchen feel custom and a little vintage in a mid-century style sort of way. It uses eclectic details like curved stools and a globe chandelier to push the mid-century style, to give it a designer-collected look. The addition of a beverage fridge adds real-life function that keeps foot traffic away from the cook. To get the look, add walnut panels with a matte or satin finish.
Warm Cocoa Island With Black Pendants
This island’s base features a coffee-toned paint color that goes perfectly with black pendants and hardware to sharpen the contrast against the white cabinetry in the background. It brings in elements like the tan leather stools and black cone hanging lights to keep it stylish and inviting. To get a design similar to this warm cocoa hue, try paints like BM Fairway Oaks, or SW Urbane Bronze for a warmed vibe.
Warm Medium Greige Island With Wine Fridge
A warmer greige is a designer-approved neutral that goes excellently with white Shaker cabinets and still changes the whole room. This medium greige base adds depth against white cabinets, and the wine fridge makes it feel like it’s a custom upgrade that will benefit active families. To get a look like this, medium greige, consider SW Agreeable Gray if you want a deeper shade, or BM Revere Pewter.
Warm Putty Island With Reeded Detail
A warm putty looks soft, neutral, and by adding a slatted cabinet, it provides an interesting texture that offers additional visual interest. The reeded detail adds that custom furniture look, and the warm putty tone works to keep the color palette calm and elevated. To get this warm putty paint in your own home, consider BM Pale Oak, or SW Aesthetic White for a deeper tone.
Matte Black Waterfall Island With Induction And Linear Pendant
A waterfall island looks dramatic, especially when it stands out. This black island’s base is partnered with a white quartz counter to provide a stark contrast that feels modern and like an architectural upgrade. It becomes the focal point with its matte black cabinetry, bold waterfall counters, and sleek linear light. A functional update like the flush induction cooktop turns it into a more usable space that benefits the active cook. To get a color like this island’s base, try SW Tricorn Black, BM Black Onyx, or SW Iron Ore in a matte finish. Bring in subtle, black leather stools on slim frames to match the modern vibe and that go with the minimal linear pendant.
Light Oak Fluted Island With Thick Marble Look Top And Rattan Stools
This kitchen island reads like a furniture piece thanks to the fluted oak and extravagant marble-look quartz waterfall stone with dramatic veining. A light oak base with vertical fluted panels was used for the central cabinet that gives a distinct Scandinavian feel. Use a natural white oak with a matte clear coat to visualize this design.
Walnut Mid Century Island With Thin Waterfall And Globe Chandelier
This idea swaps the island’s light oak for a rich walnut that looks collected, and slightly vintage when combined with mid-century style stools with curved wood frames and upholstered seats. The walnut instantly makes the island feel like a custom piece of furniture and benefits from the modern globe chandelier that gives it a designer finish. To get this look use a walnut stain with a satin clear coat.
