25 Reclaimed Wood Kitchen Islands (Pictures)

Adding a kitchen island with reclaimed wood is a great way to add a rustic, natural style to your home. Custom reclaimed wood kitchen islands are great conversation pieces that can increase your home’s resale value and help you add your own personal style to your room.

Below are some gorgeous ways designers use reclaimed wood kitchen islands to create an inviting kitchen space you’ll love.

If you’re dreaming of a kitchen that exudes warmth, character, and rustic appeal, look no further than a reclaimed wood kitchen island. These stunning centerpieces have become a beloved trend, allowing you to infuse your cooking space with a sense of history and sustainability.

The Beauty of Reclaimed-Wood Design Islands

Reclaimed wood is salvaged from old buildings, barns, factories, and other structures slated for demolition or renovation. Each plank bears the marks of its unique past life – nicks, knots, nail holes, and a rich patina that can only develop over decades or even centuries of age.

By repurposing these materials, you’re not only embracing eco-friendly practices but also adding unparalleled character to your kitchen. Every reclaimed wood island is truly one-of-a-kind.

A reclaimed wood island instantly becomes the focal point of your kitchen, drawing the eye with its:

• Unique grain patterns and colors: From warm honey tones to weathered grays, no two pieces are identical.
• Rustic textures: Aged wood has a wonderful tactile quality, inviting you to run your hand along its distressed surface.
• Sense of history: Those knots, nail holes, and saw marks are stories preserved in the wood, making your island a conversation piece.

Plus, the natural variations and imperfections give the island a delightfully rustic, “imperfect” look that contrasts beautifully with modern cabinets and appliances.

Reclaimed-Wood Cabinet Island Ideas

In the picture above, the diagonal linearity of the reclaimed wood kitchen island is echoed by the diagonal setting of the subway tiles on the kitchen backsplash. With grey metal edging, the kitchen island is topped with a slab of white marble and embedded with a chrome-finished wash basin and faucet.

Antique wrought iron brackets support the open shelves alongside paneled white kitchen cabinets. The industrial filament bulbs connected with painted metal conduits lend an industrial feel, while the white lantern pendant lamps over the dining table give a homey, classic touch.

From the opposite vantage point, you can see how this beautiful kitchen design with a reclaimed wood island acts as a breakfast bar with bar stool seating for two. The white shaker cabinetry pairs expertly with the dark wood grains and provides a great contrast to the space.

The reclaimed barn wood kitchen island has a cabinet topped with a white quartz countertop and embedded with a stovetop. The open concept between the kitchen, living room, and dining room reflects the laidback New England style, especially with wide views of the sea through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Classic white lampshades and a trio of black iron pendant lamps over the dining table add to the effect, while the range hood hanging over the kitchen island lends an air of modernity.

Reclaimed wood in dark grey makes this modern kitchen a marvel of Scandinavian style. Topped with a speckled white quartz countertop and modern barstools, the backsplash also adds texture to this kitchen with its cracked white surface.

Plain glossy white cabinets with stainless steel appliances accentuate the grey wood alongside the lighter grey wood used for the flooring. Three tiny hanging teardrop bulbs complete the Scandinavian cool look of this kitchen. See more interesting kitchen island with seating ideas here.

Using reclaimed wood in a cool grey hue matches the clean white, modern look this kitchen is going for. The main contrasting kitchen island features a fold of white solid surface over the reclaimed wood and continues unsupported all the way to the end of the breakfast nook. The white paneled cabinets at the back wall are simple and help accentuate the wood’s hues. The plain white back wall is also illuminated with strip pelmet lighting.

The multi-hued reclaimed wood kitchen island adds a touch of kitsch to this Contemporary Classic kitchen with its subway tile backsplash, plain white quartz countertop, and black polished faucet. Dark blue is used as an accent for the kitchen’s under-counter cabinets, and double-hung windows to the side bring in light.

A modern glass and stainless steel range hood hanging over the kitchen island is softened by a wall of reclaimed wood leading down to the floor. Reclaimed wood accents are also used on the all-white kitchen counter, while the textured wave panel at the back adds to the modernity of the space. The travertine stone tile flooring adds another cool hue to this modern kitchen.

Held up by decorative wood brackets, the green marble countertop rests on a reclaimed wood kitchen island base and is accented by the plain cream cabinetry and trimmings on the back walls. The backsplash in white tile is interrupted by small pops of color in its decorative country-style tiles. The whole look of the kitchen is tied together by light wood plank flooring and a trio of bell jar hanging pendant lamps.

The chevron layout polished marble floor tiles contrast with the deep, heavy lines on the center island and cabinets. The same type of contrast is mirrored in the polished marble countertops and warm wooden strips of the ceiling. Three large hanging pendant lamps in black as well as stainless steel appliances, lend modernity to this chic luxe style design.

Tumbled stone flooring in a hopscotch pattern brings out the warm hues of the reclaimed timber panels used on the cabinetry, strips for the taller bar counter, and heavy beams on the exposed ceiling. Diamond-shaped lamps in black iron contrast with the modernity of the white range hood with rose gold accents.

The neutrality of the white and grey mosaic lamps adds a coolness to the cooking area, as does the cool-toned strip lighting over the plain white quartz countertops.

An eclectic gentleman’s lair-style bar with its heavy dining table and barstools in a dark wooden finish is paired with accents of black steel beams and bars. A cove goes down over the ceiling, tiled in checkerboard, and with a diagonally installed reclaimed timber backsplash. The textile and capiz lamp over the dining table and the wheel and filament lamp over the bar counter reflect the contrast of new and old in this eclectic cook space.

Reclaimed Wood Countertops

Reclaimed wood planks make up the countertop of the center island, supported by white paneled under-counter cabinetry and repeated on the drawers and wall planks of the side wall. This material is also used for the backsplash and hanging shelves that hang over the black stone countertop.

Eight black industrial pendant lamps and grey wood plank flooring complete the industrial woodsy vibe of this cooking area, along with the rough-painted white columns in front of the island, supporting the rough white painted joists.

A close-up view of the reclaimed lumber countertop shows the island to double as a breakfast nook. Wood surfaces are repeated on the backsplash and open shelving. The hanging shelves are supported by plain wrought iron straps that match the black powder-coated finish of the industrial pendant lamps hanging over the island and back wall.

Roughly painted white wooden ceilings with exposed beams and girders matched with reclaimed wood plank flooring complete the industrial look of this design.

Black accentuates this food preparation area on its barstools, island paneling, and doors. A small sliver of brick running along the back wall gives this space an old-school appeal that is modernized by the linear layout of the subway tiles for the backsplash.

White walls and trimming further accentuate the deep colors of the countertop and flooring. Pendant lamps hanging on an old cartwheel tie together the whole renovated barn look, hanging on the unfinished wooden ceiling, complete with exposed wooden joists and struts.

This cottage-style kitchen is softened by its mullioned bay window with plush seating and tufted pillows. The reclaimed wooden island at the center is held by rough green-painted wood. Modern appliances in chrome finish are embedded seamlessly into the casework and accompanied by plain white paneled cabinets and shelves and a marble countertop. The backsplash is also painted white and in a reclaimed wood finish.

This kitchen design with custom island features a raised half-moon-shaped counter contrasting with the linear white quartz countertop. Glossy white cabinets with long, thin handles provide a modern touch, as do the translucent glass overhead cabinets. The bronzed backsplash provides a hint of vintage amidst all the stainless steel appliances and the cone-shaped glass pendant lamps.

This traditional white cabinet kitchen looks inviting with its reclaimed timber counter island. The main countertop is a beige granite that compliments the stone flooring. While the white cabinets, subway tile backsplash, and over island pendant lighting help to keep the space light and bright.

Reclaimed timber kitchen islands can be paired with a contemporary design with great results. This contemporary kitchen with its glossy cabinet drawers and chrome-finished handles, are given a warm touch with the L-shaped countertop put above the speckled granite countertop.

Backless black and chrome barstools add to the contemporary style of the kitchen, as do the fair fine-grained wooden flooring and hanging chrome-finished range hood complete with lighting.

The grey base of the walls and ceiling provides a good background for the reclaimed lumber casework and kitchen island, culminating in a heavy reclaimed timber bench at the foot of the breakfast nook.

Grey granite countertops and a grey tile strip for the backsplash add to the grey theme of this kitchen, while the light wooden table top resting on chrome-finished metal and speckled beige floor tile add lightness to the deep grey and warm earthy feel. Ample natural lighting comes in via the floor-to-ceiling picture window facing the garden and the skylight near the oven embedded into the casework.

The upcycled lumber in this cooking area is heavy-grained redwood and was used for the ceiling and ceiling beams, as well as the unpolished island cabinets and countertop. A stainless steel rough-cut wash basin adds to the rustic, unpolished appeal of this woodsman-style cooking area, complete with redwood strip flooring, a dining set, bookshelves, and planks for the back wall.

Quirky elements include the double-ceiling fan with a glass lamp over the dining table and a trio of forest green industrial pendants over the island. The contemporary glass sliding doors lead to the outdoor balcony.

This layout features strong finishes, such as multi-colored brick flooring, repurposed barn doors with silver hardware, and a dark finish countertop. These textures are toned down by the solid grey hue of the walls and white paneled cabinets, moldings, and door architrave.

Adding to the Contemporary Rustic look of the design are the wire basket filament bulb and glass bowl filament bulb pendant lamps. A small rug softens up the heavy brick and timber elements.

An aged bronze chandelier hangs atop the reclaimed pinewood counter and is matched by the bronzed stovetop and range hood. White paneled casework and mullioned hanging cabinets bring a classic vibe to this cooking area, while the blue stone tiles on the floor give the space some color.

White marble backsplash completes the look of this old-school style table placed alongside white mullioned windows, with the largest one in a repurposed lumber framing.

Plain grey paneled cabinets, a white paneled door, and white subway tile backsplash are the perfect backdrop to the portable Chelsea-style upcycled countertop resting on top of the black painted island base, fitted with a small shelf underneath.

Cool mint green walls and dark stone tiles in a weathered finish add to the cosmopolitan appeal of this otherwise country-style space, along with a pair of conical white hanging lamps.

The high vaulted ceilings of this cooking area are broken up by exposed wood cross-bracing and hanging copper-finished ceiling fans and spotlights. The split-face stone finish on top of the fireplace adds an earthy finish to the cooking space and is neutralized by the all-white walls.

In the same way, the repurposed wooden countertop for the island and the Calacatta marble countertop for the back wall is accentuated by the dark grey paneled cabinetry and plinth.

Salvaged lumber center islands should bring out the character and personality of a wooden surface. The coarse grain and deep color of the upcycled lumber countertop make it look almost like stone. Supported by grey paneled cabinetry, the wash basin is in hammered copper, lending a rustic feel to this Contemporary classic.

The oiled brass faucet mounted onto the countertop also adds to its rustic appeal. The stainless steel refrigerator looming in the background brings back the modernity of the space, as does the mullioned glass hanging cabinets.

The repurposed timber in this modern kitchen island making up the countertop is dark yet polished, giving it a Contemporary Antebellum style. Wood finishes are also used for the cabinets and ceiling beams and to create the wainscoting on the wall, with the upper area in a lighter fine-grained wooden accented with decorative frames and plates.

Distressed stone tiled floors tie together the entire look, while the diagonal line of the island support and mosaic tile backsplash add modernity to this kitchen with a dark finish.

Getting the Reclaimed-Wood Island Look

There are a few routes to achieving this covetable style:

Buy a premade reclaimed wood island

• Search for companies that specialize in crafting furniture from reclaimed lumber
• Expect to pay a premium for the custom, artisan work
• An easy turnkey option if budgets allow

Hire a carpenter to build a custom island

• Source reclaimed wood yourself from architectural salvage shops
• Provides total creative control over size, wood types, finishes etc.
• More labor intensive but can match your vision exactly

DIY reclaimed wood island

• For skilled DIYers with tools and experience
• Most affordable but requires significant sweat equity
• Numerous online tutorials to guide your project

No matter which option you choose, complement the rustic wood with:

• Vintage industrial accents like metal stools or pendant lights
• Open shelving to display dishes, cookbooks, etc.
• Contrasting sleek countertops like marble or concrete
• A classic farmhouse sink or vintage faucet
• Exposed wood beams or shiplap walls for extra rustic flair

With a reclaimed wood island anchoring your kitchen design, you’ll create a warm, welcoming, utterly charming space that beautifully blends past and present. Start hunting for that perfect reclaimed wood piece today!