A chic, sleek kitchen is always the goal, but getting there isn't always the easiest. And when it comes to keeping your kitchen looking its best, you can't underestimate the importance of keeping your counters clean.
A cluttered kitchen island is the difference between a clunky, so-so kitchen and the ones you're saving to your Pinterest board. Just take a flick through any magazine, do you spot any bulky air fryers, or piles of unopened mail on the counters? We didn't think so. It's all about simplicity, keeping it pared back to essentials, and no unnecessary clutter on display for all your guests to see.
"In a well-designed kitchen, the island should feel like a permanent architectural element within the room rather than a convenient storage platform," explains Richard Davonport from Davonport, "which is why we always encourage clients to resist the instinct to let it become the natural resting place for post, small appliances, knife blocks or decorative accessories that have drifted out of cupboards over time."
To start you off on your best foot, I asked the experts for the five items they would absolutely never have on their counters, so we can all follow suit.
1. Non-Essential Appliances
As with your countertops in general, deciding which kitchen appliances are worthy of being out, on display on your kitchen island, is your first port of call. Most bulky items that aren't particularly easy on the eye (air fryers, we're looking at you) are generally ill-suited to being left out on display; while stylish, design-centered accessories, like a particularly chic espresso machine, can safely be left on your kitchen island.
"We tend to discourage clients from permanently housing anything on the island that is not used constantly, particularly bulky countertop machines with trailing cables," explains Charlotte Buttler, kitchen design manager at BK Eleven.
Remember, too, just because your appliances are stylish, doesn't mean they all need to be out at all times. As Charlotte says, "Even high-quality appliances can erode the sense of order when several are left out together." This is especially true if they are appliances that you don't tend to use very often.
2. Prep Accessories
While it is certainly true that the primary function of the kitchen is as a place to cook, it would be unrealistic to pretend that this is the only thing the room is used for. More often than not, the kitchen acts as the social hub for a home, even more so than the living room. So designing with this social aspect in mind is the key to a stylish, modern kitchen. This is especially true for frequent hosts, where the social aspect can often even outweigh the functional, cooking one.
Because your kitchen worktops will, of course, be used for all your cooking prepwork, it can be appealing to leave items like your knife block or chopping boards out on your island, ready for use. However, when these items are joined with other accessories and daily clutter, this space can quickly lose all sense of order.
As Richard explains, "Once the surface begins to fragment, the clarity of the design is quickly diluted, and the island starts to resemble a busy table rather than the structural anchor of the space."
This is not to say you cannot have any kitchen accessories or useful items on display, just make sure they don't take over your entire countertops.
3. Dish Towels
After spending months planning, designing, and creating your dream kitchen, the last thing you want to do is ruin it with mindless, thoughtless clutter. And even something as simple as leaving your dishcloth, or hand towel, out on the surface can make your kitchen look less expensive.
It's a mistake that is undeniably easy to make, as something you need to use so regularly, it can often seem easier to simply leave it out rather than hiding it away continuously. But a crumpled, dirty cloth is not the chic kitchen accessory your island, or your countertops, for that matter, deserve.
Plus, there are plenty of stylish solutions to this issue, like a chic towel rail, perfect for adding to the end of your island. In fact, Richard McGrail, co-CEO at Armac Martin, says, "My personal favorite brass accessory is our Cotswold towel rail with matching S hooks. It adds farmhouse charm to a kitchen island whilst also being super practical, keeping towels to hand." And these can be found in all manner of metallic finishes, so you can find one to match the rest of your kitchen hardware.
I'm particularly fond of this Chatsworth 1928 Antique Brass Traditional Single Towel Rail at Victorian Plumbing, which is also very on-trend.
4. Oils and Seasonings
There are plenty of arguments on either side for whether a hob should go in the kitchen island. And while they can help make your kitchen layout feel more sociable and contemporary, this design can also invite even more clutter than on your typical kitchen island.
"Where a hob or sink is integrated into the island, the discipline becomes even more important," says Richard. Suddenly, it becomes more tempting than ever to have all your utensils out for easy access, as well as all your cooking oils and seasonings, too.
But even if these little extras simplify your cooking process, they can seriously harm the overall look of your kitchen. And even beyond the visual side effects, they also invite some potential safety risks, too.
As Richard explains, "Oils, paper packaging, wooden utensils, and other loose items can quickly create both visual distraction and practical risk around heat and water, undermining the sense of calm that a well-resolved kitchen should project." Rather, keep all your cooking essentials nearby, in a kitchen cabinet or drawer, so they don't clutter your island.
5. Paperwork and Laptops
As we know, the kitchen is rarely used for just one purpose, and it's become all too common for it to take on the role of the home office, as well as the entertaining area. This means that piles of paperwork and multiple laptops are about as commonplace on kitchen islands and counters as a coffee machine.
This is particularly true for kitchens with island seating. As Charlotte notes, "When seating is incorporated, it is equally important to prevent the overhang from turning into a casual shelf for bags and laptops, as that spillover can make a carefully planned room feel unsettled."
It's all too easy for your counters to become the catch-all surface, much like the dreaded clothes chair in the bedroom. And instead of a sleek, organized island, you're left with a part-desk, part-counter hybrid.
A chic marble tray is a great way to simplify your clutter, providing a clear spot to keep it all, while also putting a strict restriction on the amount of clutter you can have out at one time.
This bronze towel rail has a lovely antique look, which is super on trend at the moment. It also is a super simple and functional way to cut down on clutter in your kitchen.
If you are going to keep your cooking accessories out on your island, they better be stylish, like this gorgeous mango wood chopping board from H&M Home.
If there's one brand that makes appliances worthy of being on display, it's Smeg. Their vintage-kitsch look is always a winner in our books, especially in this bubblegum pink.
This petite kettle is as much a piece of decor as it is a functional appliance. I love the sleek, simple design, not to mention all the high-tech functions.
Joining Smeg, Kitchenaid is another one of those brands we'll always make an exception for. If you're a baker, this is practically a prerequisite.
Of course, kitchen organisation goes far beyond what meets the eye, and making sure those hidden parts are just as neat as what's on display is where the true magic really happens. If you're not quite there yet, try investing in some of these things that people with tidy kitchens always have.
