Designing the Perfect Kitchen Island

Posted on May 17, 2017

The kitchen is the heart of the house, and inevitably you find family and friends gathering around the kitchen island. Here are three important elements to consider when designing the perfect kitchen island.

Designing the Perfect Kitchen Island with Wood Countertops and Butcher Blocks — Design by Kelly Bailey of Coastal Cabinet Works

1. Function

The first step in designing the perfect kitchen island is to decide what the main function is going to be. Some kitchen islands are designed around food preparation, storage, entertaining guests, doing homework and even charging stations for devices. Islands are often designed to be used for a variety of reasons. The functionality of your kitchen island should be designed to fit your family’s daily kitchen activities. In addition to designing around what your family needs today, you also want to plan for the possibilities and create a kitchen island that can evolve as your family evolves.

Kitchen Island Design by Paul Bentham of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen Bath includes Wood Countertop — Design by Paul Bentham of Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen & Bath

2. Size

After choosing the main function of your island, you can then figure out the size of the island. The size of your island should be proportional to the size and design of your kitchen. Professionals on Houzz recommend an island to have a width of 2 to 3 feet. For length, professionals feel that 4 to 7 feet is best, depending on how much storage and how many appliances you plan to incorporate.

If your kitchen already has a lot of cabinetry space, island storage may not be a priority. Designer Steve Justrich explains, “Typically, two 24-inch base cabinets back to back will accommodate most under-island functions,” in this article by Houzz.

If the island will be used as a main food preparation area, a sink and other appliances may have to come first in priority. Should you choose entertaining as the main function of your island, then seating arrangements should be the main priority of your island.

An important factor to keep in mind is the aisle space between the kitchen island and any perimeter cabinets or appliances. According to decoist.com, experts suggest that an ideal aisle space would be 42 inches between the counters. If you have a smaller kitchen, they suggest a minimum of 36 inches.

3. Style

The next step in designing your island is choosing the style. Style includes the cabinetry finish, countertop material, lighting and seating arrangements. Typically the style of the island follows suit with the style of the rest of the kitchen.

When it comes to cabinetry finish, some choose a paint or stain color that stands out against surrounding kitchen cabinets. Others choose a matching finish to bring the design together.

Kitchen Island Design by Pine Street Carpenters features a Tigerwood Countertop — Design by Pine Street Carpenters, Inc.

It’s important to choose the right countertop that best suits the island’s activity. For food preparation, a butcher block countertop is most recommended. Waterfall counters have a sleek look that works for both modern and traditional kitchens. For seating areas, a wood bar top is a warm place to cozy up to.

Kitchen Island Design by Karen Kassen of Kitchens Unlimited features a Waterfall Countertop — Design by Karen Kassen, CMKBD, ASID, of Kitchens Unlimited

Lighting above your island is a way to express your personality, while adding to the overall functionality of the space. Some designers choose recessed lighting, others choose pendant lighting. Some also choose to use a combination of both. Designers often use three pendant lights above an island, depending on the light design.

Kitchen Island Design by Denise Quade of Denise Quade Design features a Wood Countertop — Design by Denise Quade, CMKBD, of Denise Quade Design

Seating is another way to add to the style of the overall kitchen and island. Some designers choose backless bar stools, while others choose a chair style stool.

Visit the Countertop Image Library to see more perfect kitchen island designs.

#CustomWoodCountertops #KitchenIsland #ButcherBlocks

Subway Tile Backsplash with Wood Countertops and Butcher Blocks

Posted on May 3, 2017

According to Houzz, subway tile backsplash is one of the best options to pair with wood countertops – and we couldn’t agree more.

Subway Tile Backsplash with Wood Countertops and Butcher Blocks

Designs featuring Subway Tile Backsplash with Wood Countertops

Much like custom wood countertops, the classic look of subway tile is extremely versatile, permitting it to be easily paired with just about any kitchen style.

Farmhouse is one of the most common kitchen styles featuring subway tile and wood counters. Farmhouse style is often mixed with other kitchen styles, such as industrial and modern.

White Subway Tile with Maple Countertops

Griffey Remodeling designed this small farmhouse industrial style kitchen to include a white subway tile backsplash and maple wood countertops.

White Subway Tile with a Reclaimed Oak Countertop

Phoebe Steinhoff-Smith of Coastal Cabinet Works mixed modern and industrial farmhouse style in this white kitchen. A large Reclaimed Oak counter was designed for the kitchen island. The subway tile backsplash is continued all the way to the ceiling, making the room feel larger.

White Subway Tile with Reclaimed Chestnut Bar Top

Designed by Shawna Dillon of Studio Snaidero D.C. Metro, this transitional/modern kitchen won the Kitchen & Bath Business magazine’s Showroom of the Year 2016 Award. This award winning kitchen features walls of white subway tile and a Reclaimed Chestnut kitchen bar top.

Gray Subway Tile with Walnut Wood Kitchen Island Countertop — Gray Subway Tile with Walnut Countertop

White subway tile is a popular choice, but colored subway tile is often used as well. Stonington Cabinetry & Designs chose a light gray subway tile for this transitional kitchen. The kitchen island includes a large Walnut countertop.

Blue Subway Tile with Wenge Butcher Block Countertop — Blue Subway Tile with Wenge Butcher Block

Kate Connolly of Homestead Kitchens went with a soft, dark blue subway tile backsplash that continues along the wall under the cabinets. Conveniently located across from the range is a Wenge butcher block.

Tan Subway Tile with Sapele Mahogany Counter for a Wet Bar — Tan Subway Tile with Sapele Mahogany Counter

A distressed Sapele Mahogany counter was paired with a tan subway tile for this traditional style wet bar designed by Wood-Mode Inc.

Due to their design versatility, subway tile backsplash and wood countertops make the perfect pair. To see more designs featuring this pair, visit the Grothouse Countertop Image Library.

#CustomWoodCountertops #SubwayTileBacksplash #KitchenDesignTrends

Decorative Wood Countertops

Posted on August 31, 2016

Wood countertops are naturally beautiful in their simplest form, but when designed with a more decorative eye they are any room’s best feature. Decorative wood countertops take many forms at Grothouse.

Designs with Decorative Wood Countertops

Because our wood countertops are custom crafted to your design specifications, they can be designed for the most elegant of spaces, or designed for the most tranquil of spaces.

We recently introduced our Anvil™ line of metal finishes. Matthew Quinn designed a custom Walnut wood table embellished with our Magnum metal finish for House Beautiful’s Kitchen of the Year 2016. You can embellish your wood countertop with any of our eight Anvil metal finishes.

Embellished and Decorative wood countertops — Embellished Wood Countertops

You can also design your wood countertop to be completely gilded in one of our Anvil metal finishes. Matthew Quinn also designed a White Oak Rift Sawn Blank countertop gilded in our Argentum metal finish for House Beautiful’s Kitchen of the Year 2016.

Metal Gilded and Decorative Wood Countertops — Anvil Metal Gilded Wood Countertops

Designers often choose to have the countertop distressed or hand planed to add character and worn-in charm. Wood-Mode Inc. designed the below Sapele Mahogany wood countertop to be super distressed. Super distressing means that the countertop is very heavily distressed with very unevenly worn corners and edges. It also has plentiful dings and notch marks, clusters of worm holes, waffle hammer dings and circular dings, heavy edge nicks, and possibly termite tracks.

Distressed Decorative Wood Countertops — Distressed Wood Countertops

Any of our edge profiles can also be used to create decorative wood countertops. The most lavish profiles include: Rhine, Rugen, Charmant, Krone, Super Double Roman Ogee with a Notch, and El Guapo.

Grothouse can also add a faux live edge to your countertop to mimic a real live edge countertop. S & W Kitchens Inc. designed this Tigerwood countertop to include one faux live edge.

Decorative Wood Countertops with Faux Live Edge — Wood Countertop with a Faux Live Edge

Choose a real live edge countertop to make the most opulent statement. Christopher Peacock designed this English Wych Elm countertop to be the center of attention in the 2015 Kips Bay Decorator Show House.

Live Edge Decorative Wood Countertops — Live Edge Wood Countertops

Visit the image library in our design guide to see more decorative wood countertops. Want to save an image for later? Pin it to one of your Pinterest boards or save it to an ideabook on Houzz!

Ash is the New Black

Posted on April 2, 2015

Ash Wood Countertops by Grothouse — Ash is the New Black

At Grothouse Lumber, we are seeing a resurgence of Ash Wood Countertops being specified by commercial and residential clients alike. It was always a personal favorite of Denise Grothouse. The tone is similar to Maple, but is has a more pronounced grain and hence, character. Additionally, it is a domestic wood and therefore properly managed and harvested within the United States. It takes stain beautifully and is wonderful for our craftsmen to work, sand, and finish.

Ash Commercial Bars and Restaurants

It is a desirable wood for commercial bars. It is much harder than Walnut and Teak and will resist dents and dings. In fact, the most commonly known product of Ash is baseball bats. The client below asked us to custom turn Ash dowels to fit in the brass elephant hooks. See it in person at Brittingham’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in Lafayette Hill, PA.

Ash Commercial Bar Top at Brittingham’s Irish Pub & Restaurant

Ash Residential Countertops

Trend setting renowned designer Scott Stultz showed off his latest collaboration at The Architectural Digest Home Show, Prairie Cabinetry by Rutt Handcrafted Cabinetry shown below. Prairie makes another strong case for excellence in distinctly American design, this time with modernist ethos.The island countertop he chose was indeed American Ash.

Ash Wood Residential Countertop — Design by Scott Stultz in collaboration with Prairie Cabinetry by Rutt Handcrafted Cabinetry

Ash can be stained to appear black. It is often used to give the visual appearance of Wenge. Any countertop with a stain application is finished with our Durata® Waterproof Permanent Finish. Leah Heinsius of Faralli Kitchen & Bath Design Studio designed the wood countertop pictured below.

Stained Ash Residential Wood Countertop — Design by Leah Heinsius of Faralli Kitchen & Bath Design Studio

For more information about Ash wood countertops, visit our Countertop Design Guide. Read this article on LinkedIn.

Modern Butcher Block Countertops

Posted on September 24, 2014

Butcher Block Countertops have made an increasing lead in today’s Modern Kitchen Designs. This blog will give you tips and inspiration for designing your very own Modern Butcher Block Countertop crafted by Grothouse.

Modern Butcher Block Countertops by Grothouse

Designing Modern Butcher Block Countertops

At Grothouse, the term “butcher block” refers to a countertop surface crafted in End Grain Construction. End Grain Construction is the premium construction style for direct food preparation. In End Grain Construction, small wood pieces stand vertically to show only the ends of the wood. This is shown in the diagram below. This construction style is significantly harder to manufacture than other construction styles because it requires a level of craftsmanship not found with most commercial suppliers. The pieces are generally random sized, although sizes will vary depending on the species and sizes of wood available at the time of manufacturing.

End Grain Butcher Block Countertop Construction — Modern Butcher Block Countertops are crafted in End Grain Construction

Butcher Block Countertops are the perfect surface area for food preparation because they are self-healing and can be sanded to look like brand new. Butcher Block Countertops are always finished with Grothouse Original Oil™, which requires a renewal process of the finish to ensure a lifetime of enjoyment and use. The refinishing process varies based on the frequency of countertop use.

When designing Modern Butcher Block Countertops, it is important to keep in mind all of the possible uses. Butcher Blocks can be designed for use as dining tables, kitchen countertops, and kitchen island tops.

Modern Butcher Block Countertops Inspiration

A colossal of award-winning designers have incorporated butcher block countertops into their modern kitchen designs.

Interior Environments designed the Maple and Wenge Checkerboard Butcher Block Countertop for the large kitchen island in the picture below. The Checkerboard Pattern and the simple chamfer edge profile enhances the modern feel of the kitchen island.

Maple and Wenge Modern Butcher Block Countertops — Maple and Wenge Modern Butcher Block Countertop

Venegas + Company LLC designed the Modern Kitchen shown below to include a Teak Butcher Block Countertop for the kitchen island. Our teak has natural water repellent properties, and requires less oiling.

Teak Modern Butcher Block Countertops — Teak Modern Butcher Block Countertop

In Detail Interiors incorporated the Cherry and Walnut Checkerboard Butcher Block Countertop into the modern kitchen shown in the image below. The butcher block countertop is used as a kitchen island end rather than the entire kitchen island top. The lower height makes it comfortable for chopping.

Checkerboard Modern Butcher Block Countertops — Cherry and Walnut Checkerboard Modern Butcher Block Countertop

T C Studios designed the Modern Kitchen in the following picture. The Brazilian Cherry Butcher Block Countertop was used for only part of the kitchen island for dining and seating purposes. Wood provides a warm place to rest your arms or enjoy a quick meal.

Brazilian Cherry Modern Butcher Block Countertops — Brazilian Cherry Modern Butcher Block Countertop

Modern Butcher Block Countertops can also be incorporated into designs as Dining Tables. Aidan Design designed a Walnut Butcher Block Countertop for the dining table in the modern kitchen shown below. The dining table can double in purpose as a dining table and a food preparation area.

Walnut Modern Butcher Block Countertops — Walnut Modern Butcher Block Countertop

You can view more inspirational designs including Modern Butcher Block Countertops in the Countertop Image Library.

Dark Wood Countertops

Posted on September 17, 2014

Dark Wood Countertops have been the center of kitchens for years. Why? Because they are very easy to design, and fit into almost any kitchen style. This blog will discuss the various dark wood species we have available for wood countertops and the various kitchen styles dark wood countertops are typically found in.

Dark Wood Countertops custom crafted by Grothouse — Dark Wood Countertops by Grothouse

Dark Wood Countertops | Wood Species

Grothouse has three distinct dark wood species available: Wenge, Peruvian Walnut, and American Black Walnut.

Wenge is a heavy wood that has an attractive appearance due to its strong grain and subtle color variation. The heartwood is a darker brown with black veins and white lines. Wenge Wood Countertops are very rich in color and are naturally the darkest wood countertops available.

Wenge Dark Wood Countertops with Hand Planed Distressing — Wenge Countertop with Hand Planed Distressing designed by Venegas + Company LLC

Peruvian Walnut is lighter than Wenge, but it has a very rich, deep chocolate brown color. The dark brown hues are accentuated by the straight grains throughout the wood.

Peruvian Walnut Dark Wood Countertops by Grothouse — Peruvian Walnut Countertop designed by Jason Artus of Rutt Custom Cabinetry Group

American Black Walnut is the lightest wood specie of the three. As Walnut gets older, it mellows to a chocolaty-brown. American Black Walnut is one of the most popular woods in the industry.

Walnut Dark Wood Countertops designed by John Troxell — American Black Walnut Countertop designed by John Troxell, Director of Design of Wood-Mode

Dark Wood Countertops | Kitchen Styles

Dark Wood Countertops can be found in a kitchen with any style. One of the best qualities of Grothouse Wood Countertops is that they can be designed for any desired look.

The Wenge Wood Countertop shown in the image below was designed by The Shadowlight Group for this traditional kitchen. The decorative edge profile on the Wenge Countertop enhances the traditional look of the island.

Dark Wood Countertops in a traditional kitchen — Wenge Wood Countertop in a Traditional Kitchen

Below is an image of a Peruvian Walnut Wood Countertop in a Transitional Kitchen designed by Venegas + Company LLC. The countertop was crafted to be a Parsons Table. The clean, sleek look of the table compliments the kitchen island and perimeter counter spaces.

Dark Wood Countertop in a transitional kitchen — Peruvian Walnut Wood Countertop in a Transitional Kitchen

An American Black Walnut Wood Countertop completes the Modern Kitchen shown below. This kitchen was designed by John Troxell, Director of Design of Wood-Mode. A strong attention to detail was put into the design of the wood countertop to create a very modern, luxurious impression.

Dark Wood Countertop in a Modern Kitchen — American Black Walnut Wood Countertop in a Modern Kitchen

A Wenge Wood Countertop was chosen for the Contemporary display designed by Venegas + Company LLC in the image below. The Wenge Countertop fits the display perfectly.

Dark Wood Countertop in a contemporary kitchen — Wenge Wood Countertop in a Contemporary Kitchen

Dark Wood Countertops by Grothouse can be found in almost any kitchen style. To see more Dark Wood Countertops, visit the Countertop Image Library.

What Kind of Backsplash goes with Wood Countertops?

Posted on January 22, 2014

A frequently asked question is, “What kind of backsplash goes with wood countertops ?” Our answer to that is, “ANY kind of backsplash!”

One of the best characteristics about wood countertops is that they can be designed to look fantastic in any style kitchen, bathroom, office – you name it. This being said, wood countertops can be designed to look fantastic with any backsplash desired!

Wood Countertops with Tile

Wood Countertops are commonly paired with a tiled backsplash. Pictured below is a Burmese Teak Wood Countertop designed by Blanco. This wood countertop is paired with Satchmo Sticks BB Blue GJGSSBBB, Artistic Tile Backsplash. The colors of the wood countertop add warmth to this design. The sink pictured is a Blanco Niagara Double Bowl #440160 with a Blanco Meridian 1.8 Semi-Pro Faucet#440558.

Burmese Teak Wood Countertop designed by Blanco with a Satchmo Sticks BB Blue GJGSSBBB, Artistic Tile Backsplash

Another example of a Wood Countertop paired with a tile backsplash is this beautiful kitchen designed by House Captains, Inc. in Florida. The Maple Wood Countertops compliment the teal colored tile, as well as the teal cabinetry.

What kind of backsplash goes with wood counter tops — House Captains, Inc. in Florida designed this kitchen with Maple Wood Countertops and a teal tile backsplash

Stone Backsplash

Wood Countertops don’t have to be limited to a tile backsplash. Stone is used as the backsplash for this Maple Wood Bar Top designed by A Designer’s Touch in Maryland. The two natural elements paired together create an astounding design.

What kind of backsplash goes with wood bar tops — Maple Wood Bar Top with Stone Backsplash designed by A Designer’s Touch in Maryland

Wood Backsplash

What kind of backsplash goes with Wood Countertops? How about a Wood Backsplash! Mary Jo Peterson designed this Walnut Wood Countertop to include a Walnut Wood Backsplash. This polished design includes Plain & Fancy Cabinetry and Hafele lighting. This design was on display at the National Kitchen and Bath Show in New Orleans (KBIS 2013) in the Hafele Booth.

what kind of backsplash goes with wooden countertops — Walnut Wood Countertops with a Walnut Wood Backsplash designed by Mary Jo Peterson.

Wood Countertops can go with just about any backsplash desired. To see more designs of Wood Countertops with Backsplash visit the Grothouse Image Library.

Reclaimed Wood Countertops by Grothouse

Posted on June 12, 2012

Reclaimed Wood Countertops by Grothouse

Grothouse reclaimed wood countertops continue to be a popular and distinctive element in design. While many may think of reclaimed wood as a product that is only for use in traditional designs, using it as a warm compliment to cool contemporary spaces is growing. Better yet, the reclaimed wood is a green option that makes use of the high quality old growth wood of yesteryear.

Reclaimed Wood Countertops From Antique Pennsylvania Barns

At Grothouse, our reclaimed wood is primarily from dismantled 18^th and 19^th century Pennsylvania barns and the character of each board varies based on the original use. The structural beams, sawn into boards are old growth lumber and have minor imperfections, albeit a few nail holes where a harness hung on a nail. In contrast, old floorboards have scrapes, gouges and holes from years of traffic and hardworking farm hands. Exterior boards tell a tale of weathering, worm holes, nails and an occasional bullet hole.

When discussing reclaimed wood counter top for your design, a conversation about the desired appearance is critical for a successful result. If you desire the wood to have a new appearance, select wood sawn from beams. For a distressed appearance, select worn boards from the floor or walls.

Our reclaimed wood is typically Oak, Heart Pine and Chestnut. Our Durata Matte is a popular finish for its organic low luster look. Durata provides a protective and waterproof countertop finish that is maintenance free and easy to clean. Scratches can be buffed out, similar to waxing a car. In addition, stains and glazes can be added to enhance the character flaws of the boards. For design inspiration visit us at reclaimed wood countertops or call 877-268-5412.

Chestnut Reclaimed Wood Countertop — This countertop with a sink cut out was crafted from Antique Chestnut

White Oak Relaimed wood beams for countertops — A stack of Antique Pennsylvania Barn Beams ready to be made into Reclaimed Wood Countertops.

Innovative Custom Butcher Block Countertops

Posted on April 15, 2012

Professional designers are well known for creating stunning spaces that provide beauty and function. Custom Butcher Block Countertops are de rigueur in any working kitchen and what was once a standalone necessity in the form of a simplistic butcher block table of the 1900’s, has evolved into creative fashion. Modern designs include butcherblocks of many forms and shapes, and many can arguably be considered art. Grothouse has crafted butcher block countertops for a variety of kitchens and talented designers and we have highlighted a select few, to provide inspiration for your next project. Each design demonstrates how butcherblock can easily be incorporated into transitional, contemporary and traditional styles and can enhance the appeal of any room in the home.

This Walnut butcher block is inset into the countertop and is readily removable thanks to the routed finger grips. The butcher block has a waste hole with a polished lid. The discards from chopping are easily swiped into the waste hole and captured in the trash bin concealed in a pull out cabinet. Designed by Peter Cardamone of Blue Bell Kitchens, cabinetry by Quality Custom.

An ingenious design by Jennifer Gilmer Kitchen and Bath is a triple threat, the Walnut butcher block countertop is protected with The Original Oil and can be used for direct chopping and prepping of food. The table serves as additional counter space when in its home place as pictured, and the casters permit this table to moved and used as a dining table or for tableside serving. This kitchen design gained the nod of approval from the NKBA, and Jennifer won the esteemed NKBA Pinnacle Kitchen of the Year Award.

Each butcher block has a different aesthetic and offers the timeless beauty of organic wood surfaces. Visit our design gallery for additional butcherblock countertop photos and design inspiration.

Wood Countertops for Todays Kitchens

Posted on March 5, 2012

At Grothouse Lumber, we collaborate with the top design firms in the United States, crafting wood countertops that create award winning kitchens. Wood countertops are a classic design element and mixing them with other modern surfaces prevents fixing your kitchen design to a specific era. Wood surfaces are attractive in contemporary, traditional and transitional styled kitchens and add warmth and function. We hope to provide inspiration and insight into using wood to compliment the design and increase the functionality of your dream kitchen.

The style of your kitchen can guide the color and style of your wood surface. For a traditional or transitional kitchen, select woods from the brown and red color palette and add a decorative edge profile. For inspiration on your edge profile, try to duplicate an element in the profiles on your cabinetry. Contemporary kitchens tend to have lighter colored islands constructed of bamboo or maple or the almost ebony look of Wenge. More modern looking countertops are often finished with square edge profiles for a crisp look.

The ideal kitchen design contains more than one countertop style. Do not feel limited to select only one countertop surface for your kitchen. Experiment with combining different materials, colors and textures. Wood grain affects the appearance as well as the implied texture. A strong grained wood like Zebrawood adds texture as well and brown and black hues. When juxaposed near a stark white countertop, Zebrawood creates the desired tension of professional designs. Zebrawood countertops have pronounced black graining that accents black cabinets wonderfully. The red tones in Cherry and Mahogany countertops successfully compliment the gray and steel hued countertops and cabinetry.

Besides beauty, wood has other advantages. Consider a wood island countertop for your kitchen, a common gathering place, especially when entertaining. Wood is gentle to fine stemware and china, avoiding accidental chips, and due to its sound absorbing properties, wood quiets a room full of guests. Perimeter wood countertops often include sinks and incorporated drainboards. Finishing the wood with Durata® provides a waterproof and stain proof surface.

End Grain butcher block countertops provide a beautiful and functional work surface for cutting and chopping. End grain is a checkerboard-like construction style offering the ability to create patterns and designs. Placing two small butcher block cutting boards flanking each side of the stove or incorporated with a sink creates an efficient workspace.

The Devils is in the details! For a truly unique piece, personalize your wood surface by incorporating custom elements. Laser engrave a treasured phrase or your family name on the side of a thick chunky butcherblock. Drain boards and custom waste holes are popular features. Removable knife slots are great if you change your knife sets frequently, just re-order a new insert designed to fit the sizes of your new set. The customization creates a functional one of a kind piece you will treasure.

Warm organic wood surfaces grace the finest homes and are a part of every chef’s kitchen, with so may colors and styles available, designing the perfect piece for your space is a rewarding and creative experience. No other surface provides the warmth and natural beauty of wood.
For additional interior designing with wood ideas and information and inspiration, visit our design gallery and www.facebook.com/GrothouseLumberCo

Denise Grothouse
The Grothouse Lumber Company
Wood Countertops ~ Butcher Blocks ~ Bar Tops ~ Tables
ph 877-268-5412
www.glumber.com