Kitchen Islands
“If you want really hard- wearing countertops,
something like a porcelain or quartz can be a good option.”
— CANDACE RUDD
“In our market, we’re still able to incorpo- rate electrical into the sides of the island, but people don’t necessarily like seeing your tra- ditional plug on the side of their very decora- tive millwork. So there’s a lot of new options that can be painted out to look like the grain of the wood itself.” As for design, bold colours like deep greens and blues, oxblood red and char- coals have been growing in popularity, alongside natural textures like walnut and white rift oak. Incorporating a lot of different textures into the millwork by adding reeding or fluting has also become a popular touch. “Durability of materials is also a big source of consideration,” Rudd says. “If you want really hard-wearing countertops, something like a porcelain or quartz can be a good option. Natural stone can be more maintenance and susceptible to staining, so some of those aren’t the most durable option for an island.” Following the trend of bold colours and textures, statement stone is also in demand. Large veining and different treatments done with the countertops such as waterfall ends, thick built-up edges or pencil-thin edges are being included in islands more frequently. Designers are starting to also see a lot of curves incorporated in island designs, such as pill-shaped islands or radius corners on the countertops.
38 SPRING 2026 PARADE of HOMES | homebuilders.mb.ca
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