Why Designers Like Shea McGee Are Skipping Kitchen Islands (and What They’re Choosing Instead!)
The kitchen is truly the heart of any home, so why not make it a space where you feel like you can kick back and stay awhile? According to Shea McGee, founder and chief creative officer of beloved design studio Studio McGee, kitchens are about to become a lot cozier in 2027. In an interview withHomes & Gardens, McGee told the magazine that more designers will be pulling kitchen inspiration from the room next door (the living room!) — and there’s a specific piece of furniture that will get the cut.
Instead of treating the kitchen as a purely functional workspace, design pros are working to make these spaces feel more relaxed and layered. Part of that shift has to do with furniture and layout upgrades that are encouraging homeowners and their guests to actually linger in the kitchen. Like McGee, many designers are working to make the kitchen feel truly connected to the rest of the home, despite it having a clear functionality. And according to McGee, one hallmark kitchen staple is particularly ripe for an overhaul.
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Goodbye, Built-Ins — And Hello, Freestanding Furniture
McGee said that she’s seeing a major shift away from “utilitarian” kitchens, meaning those with plenty of matching built-in cabinets and kitchen islands that put function over form. Rather, designers and homeowners are opting to make their kitchens “more integrated with the rest of the home,” she told Homes & Gardens.
“Instead of every inch being traditional cabinetry, we love to use freestanding pieces, artwork, lamps, open shelving, and furniture-inspired details to give the kitchen more personality,” McGee added. “This resonates now because people want their homes to feel collected rather than overly prescribed.”
How to Make Any Kitchen Feel More Like a Living Room
To lean into this integration trend, take inspiration from Victorian kitchens that were almost always dependent on individual pieces of furniture rather than large banks of cabinets. What was always at the center of these spaces? A freestanding kitchen worktop or large table that could double as an eating space. You can even put a freestanding island on wheels to make it easy to move around the space, depending on your needs.
“Introduce those details in ways that feel authentic to how you live,” McGee suggested. “A vintage-inspired cabinet for storage, a beautiful piece of art, or a table lamp on the counter can soften hard surfaces without requiring you to commit to a major design statement.”
Draw on Wood Tones to Warm Up Any Space
Furniture isn’t the only aspect to note: Make your kitchen feel warm and inviting like a living room by keeping your pieces wood-toned. “After years of bright, all-white kitchens, people want spaces that feel warmer and more grounded. Like they have a little history to them,” McGee added in her interview with Homes & Gardens.
Keep your island, additional shelving, and other freestanding pieces in their natural wood state to make the space feel soft and antique. Will you be ripping out your built-in island to give your kitchen a “collected” look? It may be time to scour Facebook Marketplace to find the perfect antique island to give your kitchen an entirely new (and cozy!) look.