Crate & Barrel French Kitchen Island Review • Robyn's Southern Nest

I figured it was due time for me to share my Crate & Barrel French Kitchen Island review with y’all. When we moved into our home back in December 2019 we knew we wanted a kitchen island, but we didn’t want it to detract from the amazing kitchen design itself. We were on the hunt for something practical, classic, sizable, and that also had additional storage. Enter the French Kitchen Island from Crate & Barrel. I read review after review of this island before we pulled the trigger.

Chris asked me what I wanted for Christmas that year, and I said “easy”, a kitchen island! I think the kitchen island in a home becomes the hub of the household in so many ways. You eat around it, you cook on it, you throw your mail on it. I knew I wanted something that was classic and would stand the test of time. This island has lived up to all of those expectations and more!

Size

Let’s get into the nitty gritty shall we? If you’re looking for a large kitchen island that’s not permanent to your floor this is it! It’s a beast! Don’t think you can easily move this thing around either. Which is another reason why I love it so much. I was worried with all the other ones out there on the market that they would easily move around and shift. The dimensions of the island are: 72″W x 40″D x 36″H.

Marble Top

The Carrara marble top is gorgeous! If you don’t already own marble countertops you must know that you have to be careful with what you put on top. If you’re the type to not clean up spills or has a tendency to put piping hot containers on the counter top, this might not be for you. I like to use a clear glass cutting board on one end to do most of my prep work. That way the counter is protected. Marble is a porous stone, so do your research before you commit to it.

Storage

The three drawers on one side are very handy and sizable! I like to store all of my baking essentials in them. They have a nice soft close on them as well, so you don’t have to worry about them slamming too hard. The shelves underneath are adjustable to your liking. I have them set right in the middle so each shelf is the same height. I’ve put some decorative items under here, and some items that I use daily like plates and bowls.

Check out my styling video below!

Styling Video

You can also read a few of my tips for styling a kitchen island here!

Timing and Setup

It took about 3 weeks to come in because it was on backorder. It was delivered to our home and set up by the movers because of it’s size. They carried everything in and put it in place with everything already built. Easy peasy! Lifting a heavy block of marble is not on my list of things I’m ok moving. So I was very happy to learn that they would take care of the setup.

Seating

On the other side of the island you have a place to set up 3 bar stools. We only have 2 right now since it’s just the two of us. It also has a foot rest which is sometimes more comfortable than putting them on the stool foot rest so I do enjoy that feature.

Another great feature is the towel racks on either side. I love having these handy on either side so I can dry my dish towels after I’ve used them, and always have one nearby within reach.

The base of the island is made of a black cast steel and aluminum. So sturdy and so timeless. It was designed by Blake Tovin of Tovin Designs. As read from the Crate & Barrel website “our timeless marble-top French Kitchen island evokes the charm of an Old World pastry shop” and I couldn’t agree more.

I hope that this review has helped if you’re on the fence or if you’re on the hunt for the perfect island. Trust me I’ve been there and done that. I always like to read reviews after a person has really lived with the item and can give a full honest review. After having this island for 8 months now, I can honestly say it’s one of the best purchases we have made for our home.

Thanks for flying by and reading my Crate & Barrel French Kitchen Island review, be sure and let me know if you have any questions down in the comments.