Kitchen Counters: Try an Integrated Cutting Board for Easy Food Prep
Last weekend I caught my husband as he was about to slice some cheese. With a butcher knife. On the coffee table. Using only the parchment paper in which it was wrapped to protect the surface. Yeah, I know. I caught him as he was cutting the cheese. Hilarious. Although it certainly wouldn’t have been if he’d left knife marks on the coffee table.
And yet I think there are probably a lot of homes in which a careless or harried cook has inadvertently left knife marks on a table or countertop. Fortunately, adding an integrated cutting surface can be an effective preventative measure, particularly in small or modern kitchens, where leaving the board sitting out creates clutter. Because why use the coffee table to slice up a snack when the kitchen island is one big butcher block?
With that in mind, here are eight integrated cutting surfaces to help keep knife-mark accidents at bay.
When prep space and the budget are both tight, consider adding a stovetop cutting board to maximize your prep space. Just be sure that the item you buy is actually built to be used atop a stove so the underside won’t catch fire if you accidentally bump your burner knobs.
Another easily added integrated cutting surface is a movable island, like the two custom ones shown here.
Tip: Wooden cutting boards and butcher blocks should be oiled every one to three months to protect the surface.
How to clean and care for butcher block
There’s no need to go the custom route. Consider painting a bright coat on a vintage island — like this one — to add cheer and charm.
Tour the rest of this colorful vintage-filled home
If you’re replacing your sink, consider an integrated model. This one, from Kohler, features both a cutting board and prep bowls.
Not only does an integrated board create a central workstation, but cleanup couldn’t be easier: Just sweep your scraps into the garbage disposal when you’re finished.
An integrated sink isn’t the only way to pair easy cleanup with quick prep. This island butcher block was custom designed by Cindy Rinfret to include a built-in garbage chute. Genius!
Drop-in cutting boards used to be relatively common in the ’60s and ’70s, but their popularity waned as people found that they wore out quickly with use. Enter the integrated butcher block, the drop-in’s bigger, badder cousin. It, too, can sit flush with the rest of your countertop. But it won’t show wear as easily.
This one is custom made in walnut and can be resanded to its original, pristine state if knife marks become bothersome.
Add this feature when you’re replacing your countertops to ensure a flush finish. The cost will vary widely; I’ve seen them from as low as $140 up to $720, depending on size.
And you aren’t limited to wood. Marble makes a great cutting surface. I love how this one turns the usual concept of an inset cutting board on its ear. We’re all used to seeing marble or granite counters with a wood board, but atelier KS has opted to do the reverse here.
Butcher block’s resilience also makes it a great surface for an island countertop. Some, like this particular block, can be made in any shape or size, eliminating seams and making cleanup even easier.
More: Wonderful Wood Countertops for Kitchen and Bath
