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.

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.

More Kitchen Counters: Try an Integrated Cutting Board for Easy Food Prep

Kitchen Counters: Try an Integrated Cutting Board for Easy Food Prep