Kitchen islands are a popular way of creating more functional space in the kitchen and, in some cases, you may even opt for two islands; one could house a sink, cooktop, and various storage drawers, while the other could provide space for seating and eating.
If you have a busy household and a large space in the kitchen area, two islands could be a viable option. Or, you may decide to condense two islands into one for an extra-large island space that answers all your needs without breaking up the space too much.
The Case For Two Islands: A Galley Kitchen
If you have one big, giant open room and you ultimately want a galley kitchen—like a mid-century house would have—two islands would make good practical sense. In a galley kitchen, you would have extended length so, splitting the island in two, side-by-side, would give you the advantage of some space to move in-between.
The alternative would be one super-long island. Breaking it into two would improve the traffic flow in the room, especially if you have two people cooking on a regular basis.
Two Islands For Entertaining
If you have a huge open space and if you expect to entertain tons of people in it, you may want to have two areas for friends and family to gather. This would provide one area for everybody to cluster around while you are cooking and prepping at the other island.
This allows you to break up a large space with functional features that don’t disrupt the flow of activity.
Two Islands In A Bachelor Pad Kitchen
You will find a few examples of double islands if you Google “fixer-upper bachelor pad kitchen”. In most of these photos, you see a big kitchen space with two separate islands, each being about six feet long with a comfortable walkway in between. The room itself is a huge, open space, which really works for this type of design.
The alternative would be a 15-foot island that blocks access to the kitchen and amenities. With a double island, you would have the advantage of an unobstructed walkway up the middle.
If you entertain a lot, two islands make a lot of sense. Even if each island serves exactly the same purpose (meaning they don’t house plumbing or appliances), you will have double the counter space to prep, plate, and serve your guests.
Two Island Kitchen Interior Design
If you decide to go with a double-island, symmetrical design is the key to providing a purposeful balance. You don’t want to look like you’ve just randomly plopped down a couple of islands in the middle of space.
Filling up the spaces in between the islands—at least visually—is a great way to achieve symmetry. One of the ways we do this is to place pendulum lights over each island, lending a classic, unified feel. Or, we might consider centering the oven and hood fan in the space between.
Symmetry provides some breathing room, while two islands help to open up the space. Otherwise, a single island could look and feel like a barricade between the kitchen and the rest of the living space.
Practical Placement Of Appliances In Two-island Kitchen Design
The placement of your appliances is also key, both for functionality and for design aesthetic. For instance, putting the refrigerator in front of an island that isn’t being used for food prep is probably not your best bet. You will want to consider how many people are going to be cooking; so, if there are two people working at any given time, one side will be closer to the sink and one closer to the fridge. That way, you won’t end up bumping into each other as you work.
How the fridge doors open is another consideration. You don’t want your refrigerator doors opening into the walkway as they would potentially block the flow of traffic.
For instance, if you have the non-sink island close to the fridge, one person can be getting stuff out of the fridge and somebody else could be standing at the sink. That way, when you open the refrigerator, you can turn right around and set down your platter without having the sink, the range or any other feature of that island to worry about. You will just have a big, open, countertop space that provides the perfect landing zone with great proximity to the fridge.
If you are getting ready to remodel your St. Louis kitchen and are considering a two-island kitchen design, let’s talk! We would love to find out more about your remodeling plans and show you how we can help.
