1. CREATE CLEAR ZONES FOR A PRACTICAL LAYOUT
Double kitchen islands are a show stopping way to take advantage of a large space, but they should also be used as a tool to utilise space and help a room reach its fullest potential. One way to do this is to zone your kitchen by task, and allocate a designated area or island for each. Graeme Smith, Head of Retail and Commercial Design at Life Kitchens, explains.
2. DOUBLE KITCHEN ISLANDS ARE PERFECT IF WALL SPACE IS LACKING
If you’re short of usable wall space for kitchen cabinets, double kitchen islands could be a great way to still create a kitchen that has everything you need. Allison Lynch, Designer at Roundhouse, explains the thinking behind this particular project. ‘This space has a lot of glass, as well as openings and doors to other areas of the house,’ she says. ‘So, to maximize room for storage and optimize the position of the hob and the sink, we felt the two-island concept was the perfect solution for this project’.
3. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A WIDE KITCHEN
While having a large space is enviable, it can also be daunting and certainly comes with its own challenges. Being able to fill the room while achieving the right sense of scale is often a stumbling block, and double kitchen islands are one way to solve this. Manfredi Conforzi, Commercial Manager at Officine Gullo, explains how they were used in this particular project.
4. MAKE IT MOVEABLE
If you love the look of a double kitchen island but require more flexibility, this could be the solution for you. ‘In this project, the large central island is the heart of the kitchen and provides work surface, prepping space and boasts a sociable curved end for perching and informal eating,’ says Richard Moore, Design Director of Martin Moore. ‘Rather than introduce a second island, we decided to design a large multi-purpose ‘cook’s table’ which can be moved around the room’. A free-standing piece means the space can adapt to your needs. It can be an extra prep surface nearby, or can be moved further into the room when entertaining.
5. THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE SYMMETRICAL
Daniel Bowler, Director of Eggersmann UK, also sees the inclusion of two islands as an opportunity to mix materials for some really purpose-specific kitchen design. ‘There are no hard and fast rules on sizing and materials, and no reason why two islands should have to be symmetrical,’ he says. ‘In fact, two islands of differing heights or in contrasting materials can help with zoning a larger space and differentiating between a space to work and a space to rest.’
6. GO BIG ON STORAGE AND ADDED EXTRAS
Fundamentally, double kitchen islands hugely increase the size and potential of your kitchen, and this means more opportunity for kitchen storage ideas and some fun extras. ‘Two islands in a kitchen provide excellent functionality by maximising all the available floor space and turning it into a valuable working area,’ says Gary Griffin, Sales Manager at Rational UK.
7. EVALUATE WHAT YOU NEED FROM THE SPACE
With so much potential and choice, the main thing about designing double kitchen islands into your space is making sure they will really work for you. ‘Kitchen islands are a perennial favorite, and are in even more demand as we increasingly require more from our kitchens - they often need to be workspaces and classrooms, as well as food preparation areas,’ says Tom Howley, Design Director at the eponymous kitchen company Tom Howley.