2 Kitchen Islands Allow Room for Cooking and Hosting
A major remodel gives a California family with 2 toddlers an eat-in kitchen that can grow right along with them
“After” floor plan: Natalie Miller and her design team expanded the space in two ways. First, they got rid of the obstructions that closed off the kitchen. Second, they pushed the wall out into the backyard to make the room 40 percent bigger.
“An eat-in kitchen was also a desire for this growing family,” Miller says. Widening the kitchen allowed Miller to attach a custom-built dining table to one of the two islands in the center of the space, which you can see prominently in the first image.
“An eat-in kitchen was also a desire for this growing family,” Miller says. Widening the kitchen allowed Miller to attach a custom-built dining table to one of the two islands in the center of the space, which you can see prominently in the first image.
Two kitchen islands: When planning the kitchen, the design team considered multiple layouts, including one large island and a central banquette. Ultimately, a dual-island layout was chosen because the designer felt it was the best way to maximize this new open space.
Miller says that having the islands perpendicular to the wall with the refrigerator and stove allows the homeowners to prepare, cook and clean without bumping into each other. Each island has an apron-front stainless steel sink and countertop, which facilitates two separate work zones. The family finds time every day to cook at home, usually preparing multiple things at once. This layout makes that much easier.
Another benefit to the placement of the islands is that it makes hosting more enjoyable. “This keeps guests at close chatting range but out of obstruction range,” Miller says. “They can easily sit and chat with the cook while not getting in the way.”
Cabinets: custom; sinks: apron-front stainless steel
Miller says that having the islands perpendicular to the wall with the refrigerator and stove allows the homeowners to prepare, cook and clean without bumping into each other. Each island has an apron-front stainless steel sink and countertop, which facilitates two separate work zones. The family finds time every day to cook at home, usually preparing multiple things at once. This layout makes that much easier.
Another benefit to the placement of the islands is that it makes hosting more enjoyable. “This keeps guests at close chatting range but out of obstruction range,” Miller says. “They can easily sit and chat with the cook while not getting in the way.”
Cabinets: custom; sinks: apron-front stainless steel
Cooking area: The 48-inch Wolf range ensures that the homeowners can handle any meal, large or small. The 3 feet of counter space on each side of the range provide plenty of room before, during and after they cook. Commercial-style cooktops such as this need a high-quality hood for proper ventilation, so Miller chose a hood that was functional without distracting from the design.
Glass tiles are arranged in an Arabesque pattern in a few places around the room. “It is a simple overall pattern, but the shape of the tile gives it a lot of interest,” Miller says. Plus, glass tiles are easy to wipe down, which is perfect for a place that does some heavy cooking.
Backsplash: gray glass mosaic; oven: Wolf Dual Fuel Range, Sub-Zero; refrigerator: Sub-Zero; browse kitchen range hoods
Glass tiles are arranged in an Arabesque pattern in a few places around the room. “It is a simple overall pattern, but the shape of the tile gives it a lot of interest,” Miller says. Plus, glass tiles are easy to wipe down, which is perfect for a place that does some heavy cooking.
Backsplash: gray glass mosaic; oven: Wolf Dual Fuel Range, Sub-Zero; refrigerator: Sub-Zero; browse kitchen range hoods
The splurge: One way to add character to a kitchen is with marble countertops, and there are two popular finishes of marble that homeowners choose: polished and honed. Polished marble is sealed for more protection against stains, but scratches on the polish are more apparent. On the other hand, honed marble has no finish but develops a patina — the culmination of stains, etches and discoloration — over time.
Miller used honed Carrara marble in this kitchen. After considering look-alike countertop materials such as quartz, the homeowners could not warm up to anything other than true marble, and they accepted the fact that honed marble would show a little wear and tear over the years. In fact, they love the patina that develops on marble counters because it is proof that the kitchen is used. So they went for it.
Storage: A walk-in pantry was added to the room during the remodel, but plenty of storage space was also added to the main kitchen area. The islands have storage on all sides, both open and closed. Miller built long, deep cabinets into the design below the exterior windows.
“My goal is never to have any wasted space,” Miller says.
Wall paint: Smoked Tan, Behr; countertops: honed Carrara marble
Miller used honed Carrara marble in this kitchen. After considering look-alike countertop materials such as quartz, the homeowners could not warm up to anything other than true marble, and they accepted the fact that honed marble would show a little wear and tear over the years. In fact, they love the patina that develops on marble counters because it is proof that the kitchen is used. So they went for it.
Storage: A walk-in pantry was added to the room during the remodel, but plenty of storage space was also added to the main kitchen area. The islands have storage on all sides, both open and closed. Miller built long, deep cabinets into the design below the exterior windows.
“My goal is never to have any wasted space,” Miller says.
Wall paint: Smoked Tan, Behr; countertops: honed Carrara marble
Plenty of fridge space: In addition to a traditional refrigerator over by the stove, this kitchen also has a wine fridge and small beverage fridge in one of the islands. Whether these busy parents wind down with a soda or a bottle of wine, they know it will be chilled and easily within reach.
Desk: In one corner of the new kitchen, Miller built a workspace complete with a desk and storage. The walnut countertop matches the dining table, and its location is far enough away from the cooking action to be out of the way. Right now, the mom uses this area to look up recipes, charge her phone or organize the mail. In the future, she hopes the boys will make this their homework station — taking turns, of course.
Ceiling color: Swiss Coffee, Kelly-Moore Paints; wine refrigerator: Avanti; desk: custom-made with walnut countertop
Contractor: Rick Miller
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Kitchen With Double Islands Pleases a Baker and a Smoothie Maker
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Desk: In one corner of the new kitchen, Miller built a workspace complete with a desk and storage. The walnut countertop matches the dining table, and its location is far enough away from the cooking action to be out of the way. Right now, the mom uses this area to look up recipes, charge her phone or organize the mail. In the future, she hopes the boys will make this their homework station — taking turns, of course.
Ceiling color: Swiss Coffee, Kelly-Moore Paints; wine refrigerator: Avanti; desk: custom-made with walnut countertop
Contractor: Rick Miller
More
Kitchen With Double Islands Pleases a Baker and a Smoothie Maker
Read more kitchen makeover stories
Kitchen at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with 2-year-old twin boys
Location: Sacramento, California
Size: 430 square feet (40 square meters)
Designer: Natalie Miller, owner and designer at Interior Focus
When this young family of four needed a bigger kitchen, they called on designer Natalie Miller to help. This is a transformation you have to see to believe because it looked nothing like the spacious, two-island beauty you see here.