Should you have a double kitchen island?

If you’re lucky enough to have had an extension or inherited a large kitchen in your property, then you may want to incorporate a double island into your kitchen plan.

By working with an expert kitchen designer, they will determine if there is enough space to accommodate two kitchen islands; otherwise it may end up feeling restricted. Then, you’ll need to choose a layout for your islands – parallel, wrap-around or T-shaped.

Both islands should always be the heart of your design, and they can be easily integrated if you have a large, square space. The remainder of your cabinetry should be simplistic, and the most popular layouts that wall units feature on one focal area or wall. If you’re lucky enough to have an extensive space, units can even wrap around the islands in a U-shape.

If you do not have any cooking appliances on your islands, then ensure your cooker or hob is in easy reaching distance, so you can effortlessly serve up food or speak to guests whilst entertaining.

Tower units are also a great feature to incorporate into your kitchen design for hidden pull-out larder storage and to house appliances such as microwaves and ovens.

Firstly, decide how you would make use out of each island. Are you a keen chef and need more preparation surface, or are you regularly hosting large dinner parties? These decisions dictate what special features or appliances are incorporated in the island, as well as what island design you choose.

Typically, double islands have two uses: one as a practical or working island where food is prepped, and the latter as an entertaining hub where guests or family can sit and enjoy meals. The working island usually features appliances such as a dishwasher and a hob. And for the party island, certainly a wine cooler and a worktop overhang with bar stools wouldn’t look out of place!

No matter how large your kitchen is, you can never have enough storage. Naturally with two kitchen islands, you can have twice the amount of storage you would expect from just one.

It’s all about clever kitchen storage solutions, such as deep drawers, integrated wine racks or coolers, hidden recycling bins in cupboards and open-end island storage. An island is perfect for housing as much storage as possible!

Double island kitchens allow for the perfect combination of entertainment space and being able to cook with ease. It’s no secret that counter space is hard to come by, but two islands can counteract this problem perfectly!

Wren’s Xena quartz is the picture-perfect choice for island life. Resistant to stains, scratches and heat it’s a practical yet aesthetically pleasing choice. There are a variety of designs from swirling cream and grey veined varieties, to dark and glistening marbles.

Or how about utilising two different types of worktops to zone the space, such as a chunky timber chopping board preparation area combined with a sleek glistening white quartz worktop dedicated for guest seating? Island worktops can also create drama with an impressive waterfall overhang.

It’s all about zoning areas in your kitchen. With two different kitchen islands, you can create two different spaces for different purposes. For example, you can use one kitchen island for storage and seating, where as you can use the other for food preparation and countertop space. This can make your kitchen more practical.

The most popular configuration is a two coordinating parallel island. It’s also one of the most impactful looks, and this layout works best in a large, square kitchen.

It allows for uninterrupted conversation as you can prepare food at the working island while talking to those sitting at the other island.

You can make parallel islands the focal point of your kitchen with accents like waterfall worktops, metallic profiling as part of the cabinetry, and statement pendant lighting over each one.

This design lends itself to smaller kitchens, as the two islands are connected to each other, so you don’t need as much space to work around them like the parallel design.

The top of the T is generally the working island, so you can speak to guests whilst cooking; whereas the connecting stem island serves as a seating and entertaining area.

This layout is ideal for families, as parents can keep an eye on children as they do their homework or even gather with friends whilst cooking or preparing meals.

For the ultimate entertainer, and for those that host large dinner parties, the wrap-around or L-shaped island is the perfect solution to accommodate a large number of people.

Place a smaller working island in the middle of the L-island to cook and prepare food in front of guests. It creates a real sense of theatre as the host takes centre stage in front of guests!

This layout is also great if you have an open floor plan and want to provide separation between the kitchen and living areas.

There you have it – your dreams CAN become reality as long as you use your practical know-how and expert design advice to create the showstopping double island kitchen... and we’re confident it will be the envy of all your friends and family! To start planning your design, take a look at this fantastic kitchen planning tool, or speak to an expert kitchen designer for advice.