Where two islands are better than one
Homeowners maximizing use and function of kitchen's centerpiece
Today’s homeowners ask a lot of their kitchens. Instead of being just a place to prepare and eat food, kitchens often serve as a multipurpose space fit for activities from day to night — particularly around an island.
“Kitchen islands are appealing to the whole family,” said Lorraine Keenan, senior designer at Saratoga Kitchens and Baths. “Children are doing homework, and adults are using it as a space to catch up and have conversation or to host a larger gathering.”
While a kitchen island of any size can be an asset in itself, homeowners are now finding ways to maximize opportunities to make this focal point of the home more functional without having to compromise on design.
“It’s a designer’s job to make sure a client’s vision comes to life,” said Keenan. “We help put together cabinetry, colors, plumbing and light fixtures for new construction or a renovation.”
During an initial design consultation, Keenan says homeowners should come prepared with preliminary measurements and photos of the existing space for reference. From there, they can work together to determine what they wish to keep about their existing kitchen and what amenities they are looking to add.
WHAT’S IN
Two islands
“A lot of homeowners are opting to take away the kitchen table altogether,” Keenan said.
She still finds many clients prefer an open floorplan concept and no longer utilize a formal dining room, rather relying on the island as the primary spot to eat and gather.
“If they have the space for it, they might even be putting in two islands — adding a prep sink to one of them and leaving the other for seating and storage underneath.”
The concept of two islands is trending, replacing oversized islands which were previously popular amongst homeowners looking to maximize their prep and entertainment area. Keenan suggests a right-size island serves a more functional purpose
while flowing with the overall design and layout of the kitchen.
Built-in appliances
To free up counter space and adopt a cleaner, more modern design, homeowners are choosing to “hide” appliances within the kitchen island. Trending today, Keenan says, are drawer microwaves and refrigerators as well as undercounter wine coolers. The drawer microwave makes it an accessible appliance for younger children, and also replacing a common space for the microwave — above a stove — with a more aesthetically pleasing hood feature.
Another new offering to put away bulky tools is a custom cabinet to hide a Kitchen-Aid mixer –an appliance that commonly has been displayed on the counter as a point of pride and a pop of color.
“This hideaway mixer feature uses a conveyor belt with hydraulics to lift the mixer out of the cabinet,” said Keenan. “You can actually use it in place rather than lift it up and move it.”
With an array of built-in appliances being tucked away in an island, Keenan says homeowners can upgrade their standard outlets to USB outlets to allow folks a chance to charge their devices while working or cooking on the island.
Neutral colors
Keenan said many clients are looking for warmer, natural tones in the kitchen to keep the look streamlined and timeless. Instead of stark whites from the all-white kitchen trend of years’ past, it is common for today’s new kitchen design to incorporate warmer whites and taupe colors.
“This follows more of the Scandinavian design trend, which is simple and modern,” said Keenan. “And it pairs well with earth and wood tones, subtle textured details on cabinets or even wallpaper.”
Transitional style
Kitchen renovations can be costly, which can create cause for concern among homeowners that their style choices might become outdated not long after the project is finished. One way to ensure the overall design outlasts the trends is to adopt a transitional style — mixing together elements from both modern and traditional design.
Michael Hinkley of Ballston
Spa worked with Keenan in 2021 on a full renovation of his family’s kitchen, which had never been updated from its original layout and style.
“We had previously renovated our living space to a very beautiful, rustic style, but it didn’t match the rest of our home,” said Hinkley. “We would rush our guests through the kitchen as soon as they walked through the doors.”
Hinkley’s idea was to continue the rustic design from the living room and bring the same feeling to the kitchen. After growing up in New Paltz, he was inspired by the Mohonk area downstate and wanted to incorporate natural wood and darker colors mixed with modern elements.
Keenan worked with Hinkley to incorporate authentic wood beams from StoriedBoards,
a Lake George-based company that preserves wood from historic barns and shipyards, and paired it with a white marble countertop to keep the space bright and contemporary.
Hinkley’s kitchen island is equipped with a built-in microwave, a hideaway mixer for baking and a built-in marble dog food station at the side of the island. One of his favorite upgrades they made mid-renovation was adding a much larger window above the kitchen’s main sink, so everyone seated at the island has a view outside.
“This kitchen came out exactly how we wanted to and is no longer a distraction within the home,” said Hinkley. “We’ve created the relaxing mood and rustic style we were going for.”