A kitchen with a two-tier island doesn’t have to look dated. When the design works, adding a second tier can be an excellent option for families who like to eat meals in the kitchen. Check out a few of our favorite designs here.
The post Two-Tier Kitchen Island Design Ideas appeared first on Kitchen Cabinet Kings Blog.
A kitchen with a two-tier island doesn’t have to look dated. When the design works, adding a second tier can be an excellent option for families who like to eat meals in the kitchen. Check out a few of our favorite designs here.
The post Two-Tier Kitchen Island Design Ideas appeared first on Kitchen Cabinet Kings Blog.
Do you and your family frequently eat at the kitchen island? If so, you might want to consider a two-tier kitchen island to make mealtimes a bit easier. Kitchen islands separate the living area from the kitchen, and two-tiered islands separate the areas for meals and food prep. However, you do make some sacrifices with a two-tiered kitchen island. In this article, we’ll talk about the pros and cons of this type of island design and give you some design ideas.
Are Two-Tier Kitchen Islands Out of Style?
Some homeowners feel that two-tier kitchen islands have gone out of style. The functionality of a kitchen island remodel should be the focus, but this is something to think about if you plan on selling your home.
Kitchen islands that include a seating area at standard counter height are more popular than bar-height islands with multiple tiers. That said, a two-tiered island can be a great addition to a kitchen if it has been designed with care.
Pros and Cons of Two-Tier Kitchen Islands
Let’s look at a few more positives and negatives of a two-tiered kitchen island.
Pros
One of the main benefits of a two-tiered kitchen island is that it separates the eating area from the meal prep area. If your cooking range is on the island, the raised top can keep food splatter away from the eating area, as well.
Some homeowners like to hide the kitchen sink behind the second tier of an island if it’s visible from the front door. The upper tier can also hide a small amount of clutter or mess, but only to visitors who don’t come further inside the home.
Cons
Some people feel that a two-tier kitchen island breaks up the kitchen visually more than a standard island. Those extra eight inches really do make a difference. In an L-shaped kitchen, the higher top can close in the kitchen space and detract from an open concept design.
Another issue is that you do lose counter space for cooking prep. When you’re cooking a big meal with different ingredients, you can’t spread everything out across the island.
Two-Tier Kitchen Island Designs
Homeowners have a love-hate relationship with two-tiered island design, but these islands can definitely work in the right kitchen remodel. Check out these techniques for designing with two-tier islands.
1. Provide Plenty of Seating
This rustic kitchen uses wood, stone, and copper accents to create a cohesive look. The two-tier island provides enough seating for a family with four stools. It’s also a good spot for family members to do homework or fix a quick breakfast throughout the day. The wood bar top works great in this kitchen since it goes with the wood floor and exposed wood beam.
2. Add a Simple Bar Top
This gray kitchen keeps things simple with a short bar top. It extends beyond the island just a bit to create an L shape. This is probably one of the simplest ways to enjoy a second tier on your island. Plus, this kitchen design leaves most of the island’s food prep area intact.
3. Go Low with a Kitchen Island Table
Most of the time, people think of a higher second tier. But you can also go the other direction and add a lower tier to your island that acts more like a table (or in-home sushi bar). This kitchen island table extends a couple of feet from the island, but some homeowners even attach full-length tables to the island.
4. Make it Modern
This home is full of natural wood finishes, which is why the white two-tier island stands out. The modern design is completely minimalist except for a couple of outlets. That’s another thing that’s nice about a two-tiered kitchen island.
It would be awkward to add outlets to a flat island in the center, so that’s one hidden benefit of a kitchen design with a two-tiered island. Extra outlets can come in handy when you’re using a countertop appliance or watching a recipe demonstration on a tablet.
5. Go Wild
This kitchen island is one of three in this enormous kitchen. So, the chef isn’t relying on this island to do all of their food prep work. Even so, it’s a great example of how far you can take a two-tier kitchen island design.
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