Our clients had a large family with teenage grandchildren, and they love to have a giant cookie baking fest each year. Everyone in the family pitches in to make hundreds of cookies to share from a variety of family-friendly recipes. It’s a family tradition.
Before their kitchen remodel, it used to take the family a couple of weekends to get everything done in the cramped space. Now, with expanded workspaces and multiples of everyday appliances, they can work together to get everything baked and decorated in one day with time to spare.
If you have extra room in your kitchen, it may be time to think about doubling things up or expanding what you already have. Kitchen remodeling that grows the functional parts of the room can benefit people like the Hodges who have large families and can be a boon for couples or families who like to entertain.
What are the most popular additions to existing kitchens for clients who need more functional and entertaining space?
Double kitchen islands or expanded counter space
Double islands or expanded counter space have benefits that extend beyond the obvious “more space to get more stuff done.” They allow for more storage space with cabinets and drawers under the island. Also under the island can offer room for extra appliances like dishwashers and ovens. This improves the functionality of island or counter expansion. Some islands have an extra sink or pot-filler sink.
These new areas can also benefit clients who like to entertain. The added space can be set up as a buffet or a bar during parties. Decor-minded clients have more room to decorate and add flair to the kitchen during meals or holidays. The double island or expanded counter space offers casual dining or drinking room while still keeping the functional spaces functional.
Not to mention that these are great spaces for everyday dining for families or breakfast spots on busy mornings.
But especially, for clients like the Hodges, who added a second island to their kitchen, these spaces are perfect when it comes to many people working together at the same time.
Two sinks
We’re not talking about double sinks, which are great, but are found already in many, many kitchens. The key to having two sinks in your kitchen is the tremendous flexibility they offer. You can rinse dishes in one sink while keeping the other open for prepping vegetables, straining pots, or other meal prep.
Many families opt for a pot-filling sink, one that is deep, typically with a goose-neck faucet, that can accommodate even the biggest pots. Some of these are found on islands; other clients install a pot filler above the cooktop or range, so there’s no carrying of water-filled heavy pots in between the sink and the stove.
Double dishwashers
Two dishwashers are essential if you’re a big family with a busy schedule who prefers to eat at home or likes to host big gatherings, throw dinner parties, or do weekly meal-prep. After a home cooked meal, party or big family gathering, even after a weekend afternoon-long weekly meal-prep session, no one wants to wait around as load after load of dishwashing is done. Two dishwashers give you the freedom to load them both up after dining or prepping and having them run simultaneously.
Double dishwashers shine when it comes to the maintenance of your kitchen utensils, flatware, glassware, and cookware. In the two dishwashers, you can separate the pots and pans from finer dinnerware and glassware, increasing their longevity and maintaining their appearance.
Double refrigerators
It’s not uncommon for large families or those who frequent big warehouse type stores like Sam’s Club or Costco to have auxiliary fridges or freezers in their basements or their garages. Bring the extra fridge indoors or upstairs.
Having two fridges is great for meal-planning purposes. Keep the ingredients and other goods in one fridge while loading the finished meals in the other. This set-up is also perfect for buying in bulk for meal-planning purposes and saving a lot of money.
Many clients use an extra fridge exclusively for drinks or wine storage. You can keep cases of bottled water, sodas, and juices in one fridge, leaving the other fridge free for the rest of your basics and produce.
Double ovens have long been popular for big family kitchens; why not double other functional appliances as well? The Hodges are a great example of people who stretched their prep space to include the whole family. Kitchen remodeling isn’t always about new paint, appliances, and tile. It can be about expanding the functionality and beauty of your kitchen. Doubling up or expanding can give you more room to work, more time to have fun, and more savings to enjoy down the line.