u/Born_Apartment1565

Thanks for all the feedback on my previous post. I took it down, reconsidered the layout, and made several revisions based on the comments.
I’m attaching:

1. The original kitchen layout with the peninsula (which was essentially two islands connected by an L-shaped section)
2. A revised two-island concept
3. A revised one-island concept
   Background
   My husband does most of the cooking, and he strongly disliked the original peninsula because it interrupted the flow between the kitchen and living room. We have already removed the peninsula, so going back to that layout is not an option.
   We are a multigenerational household with two young kids and my parents-in-law living with us. We cook fresh meals every day and generate a lot of dishes, often running two dishwasher loads nightly.
   This may also be cultural. In our household, we cook with multiple pots, pans, and serving dishes, which creates a substantial amount of cleanup. Two dishwashers may seem unusual to some, but we have toured several homes with this setup and found it extremely practical. For us, it is a luxury feature we are choosing to prioritize because it fits the way we live.
   We also recognize that this may not appeal to everyone, but if we move in 10–15 years and a future owner prefers standard cabinetry, one of the dishwashers could easily be removed and replaced with a cabinet.
   Why We Considered Two Islands
   The concept was:
   One lower island for prep and cleanup (sink + two dishwashers)
   A second island for serving, buffet setup, and additional seating
   When entertaining, the second island could hold food and dessert displays. It would also provide more counter-height seating, which is helpful because my parents-in-law have knee issues and prefer sitting higher rather than getting up from lower chairs.
   Revisions
   In the updated two-island concept:
   The banquette has been reduced in size
   Walkways are approximately 3–4 feet wide
   The flooring is continuous throughout the kitchen and living room, so there is no visual separation between the two spaces
   Where I’m Leaning Now
   After reading the comments, I’m leaning toward the one-island concept, even though I still prefer the look and functionality of two islands. I was surprised by how strong the pushback was, especially since the original kitchen was effectively a two-island layout connected by a peninsula.
   Questions
   Does the revised two-island layout still feel too crowded?
   Would you choose the two-island layout or the single larger island?
   If you chose one island, would you leave the window area open, add plants, or do something else there?
   Thanks again for all the thoughtful feedback!

Thanks for all the feedback on my previous post. I took it down, reconsidered the layout, and made several revisions based on the comments.
I’m attaching:

1. The original kitchen layout with the peninsula (which was essentially two islands connected by an L-shaped section)
2. A revised two-island concept
3. A revised one-island concept
   Background
   My husband does most of the cooking, and he strongly disliked the original peninsula because it interrupted the flow between the kitchen and living room. We have already removed the peninsula, so going back to that layout is not an option.
   We are a multigenerational household with two young kids and my parents-in-law living with us. We cook fresh meals every day and generate a lot of dishes, often running two dishwasher loads nightly.
   This may also be cultural. In our household, we cook with multiple pots, pans, and serving dishes, which creates a substantial amount of cleanup. Two dishwashers may seem unusual to some, but we have toured several homes with this setup and found it extremely practical. For us, it is a luxury feature we are choosing to prioritize because it fits the way we live.
   We also recognize that this may not appeal to everyone, but if we move in 10–15 years and a future owner prefers standard cabinetry, one of the dishwashers could easily be removed and replaced with a cabinet.
   Why We Considered Two Islands
   The concept was:
   One lower island for prep and cleanup (sink + two dishwashers)
   A second island for serving, buffet setup, and additional seating
   When entertaining, the second island could hold food and dessert displays. It would also provide more counter-height seating, which is helpful because my parents-in-law have knee issues and prefer sitting higher rather than getting up from lower chairs.
   Revisions
   In the updated two-island concept:
   The banquette has been reduced in size
   Walkways are approximately 3–4 feet wide
   The flooring is continuous throughout the kitchen and living room, so there is no visual separation between the two spaces
   Where I’m Leaning Now
   After reading the comments, I’m leaning toward the one-island concept, even though I still prefer the look and functionality of two islands. I was surprised by how strong the pushback was, especially since the original kitchen was effectively a two-island layout connected by a peninsula.
   Questions
   Does the revised two-island layout still feel too crowded?
   Would you choose the two-island layout or the single larger island?
   If you chose one island, would you leave the window area open, add plants, or do something else there?
   Thanks again for all the thoughtful feedback!

Thanks for all the feedback on my previous post. I took it down, reconsidered the layout, and made several revisions based on the comments.
I’m attaching:

1. The original kitchen layout with the peninsula (basically two islands, but with an added L connector)
2. A revised two-island concept
3. A revised one-island concept
   Background
   My husband does most of the cooking, and he strongly disliked the original peninsula because it interrupted the flow between the kitchen and living room. We have already removed the peninsula, so going back to that layout is not an option.
   We are a multigenerational household with two young kids and my parents-in-law living with us. We cook fresh meals every day and generate a lot of dishes, and run two dishwasher loads nightly. This may also be cultural. In our household, we cook a lot using multiple pots, pans, and serving dishes, which creates a substantial amount of cleanup. Two dishwashers may seem unusual to some, but we have toured several homes with this setup and found it extremely practical. For us, it is a luxury feature we are choosing to prioritize because it fits the way we live.
   We also recognize that this may not appeal to everyone, but if we move in 10–15 years and a future owner prefers standard cabinetry, one of the dishwashers could easily be removed and replaced with a cabinet by our trusted carpenter.

Why We Considered Two Islands
The concept was:
One bottom island for prep and cleanup (sink + two dishwashers)
A second island for serving, buffet setup, and additional seating
When entertaining, the second island could hold food and dessert displays. It would also provide more counter-height seating, which is helpful because my parents-in-law have knee issues and prefer sitting higher rather than getting up from lower chairs.
Revisions
In the updated two-island concept:
The banquette has been reduced in size
Walkways are approximately 3–4 feet wide
By the way, the flooring is continuous throughout the kitchen and living room, so there is no visual separation between the kitchen and living room spaces
Where I’m Leaning Now
After reading the comments, I’m leaning toward the one-island concept, though I prefer two islands and find that two islands is basically what was in the kitchen before except more open. I’m surprised that the push back was so strong.
Questions
Does the revised two-island layout still feel too crowded?
Would you choose the two-island layout or the single larger island?
If you chose one island, would you leave the window area open, add plants, or do something else there?
Thanks again for all the thoughtful feedback.

We’re renovating our kitchen and considering two 48" x 90" islands plus a built-in L-shaped banquette (72" x 72") with a round table that seats 5–6.

We have two young kids, and we’re converting our formal dining room into a downstairs playroom for the next several years, so this kitchen and banquette will be our main eating area.

### Option 1: Two Islands
- Bottom island: sink, two dishwashers, and possibly seating
- Top island: storage/cabinets with seating
- Provides extra storage, prep space, and seating

### Option 2: One Island
- One larger island
- Either leave the space more open or use a regular dining table instead of the second island
- If we go with a dining table, we likely would not do the banquette

We love the look and functionality of two islands, but we’re concerned the space may feel too crowded.

### Questions

1. Does this layout look too cramped?

The banquette table will likely be smaller so I can probably get 3.5 foot clearance in that side. I can also move living room furniture in order to get 4 foot clearance on the left side of the top island.

1. Would you keep both islands or switch to one island?
2. If keeping two islands, would you put seating on both islands or only on the upper island (the one without the sink)?

For the island construction, the 48" depth would be some combination of 24" deep cabinets plus shallow cabinets and/or seating overhang on the opposite side.

Thanks for any feedback!