Split level island?

[tldr]

I’m having a huge island in new kitchen with both hob and sink on it.

I’m worried we’re not close to tidy enough to have sink and hob in full view at all times, so I’m considering having a split level island to keep some of the mess hidden.

The downside that I can see is that I then lose the lovely expanse of island worktop I was planning on having. (Island will be only worktop.)

Anyone got any advice for a clueless kitchen planner?

(We will have home for clutter elsewhere, so I’m not worried about letters and phones so much as I am dirty dishes and washing up stuff.)

My dh talked me into a split level island in our current house which I had sworn i would never have. It has the sink in the lower bit. The split level doesn't hide any of the mess. If you are having the hob in it, I would worry about stuff being accidentally pushed off the higher level and falling onto the hob, I think hobs are only really safe against a proper wall, especially if you have small dc around

Oh, very good point about things falling onto hob. Thank you!

We have a two-tier island. I wouldn't say it hides mess but it's really useful (we have the top tier which is thinner as a breakfast bar).

Following with interest! I was banking on a split level peninsula hiding our mess from the dining room view!

Good to know no-one thinks it hides mess.

Not even a little? 😭

I haven't had a split level island but did have a humongous island in my last house. It was a bit of a magnet for clutter, but it looked great when clear and was super satisfying to clean

I'd say no, we have a big island, all one level. so useful to have the expanse of surface - for baking, kids going homework with all books laid out, working with laptop, papers next to me etc. I think a split level would compromise the flexibility of the surface.

africa that’s exactly my fear. One big space will be chopped in to two too small spaces. And if it doesn’t hide mess anyway...

I have the same problem and there’s only one answer to it. Just have to clean / tidy more often

Yes and think about the heights. if one part is at the comfortable / standard height for cooking, then presumably the other part has to be higher. You therefore need higher stools and stuff that might have been feasible standing up with a standard height worktop (kids baking? etc) won't happen because the worktop is too high. Not the end of the world I suppose climbing onto a stool and doing it seated, just seems a bit awkward / limited.

You cannot have a low sink or a low hob or a low area for food prep. You can have a low “dining table” and I’ve seen some great examples of these. However you will need a lot of space to fit this in. Around 1.5m extra star least. So I would keep the island all the same level.

The trick is: only have a veg prep sink in the island. A single stainless steel sink. Have a second double sink on a wall next to your dishwasher. Put all pots and pans in that. Stack the dishwasher as you go. Works for me!

I wouldn’t have a split level, for all the reasons above. Neither space ends up big enough. plus risk of things falling off

If you choose an enormous sink, you can dump most of the mess in there so you’re not looking at it during dinner.

(I would put the sink on the wall run personally)

Two dishwashers and a large larder cupboard and a pull out is the key. Friend's mum has this, always plenty of room to stuff washing up, and masses of room for shopping/other stuff to go behind a big double door.

How big is huge?
We were debating a very large split level island, part granite, part wood, but decided in the end to have a granite topped island that is about 2.2m x 1.5m and a separate kitchen table that is similar size but slightly lower. We use them apart and were able to utilise storage all round the island without having a big wasted space in the middle but can push them together for parties to make a larger split level one.
I wasn't sure at the time but am glad we did it this way now as it makes the space far more flexible

I don't think a split level surface would help.

Get a big double sink, choosing an under-mounted design. Get a custom-made chopping board that slots exactly into the space above one of the two sinks. You can then hide one sink-worth of mess under the chopping board.

More mess than that will have to be tackled via cleaning. There are worse fates.

How big is huge?
Still to be decided but more than 3m, possibly as much as 4m.

I’m feeling there’s not a lot of love for split level. Good to know. Thanks.

Also proud of myself for managing to use ‘to two too’ in a sentence in an earlier post. 😀

We have a large island with the sink in it. I have a few fake plants (low ones) lined up to hide the sink. Works well and is flexible.

We had a split-level island in our old place - my dream kitchen - and also here in our new (ish) place. The one in my dream kitchen had a sink and dishwasher in it, regular height surfaces in marble for 2/3 of it for food prep and then a lower, table-height wraparound for eating, homework etc. I don't like sitting on stools so the fact that we could have regular kitchen chairs was a huge bonus for me.

Our current island is the opposite - it has a higher level for sitting at on tall stools. We don't use it for sitting!

I am another that has a sink in the island with 2 dishwashers and intergrated bins underneath the island, nothing gets left out, island is always clear and sink is very under used

My solution to kitchen mess is that everything goes in the dishwasher. I refuse to house things that cannot be run through the dishwasher.

I absolutely would not split the island if it’s your only worktop.

I may just have to increase the dishwasher training programme for the other people that live here...

My solution to kitchen mess is that everything goes in the dishwasher

But surely when lunch or dinner is just cooked, you want to sit down and eat it right away rather than stacking the dishwasher first? So you need a solution so you’re not looking at the pots & pans during your meal?
Or does that not bother you

I have 3 metre split level island with the hob on it & that's all so pretty much 2 metres of prep space. It's brilliant!

We have a wine rack, bar stools and glasses & booze round the other side so it's like a proper bar! Great for when friends come round or when they did! ☹️

I'll try and find a photo for you!

There you go, nothing has ever fallen on the hob, the dining table is round the other side so you can sit down & eat your meal without seeing any washing up!

I have a split level, with the hob in one side, so it’s a proper worktop depth. Then there’s about a 20 or 30cm rise to a breakfast bar and shallow cupboard. I like it because it hides the clutter on the work surfaces and provides a splash back for the hob. It’s lovely to cook with people sitting at the breakfast bar, chatting. Nothing has ever fallen on to the hob from the raised bit and we are not tidy people! However, it doesn’t have the feeling of space of a single level bar - although in my experience of friends’ houses, these end up cluttered anyway. I think both can be lovely. Hope you enjoy your new kitchen!