Before and After: Building a Functional Kitchen Island

This article appeared in the Summer 2023 Issue of This Old House Magazine.

While homeowners Kristin Romens and Matt Eskin loved their circa 1917 Colonial Revival in Philadelphia, their fond feelings didn’t extend to the kitchen’s dated finishes and inefficient storage, or the circuitous circulation pattern that left it cut off from the dining room next door. “There was no way to connect or congregate with family or guests,” Kristin says.

While some base cabinets were removed, “the island’s drawer storage is much more flexible and user friendly,” says Matt Eskin, here with his wife, Kristin Romens. – John Gruen

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To the rescue: Airy Kitchens’ creative director Sean Lewis, who kept the kitchen’s basic layout, adding a center island with drawer storage and seating, and tapping an existing walk-in closet to hold small appliances, coats, and footwear (the back door is steps away). Removing a wall of kitchen cabinets made space for a new cased opening into the dining room, and a larger one into an existing butler’s pantry, which Lewis turned into a cocktail/coffee bar and opened up to the dining room.

“The cook space is significantly improved with the new island and countertops, while access to the dining room and bar area is seamless,” Matt says. “Everything flows beautifully, whether it’s just us or a party with twenty people. It truly brings joy and pleasure to our lives every day.”

Pro Tip: To give the kitchen additional breathing room, Lewis enlarged the existing 4½-foot-wide arch leading into the dining room, creating a nearly 10-foot-wide opening. Leaving the wall partially intact preserved the dining room’s original tray ceiling—a smart move that maintained the home’s architectural character while dramatically improving the flow between rooms.

Functional Kitchen Island: Floor Plans

Wider passageways enhance function and traffic flow.

1. Upgraded with new appliances in the existing layout, replacing side-by-side ranges with one 36-inch range.
2. Installed a 51/2-by-3-foot center island with seating, storage, and trash/recycling.
3. Gave a walk-in closet—the old icebox room—two functions, with pantry storage on one side and closets for outerwear and more on the other.
4. Removed cabinets and a pantry closet along one wall to create an opening 46 inches wide to the dining room and one 54 inches wide to the old butler’s pantry.
5. Turned the butler’s pantry into a coffee/wet bar with a drinks fridge, removing most of a wall to carve out an opening to the dining room more than 10 feet wide.

Design Inspiration from this Kitchen

Warm wood, bold brass, and clean white finishes combine with stylish shapes to create a welcoming feel.

Brass and glass pendant / SCHOOLHOUSE: Taller but not as wide as the homeowners’, the opaque white shade of this appealing pendant also works well in multiples. $349; schoolhouse.com

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A white fireclay apron sink is a period-appropriate pick for a century-old home, while cushioned walnut-finish stools bring warmth to a room filled with hard surfaces like stone and tile. Brass-and-glass pendants with opaque white shades work especially well in multiples over an island, reinforcing that welcoming glow.

The transformation was dramatic. The bland galley kitchen had felt cramped, with charcoal floors, black counters, and minimal daylight making it dark. Expanding the footprint and adding new, larger windows opened up a space now washed in warm whites. Touches of oak and brass echo the Tudor Revival style and add rich contrast, but in a way that feels clean and fresh.