As Christina Hall continues to renovate more and more homes, it’s inevitable for there to be common features across them. One such element the design expert tends to remove from her clients’ homes, especially for families with kids, is a kitchen island with a built-in range.
During the latest episode of Christina on the Coast, Christina asked the homeowners what they didn’t like about their kitchen. Since the family loves to host pool parties and entertain, the couple said they didn’t like the range in their kitchen island and would prefer to have it against one of the room’s walls so that they can use the island space to set out food for guests. “Yeah, I’m not a fan of ranges on islands,” Christina responded. “It’s like dangerous, too.”
Christina’s fellow designer and project manager James Bender added, “Especially with kids.” Since the burners be easy to reach when sitting at the island, the design isn’t a great idea for households with children who often sit there to eat or do homework.
This isn’t the first time Christina has come across a kitchen island with a built-in range during the fifth season of her HGTV show. In episode nine, her clients also had one. “I always feel like islands like this where they put the range in the middle, for little kids, is always so dangerous: Christina told the couple.
“And it minimizes the space,” one of the homeowners responded before requesting a bigger island so that their family can actually sit at it and enjoy a meal.
The real estate a range takes up can reduce the overall benefits of a kitchen island—making it harder to use the counter space for meal prep and extra seating. In some cases, it might be best to avoid the design or skip the kitchen island altogether.
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Associate Editor
Kelly Allen is the current Associate Editor at House Beautiful, where she covers design, pop culture, and travel for digital and the print magazine. She’s been with the team for nearly three years, attending industry events and covering a range of topics. When she’s not watching every new TV show and movie, she’s browsing vintage home stores, admiring hotel interiors, and wandering around New York City. She previously worked for Delish and Cosmopolitan. Follow her on Instagram.
