Do You Sit At Your Kitchen Island?

[Amethyst]

I like the idea! What I'd like, though, is to have the top cabinets (which, with 10' ceilings, would be too high to reach without a little stepladder) to be glassed-in and have lights in them. We have many things worth displaying, but not so much furniture on which to display them. And a lighted cabinet iwould be easier on things, such as my Mother's dolls, than exposure to sunlight would be.

I put a glassed display case on the side away from the kitchen, where the stools would usually go. My dining room is directly on that other side, so I didn't want stools and dining room chairs back to back in that area. I like my display case!

 

[tb001]

Footrails help, but I find an issue even hoisting myself up to the chair.

Tall chairs universally suck when you are age 50+. I find very few of us who love them.

The hotel chains, like Hampton Inn, for example, are following a trend of installing a tall table in their dining area. Watch them next time you go, after this virus is done. See who sits there. See if ANYONE sits there.

I love a high top! That’s always my preference when we go out. Unfortunately, DH does not. Hmmm...he’s 57 and I’m 49. Will see if this all changes in a few months!

 

[JoeWras]

I love a high top! That’s always my preference when we go out. Unfortunately, DH does not. Hmmm...he’s 57 and I’m 49. Will see if this all changes in a few months!

Yes, a switch turns off at exactly age 50. You won't like them anymore!

 

[jollystomper]

Our kitchen is dated but functional. DW has never wanted to a kitchen island. She has used them in friends homes, and other than the storage space she finds them inconvenient. I am indifferent to them. I am fine using them at friends homes, and seeing the nice pics folks have posted, but it does not lead to a "we should get that" desire. Our goal is to declutter the kitchen, and in our situation adding an island would not help. Maybe I am just cheap.

 

[Amethyst]

I have never liked them. Even when I was 18. Dangling feet, circulation cut off at the thighs...what's there to like, when you come down to it? Maybe the ladies who like to dangle their stiletto heels for attention are fond of them?

I love a high top! That’s always my preference when we go out. Unfortunately, DH does not. Hmmm...he’s 57 and I’m 49. Will see if this all changes in a few months!

 

[tb001]

I have never liked them. Even when I was 18. Dangling feet, circulation cut off at the thighs...what's there to like, when you come down to it? Maybe the ladies who like to dangle their stiletto heels for attention are fond of them?

Maybe it’s a leg length thing? I have long legs and have never had an issue resting my feet on the bottom rung of the chair. Even better at a bar with a foot rail!

 

[skipro33]

Flat top island and 4 chairs. We use it every day. First place folks gather around when company shows up as that is where the snacks and beverages are. Keeps the cook company too.

I considered the two stage counter, thinking the drop on the kitchen side hid the messy counter. Glad I didn't. My counter stools are 24" instead of 30" and much easier for older folks to use. Plus the large flat area the grand kids love for their projects. Wife loves it too for her spread while baking. Make it as wide as you can, you'll appreciate every square inch.

 

[pb4uski]

We have had peninsulas in our last house and our winter condo and an island at our summer home. We rarely sit at the peninsulas or the island but they were/are all people magnets whenever we had pre-covid parties... people inevitably stand around them drinking and conversing.

In the winter condo, I rarely eat at the peninsula of our winter condo because it faces the kitchen and I would rather eat out on the lanai with the view of the golf course. At home, I usually eat at the dining area table facing the lake rather than the island facing the stove.

The island at home is small... a 30" two-door, two drawer base cabinent and a 9" cabinet for cookie sheets, pizza stone, griddle, etc. The cabinets are mated together with a 36"x42' countertop. We have it on felt pads and the two of us can move it as desired for a little change of pace or for a party.

 

[Amethyst]

I'm 5 feet 7.5" tall and a lot of that is leg, so no. It's probably the chair or stool's fault.

Maybe it’s a leg length thing? I have long legs and have never had an issue resting my feet on the bottom rung of the chair. Even better at a bar with a foot rail!

 

[Marita40]

Marita,
I live in a 1920s era neighborhood.
Many of my neighbors have built in nooks in their kitchens.

I agree with you. I think they are very nice, and an extremely efficient way to have an eat in kitchen area in a small kitchen.

Unfortunately my home doesn't have this.

JP

My nook!

 

[gerntz]

We have a peninsula with 15" overhang on 41" wide. Long enough for 3 high chairs that slide in within 6" of counter. Designed to not interfere with walking path behind chairs to family room. Only place we eat unless having guests. Also great serving table for buffet. Alas, the latter two aren't happening now. We see islands & wonder why unless have huge kitchen for some reason.

 

[gerntz]

We had a peninsula at our condo. Raised countertop with 4 barstools. We always sat there to eat. Probably used the kitchen table for less than 5% of our meals.

Yes.

 

[Gumby]

We see islands & wonder why unless have huge kitchen for some reason.

Our kitchen is 500+ sqft. The island offers ~36 sqft. of uninterrupted counter top space for the young wife to use when she cooks. And she often uses every inch of it.

 

[pacergal]

No island, but do have a small peninsula, two chairs. Use it every day.

 

[Sunset]

I like seeing all of these kitchen pics. It's sort of the same as seeing all of the homes of our favorite journalists, now reporting from home. A glimpse into the life of some of our posters is kind of the same thing. ....

It's interesting.

Some of these kitchens look to be worth the value of our entire house, very nice.

 

[Pellice]

I have a two level "peninsula. I sit at it every single day, unless I have guests - I have a small dining room for them. Although, when my mother visited, we both used it. She liked it. I love the convenience. For me, it takes the place of the eat-in-kitchen with kitchen table.

One important point - my seating level is at "kitchen chair" height, NOT stools. I am SO glad it is at this level. It's very comfortable for paying bills or other sorts of short-term paperwork. Also comfortable for some kitchen prep, although I usually stand at the counter for that. I keep all my counters and this extension as clear as possible. It has a radio and a notepad on it, that's all.

 

[Amethyst]

For me, the kitchen makes sense as a dough-blowing place, since I spend so much time there. Even before the Pandemic, I prepared 98% of our food (we ate out rarely).

I want to have things in there that I enjoy looking at.

It's interesting.

Some of these kitchens look to be worth the value of our entire house, very nice.

 

[txtig]

We’ve got a 9’ island with an overhang on the back side and 4 barstools with backs. We use it everyday for eating and food prep and other various tasks/projects.

When we entertain, it is usually the center of the gathering, with drinks, snacks and conversation. We frequently pull out one or two folding stools to accommodate more guests. We have a two-zone wine fridge (one side for red, one side for white) built into the island, so it really lends itself to wine drinking with our guests.

 

[HMMY]

We had a 2 level with 3 bar stools in our old place. It was used whenever we entertained but never otherwise. I'm about to buy a place and redo the kitchen. I am considering a counter level peninsula with no overhang or seating to maximize cabinets underneath and countertop above.

 

[Jeb-NY]

All our meals are either at the island or in front of the TV. We can sit 4 and have two more stools we pull out when we need them. Beyond that it is snack trays or porch if we have more people to feed.

 

[meleana]

We don’t have an island now but in our other home we had an island with lots of cabinets on one side plus spaces for wine bottles and on the other side we had seating for 2. Then at one end it was a rounded bistro table with seating for 3 more people.

The 3 benches around the bistro area had backs And the other two benches did not and fit neatly under the counter. They were across from the fridge in the photo but you can’t see them since they are tucked under.

The cabinets and wine compartments in the island faced the kitchen sink area.

This said, I did not sit at it for my meals because I have short legs and it was not comfortable for me. So I always sat at the dining room table. My husband, however, always sat at it for his meals.

Our company always loved sitting around the island to have their drinks and snacks and so forth.

I might add we could see the TV from the island and my husband liked that also.

 

[gerntz]

Our kitchen is 500+ sqft. The island offers ~36 sqft. of uninterrupted counter top space for the young wife to use when she cooks. And she often uses every inch of it.

Sounds good for a 4' square pizza.

 

[zippy2020]

I haven't scanned thru all the posts so I apologize if someone has already thought of this.

On the Gardenweb Kitchens forum (now hosted by Houzz) we discuss these kinds of details all the time. Much depends on how much use YOU think you are going to get out of island seating.

The one detail with island seating that is essential is aisle clearance space. When those chairs/stools are pulled out, is there enough room for other people to pass behind them comfortably?

If you think you will use the seating, do it - just make sure the design actually works "in real time".

NEVER do anything in a kitchen - arguably the most expensive and important room in a remodel - because somebody else with no design or RE credentials tells you "everybody's doing it".

If they can tell you what "everybody" is going to be doing in 10, 15, or 20 yrs when you go to sell your house, THEN you can take their advice.

 

[Winemaker]

We use our island to sit around on various occasions like parties or wine tastings. DW and I may use it as we cook, eat, and sip dinner once and a while.

When we remodeled the kitchen 12 years back, we bought extra cabinets that I beefed up on the bottom and installed 4 refrigerator moving casters. They are about 8-10 inches long, low profile and hold a lot of weight. When we put the quartz counter tops on everything, we put it on the mobile cabinets also. It has a 8" overhang on one side, the stainless trash can is under it, and we have a 12 overhang on the other side with one stool. If we need more seats, we grab a few more stools from downstairs to add, or bring in 4 hightop chairs from deck. We have a dining room table and a kitchen table that seats 12 each, a mobile island that seats 6, a deck table that seats 4, and 2 portable deck railing tables that will set 4. I we need more seats than that, I'm renting a hall.

 

[deserat]

For me, the kitchen makes sense as a dough-blowing place, since I spend so much time there. Even before the Pandemic, I prepared 98% of our food (we ate out rarely).

I want to have things in there that I enjoy looking at.

Hear, hear!!!

Umm, you lot have some kick a$$ kitchens, for sure - love the pics.

As for display cabinets - I third that idea. I have lots of nice stuff, too (have traveled and lived around the world - am downsizing, but some stuff is too sentimental right now to get rid of). Moreover, I have endeavored to place most things behind closed glass doors so I don't have to dust them!!!

My last kitchen (and current one, I'm renting) did not have an island. It did have an overhang above the sink that could use bar stools - never had them.

I'm a big fan of storage space in the kitchen, especially the roll-out shelves underneath cabinets and lots of electrical outlets and under counter lighting, etc. It's those little things that make it so much easier to work in a kitchen.

The other thing I did was buy a much quieter dishwasher. Large rooms with tile floors tend to bounce sound around.

As for your island, if you don't want seating there, then don't put it there. I think people use things if they see it used and I doubt "not having an overhand on the island" would be the one point that would cause someone to not buy your house. They'd probably want to change things themselves anyhow. Do what makes you happy - it's your money, after all.