Do You Sit At Your Kitchen Island?

[JoeWras]

Joe, here is an example:

I think part of the idea is to hide any kitchen mess on the lower part of the counter from the dining or family room area.

Ah, thank you! My sister does not have this, just a regular low island with back-less bar stools.

I can see how the high island makes things feel penned in. The only friend of ours who has something like this has a giant kitchen. I mean, really big, like 800 sq. ft., so the two level island melts away and feels like it belongs. They never use it for sitting. They use it as a buffet line for snacks during parties.

 

[street]

We use ours everyday and would be lost without one. Ours is a peninsula, not an island thou.

 

[Morgan22]

My sister has a set up like Janet has above. Counter height island with overhang. After school every day her kids sit there and have a snack. On the weekends they'll have lunch there.
When family visits we'll all sit/gather around it. We all think its great. None of us other siblings have a set up like it. If I had a choice where I lived I would have the same set up.

 

[davebarnes]

Every morning while I eat breakfast and read either the Wall Street Journal or NY Times.
Single level island.

 

[rk911]

We're going to re-do our 2004-era open-plan kitchen, with its white thermofoil cabinets and two-level island.

Two contractors have already told us that "everyone nowadays" is replacing the 2-level island with a big flat island full of cabinets, with no overhanging shelf. We can see advantages to this, but is it true that "nobody" actually uses those 4 barstool-type chairs you always see in real estate ads, nestled under the island's raised shelf. I mean, we never did that, but is it done (much)?

Just wondering whether it's wise to give up the option to have seating at the island.

we don't use our barstools mainly cuz those days are in the rear view. but when we re-did our kitchen we widened the peninsula with drawers and cabinets on both sides and a short overhang on one side. unless you're selling in the near future build the room you want not what is trendy cuz trends change.

 

[savory]

We have what might be called a double size island. It was just finished about 1.5 years.
The island contains the stove top, prep area and prep sink. The same island but on the other side is where our four stools are placed below the counter overhang. We use them all the time for breakfast, lunch and when guests come for entertaining since everyone hangs out around the kitchen. To be fair, the kitchen/living room is a great room type design.

Just one more thought which you may find interesting depending on how you use your kitchen. Our SIL who is a self taught cook, could not find a kitchen planner who could help with a 'food prep' design. They were more into style. He finally got frustrated and designed it himself. At the time, I thought his effort might not be worth the time. But having now used it for 1.5 years, it makes the kitchen a pleasure to use by yourself and to share it with others. We can all do different parts of the preparation and cleaning while staying out of each others way.

 

[Amethyst]

Despite living in a resort area where there are billionaires (not on my street though, lol) I'm having trouble finding what you'd call a "kitchen planner." There are general construction guys (who coordinate the plumber, electrician, installers) and there are "kitchen designers," who are mainly in it to sell a few lines of pre-made cabinets in standard sizes, finishes, and, of course, trends. There is one place that advertises "custom cabinetry," so they're on my list to call.

One of the general-contractor types told me that a "designer" isn't needed for a kitchen like mine, since there are not many real changes that can be made. He said it would only be worth paying for a "designer" if we were making major changes to the home.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I think part of the idea is to hide any kitchen mess on the lower part of the counter from the dining or family room area.

For me, that's what walls are for.

But opinions on open floor plan kitchens were another thread.

 

[ElizabethT]

We have a one level island with an overhang at one of the narrower ends that allows for two counter height chairs, and I very much appreciate the extra seating. Additionally, I see overhangs on one level islands featured regularly on home kitchen makeover shows, so the assertion you are hearing (OP), that 'no one' uses them is confusing. Is it possible they are referring to the two level configuration only? That one does appear to have lost popularity, but the one level island overhang appears to still be going strong.

 

[Koolau]

Previous two abodes had a kitchen island with bar stools. I never once sat at either one for a meal. Spent maybe 20 minutes (total) in a total of 5 years sitting at the island(s). I hate having my feet 'hanging' or fighting a swiveling chair.

Full disclosure: DW INSISTED upon adding the second island during the rehab. She didn't sit there very often either. Go figure, since YMMV.

 

[RunningBum]

Can you add a footrail to the island? Something like this:

 

[Marita40]

I have a pre-cursor to a kitchen island in my 1920s kitchen: a nook with built in benches and table under a window. So practical and yes, I sit at it daily and often do work at it.

 

[tb001]

Despite living in a resort area where there are billionaires (not on my street though, lol) I'm having trouble finding what you'd call a "kitchen planner." There are general construction guys (who coordinate the plumber, electrician, installers) and there are "kitchen designers," who are mainly in it to sell a few lines of pre-made cabinets in standard sizes, finishes, and, of course, trends. There is one place that advertises "custom cabinetry," so they're on my list to call.

One of the general-contractor types told me that a "designer" isn't needed for a kitchen like mine, since there are not many real changes that can be made. He said it would only be worth paying for a "designer" if we were making major changes to the home.

If you haven’t already done so, you might look through design magazines and open house pics and see if there’s a style you love. I personally think it’s very hard to redo a kitchen for you and for some future buyer at some potential time point that could be 5-10+ years out.

My prediction is that by then those white cabinets everyone wants will feel very dated. We loved the alder cabinets in our new to us 20yr old home and are doing what we can to upgrade the insides and keep the wood. And we’re replacing wood plank in the kitchen with travertine tile, which just fits better with the style of the house and our life. We’ve been told everyone is ripping out tile to put in wood or wood tile!

I do agree though, no bilevel island. If you can do one large island and make an overhang someone could sit at, that would be more functional. But I don’t think no bar would be a deal breaker for very many people.

I think if you do what you like, someone else will usually come along and like it too. It sounds like you just need to figure out what that is.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Our island has drawers at the end near the range, sink, and microwave, and a wider area which fits 3 stools all facing one another. It is where we eat, period. DH has never-ending projects on the dining room and the kitchen tables anyway. We eat at the kitchen table if we have a guest, and the dining room on holidays. Our bar stools are slightly swiveling chairs with backs. In the pre-Covid days, a bar stool made a fantastic conductor’s chair for small ensembles.

 

[old medic]

Our old house we had the bar height counter and used it all the time...
was perfect for buffet dinners we always seemed to be doing
Plan on similar when we finally get to building the kitchen.
Also will have an outdoor kitchen of some sort

 

[Ronstar]

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.

 

[FIREd]

I never sat at any of my kitchen islands, whether bar height or countertop height.

In my last house, when I redid the kitchen, I removed the countertop overhang to increase the size of the breakfast nook. In my current home, I also did away with any countertop eating area (even tough the kitchen designer was pushing for one as it is fashionable apparently). I find it more comfortable to eat on an actual table instead of being perched on a stool. And when I eat with someone, I prefer to face them.

 

[Amethyst]

I agree. And the space under an average kitchen island shelf is not enough to comfortably sit with legs crossed. Knees hit island.

(We can't even eat at a two-person restaurant table without accidentally kicking each other).

I find it more comfortable to eat on an actual table instead of being perched on a stool. And when I eat with someone, I prefer to face them.

 

[JP.mpls]

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

I have a pre-cursor to a kitchen island in my 1920s kitchen: a nook with built in benches and table under a window. So practical and yes, I sit at it daily and often do work at it.

 

[JoeWras]

Can you add a footrail to the island?

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.

 

[Retired Expat]

I used mine all the time! Morning coffee or quick snacks, doing food perp like peeling and chopping instead of standing, others sitting there while I would cook, many a quick dinner for just the wife and I. Was a single level with bar stools, actually adjustable height drafting chairs with wheel and lots of support for my bad back. I really miss it in our current house.

 

[Golden sunsets]

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. Regarding islands, our island is essential. When we gut renovated our kitchen about 13 years ago we greatly increased the size of our island and I don't regret it a bit. And no overhang is a much better look. Here's mine.

 

[Dawg52]

I rarely sit at the island. Since it's just me I usually sit on my sofa while watching TV.

 

[Badger]

I would have a kitchen island where we could sit but we don't have one. I would like a kitchen island but the kitchen floor space is only 5'x9'. Bummer! Sure enjoy seeing all the pictures though.


Cheers!

 

[Paracelsus]

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!