Hi. I am looking at re-doing my kitchen area. I have a fridge and pantry which will need to be moved to open up the family/dining/kitchen into one. I won't have the space to put in a pantry and plan to have an island as extra storage. I have a concrete floor so do not plan on having a sink or cook top on the island. I am not a sit at the breakfast bar to eat kinda person as I love using my table, plus the table looks into my garden. BUT I want to know do you make good use of your island as an area to eat or do you mainly use it as a prep space. (Do I bother with having an overhang so seating can be incorporated).
strathview,
Oct 24, 6:42am
Had one for many years and never used it. When I did the new kitchen I put in an upstand instead.
amasser,
Oct 24, 7:44pm
How much time do you spend chatting, how much preparing meals and how much doing both? Do what suits you but consider an island if you plan to sell within near future, as open plan is 'on trend'.
gabbysnana,
Oct 24, 8:59pm
not used in our houses. Seems always covered in junk. Cats food is up there to stop baby getting into it for now. One tiny corner is used for plating up. Sink and dishwasher in it. House has sizable butler pantry. The ancillarys island has been removed to give more kitchen space with a traditional u shape with pantry put in.
barbiedoll,
Oct 24, 11:14pm
No, I had cupboards put on the other side of my island. Extra storage=win.
anchored,
Oct 25, 5:01am
Thank you - all extremely helpful. Due to the space I have I might go with the cupboards on the other side option. Weirdly when I think about peoples islands, or see pictures, guests sit looking away from the rest of the house hold if sitting at the island - in my case they will look towards the neighbours house not my back yard.
loukirby,
Oct 25, 8:26pm
We had a breakfast bar in our last two homes and never used it, we preferred using the table so this time I put display shelves in.
anchored,
Oct 25, 9:18pm
What is an upstand? An island without seating or something different?
strathview,
Oct 26, 2:21am
We have a kitchen island but instead of just a flat bench we have an extra piece on top (stand) on the side where you would have seats with another bench on top of that which is wooden. Not only hides what is on the bench (mess) but also acts as more bench space as I can put plates etc on it. Check out pin interest for kitchen island upstands. There are heaps on there.
lindyjack,
Oct 26, 10:09pm
We have recently put in a new kitchen and went for the extra cupboards. Previously had an upstand that always seemed to gather clutter and removing it also opened up the kitchen considerably as the upstand seemed to shut it off making it look smaller and not giving the open plan look so would not recommend an upstand.
zirconium,
Oct 26, 10:13pm
We have one that is used all the time, and find that people like to sit there and chat while food is being prepared. :)
gennie,
Oct 27, 9:01am
We have both on our peninsular bench (kitchen wrong shape for an island) - cupboards both sides and a 30cm overhand for sitting at. The kitchen is one end of a big room and family room is other end. Dining room and lounge is another big room. So we use the peninsular bench a lot to sit out, whether it is kids having breakfast, friends having a cup of tea etc. I think if you had a dining table in the same room and you don't have kids then you might not use it to sit at all.
hesian,
Oct 28, 1:33am
Don't use ours as island Moved to be side bench and hide rubbish container under.
andyb2,
Oct 28, 5:37am
Yes, ours used. 1 cooking, 1 observing !
lovelurking,
Oct 28, 7:36am
We have one in our new to us house and I love it. Its really small, only 1 person (hopefully me) can sit and watch and drink and talk with whoever is cooking without getting in their way! We try to keep it clear of clutter so we can plate up easily or as we are inclined, have people serve themselves but we always eat at the table.
If we were here when we were young with our children, I imagine it would be a good place to have one on one time with them sitting, maybe learning how to cook, doing homework etc. ( 🤔ðŸ’maybe not too 😘) 😂
anchored,
Oct 28, 11:18pm
Thank you all for your valuable and individual feedback.
lyma1,
Sep 15, 4:45pm
If you have oven or dishwasher placed opposite, make sure you will have room to open the door to each appliance when someone seated or working at the island.
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