to ask about kitchen islands?

I don't like kitchen islands. I had ours taken out and put a table and chairs there. It's far more flexible and gives good preparation space. It's far more friendly - people sit around a kitchen table, the island had to have those high stools in a row. It's been a good decision for us.
This.
I've never had one and would not choose to have one.

We don't have an island but we do have a peninsula, which we love.
We do have a separate dining room though and tend to use that if we are having a full meal or there are more than 3 of us.
It is a constant battle not to allow clutter to accumulate there but I am quit strict about it

If you have space - yes

i stayed in holiday home and it had an island. It was very good for storage and workspace.

there also had a dinning table and seated area too

Thanks for this- I have basically the same problem- big square kitchen with only one “full height” wall and 4 doors ( 2 of which are double width) and 2 big windows. So sounds like the island is the answer - thought it was but it seemed the tide was turning against them.

I would have a table over a kitchen island, I don't really like eating on a stool, and a table be used as a work surface in the same way an island can.

I used to be a kitchen designer. Islands are a solution to a problem. They were designed to make the best use of specific space issues. I have no idea how they have become a 'thing' in their own right that people think they have to have, squeezing in smaller and smaller units to create a pointless little lump where there's not really enough room.

I have a large island in my kitchen bevause I have a very square space with not a lot of continuous wall due to doors and openings. WIthout the island we'd have very little worktop/cupboard area and a massive, empty space in the middle. Our kitchen space wouldn't make any sense without an island, but it's strictly functional space without stools or an eating area. We have a big table at the end of the kitchen to sit at. Some kitchens need an island to use the space properly. They shouldn't be shoehorned in for the sake of it.

Get a kitchen peninsular with bar stools so sociable

I really dislike them. I think there's something quite harsh and cold about them, design-wise - I like a cozy kitchen with a table.

How about a dairy table. Halfway island and table. Esp with a marble worktop and double drawers they look fabulous

I’d choose a table over an island too

I think they are amazing but not instead of a table, only if you can have both.

I wouldn’t in your position. We have a v large kitchen diner with a large island which I love as extra worktop space (and cupboards), but it’s rarely used for sitting round. If you don’t have that much space then I’d prioritise the dining table and don’t squeeze in an island as well - it is likely to then feel cramped rather than spacious.

I have a table. It works for me as an island, I use it as a work surface because it's lower level is ideal for me for mixing and kneading and rolling pastry. Then I can clear it and we can all sit round it when I have the family over. I also find it's quite handing having the chairs around it because I often need something to stand on to reach the high cupboards!

I would choose a table. I love islands but not to sit at and I also love a large statement dining table. I can't see the point of breakfast bars at all.

We have a peninsula (attached island). It is useful for breakfast and chatting. We also have a big kitchen table. Our kitchen is not huge so maybe we could have done without the peninsula but the kids and my DH really love it. Feels cosier for breakfast and lets us chat. I have a strict nothing on counters rule so it’s cleared every morning and night.

No they aren't? Lol...

Islands, IMO, take up too much space and being totally immovable limit what you can do with your kitchen and how many people you can fit in for a casual meal.

We've had them taken where we had them (2 houses) and both kitchens were a great deal better afterwards.

Tables are much more flexible.

I’d say an island with storage on both sides is great. The stools are good for small children to do baking on. Really comes into its own when you have people over - we always find people congregating around it, it’s great to set drinks and snacks up on, and when doing a big dinner it’s a lot easier to have the bigger serving dishes on the island, with people sitting at the table to eat. It’s also a focal point - big vase of flowers, nice fruit bowl. However clutter just gets dumped on one end of our dining table instead 😫

Have had one in three houses or flats now, and wouldn’t be without one.

I love our island- it makes cooking a social activity as you are facing people not facing a wall. And kids sit on the bar stools to eat after school. However we also have room for a dining table. If I had to pick one I’d go for the table (plus it’s a lot cheaper!)

The ones I've seen work well are functional ones with a sink/ dishwasher and worktop space and storage drawers . These kitchens have a table too! Good for mingling round.

The ones with chairs for using as a table do seem to attract clutter.

If you were talking to me, yes, the kitchen designer told my (lovely) SIL there wasn’t room, but she’d always hankered for one and decided he was wrong, it would just fit. It’s probably fine when it’s just her and immediate family at home, but she hosts all the big family gatherings at the moment as the one with the biggest house (because ours is a building site), and my main impression of the island from those is people trying to edge past one another.

Well that's bad designing - there should be 1.2m minimum or similar around the whole island. I don't know why people think they're going out of fashion. They're everywhere still on interior decorator pages and anyone I know who's built or remodelled has got one.
I love the soda idea and have the space in new kitchen to be but not sure where to put it.

If it’s either/or, and you have plenty of worktop space elsewhere, then a table. We’re planning a new kitchen now, but have space for both, plus it will be the main working space and have the hob on it.

Plus, if space is tight, it can be just be too much of a squeeze. My SIL insisted on putting one into the kitchen part of her kitchen/diner/ sitting room, and there really wasn’t room for it, so everyone is always edging round it in the mornings.

Ignore the mess and dodgy decor, this is kind of a temporary kitchen until we decide on a style etc for the proper one. The island on the right hand side is about 2.4m long by 1.2m wide, with stools along the far side. Behind it, kind of top right is the dining table.

Very messy and busy at this time of day.

I think there are Islands and there are now also continents! I have an island, not one of those huge ones with acres of marble, hobs and seating, I had it custom made and it looks more like a piece of furniture, one side is cupboard space and the other side is open shelving so no seating but I do have a kitchen table so seating wasn’t needed, it’s quite “country” looking and I absolutely love it, it’s the heart of the kitchen and I love styling it with a nice vase of flowers and my favourite crockery, its been a fabulous addition to the kitchen.