To have a kitchen island in a small kitchen?

[Trainup]

We are getting our kitchen and dining room made into one room which is still not massive! Some kitchen companies have been out to give us designs. One has gone for a peninsula which would actually give us quite a squashed dining area. Another has suggested a kitchen island with breakfast bar on it which would have room for the dining table to be put alongside it.

I’m struggling to picture how the island would be used and if they are just suggesting it as a trendy option. But they thought it might improve the flow around the room.

Any experiences of kitchen islands vs peninsulas would be very helpful! If anyone has any kitchen layouts they like and are willing to share I would be very grateful to see them.

I like a peninsula. Islands in small kitchens look like you’ve just put it in for the sake of being able to say you’ve got an island. Another option would be to get a moveable kitchen island that could be moved out of the way if needed - IKEA and Cotswold Co do ready made ones or you could get one made bespoke.

If you’ve got the measurements, you could try drawing out the island and peninsula with masking tape on the floor to try to get a feel for the sizes.

When we had our large, but narrowish, kitchen redone, we kept redrawing plans in the hope of magically making an island possible. We decided against it in the end.

Now, nearly 7 years on, we have absolutely no regrets. Our big kitchen table can be moved when necessary, and is just as good a work space as an island.

Unless it fits in really easily, I would give it a miss.

Family of 5 here and not one person has breakfast at the same time 😂 Teens are in different schools, one gone before the other is even up, toddler has breakfast when both are in school, and DH and I grab something when we can around the morning drop and pickups.

Sometimes DH & I might have a coffee or lunch together at the breakfast bar (toddler in his high chair or pottering around playing) at weekends. But our breakfast bar is rounded so the seats are side by side but facing eachother also.

Ok.

Yes, that's where a kitchen table has a huge advantage - it can be moved, it's cosier (usually!) plus it's a boon for homework, jigsaws etc.

What!!!

Go to Ikea!!

We stayed at a little airbnb recently which had an island, one bed flat, kichen living room, for once I thought the island really worked, it contained cupboards and drawers on one side with huge amounts of kichen equipment and then had room to seat 2 on the other side. Obviously you would need much bigger for a family

However it of course got covered in 'stuff' even in the course of a weeks stay!!

When we redid our kitchen one designer suggested a Peninsula and I didn't think we had room so we planned it out with rope and chairs to see where it would go/work and DH was convinced it would (I wasn't so sure)
Turns out DH was right and its great, gets so much use and I am really glad we went for it

Has anyone ever invented or made a kitchen island on rope and pulleys, that you can raise up to ceiling when not in use? Like one of those drier/pan things, but bigger?
Then you just worry about banging your head on the wheels occasionally.
Have that idea for nowt, if you're a kitchen developer 👍🙂 💡

You are a genius! Patent it this instant!
It could also be a Midsomer Murders plot...how it landed on someone's head.

Our kitchen isnt very big but i love the island for all my prep. We do have room for a table and chairs at the other end.

I love your wallpaper! Is it one of those specifically for kitchen use?

Yes this! Teen and DH will eat on the go. My younger 2 will be eating while I pack their lunches etc.

I love our island but we did a big kitchen extension and the island is quite large, seats up to 8 but there’s only 5 of us. We only ever eat at the proper table when hosting a dinner for the extended family or friends.
What are the dimensions of your kitchen op, and I’d be binning off the company that won’t let you see the plans unless you pay a deposit, sounds a bit sketchy.

I love love love islands. Having had one in my old house I missed it so much and a kitchen table just didn’t have the safe effect. It reduced the work surface and we also missed the casualness of having friends over and chatting informally whilst you’re cooking and preparing rather having to sit at the table

I actually had a table made which is at island height and has stools and this has been a brilliant compromise.

And just to caveat we do also have a 6 seater kitchen table. We have 4 chairs and a long bench that pushes under the table when not in use.

But the table is used everyday for dinner.

If I'm in the kitchen cleaning or cooking etc there's nearly always someone sitting at the breakfast bar chatting too.

I love my kitchen island, BUT … I have a very large kitchen-diner with the island at one end and an eight-seater dining table at the other. For me the island works because I didn’t want any wall cupboards, so needed the storage space in the island. If I had a smaller kitchen and couldn’t fit both, I would always choose a table over an island.

This sounds exactly like what we would do. We can’t at the moment because the dining room is separate.

How wide is your kitchen op? That would give people a better idea of how/if an island would fit it.

It’s Howdens who won’t share the plans. They have shared a visual 3-d render but the way is stretched makes the kitchen look much bigger than it is. I’d like to be able to put tape down to look at the space in reality. I guess they don’t want me going off with their design and going with another company but I’m not going to sign off on something I’m not sure of.

The longest walls are 5700mm and 4800mm but there is a bit of an L shape going on and there are conservatory doors and another door to the outside to factor in

Islands don’t work unless large kitchen imho

It's hard to say without seeing a plan but I wouldn't go for an island if you don't have the space. I think they offer it as so many people want an island these days but a peninsula would probably work better if you have what I'm picturing.

I would rather use the space for a proper kitchen table, extendable if possible. Unless you have a separate dining room.

I wouldn't have an island in a small kitchen but breakfast bar is great and gets a lot of use. Its also an extra seating area if you have guests

Our kitchen diner is 6m x 3.5m full rectangle. Island works but we only have kitchen units on one end of the room (short side) so there is plenty of room to walk around the island. I feel peninsulas can cause too much congestion but it depends on the room. We have two bar stools and tbh these are only used when our young kids want to ‘help’ us cook or we have more than 6 people eating. Kitchen table is always easier to eat and do homework at. Basically the Island is nice to look at but I agree the clutter they attract annoys me as it’s a focal point of the room. I would still go for it if I redesigned my kitchen again but if it’s not a good use of space in your set up don’t do it.