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.

Also, get some big boxes or chairs etc and put them in the kitchen where the island would be and walk around it to get a sense of space.

My in laws have an island on wheels. Not the same as the pic but it gives you an idea of what I mean. They can move the position to suit their needs.

We recently renovated and also removed a wall to make a kitchen/diner. We had space for an island but went with a peninsular. The space at the end of it and the wall cupboards is larger and makes the kitchen look/feel airier. If you could do a sketch OP, or use say ikea or other sites which you can draw the plan online yourself, we could provide better advice.

Then do an L shaped kitchen that truncates so you can have your table.
Your room dimensions are too small for island or peninsula without making the kitchen feel cramped.

It’s hard to describe but there isn’t enough wall space without doors to do a proper L shaped kitchen with enough surface and storage space. There is definitely enough room for a peninsula plus a dining area but it would box off the kitchen area and dining area. Whereas an island would make it more one joint space. I’m just not sure which one to go with.

We had an island in the large open plan kitchen in our old house and it was great. We moved into a house with a reasonable sized kitchen dominated by a huge island. We have finally just got rid of it and put in a peninsular instead and the room looks twice the size and is so much easier to work in.

I really don't like either, personally, I'd rather just fit in a bigger dining table that can be used for prep if necessary, or have a wheeled trolley with a worktop that I can move. I got very exasperated when we were planning ours as we wanted to knock through the dining/kitchen wall to have a bigger table lengthways and the first couple of companies we spoke to kept putting breakfast bars or peninsulas in their proposed plan that effectively meant we had exactly the same space for the table as before and both rooms still felt really cramped. The second one did it even after we specifically said no breakfast bar. I think some companies are phoning it in on the design. I can't remember the link, sorry, but there are some sites that give you tools to measure and design the kitchen yourself so it might be worth looking at those if you haven't already.

Friends has a peninsula-

the kitchen side the cupboards of the peninsula was open shelving with no doors and the a slim kidney shaped peninsula with 4 stools. Then about 2ft and the dining room table started. No chair at the head of the table and 2 benches pushed in. Looked great and an excellent us of space

To me a table is always preferable, and a lot more useful.

Completely agree with this. My last two houses have had breakfast bars but they were literally never used, not comfortable.
Currently planning my kitchen for my new house, I will have an island but no breakfast bar, possibly a bookshelf for my cook books on one side .

I think islands are considered quite naff now, certainly where I live.

If you want to have an island, that is fine. It may never be needed, but make sure you could get around it in a wheelchair.

I had a peninsula in the kitchen when we first moved in to our house. When we remodelled the kitchen it was changed to a design with an island. I love the island. So much more working and storage space. Walking round it doesn’t bother me, and I couldn’t care less about whether it was on trend or not.
We do have a reasonable size of kitchen though.
We did get 2 designs done for our new kitchen- 1 was with a peninsula again, and1 with an island. As soon as we saw the designs it was clear which 1 was going to look better

We did a Plain English kitchen in our last house with an island designed roughly on this one and absolutely loved how functional it was. I don't like upper cabinets, much prefer open shelving, and there was tonnes of storage space and it provided lovely extra counter space. Even though we had a big dining table on the other side, it was amazing how often someone sat on a stool at the overhang, chatting with whoever was doing something in the kitchen.

@Beachwalker66 An entire locale has got together and declared a functional item of kitchen design 'naff.' How bizarre.

i can fit a table too.. but it doesn’t provide me with work surface that I can stand up and prep food etc at, and it also doesn’t give me any storage

In no way do I care what is or is not considered ‘naff’. It’s about what will work best for my kitchen and the way I live

That’s really interesting. I’ve just seen both designs and feel that the peninsula divides the room into a kitchen area and dining area. Whereas the island makes it into one bigger room. So really it’s just on which I prefer. I’m swinging towards the island.

Good point. I think the walkways would be fine with either option but will definitely check

We went from having a small enclosed kitchen to an open plan one with a peninsula. It has given us extra worktop space and I’m very glad to have it. In our enclosed kitchen we got one of those small ikea island units but we stood it against the wall. We still have it but it’s now sitting in the alcove in the lounge.

I think islands only work in really large kitchens. A peninsula works in smaller kitchens.

I think it depends on how much room you will have around the island. Do you know that or do you need the plans to tell?
Personally, I love an island. So much prep space.

We have a HUGE kitchen island and it’s just fabulous. Don’t be so judgemental. I wouldn’t sell my house to you, because it’s a lovely house and it deserves lovely people in it!

Don’t take it to heart. I’ve had kitchen islands in my last three houses and they all sold very quickly, even in shit housing markets. A lot of people do like islands.

Honestly, people so rigid they can't be flexible according to what works in a given space are a species unto themselves.

We have an island in our small kitchen and really dislike it - we have narrow walkways and if someone is opening drawers/dishwasher/washing machine you can't get past them and have to walk all the way around the island. I suppose it depends how small the kitchen is and if that would be an issue!

@cotswoldsgal1234 ”Don’t be so judgmental. I wouldn’t sell my house to you because It’s a lovely house and deserves lovely people in it”
Asking someone not to be judgmental and then being judgemental. The irony!