Kitchen island or large kitchen table, any thoughts?

[Pannacotta]

We are planning our new kitchen (and have been for some time...).

It's an awkward shaped room but we have decided to work with the footprint rather than extend.

We can either have a large kitchen table to seat up to 8 and no island, or a smaller table seating 4, 6 at a push, plus an island.

We don't entertain often but do have family over fairly regularly for meals.

I can't decide which would be better - have never had either in a home I have lived in!

Any thoughts/experiences?

TIA

I think the consensus is a big table, its probably the best way to make the kitchen more of a gathering point, also good for having others round for food, which we do like to do.

No room for a sofa beachy, that would be lovely but if we have the table the sink will go in the bay, still that means a nice view when washing up!

Pannacotta did you ever make a decision on your kitchen?

Unsurprisingly, I haven't , although I have bought a fab ex-display hand painted Martin Moore type kitchen, but am still playing around with layouts. I can't decide whether to go for a large kitchen with big table in the middle, opening into a family room, or make the kitchen area smaller, add a couple of small sofas at the end and an island in the kitchen end, then use the adjoining room (1.8 metre opening) as a dining room. So in the latter case, eat breakfast at the island but rest of meals at the dining table.

I bloody hate making these decisions...

@Pannacotta - I'm intrigued too ?! What did you do ?!
@AmazonianWoman - Have you imagined yourself using both layouts on a day to day basis and how they would work busier times such as at Christmas too ?! I find that often helps work out which way will suit you better long term ?!

Also its always nice to have places you can escape and read a book in - while the kids play on playstations or watch movies etc !
If you do designate a whole room to eating - it's a shame to only use it on high days and holidays IMO so happy to hear it would be used everyday !!
:-)

I can kind of imagine both scenarios working, my head is spinning (I know it isn't a major world problem, just need to make my mind up)

We have a separate playroom - full of stuff but only really used when friends are here, thinking this may still be used as they get older and want to escape from us...

We would also have a separate living room (the existing kitchen) but I can't see us using it much if we went for 1st scenario with a family room. We'd have to use it in the second case if we only had a couple of small sofas in the kitchen.

if the playroom has enough built in storage to hide /put away all the play stuff - then it could be a secondary lounge area too ?! would that alter the dynamic ?!

it's difficult to imagine without a sketch plan infront of me ! but you are right - children grow and their needs alter slightly - home work desks - speakers and the need to look cool in front of their pals !

The playroom has plenty of Ikea Expedit storage but DS has all his Lego set up on top of it and I can't see any of that being stored away for quite some time. So it always looks messy basically.

An interior designer friend of a friend came round yesterday and said we should go for the big relocated kitchen with island, and the main living room off this (ie via the 1.8m opening) Then cut out double doors/opening from this living room into a dining room (still with separate kids room)

Not sure that I fancy my main (& only) living room straight off the kitchen though, I'm not tidy enough in the kitchen and worry that this would devalue the house? Plus I can't even get a sofa arrangement to work.

I give up. I'd love to move!

I have an island - see pic on my profile.
It has a popup triple socket
on the side you can see the cupboard contains crockery and glasses, drawers are cutlery, napkins, mats and tablecloths
on the other side are drawers with all my mixing bowls and preparing cutlery and stuff

oh dear ! I'm in Dorset - don't know of that's local enough to arrange a coffee and look at the space for you ?! why don't you sketch out a rough floor plan - add doors windows and approx sizes ... then upload it as a dilemma on Houzz - that way you don't just get one designers view - but loads of people - Architects - designers - contractors - handy folk etc ! I will give it a bump too - and see what I can come up with for you too ! it's been mad this week ( pre Xmas rush ) - so I've not had time to come on here much !! :-)

Ah thanks

Much too far away, but I'll try to load the floor plan on Monday.