Do I need a breakfast bar in my new kitchen?

[41notTrendy]

We are knocking our kitchen and dining room together, largely because we want a nice big range cooker and are desperate for more storage.
We currently have a breakfast bar that only rarely gets used for eating at, because if someone sits there, they're always in the way. It's an additional worktop really.
Given that the new room will have a lovely dining table to sit at, would you plan for a breakfast bar too? Or have the space for storage/worktop?

We knocked through the dining room and kitchen and have a breakfast bar as a kind of room divider. It's nice that people can sit at it and chat to you when you're cooking. However, it is used as a dumping ground for everyone's detritus.

No breakfast bars are horrid!

It depends. We'd love a breakfast bar for drinks / socialising in the evening mainly. A focal point and a great canapé rest. Would you use one for this?

Mine isn't horrid! It's very tastefully done I'll have you know

We had one at our old house. But didn't bother with one when we moved and that was years and years ago. I don't think they're much good. But I suppose it's up to the individual. I didn't much like eating my breakfast perched on a stool facing a blank wall but realise some don't face walls. Still a waste of time though.

We're having one which sounds like yamyoid's - a room divider, extra worktop and storage under, definitely not sitting facing a blank wall. I can't wait for friends to be able to sit at it and drink coffee and chat while I play domestic goddess!

We had one to divide the area between prep and eating but the level of detritus dumping got too out of hand, plus we wanted room for a bigger dining table, so we took it out.
The 2.5m long table is now in the centre of the room and is fab, plus I gained some additional cupboard space overall, but the detritus now mounts up at one end of the big table instead .

It would be a room divider type thing. And of course very tasteful
Folks could lean on it whilst we cooked though, don't necessarily need a stool to perch on?
Don't want to lose storage for something that won't have a significant impact.

Definitely - I'd miss mine :)

Can't stand breakfast bars, don't do it!

I don,t like them either

Breakfast bar rename = chop & chat
Always good for lingering guests & gossip

I don't like them. If you need a room divider, I prefer an open shelving unit.

Actually, since we're being frank, I really dislike them. And those horrid bar stools that they always go with. Why would anyone prefer to eat at them rather than at the table? In interiors magazines they always say things like, "For eating on the go", but why is it actually quicker, unless you are someone who needs to dress your table before sitting at it?

Glad I got that off my chest

Ha, Devora, I couldn't agree more. We eat breakfast all together, so why would we need a "bar" to do it? It's a waste of space when it could be more open.

We've got a ledge on the side of the island. No one has ever perched on it & it's used purely as a dumping ground. It makes the whole kitchen look untidy. A big regret.

I love mine separates the kitchen from the dining space,

it can be tastefull, but you have to decide if you would really use it

Good info. Thanks all.
We may keep the stools we have now, for 'chop and chat' purposes
and have the storage.