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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Is 12" deep enough for a breakfast bar?

17 replies

HollyBollyBooBoo · 12/03/2014 20:10

Just that really, small kitchen in new house, 6ft long wall just crying out to be used and I'm thinking a breakfast bar with shelves above would be a good option but I could only get away with it being about 12" deep. Thoughts please!

OP posts:

burnishedsilver · 12/03/2014 23:00

A friend, with a similar space to fill, used kitchen wall cabinets at floor level to get matching units without the usual depth. Might be worth investigating.

BuzzardBird · 12/03/2014 23:05

It doesn't matter as you will use it as a breakfast bar just once and then it will be used as everyone's dumping ground. I would put extra storage for said crap there instead so that you don't have to look at it.

pootlebug · 12/03/2014 23:09

Breakfast bar on an island or otherwise facing into the room gets used.

Breakfast bar where your nose is inches from a wall....not so much, I think.

I would just go with lots of shallow cupboards instead.

HaveYouTriedARewardChart · 12/03/2014 23:17

Too shallow! We debated a shallow b bar but went for normal depth cause we had space to allow it.

It's a very useful worktop but no one has ever eaten breakfast there!

I like the idea of shallow units.ikea do shallow floor units which we have on peninsula at end of our b bar.

Original poster

HollyBollyBooBoo · 13/03/2014 03:57

But practically is 12" too shallow? I don't need anymore storage I need somewhere for my young DD and I to eat as the dinning room is off the lounge and it doesn't seem practical to go there to get her to eat her brekkie in the morning!

OP posts:

HaveYouTriedARewardChart · 13/03/2014 07:05

I think having the wall 12 inches from your nose would feel wrong!
But - since you don't have a table in your kitchen that does change things. And it's not too small to put a plate on!
Could you post a photo of your kitchen?

pinkroses5 · 13/03/2014 07:09

Holly - how big is the kitchen overall?

I think 12" is too shallow FWIW, although personally I prefer table and chairs. I don't like being perched on a stool to eat. My mum's kitchen has a small breakfast bar and I always said I would never have one.

A dinner plate is 11" from top to bottom so on a breakfast bar like the one you propose you would be quite limited. Have a look around at different options. What leads off the kitchen, is there another room there where your DD could eat while you watched her?

truelymadlysleepy · 13/03/2014 08:18

I agree with Buzzard. From experience, a narrow accessible ledge will become a dumping ground that will never be clear.

LondonGirl83 · 13/03/2014 08:49

It depends on the height. If it's at the right height (just over counter height) and you get barstools rather than counter stools a 12 in overhang is the right depth to sit at comfortably - ie your knees can be tucked in. If it's really just for eating a bowl of cereal it's fine but the surface area for plates will feel a bit cramped.

Preciousbane · 13/03/2014 10:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ContentedSidewinder · 13/03/2014 11:19

I have a breakfast bar that is used every day for breakfast! And a dining room that we use for lunch and dinner.

My breakfast bar is 45cm deep (I can't work in inches) and I would say that is the minimum. You can fit bar stools under it and sit at it comfortably and we have horizontal wall units ie, they are not a low down as a normal wall cabinet so there is more head space so you don't feel hemmed in.

My kitchen is narrow, only 2.5m wide but here is a photo (we extended it last year)

burnishedsilver · 13/03/2014 13:45

12 inches is about 30cm.

12 inches would be too narrow to sit at. If you leaned in for any reason you'd bump your head off the wall.

Original poster

HollyBollyBooBoo · 13/03/2014 20:24

Ok, thanks for all the info. It does sound too small from all of your experience, maybe I'll look at a little, slim table.

Kitchen is 12 foot x 6 foot.

OP posts:

Kif · 14/03/2014 10:57

Flip down table?

HaveToWearHeels · 14/03/2014 12:30

We had one of these in our old house. It was a galley kitchen and worked well with 2 stools.

Aethelfleda · 14/03/2014 12:34

I recommend a "butterfly table". They sell them in Argos and the table itself is 12 inches wide when folded down, and it stores the 4 chairs uderneath in a little cupboard when not in use. They are SO flexible. Only downer is you have to keep them clear of junk to make them practical.

sleepyhead · 14/03/2014 13:28

We've got that ikea wall mounted table in our kitchen and use it for breakfast every day.

We got it to save space but actually keep it up all the time as it's so useful and didn't make the kitchen feel as cramped as I'd thought it would. It folds easily though and is only a few cm when down.

2 people (3 at a push if one is small) can eat breakfast at it at once.

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