how can I make better/ the best use of my kitchen?

[dailymailareabunchofwankers]

Advice welcomed please...

Kitchen is 2 rooms knocked together. Big room is about 12ft square (apologies to those who work in metric ). This is where all kitchen units, fridge, sink, cooker etc are - in the middle of this room we have a smallish table and 4 chairs.

In the other room, which is about 9-10ft square, there's an old sofa. Also the kitchen work surface continues round on to one wall of this room, with cupboards under.

Originally we had the table in that part, but the space in the 'middle' of the big room felt too big. However now the part with the sofa never gets used. And the table does sometimes feel a bit in the way, although there is space to walk round it without having to squeeze past.

Any suggestions? Just to add there is a partial dividing wall between the two rooms meaning that where they meet, the walkthrough is only 4ft wide.

Can't afford to do anything structural or change the kitchen units etc. Are there any other options anyone can suggest?

How about lose the sofa and have a booth/banquette type thing?

booth banquet

And a large free standing island in the bit where the table use to be

www.john-lewis.co.uk/furniture/worktables#.VyooXOx4Xv4

Thanks - the first link didn't work for me sorry but I think I get the idea - something like the one attached?

I actually really like bench seating - and the island idea.

However I've always had this idea of a sofa in my kitchen for some reason (even if it doesn't fit). The other, more major issue is that my kitchen units are quite contemporary, light maple style, black worktops/splashbacks etc, so don't know if that would be too much of a mix of styles?