if you have dining table nearby, do you stil use breakfast bar/island/etc

[mum2015]

i see lots of kitchen diner layouts with dining table and some sort of sitting arrangement with high stool/chair and worktop. Are both really get used?

Good point about using island for food prep. I also do all food prep standing, so wont be using table for food prep. I am a bit clumsy too so if I used an island, open in all direction, I might make more mess on floor . For food prep I will stick with the worktop area between sink and hob to minimize the mess.

Somehow that table in middle of kitchen looked more homely and warm to me but I wonder why that layout isn't so popular.

We don't have an island, instead we have dining table and then small sofa and armchair with coffee table in the middle. Is lovely to relax there with cup of tea in the morning or wine in evening whilst dh cooks

"Somehow that table in middle of kitchen looked more homely and warm to me but I wonder why that layout isn't so popular"

I think** it's just fashions changing - also kitchen companies obviously want you to put in an island or breakfast bar as it makes them money!

We have a table in the middle of the kitchen and I love it.

We do at my house.

We have an island right in the middle of our kitchen with 2 bar stools on the short end facing inwards (ie not outwards to garden, like the dining table which is very close to the island but offset if you see what mean and is right by our bifolds). One side of kitchen is galley style with hob and sink on and across on the other side of the island is oven units. We get stuff out the oven or job and turn round to put it onto the island in the middle and plate up there. the Island is main food prep area I'd say. Also Kids eat breakfast there, do homework, DH likes to work on his laptop there. I sit at it with a glass of wine talking to DH while he cooks. I love it. Dining table is used for meal times only.

I designed it like that and love the layout.

Where I live post 80's houses have the second layout and all the ones before have the table in the middle of the kitchen like the first. The vast majority of kitchens I have encountered have the first picture and I much prefer that. As you said it is much more homely. When I'm alone I use counters against the wall for prep (it also allows me to keep an eye on the stove top and stirring while prepping. When gests are over, the cook(s) are in the same area as the guests so are part of the event rather that behind a counter preparing while the other watch.

I do think that everyone is different in their likes and dislikes of kitchen layouts. And you have to be firm with kitchen designers. One suggested to us that we only put a teeny fridge in the kitchen and put a big fridge freezer in the utility. I put my foot down and said that the fridge is used constantly when we prepare meals and I didn't want to have a stupid fridge "for show"with just things like drinks and butter in, I wanted all my cold stuff easily accessible. Was less bothered about freezer as don't use that every day so wanted separate little freezer in utility and big fridge in main kitchen. Works very well.

My advise is to plan out cooking and serving a whole meal in your head. Where you'd need to go to the fridge, where your stand to chop things, get water, put stuff in the oven. Where you'd load the dishwasher so that it's not in the way of anyone.

Put your washing machine separate if you can if you have your dining table in your kitchen. They're very noisy and annoying!

Big open space, kitchen with large island, plus dining table (and sofa off in another area).

Use both every day. School aged children x 3, plus husband, all sit at island having breakfast and chatting (me pottering making packed lunches etc and using the island as my work surface). After school - children sit at island doing homework / using dining table - I'll say sit at island with 1 child doing homework whilst the other 2 get on with their homework at the dining table. All 3 might sit at island whilst I cook. Dinner is at island or dining table depending on whether H is home or whether its a sit down & help yourself type meal (fajitas for instance) in which case we all sit at the table. Later, H will clear, I'll sit at island with glass of wine chatting etc, or H will. Whenever we have guests, everyone congregates around the island,just feels so much more relaxed, but like having the dining table for when we all sit down to eat. Sunday afternoon we'll all be at the dining table playing a board game. Love the versatility of having both.

it is nice to read how everyone's family use kitchen. Are island top same height as worktop? do you find sitting on bar-stool/chair comfortable enough?

My island circular table extension is the same height as the island worktop. It is not lowered. The table is wood and the worktop is granite. If you buy bar chairs, not stools, they are comfortable. I have cushions on them. I prep food at the island and have a prep sink an oven and a hob in the island as well as storage but it is a giant island! I have two built in fridges nearby housed and a small freezer. Set back under the circular table there are curved door cupboards that mirror the curve of the table (but there is room for legs and knees) so it is not wasted space. It is a Cotteswood design and they may have an example on their web site.

Yes island and work tops same height. We have stools (without a back) but with quite padded seats so very comfy. Purposely chose stools without backs so they slot under the island counter top when not in use.

Sitting at the island on a stool right now with my youngest beside me, we use it all the time - it's just like a table really though seats don't govsll way round. Same height as work tops and i do all my food prep on it too.

We had a table and an island at our last house. We used the island all the time. The table was off to the side but worked for help yourselves meals like fajitas - same as someone else said but daily eating, breakfast etc was always at the island. We're having our kitchen done at our new house. We can't fit an island, a table and a small sitting area so we have prioritised the table and the small sitting area as that was the other thing we really liked in our old kitchen.
I wouldn't have an island instead of a table and I'm really hoping we'll like having the table in the middle of the room, I love the photo you linked to OP and that's the sort of look we're hoping for.

After reading all replies again, i have a feeling that whatever is close/middle of kitchen gets used more frequently. Usually people have island/breakfast bar close to cooking area, so that is used. If i put table there, then table will get used.
Advantage of island is, it gives storage and prep area too. when i look at photos online, lookswise, island is more in fashion. Island looks great if it is built with nice shiny stone worktop, reflecting light... table looks nice if it is more of a casual kitchen.