This was ours that we put in our last house. It was directly opposite the peninsula fireplace that divided the living room from the kitchen, and was very convenient to both.
{{!gwi}}

Here are some pics I found and saved while planning for the house we're currently building.

[Traditional Kitchen[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Boston Kitchen & Bath Designers Venegas and Company

[Traditional Basement[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-basement-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_747~s_2107) by Saskatoon Kitchen & Bath Fixtures Kitchen Designs by Delta

[Traditional Family Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-family-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_720~s_2107) by Louisville Design-Build Firms Michael Cadden . Promaster Design+Build

If my remodel was finished I could show you mine. I took my old kitchen and put in a wet bar on one side and a built in buffet/China hutch on the opposite wall and past that is my newly constructed kitchen. I can't wait until its done!

Not the best pic but here is ours. We still need to finalize the backsplash but we love how it turned out. It's easily the most loved area in the kitchen.

And from a different direction

This post was edited by TB151 on Tue, Mar 11, 14 at 17:35

TB151 - gorgeous! what material are your counters?

here are a couple of my favorites from Houzz

[Contemporary Living Room[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-living-room-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_718~s_2103) by Miami Photographers Grossman Photography

[Eclectic Basement[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-basement-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_747~s_2104) by New York Interior Designers & Decorators Evelyn Benatar, New York Interior Design

[Spaces[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/home-design-ideas-phbr0-bp~) by Carlsbad Kitchen & Bath Remodelers Artistic Design And Remodeling

Thank you everyone! These pictures are extremely helpful (and gorgeous!). We are considering ours to be an L-shape where the short end of the L would be a peninsula with stools on the other side in the family room. It would look something like this (maybe glass in the middle / I don't like the upper cabinet layout yet). Just trying to firm up how this will work in our layout and whether this is the right approach. Including a link to my other thread related to our layout if anyone has any feedback there. Thank you again! This forum is so helpful!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Layout option with beverage center

For a bar/beverage center consider raising the upper cabinets to give more height above the counter. It opens the space a lot, and makes it look less "kitchen". I don't know exactly, don't have the specs in front of me, but I think we are raising our uppers on the new bar center 6" above what it would be if it were a kitchen space.
Consider too the shape and size of your bar sink. Do you really need a large rectangular sink, as if it were a large clean up sink? A special material - copper, colored cast iron enamel, silgranite, hammered pewter - and a different shape, whether square, oval or round, would also go a long ways toward making the bar area special.

Great ideas @mlweaving_Marji! Thank you for the feedback. I agree with you on the bar sink but unfortunately the software I was using doesn't have enough options for me to change that out. I have found quite a few unique sinks that I think would work well in the space vs. a larger clean up type sink.

This is a cleanup and bar/buffet area with pretty sinks....very useful and does just what you are planning--it is the old kitchen, and I moved the new one into the old family room. The other side is all storage.

Here is a picture of ours. I like the idea of having the water there to fill the coffee pot, and the cups are right above. We keep a garbage can under the sink for grounds and empty Keurigs. Coffee is in the cabinet. Wine glasses are about the cooler, and openers in the drawer. It has worked out very well.

Thanks kitchen-reno ! The counters are Super White