Option 4. Change out the island granite to a light color complementary to the perimeter. And take care of the pony wall jut out. You also need to add back the electrical outlets that were in the backsplash to that cabinet side. They are code required.

I love the small ideosyncracy of the extended wall. The granite looks great and in that space you were right to delete the raised bar. I am building one but my space is much different.
The side of your cabinet there is lovely... I could see hanging out at a party inthat little indentation, pretending I wasn't blocking traffic flow.

I like it...but I'm one who likes things that are unique to a home...something that is just different...something that speaks to what was before. I would leave it and love it if it were my home!

In all honesty, I don't love it, but I think I'd live with it first to see if I could get used to it. (I would put an outlet in the side facing the kitchen).

How about some open shelves on the end, that are the same depth as that pony wall?

peachy605:

Who approved the template/drawing? Anyone? Or was there such a thing?

If you signed off, you're going to have to live with it or pay to have it changed. If your fabricator just guessed that you would like the bump out more than a larger overhang on the end cabinet, he guessed wrong and should at least be willing to work with you.

I'd live with it for a while. Shortening the wall, repairing the floor to match, cutting and reprofiling the granite is a PITA.

Trebuchet, I would imagine that when the breakfast bar was cut down, that piece of wall was already there. The cabinet portion was also already there. Once the OP elected to have a new piece put on adjacent to the existing piece, there would have been no choice but to cover the top of the pony wall.

I wouldn't redo it -- it's a lot of redoing of wall, floor granite and who knows what else and could be asking for more trouble when you get into it (or I am I the only one who has more trouble when I go for perfection and could have left well enough alone?).

The jut looks a bit narrow for shelves and you'd still have the issue of what tops them and it might make the granite look more off. , but I think the idea of making a logical use of the space -- lemons to lemonade, is a great idea. Perhaps the top could be open and used for things like salt and pepper grinder that go to the table, oil and vinegar...

What if you hung a towel bar on the side of that cabinet? The sink is near enough that it would make sense. Simple, inexpensive and functional -- towel can also be decorative.

Another to the table idea -- you could do something like magazine slots there. They could hold magazines, the morning paper, homework, a phone book -- or placemats that could go to the table and have a spot when not in use (since so many drawers aren't quite wide enough or deep enough).

You know how you live and what you use. Think of something that will work for you and make it look like something unique and clever that other people wish they had thought of. ;-)

"Trebuchet, I would imagine that when the breakfast bar was cut down, that piece of wall was already there. The cabinet portion was also already there. Once the OP elected to have a new piece put on adjacent to the existing piece, there would have been no choice but to cover the top of the pony wall."

sjhockeyfan:

I agree, but that has nothing to do with who made the decision as to the final shape of the top.

Treb, what would you have done?

I think the towel bar or magazine wall holders are great ideas! It would make the area look more deliberate.

I'm wondering why the new granite piece wasn't cut to cover up the top of that little area. Or maybe I am not seeing what I think I am. If it's just that, you could just put another piece of granite on that but that would be more seams. Maybe just put a finial there? A pineapple, it's the sign of hospitality. It looks like the perfect size of a granite sample, those squares they cut for you to take home. Just set one of those there!!! Sorry, I know what you mean, it's the little things! Pretty kitchen!

I could be wrong but from what I am reading, this isn't a new piece of granite. OP had then take out the raised area and use the same piece of granite that was already there from the raised area. I.E. no templating per say and no new granite.

Texas_Gem:

Dang, I'm going to have to start paying attention to the posts I respond to one of these days. You are correct.

Thank you for responding!! I checked this post a few times Monday morning, didn't see any reponses and then got so busy at work I forgot all about it :)

lascatx: I love the idea of a towel bar there even the magazine slot is a great idea...so creative! Then it looks more deliberate and not something that we had no choice about.

sjhockeyfan:
"I would imagine that when the breakfast bar was cut down, that piece of wall was already there. The cabinet portion was also already there. Once the OP elected to have a new piece put on adjacent to the existing piece, there would have been no choice but to cover the top of the pony wall." - you hit the nail, that is exactly why we had no choice but to cover the wall. BTW we do have an outlet right behind the pony wall extremely close to the counter.

Treb: the only other choice was cutting the wall, replacing flooring and DH didn't want to go that route. I wish I could have replaced the granite and redone it totally but that would be a bit crazy since the house is barely two years old and the kitchen is brand new. For me it was more about improving the functionality of the space.

As far as practical use of space goes, we've used that space so much more in the past 4 days (we got it done last weekend) than we ever did when it was raised :) The raised bar at least for us was like a clutter magnet. No one ever sat there except sometimes DS who now just loves the one level space. It has totally changed the space for the better!! Would NEVER EVER want to go back to the raised bar again :)