opinions on peninsula height for bar stool seating

9 years ago

In the midst of kitchen design and could use some experienced input. There will be a peninsula between the kitchen and dining room about 7 feet long. Our style is contemporary, and the openness to the dining room is intentional.The architect is saying about 3 feet deep is the maximum, and he suggested that the 12 inches closest to the dining room be elevated, leaving standard 2 feet of counter on the kitchen side of the peninsula, at normal kitchen counter height. We'd have 2-3 bar stools on the dining room side of the peninsula. There is separate bench seating at a table at the other end of the kitchen.

We'd appreciate opinions on the question of 12 inches elevated vs. 3 feet at standard kitchen counter height. Elevated would obscure the view of the kitchen counter from the dining room. But 12 inches is fairly narrow and we are concerned that it will not be too usable, especially for our two young children, who can't seem to keep dishes and cups on a standard size table! We may be able to go a bit wider, but probably not much. A 3 foot deep counter of the same height would be very wide and usable, but perhaps that would look odd between the two rooms (as opposed to in an island, where it looks just great in pictures we've studied).

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Comments (6)

sjhockeyfan325
9 years ago
Do a search on this forum - this is a widely debated topic. personally, I had both a bi-level peninsula (between the kitchen and family room) and bi-level island in my previous home (pre-remodel) and I couldn't wait to get rid of them. I replaced them both with single levels and couldn't have been happier with both the look and the functionality.
JAD87 D
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for your input.

Does anyone have suggestions on the best search terms to find old threads. I'd love to review them, but keep turning up empty with my searches.
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Fori
9 years ago
I can't answer your original question (I do think 12" is too skinny to bother, but I don't like my current flat peninsula that lets everything in the kitchen show either). I'd tape out a spot on my current counter or table and see how bad it really is.

For searching, use Google. Include "gardenweb" as a search term (or do it the proper way by including a domain search but it's not needed).

Heck, most google searches involving kitchens end up here anyway...
cookncarpenter
9 years ago
I agree 12" is too narrow to eat at, however, the raised counter may not be useless. It could depend on what is on the kitchen side of that peninsula - Is it a cooktop?, or a sink?
We have two sections of raised counter, and both work well for us. One is 23" by about five and a half feet fits two barstools comfortably, that we enjoy and use often. The other raised counter section is only 11" wide and about five feet long, but it separates the range from the dining area, so it is very useful for serving up meals, (think short order chef), also buffet dishes for gatherings.
While some may not prefer them, for our circumstances, the raised counters help to separate and define a small kitchen from the adjoining dining area and family room, and are also very useful.
AquaLove
9 years ago
I just moved out of a house that had a two level counter where the high side was 15" and I felt it wasn't deep enough.
debrak2008
9 years ago
Agree to always use google to search. Here is a link to a google search.

Here is a link that might be useful: bi-level peninsula