Kitchen Design Question

[Rhianon]

The question is, how important do you think it is to have the now ubiquitous "bar and stools" type kitchen counter? You know, where folks can sit on the outside of the counter looking in to the kitchen?

We have a small house and a tiny u-shaped kitchen. It currently has a "pull up" counter, room for a couple of stools.

We're going to do a bit of a remodel, and we're thinking we'd rather have the extra space inside the work area. We never actually eat at the counter. But we notice when folks come over, the stools are popular--even though dining chairs are right there. I sometimes sit down to chop vegetables, etc. as well.

Opinions?

[Tuffytown]

From someone who has designed dozens of kitchens my answer is "depends on personal preference". If you want to entertain while you cook then they are very useful. If that is not a priority then do what makes the most functional sense for your use. If resale is of import then you might consider it.

Usually when I do that in a kitchen now I try to convince the owner to have the counter a continuation of the regular counter so it is just an extension of the work surface. Some still want the raised counter to conceal kitchen stuff. I am doing one now that the raised counter is a large live edge board so it is a sculptural punctuation to the kitchen too.

[Rhianon]

Thanks, Tuffy. Ours is a continuation of the work surface. We cook and bake a lot, and I love the huge open space while I'm working. This is the smallest kitchen I've ever had. It's definitely a one-person kitchen at the moment, but it is super-nice to work in--everything handy and big counter where you need it. I don't want to mess that up.

[Tuffytown]

So you are proposing to make more floor area inside the kitchen and less counter outside? If making the floor area larger allows for 2 cooks then that could be a good tradeoff. Is there a reason the whole thing can't just shift into the adjacent living space (i.e. take the floor area out of the adjacent room but keep the same depth of counter?).4

[piedmontfields]

We never use the bar/stools. Our guests always use them (but we also have more stools next to our cook island, which we do use, as do guests who are not afraid of fire/flavor).

In a small small, I would have workspace trump a bar. But we really cook.

[Rhianon]

So you are proposing to make more floor area inside the kitchen and less counter outside? If making the floor area larger allows for 2 cooks then that could be a good tradeoff. Is there a reason the whole thing can't just shift into the adjacent living space (i.e. take the floor area out of the adjacent room but keep the same depth of counter?).4

Yes. We read that 42 inches is a one-person width, 48 is a minimum two-person width. That's not the only reason for widening the U, though. We would like the option of having a space for a dishwasher, and we need the width to make that work as well.

DH wants to take the extra 6 inches from the adjacent dining area. There is technically lots of room because it flows right into the livingroom. But as it stands the dining table is nicely centred between a window and a built-in buffet. It bugs me to move it off-centre. Is that a silly concern?

[Rhianon]

But we really cook.

We do, too. But one at a time!

[Tuffytown]

Small shifts in symmetry can be missed by the eye unless you are facing exactly axial to the centerline and the other elements in the room are very symmetrical too. It can be offset by arrangements of other things so again, it is sort of a personal choice. Sometime if exact symmetry makes some element of a design not work (doing this now on a kitchen to simplify the structural change in an existing house) then allowing a slight shift that most will not notice is perfectly acceptable.

[StraightForward]

We have a horseshoe kitchen with open space under the cabinets on the side that faces the informal dining area. Guests are always happy to just sit in the chairs there and I can see/talk to them just fine while cooking and don't have to give up any counter space (or have them all up in my bizness). I love the extra width becuase there's plenty of space for fruit baskets or garden harvest waiting to be processed without infringing on my work space.

[Rhianon]

Ya know, Straightforward (AQHA was faster to type, LOL) ... That gives me an idea. We don't have to have the stools there all the time. That reduces the cluttered feeling.

We rearranged furniture the way it would be if the counter was out further. And, Tuffy is right (of course!) it actually is fine not to be centred. And you can still see out the windows nicely--which was another concern. The great thing about our little house is that it is open to a wonderful view of trees and sky.

[boots-aregard]

DH wants to take the extra 6 inches from the adjacent dining area. There is technically lots of room because it flows right into the livingroom. But as it stands the dining table is nicely centred between a window and a built-in buffet. It bugs me to move it off-centre. Is that a silly concern?

Not a silly concern, but you can probably disguise the offset by hanging curtains slightly offset at the window. One panel hangs against the wall next to the window, and the other panel actually overlaps the window a bit, visually 'shifting' the window. Dunno what to tell you about the buffet.

[Rhianon]

Ah, our house is a curtain-free zone. But DH suggests enlarging the window would be a good idea--the buffet turns out not to be such an issue.

We have now gone from "gee, could we fit in a dishwasher" to "Let's make a new window!" Not to mention, since we'll need a new counter, how about a new sink ... LOL

[Tuffytown]

Dominoes. Classic

[mzloolue]

If it is a choice between guests sitting at the counter or a dishwasher then the dishwasher wins !