I honestly think that might look a little odd. However, if I saw a picture of a neat one then I could be swayed. I guess I've never seen anything like you're mentioning. We are just having the seating part raised, but if you don't like tall bar stools then I guess that's out. I think if I were to do the wall thing I might make it thicker so you could sit things on it if you wanted. Candles or pretties of some sort.

I like your idea of making it wide enough to put candles or other decorative things on top of it. I am envisioning it to look like the little "wall" in front of a sink on an island that has a raised bar area. It would be topped with the same granite as the island. But just be a couple inches across/wide.

Any other thoughts out there?

I'm sorry, I can't picture it. Is it all one straight area? My counter is going to be L shaped and I'm going to put up a higher back on the wall where the stove is situated and then as you come around the L the counter is lower and set up for people to sit. Seach on Better Homes and Garden or the HGTV web pages for pictures. I had some, but deleted them.

We built ours with the raised back and I'm so happy that we did. It really does hide the sink from the great room area. I'm glad I don't have to look at dishes in the sink when I'm in the breakfast area/great room.

Our bar is not straight, it curves a little and then goes up against a wall. But we have 2 friends that have an island right in the middle of their kitchen that opens up to the LR. They both have the raised area and it looks nice and hides that messy sink.

We have the bar area raised in our current home and hate it. All it does is hide the mess b/c we never sit at the high side on the tall stools. It's not worth it to us. We're not doing it again.

I think your idea sounds interesting but I haven't seen it done before.

Here's a picture I found but it's not great:
{{gwi:1492902}}

Here's another although kind of small thatmight be more what you are thinking of:

ajpl,

Your second photo shows exactly what I am thinking about! Thanks much for finding that!

That kitchen and island shape are very different from the new kitchen we are building, but that little divider wall is the idea I am thinking of putting between the snack counter area and the sink/dishwasher area of my island. I might taper the ends down so there is not just a straight edge and maybe even use a decorative corbel on each end to go with the kitchen style I have in mind. But this is exactly the idea I have in mind.

What do you think about it? Could it look good? My island will be about 7.5 feet long and probably 4 feet wide. The sink will be in the middle of the kitchen side of the island and the snack area will be somewhat curved.

Any thoughts or comments??

I think it could look good if it suits the kitchen you are planning especially if you include elements of your cabinets.

I'm thinking once it's done it will look like it belongs *and* solve your problem so go for it!

I've been thinking of doing this. I saw a couple of pictures in a kitchen book that show the wider version mentioned above, and I thought they looked fine.

However, I will be pricing out the narrower version you first mentioned since my peninsula will be Corian. I'm sure it can be done, but anything special like that usually costs more than I want to pay!

Anne

jss. well I have been looking for this idea for some time.

i already have an island with eating one side ane cooker kitchen side and I want a divide raised area attached just between the eating side and cooker which doesnt quite put in mid way.

When I was a kid small cabin-like vacation houses had this kind of double height peninsula or island. I can't bring myself to do that nor can I put a sink directly in front of an eating counter. I try to zone a kitchen so these things are not in conflict but if the space is small and you don't want to give up any features, it is probably not possible to separate these functions.

Hi yes thats how i intend doing my one but would probably go to each end of island.. I saw similar in my dentist and it was ok. Jess

I think the answer is, Definitely maybe.

It depends upon the configuration of your rooms. As a general rule of thumb, I'd be more inclined to build some sort of "divider" between the kitchen and the great room ... I'd be less inclined to do so if the island divides the kitchen and a dining area.

I don't know that I'd do bar stools extending into the great room, but without having seen the plan, I won't say that's an absolute.

I also share what seems to be a universal dislike of too-high bar stools. I'm very short, so they're a problem for me -- and they're also a problem for children. My daughter's college apartment has no dining table, just two bar stools, and they are super high. She and her friends sit on the floor and eat at the coffee table. I usually just take her out to eat when I visit.

Well generally zi would say the problem is that the island is already there dividing kitchen and dining room and you can have both dining table and area with stools for the odd snack.

and having the open plan kitchen and dining you still like something to hide behind!

This thread is from 2007.

Cpartist, BEST response yet. Dang you, Houzz!

Wonder what GoPack decided to do?? From her recent activity, looks like they sold this house back in 2011!