Pros/cons of counter height vs 2 tier bar height island?

mellyc123

10 years ago

I am wondering if there are pro's/cons's for each height or if it is just personal preference.

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Comments (4)

debrak2008
10 years ago
This has been discussed a lot on here. Attached is one thread. Use google to find others.

Bar height can act like a barrier, which actually invites people into the work area of the kitchen where counter height people feel they are already in the kitchen so don't need to intrude further. Very basic explanation of how some people feel about the two heights.

Here is a link that might be useful: counter vs bar height
amck2
10 years ago
I have 2 tiered at our lake house and counter height at home. I love each of them in their respective spaces, and I think a lot depends on your layout & how you plan to use the island.

Our home island seats four - not all lined up, but 2 stools on each of a short & long end. It is a single top slab -no prep sink/cooktop - and is essentially our everyday eating spot. It's open to a sunroom/seating area so I can chat with anyone sitting there without them being on top of me while I work.

At the lake house the bar height helps denote the space between the kitchen & LR in the open floor plan. We entertain casually there and the higher tier works well as a place to put out appetizers and drinks while still allowing the counter height level to continue to be used for food prep.

One thing to consider is whether small children will be sitting at the island regularly. Bar height stools can be hard to climb onto and rather high up for toddlers & pre schoolers. My Dad who is in his mid 80's finds my counter height seating easier to manage than bar height.

Just some thoughts to consider.
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jellytoast
10 years ago
I opted for the two-tier because I wanted a separation from the adjacent LR space. I personally wouldn't want anyone sitting at the counter while I was working on the countertop. Having the bar area there keeps them off my workspace. If, as debrak suggests, they feel the need to intrude past my "barrier," they can sit at the table which is adjacent to the kitchen, again, off of my workspace. I also wanted to be able to hide any mess that I'm making from the LR area. I'm happy with it.

(I should note that mine is on a peninsula rather than an island ... didn't notice that distinction in the tread title before posting).

This post was edited by jellytoast on Wed, Feb 26, 14 at 13:53
mellyc123
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for the replies.

I had only used the gardenweb search tool. I was able to find many more threads using google.

Pros/cons of counter height vs 2 tier bar height island?

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debrak2008

amck2

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Pros/cons of counter height vs 2 tier bar height island?

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debrak2008

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