What an interesting observation!
We're in the middle of kitchen remodeling and I'm trying to decide whether to make our island 2 levels with cantilevered eating space at the end. The island will have our gas cooktop and possibly a small sink. I am like you--I do not like help in the kitchen. My husband and I both cook, and when we have big family meals, about 4 times a year, we're constantly battling the traffic in the kitchen. Maybe now that the kitchen is expanding it will get easier, but I never thought about the bar height being inviting for "helpers". I do recognize that most people think socializing in the kitchen is a desirable thing. To me, it's no problem when there's 4 or 5 people...but you get 30 in a house, and I'm wanting a kitchen with a door instead of the big open plan.

for some of us, the higher stools and "bar" area are not welcoming so people like me might wander more; make the seating more accessible and it's more likely to be used

I think it makes them feel more like they're already in the kitchen, so they don't need to invade your space to feel a part of it. I never had two levels to compare, but I LOVE having just one level for a multitude of reasons.

I think Florantha's is right. Also, I think people might feel more inclined to stay put at a counter height eating space, because they feel "included" in the kitchen action without actually being underfoot. The bar height counter is a greater psychological barrier.

that's a great thing to know. thanks for sharing it. :)

After reading the responses here something dawned on me regarding a previous thread about childhood kitchens. I and a few others had wonderful memories of our grandma's or mothers kitchens that had the big table in the center of the room. Those big tables were the nucleus. Now I have had many an eat-in counter in my homes but they were either an upper level peninsula eat-in or a lower level eat-in with upper work surface. I think I like my one level angled set-up peninsula with deep sink very much. I guess in a way it's reminiscent of my grandma's big table except the angled peninsula blocks off my section nicely. I do have a high nook table though but that has never caused me a problem with people forcing their way into my bubble but it maybe because it's off to the side. I was worried about my odd kitchen working with crowds but I couldn't be happier. I can pack em in around the outskirts and we can all have a good time. Sort of like grandma's only I get to keep my space.

Wow, I love reading this! Our granite is being installed this week and I was just telling my husband that I'm having second thoughts about lowering to the one counter height level peninsula! Rather than the sink, mine has the cooktop, so that's a little different, but still the same concept. I hope I've made the right choice!

Hi TeacherLady, one thing I have learned here is that we are all different in our needs. I do hope though that you are as happy as I am with the angled one level peninsula, it really is good for conversing. It was nice for me to find this out as the rest of my kitchen is small and tall and I was worried about it handling a crowd plus worried about how it would look with a very high ceiling.
My best on your new kitchen!

Thanks jterrilynn, I absolutely love it! My daughter came over tonight and cooked dinner for us. It was wonderful sitting there with her as she cooked. Funny how lowering the counter makes you feel more like you're in the kitchen with the cook! I'll post pictures in about a week, when the renovation is a little closer to being done.

My continued observations with seating counter heights and possible stool type contributions! As I mentioned above I have had all levels of seating counter heights but never an angled counter height peninsula until now (love). At my peninsula I have stools with cushioned seats, backrest and foot rest. And as mentioned above I also have a small raised bar height table in the nook. The nook has backless seating with no cushion but does have footrests. Well I am pretty much convinced now that the raised or bar height table/counters definitely encourage people to intrude your kitchen space. I do not like people in my space unless I ask, some people feel that the more the merrier, and we are all different on this.
My good friend wants to be my Siamese twin in the kitchen; she wants to be my Siamese who is connected to my hip. I love her dearly but do not want her on my hip. This weekend my friend and her DH came over but instead of her sitting nicely at the counter like all other times, she decided to sit at the raised nook table. Yep, you guessed it I had another body glued to my side. This doesn't happen when she sits at the counter height angled peninsula (with cozy stools). This did not happen when my family came and sat at the peninsula.
The moral of this story is that if you want help or want to invite help in the kitchen, sit those people at the bar height area on backless stools. If you do not like or want help, sit those people at an angled counter height in a comfortable stool with back support, foot support and a cushion. A raised bar height table/counter with cozy backed barstools does not keep them sitting for long. A raised bar height table/counter with no back or cushion is the worse for keeping people out of your kitchen bubble.

Anyone else notice this in their kitchen?

I've been shopping a bit and have noted the new trend toward tall table and chairs in kitchens. Must be the youth vote. I can't find them inviting at all. If visiting I would go sit in living room.

Hi Florantha, you just brought up another good topic! Why do people automatically migrate to the kitchen? I'll admit my skinny living room is not as cozy as all my other homes but that never stopped everyone from gathering in the kitchen either. I also always prepare most everything before guests arrive but there is always that last minute stuff. While I do like people around the kitchens perimeters with all the fun and laughter, I don't like and have never liked the kitchen line crossed. The only thing I like help with is taking finished dishes to the table. Of course everyone knows this but some are just so used to running the show at their own homes I think.

I am not an inviting cook. I especially don't like having others stand behind me. If you're going to work by me, work over there, buddy. Better still, just let me work by myself. We designed this kitchen so that nobody would be in a position where a second person stands behind waiting for your space. The design was worth while.
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If a guest event was touted as a "bring your food, share it" you have to accept others in. In fact, plan to stay out of kitchen as much as possible. Just direct them to the right drawer or serving spoon.

OT to JTerrilyn, codger mode on here...I think part of it is that people have lost the ability to really get together to converse intensively. Dinner parties, huddling around a coffee table in living room, arguing about politics and religion at kitchen table, these are things that are disappearing. Part of it might be intrusion of t.v. Many rooms--living rooms, family rooms, kitchens, basement rooms--are now planned so everyone faces same direction, to see the screen. If the peninsula has every seat facing same place and the cook is in that place, are we surprised that the cook also becomes the master of ceremonies? And that guests orient themselves in homage and offer service?

We just had a spontaneous wine and appetizer event with neighbor couple Sunday night. I packed up a tray and sent them with it to the living room and DH followed them. I said "see you shortly" and kept on preparing a second tray more efficiently than if people were watching me. We spread out small plates, napkins, horsdouvers, wine glasses on the coffee table and laps and had a great time, four heads close together. And all equals. Nobody presides.
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How weird! As I wrote the above, an image of one of those stork-like bar table sets appeared at bottom of screen. Software must be trained to pair words in poster's text with advertisers!

The angle of the peninsula has worked great for conversing but until I change the high top nook table my "I want to help whether you like it or not neighbor" will be assigned to the peninsula if we are all in the kitchen area. There are so many things I could do and will do down the road to make my family room more conducive to entertaining as you are right about most set-ups and the TV. I mean all I wanted to do is look in the refrigerator for the horseradish sauce and I had someone connected at the hip next to me, when I bent to look on lower shelves my twin bent too. When I couldn't find the horseradish sauce and bent to look in the Lazy Susan and my twin crowded next to me and bent to have a look as well. Grrr, I have a low tolerance for such things! I hope people reading this do not think me a horrible person, I just like a few feet of air space between me and others especially in the kitchen.

Florantha, are you a grumpy codger like me?

People congregate in my kitchen without a SINGLE seat. I have walked out and sat in the living room alone while my guests remain in there leaning on the fridge. There's no hope. They don't get it. So much for a galley kitchen with closeable doors.

Meanwhile I get a little judgmental when people put TVs in the kitchen (and I apologize). That doesn't go there. What could possibly be so important? They already did the moon thing!