Mine is counter height and I love it. One big counter.

Mine is also counter height, which I love.

my current island has a raised bar and I hate it. Unuseable space and it's annoying to get on and off the bar stool. Can't wait to have a new one that is all one level.

Can you put wood on the whole island?

It's all personal, but I don't like sitting up at bar height, nor did I want my small children climbing up on high stools I also felt like, for me, walking thru my kitchen was easier with lower counters. I put a mockup using shoe boxes where I would have put a raised counter, and my elbows would hit them every time. For us, a regular counter height worked best, and made the island look bigger. Easier to lay out food, entertain, etc.

I can't really put wood on the eating area because it is part of a U shaped counter, not a separate island. I wish I had the space for an island -- it would solve everything!

That's a tough one. I really don't like sitting at high counters - much prefer the peninsula or island at counter height. I like the nice wide expanse of counter and I don't like climbing up on a stool - I'd rather just slide on and off so to speak. However I also don't like leaning my arms against ice cold granite in the winter either. Love the beauty of the granite but I would not use it again at an island or peninsula for this reason unless I heated it - like infloor heat.

I had to make exactly the same choice, for the same reasons and chose counter height. Looking at your layout, though, I think you can make the peninsula counter wood if you make it an inch higher (all the way to the wall) than the sink and cooktop runs or make them an inch lower. I'm not home, so I can't post a picture of this, but I've seen it done and it looks really nice.

We chose to do a counterheight overhang b/c it made the island so much more versatile! The overhang could be used for seating, buffet, great for wrapping christmas presents... Last weekend we had a sushi making party and we set up a large prep area on the island and people worked on all four sides with the fixins in the middle. Can't do that with a raised bar!

I have considered heating the overhang and that is a possibility. I have also wondered about making the overhang portion wood and butting it up against the granite. Cheri127, do you have a picture of what you're describing?

Ya know, I think I can envision what cheri is suggesting. I have a section of granite in the middle of my Corian counters - granite is in the cooktop area only. It's not an inch different but the two surfaces are not level. I can remember the KD specifying to the counter people that it NOT be level though they kept wanting to do that - and by design she did not want it that way. I really like how this turned out. I can see your peninsula being kind of like that.

I'm so sorry but I'm at the beach so I don't have a scanner (even though I do have my vast collection of kitchen porn with me). How soon do you need to make this decision? I'll be back in the city on Wednesday.

Here's an odd thought... (please keep in mind it's late and I did alot today)... with that disclaimer... how about making the overhang table height? You could do wood that way. I got the idea from this island in the FKB. I don't know if it would look weird with an peninsula.

Here is a link that might be useful: just a late night thought

I have thought of the idea of making the overhang table height but I don't think I like having the people sitting at the peninsula being so much lower than the cook.

cheri127, I'm not in that much of a hurry. This kitchen is in our lake house and it's not even close to cabinet/counter time. We are still setting log walls.

I think that butting the wood could work but I'm not sure...

The eating end of my island is counter height; the food prep end is dropped three inches for pastry work and veggie chopping on a portable butcher block cutting board. My counters just went in, so you can see pix on the thread labeled "Progress Pix- Cabs and Counters".

The eating end is 48 inches wide by 36 inches deep, plenty for spreading the newspaper or for a buffet. The prep end is 48 inches wide by 24 inches deep and includes a small prep sink.

We originally thought raised, but ended up choosing counter height. My DH too was concerned about being able to spread out the newspaper, I however was more worried about things dropping off onto the counter and breaking. I think I'll like the extra working space too.

I love having my island all one height.

You said, "I wish I had the space for an island -- it would solve everything!" If you aren't too far along in your project, I think you could fit an island in your space. Do you still have time to make layout changes?

I'd go for functional rather than the wood raised bar. The "cold granite" won't be an issue, I promise. You'll enjoy much more working space keeping it one height.

I actually wouldn't be so sure cold granite won't be a problem - especially if this is at a second home where you turn your heat down when you're away in the winter - and return to a house that's chilly until it heats up. (I think you're in a location that's somewhat cold in the winter.) Ours is painfully cold on the forearms most of the winter - but we do use a setback thermostat so our heat is down during the day and overnight.

I too wondered why an island wouldn't be possible - I have one in a 12' wide kitchen.

Lots of things to consider....

Yes, an island is technically possible but by removing the cabinets in the corner the island would be 4' long instead of the 7' peninsula. Plus my DH doesn't like the idea of an island. Gibby, you are correct that we live in a cold area and in my full time house I freeze with the granite in the winter, and the heat is on here all the time!