I'm keeping my kitchen table and chairs. I have a formal dining room but it is too formal for everyday meals. I can't imagine eating a real family meal on a row of stools at a bar or island.

I guess I'll be different...your kitchen sounds like ours (also a 1990's kitchen!)

We had the "L" shape w/table & chairs. The table & chairs worked OK for us while the kids were small, but as they got older it was just too cramped. So....

We took out the table & chairs (and DR wall) and now have a wonderful "U" shape w/peninsula on each leg of the "U" as well as a run of counter "facing" the "U".

We now eat all our meals in the DR. The occasional "lone" meal (like breakfast) is usually eaten at the counter. Note that we have a counter that's all one level. It's much more useful this way for large projects, etc.

Here's a pic of our old kitchen.

The design of the new:

And a picture of the new so far:

marciag, I went through the same thought process you're having now. Right now we have a dining room that we never use because it's closed off and cramped, a small kitchen with an island that no one but guests like to sit at, and a large eat-in area where we eat all our meals. My new kitchen will be much larger, the eat-in area will be gone, there will still be seating for guests at the island, and the dining room will be larger and completely open to the kitchen. The dining room, while larger, will be very cozy and comfortable with couch-like seating, and the plan is for us to eat all our meals in there. The table will be small and casual for every day use and can be extended and dressed up for entertaining.

I agree with rhome that table dining is far more comfortable and desirable than at a counter or bar. If your dining room is too far away or too formal, my advice would be to plan for a table somewhere in your design. Maybe a cozy banquette?

We had a table in our previous kitchen which nobody used. DS1 ate breakfast standing up over the sink. DS2 eats breakfast while watching Curious George. I like my coffee and newspaper in the living room by our big front window and DH is not a breakfast eater. Dinners are always in the dining room or out on the patio.

The kitchen we're working on will have a large angled penninsula with an overhang and counter height stools. In theory DS1 will eat breakfast on a stool and I'll join him as the amt of natural light in the kitchen is one of the issues we've addressed. DS1 will also use this area for homework(that's the plan anyway) Guests will also be able to hang out in the kitchen and not be in my way.

Thanks for some great perspectives on this issue. I'm trying to think about how we do usually function...still leaning toward keeping the table. I'm sitting there right now even though the current island has 2 stools.

The dining room is lovely but not really "part" of the kitchen--it feels like a separate room. In fact, in the new kitchen there will be a hutch or butler's pantry (needed for more cabinets) that will further separate the DR and the kitchen.
You folks are great to share your thinking!!
MG

How about expanding your project to include developing your dining room into an inviting space for breakfast for two or three, as well as for family dinners and entertaining guests? Then you can do the kitchen you really like.

Buehl , your new kitchen is just beautiful! Hope you are enjoying it as it develops.
You are right, our 90's kitchens are very similar, right down to the bleached oak cabinets. I am looking forward to having 'before' pictures too.

Great idea to open the kitchen to the dining room but this would require a significant reworking of the entire 1st floor of our house (there's a bathroom in the way)...can always dream. So still back to table vs bar.

Our cooking/dining space is an 11' by 17' room with the kitchen (and a small pantry) at one end and a dining table against the wall (so it seats five) at the other end. Kitchen work, especially time consuming things like prepping apples for half a dozen pies or rolling zillions of tiny meatballs spill over from the kitchen to the table. It's nice to work for a while standing and then sit for a while for other tasks. I am never really comfortable sitting on high chairs at a raised counter at friends' houses. Give me a proper chair so I can put my feet on the ground.

Our kitchen includes a built in bay window seat (half an octogon plus some) which is the seating for our table. Admitedly, prior to the child, we didn't sit at the kitchen table much, we always eat in the dining room. But we didn't want to take the table out because as DS grows, I can see him using it while we're cooking, and in a functioning kitchen (Our previous one was disfunctional!!!) I can see enjoying a cup of coffee there while DH cooks breakfast lunch and dinner :oP

Thanks everyone! I am sticking with space for a table and chairs. Maybe I will get the best of both designs if it can be squeezed into the kitchen space. In a few months there will be something 'real' to put here.