Can you please post your layout?

For me, it's about function.
An island doesn't fit into my kitchen layout, so we put in a peninsula.

Note: what type of countertop material are you planning for the long peninsula: you may need a seam since many material are just 10feet long.

Amanda

For a remodel one of the best ways to quickly find out is to mock it up at full scale in the space-- build something the right size and shape out of cheap plywood or even cardboard. When we did that we found that the peninsula created a confining space we didn't like at all; an island was much more comfortable to work on and around.

Thanks! Amanda, that software looks amazing! What is it called?

I can post a picture but I'm going to wait until later when I have a chance to pick things up a bit :)

Mock up is a really good idea. Thanks, keep the ideas coming! I've seen others remodel their kitchens...but it's much different when it's your own!

I want a functional, efficient layout with decent storage. If it needs a peninsula for that, fine. If an island would be better, fine. If neither, that's fine, too.

Why don't you post a diagram of your kitchen with measurements? Photos would be helpful, too.

I agree, function is more important. I love islands, but my peninsula just works better with my kitchen layout. I've seen a lot of kitchens lately where they have squeezed an island in a very small space, just to get it in there. But get 2 or 3 people in there and you cannot even move. Sometimes a peninsula works better, I don't think it will matter for resale either way. It wouldn't to me, anyway.

I almost always prefer a peninsula. Islands are generally about four feet from the perimeter counter so that going back and forth isn't a hike. Four feet is enough for that, but that size walkway can get crowded easily if a couple people are in the kitchen. With a u-shape created by a peninsula, there is a lot more space in the center of the kitchen for people to move around and not run into each other.

That space in the center also makes for easy, straight walks between any two elements of the kitchen. Even in a well laid-out island kitchen, the island is always blocking something, and you will have to walk around it rather than straight through it.

I see a pattern here of husbands in particular wanting islands, and it is never based on function. It is because they think islands are impressive and fancy and also the normal thing to have. Unless this is a house flip, those aren't good reasons to put in an island.

I once gutted two bathrooms and a closet, all contiguous, with three doors, a shower, a tub, one vanity five feet of closet rod, two toilets, two sinks, and two medicine cabinets. When I was done, I had a single room with one shower, one sink and vanity, one toilet, two doors, and no room for anything else. Where's it all go?

Pathways. Walking room steals space. To go around something (like an island) on all four sides, you lose work surface. Walking space on all four sides looks good but functions not really differently than walking room on only three sides. A kitchen is a work room, not a passage way. Flow inside the room is much more important than flow through the room, so keep that in mind.

It's going to be harder to plan if you're building for an unknown future buyer instead of for yourself, so watch out for that trap too.

It's hard to sell you an island when you love your peninsula! Does your current layout work pretty well? It's fun to change, but if it's not broken, why change it?

That's a lot of square footage of counter to lose-- too much for me! But I'm a minority, in that I often prefer a peninsula. It depends on the rest of the room, though. I don't need or want a lot of "flow" through the kitchen, but prefer it to be a dead end, or a cul-de-sac, if you know what I mean. I like a little separation between the kitchen and the rest of the living area. If you have a houseful of kids running to the fridge, though, a separate traffic pattern that keeps them out of your way would be a big advantage. I do see people struggle to shoehorn islands into kitchens where they don't really belong, though, just to have one. That reasoning would not convince me to give up 16 sq feet of uninterrupted counter though!

Thank you everyone! I'm eating up your comments and advice.

Here is what it would look like with an island (brown paper is where the island would be.) My husband didn't take many photos. To the left is a door to the dining room and on either side of that entry is a desk on one side and normal counter with fridge on the other. You can see his sweater on the chair at the bottom right, that's where we have a 62x48 dining table which I'm somewhat attached to since it's from my childhood (we had it refinished). The issue is that where you see the possible opening where the counter is, the table sits right in front of that space so there's really no new flow to me.

I think we are starting to lean towards keeping a peninsula, since we want two ovens and new bigger fridge, we are going to lose 8 sq ft of counter just doing that.

Sorry about the sideways, it opens up just find on my computer but here it's sideways?

Where's your fridge?

When you click on the picture it flips it the right way.

I think if you are keeping your dining area where it is...in your case a peninsula probably works best. However, I have to disagree w/Jillius...an island isn't always a barrier to direct access to the work triangle. I have an pretty large island (4.5' x 9') and the perimeter of my kitchen is an "L." The fridge is in the "corner" (this only works because there really isn't a corner, the corner is actually a cased opening into my little office) and the sink run is on the same run as fridge, range is other side of "L." Even my MW is in a drawer on that corner of the island. Even if the island weren't there, I would never need to step across that area. So it can be done, but in your case would involve moving your fridge location. I think your peninsula looks just right in your kitchen, and I wouldn't change it.

Thanks everyone! The fridge now is out of the shot, it's to the left of the far counter in the upper left of the shot. It's literally right next to the passway to the laundry room/garage/bonus room. We plan to change to a counter-height and keeping it on the same wall, just moved to the left where there is currently a 36" side counter.

I forgot about the work triangle. I've read that a few times. Thanks for the reminder!

I do appreciate all of your input. To help solidify the flow: we just made a huge batch of homemade pasta sauce, meatballs, and we make homemade pasta on the big long counter. We don't run into each other but a 3rd person would be tighter. We can do all of that very comfortably with no issue, no running into each other, with a little room to spare to keep our wine glasses close by :)

At the end of the day, maybe it's all about how we live, how we need to use the space and what works best for our lifestyle v. what's trendy. For us, this has worked famously and when we have parties, we can get 45 people through the buffet line in no time. :)

I am in the minority here. My kitchen was laid out almost exactly like yours except we had the dreaded 80s overhanging cabinets. I would have kept my 8 ft. long peninsula (without overhanging cabinets) except I needed a space to bring the dishwasher into the kitchen area. We opted for a 3 by 4 island & actually ended up with more usable space. Our kitchen is probably not as long as yours, as we ended up with the bare minimum 37 inches between the island & counter on one side, but we love it! While the peninsula was great, I always hated walking around the whole thing going from the corner of the sink/ peninsula prep area & walking to the dining area. This might just be me, but I always felt trapped.