I don't know how we can really help you, since the votes here will likely also be 50/50! Pictures would help, as would a description of your seating arrangements (for example, do you have seating for 10 nearby; do you need seating for 30 on occasion, etc.)

Pictures would be good. A layout diagram showing measurements would be even better. It's impossible to answer without that information.

Thank you very much for your replies!
To answer the question regarding seating arrangement. We are a family of five and the kitchen table will have 6 seats. We also have a dining room that can accommodate larger company, but I think when we have just couple guests, it would be nice to have additional seating in the kitchen area. It will also make the kitchen look bigger.

Here are the pictures I found on the phone.

This is the picture of my kitchen now (before remodel):

Here is a photo where half wall is more visible:

This is the picture of the family room:

If you want me to take and post more pictures (where the location of the half wall will be more obvious), then I will be happy to do that. If these pictures are enough, than I would love to hear your opinion! Thanks.

IF you are not going to be redesigning the kitchen, I agree with your husband.

Having that "counter seating" isn't going to marry with a kitchen table between the sitters and the intimacy of the kitchen. They'll look like they're sidling up to a bar.

IF you are going to redesign the kitchen, it's a whole different ball game.

I'm with you. I'd put an overhang on there and make the wall do double duty. The chairs should complement the FR furniture as it will be more an extention of FR, rather than the kitchen.

Sjhockeyfan is correct...opinions are going to be 50/50. :))

It would be a great homework station!

Mimipadv, the layout of the kitchen will be similar to the one we currently have. Yes, kitchen table and the bar will not be married - yet, kids can seat there (separately). Also, it could be space for projects, laptop seating, etc.... Disagree?

Anitamo, I was actually thinking of matching the chairs to the kitchen (because the countertop is the one from the kitchen), but this is really minor. The major is to decide - to be or not to be :-).

Sjhockeyfan is right, but I want to hear your reasoning - those who are FOR and those who are AGAINST :-).

Also, someone told me that the wall under the overhanging may eventually get dirty (covered with marks/foot prints). Anybody had experience with that?

Highendredneck, that is exactly that I was thinking too!

I think it would be great to have extra space for homework, of course!

It's just not intimate in the way though, and if you have the room on the other side, which it looks like you do, I'd say go for it.

I hope you're not keeping the cooktop on the island without having it vented? I've been in houses with very similar layouts. I think you could redesign it to work better honestly. How about posting a floor plan layout?

Will people sitting there be doing so because they want to be part of what is going on in the kitchen or in the family room? They will actually be sitting in the family room, but their backs will be to the tv & other seating. Yet they are far removed from anything happening in the kitchen too, especially with the table separating them. I think it's use will be too ambiguous/undefined for anyone to willingly choose to sit there. Just personal opinion, of course =)

Actually I'd extend the kitchen down to the sliders by getting rid of the island and instead making a peninsula where the sliders start. Then I'd get rid of that half wall completely.

Mimipadv, yes, there is a lot of empty space between the back of the sofa and the half wall. I feel that I need to put something there - so, if it is not bar area, than it needs to be a console table (against half wall) or something... So, I thought that this is a great way to make the space usable.
I think my husband is just being conservative and his main reasoning is that we take space from the Family room (which I see no problem with because it is a large room and that space is empty anyway and needs to be filled with something...).

Cpartist, I am moving the cooktop to where the double oven is now. It will be a range. And yes, I will add a chimney style hood to vent outside. When I said the layout remains the same, I meant that the island will be there and the cabinets stay where they are. Of course, there will be some moving with the appliances and the configuration of the cabinets.

Cpartist, getting rid of half wall is impossible (I was thinking about it too) - there is a return built in and moving it is close to impossible.
In either case, the cabinets are ordered and the layout is finalized - it's just half wall area, that it still questionable.

Michey1_gw, there is no strict purpose. It can just be kids doing homework or somebody sitting on a laptop or just informal seating for a couple more people. So, it is for occasional use and because we have that space...

I would not put seating on that "bar", it just makes no sense to me to have more seating "just because" and not really related to the kitchen at all. If it were seating at the island, I could see it, but not where it is.

Sjhockeyfan325, thank you for your opinion! The seating is not that much "just because", but because we have space there and I see ways how it can become useful...

I just think you and your DH need to change your thinking. Don't try and make it a part of the kitchen. That won't work. You have extra space, and you want to utilize it, fine. So think about how you can better utilize that space as part of the family room. It is too far from the action of the kitchen to feel integrated. If you want a homework or laptop station, I'd be looking for a piece of furniture to be utilized in that capacity to fit in that space. It seems an awkward location for guests to sit and try to mingle.

ControlfreakECS, thank you for your reply.
I do not see a table (as a piece of furniture) there for some reason - especially next to half wall and in the family room. Countertop bar in my mind is different for some reason....

I can see where that would be a desirable place for counter height seating. My parents had a similar divider with backed swivel stools & it was always used. My Dad would read his paper, work the crossword puzzle and had his laptop set up there. Kept my mother company but wasn't in her kitchen space ;)

During family gatherings people could sit there with an appetizer/beverage and could swivel to face people in either the kitchen or LR.

If your kids have friends over it gives additional casual seating for them to color/work on school projects where you wouldn't have to scoot them off to set the able for a meal.

I do think that it might be better - since you have both an island and a dining table in the kitchen space -to integrate it more toward the FR decor. Perhaps have a stained wood top instead of extending the granite out there. And choose seats that complement the FR furnishings.

I've seen a lot of houses lately that have a lot of unused space - big homes where essentially 3/4 of the space is just for looks. I have come to believe that first and foremost, a home should be designed to fit how a family will actually use and enjoy it.

I personally don't like the bar idea. It seems removed from the kitchen and just seems like a strange place to put a bar with stools. Like control freak, I would rather see a table, perhaps an oversized console table or a small table behind the sofa with a couple of chairs. If you found a small table 30 x 40 or 20 x 40 and put the long side against the back of the sofa, you could add two chairs, one on each short side. Kids sitting with laptops or homework could interact with kitchen or family room.

I think it would look off. It seems strange, like an overlook into the kitchen. I would place a bookshelf there.

Here is a better view of my problem area (from kitchen to FR and from FR to kitchen):

Looks like you'd have sufficient space for stools.

Amck2, Karenseb, I start thinking about it more and more after your reply...

Karenseb, the sofa is too long and too low for a counter height console table. So, I should possible consider a narrow console table that is the length of the half wall (do they even exist?) and put 3 chairs under it....

My_four_sons, book shelf will obstruct view of the TV from the kitchen. That would not work fore sure.

So, possibly something like this against half wall would work?

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/ABBYSON-LIVING-Verona-Walnut-Sofa-Table/6459476/product.html

I had a half wall just like that in a previous home. When the kids were little I found some very inexpensive low backless bookshelves and painted them with a self leveling paint. We put toys on the shelves. You could put baskets with toys or school supplies inside. Eventually, the toys were not needed and I put books and knickknacks on the shelves. 35 years later and 3 houses, I still use those shelves! How about a very small game table with two chairs against the wall. great for chess or backgammon. Your idea of a console table there might work, but for some reason I don't like the chairs facing the kitchen.

The reason I said backless shelves was because of the register.

This post would be good to cross post in home decorating.

I have a very similar set up. I feel that it would be awkward to have people sitting there facing the kitchen. "But I wanted to sit IN the kitchen". We have an bench with arms sitting in front of ours that does occasionally get used for seating but more ofter becomes a drop zone.

I do think the idea of topping it with granite is a great one. How about a low storage piece against the wall?

I think stools there crowd the space and would make the walkway behind the couch uncomfortably tight. There may be actual room to walk through there but I think it would feel tight. I wouldn't like it at all. I like planned spaciousness in a home. I think it's more comfortable to live in. It's too bad the wall can't be removed entirely. Are you sure the return can't be moved elsewhere?

My setup is similar with the half wall. We can easily watch the big TV from our kitchen table. As was said, people sitting at your counter there would block the view. Even empty stools with backs might block the view. The granite idea is nice. Our wood is chipped pretty badly and we need to rethink what to replace it with. Depending on the height of that overstock table, I think it looks nice for your spot.

Funkycamper, we talked to several contractors - that wall has to stay. And thank you for the idea with the shelves.

Lynne, I though about view blocking also. Will pick the stools without the back....

Funkycamper, there is more than 5 feet between the sofa and the wall. So, the area will not be tight even if I put another piece of furniture there....

RNmomof2, something to consider. Thank you.

What about making it the back of a banquette bench for your kitchen table like lawjedi did?

Sorry tried to post the link to his awesome DIY project but there are some buggy issues with posting today.

Let me try photos instead.

Before, during, and after

Did you ask the contractors why the half wall had to stay? I cannot think of a reason why the return could not be on the living room or kitchen full wall expect that both the kitchen and living room remaining walls look like exterior walls...even then there looks like an interior wall on the other side of the opening across from the half-wall.

I just moved one...not a real problem...the late-twenty-something sheet metal guy was not real happy (more his personality than a reflection of the job's difficulty)...but it was not very expensive to do. He had to cut into the subfloor which our carpenter patched. I seriously felt like reminding the sheet metal installer that if people never needed him to do ANYTHING, there would be no reason for him to get a paycheck...bit my tongue but his p&m'ing sure got tiresome!

Is there a basement; if yes, finished or unfinished ceiling? Our ceiling was finished....that too was easily patched.

Rantontoo, it's a long and complicated explanation, but the result is that getting rid of half wall is not worth it.... So, it is staying.

Rebunky, wow! That is so interesting! Will think about it....

Iristi - we had the exact same issue you have in our last house. We went with the extended granite and found it just got in the way and was uncomfortable.

The exception ---- If you can find barstools the right height.... now, this is the most important aspect. Sit at the half wall where it is now with a barstool. Set a plate down on that half wall and try and eat at it. The most important aspect is the posture you have to use to do that and carry on a conversation forward and backwards.

What we found is we had to hunch a lot while we were eating and it became very uncomfortable.

If you can find the right height stools, you are golden and I would say go for it.. also if you have the room behind the sofa.

GL and post pictures!

Russ

Have you posted your new kitchen floor plan here? I can see how you can get counter seating in the kitchen proper. You might not feel the need for seating at that "pony wall" if you have island seating in the kitchen. I prefer a banquette, definitely not a bar.

I second cpartist. The banquette idea is also good. I note that any removal of the half wall will require patching the exterior wall and may require fixing how the two floors meet. I detest pony walls as the just chop up the room. Also the dining table is normally included in the living room area/shares the living room floor (carpet-ok with that under the table?), not the kitchen area/floor.

Thank you very much for all your advice! You helped me make the right (I hope!) decision. I decided to go against my initial plan (extending the granite) and just put some piece of furniture against half wall (possible modern book shelf or console table) in the family room.

I don't know if this a trend makes, but I've been hired to cut down bar tops, stone and solid surface, to make wall caps only on at least three jobs within the last year or so.

Interesting... Thanks, Joseph, for sharing!

I noticed that the family room floor is carpeted. Do you really want to encourage people to have food in an area with carpet?

My family would use a larger surface like that as a drop zone and it would end up cluttered with stuff. Personally, I like the banquette idea, but some people prefer table and chairs to the bench seating.

Thank you, Linda, for your advice!