I am putting an island in my kitchen. I will have 2 levels. At it's widest the island will be 42" deep. The length is 87". The raised section will have a slight curve to allow for seating (though I am going back and forth about not doing a curve and doing straight across for more space - though I like the idea of the softness of the curve....). I will have a prep sink on one end and my mixer lift on the other. Next to the 15" cabinet for the mixer lift I will have 30" base drawers. Since I will be using this area for baking, I am having built into the toe-kick of the 30" cabinet a step I can pull out and stand on while I am rolling dough. My DH insisted on the raised section to allow him to do prep work (he's taller than I am and the raised area is at the perfect height for him to work). I also like the idea of the kids and the water being on different levels. Unfortunately I think this is one aspect of my kitchen I won't know if I like until it is installed, and then as they say, the horse will have left the barn and I will have to learn to live with what I decide..... I don't have to make a decision this minute but very soon.

Here's ours, which still is not used as a desk, although we're getting closer now that the construction tools aren't here as much. I never thought it should be desk height, but DH did and he won. We have the swiveling t.v. over it so if HE wanted to, he could look at it from chair I think. We still have to decide on an appropriate chair. Currently we have a wastebasket and dog bowls under it. Cute, yes? Items jump from that lower surface to the upper one constantly. I had hoped that it would be a barrier, but it's not. In my thinking, we might as well have had entire surface flat. Cork board between cabinet and desk is now used less decoratively. It's a working message center. That's where calendar hangs, thank-you notes and such are posted and oddball coupons get put. Although there's a "pencil drawer" we keep a pencil mug on the desk. Cabinet above desk is 16 inches deep--allows notebooks for financial statements, phone books, etc. Top shelf is unrelated storage of party gear. A permanently mounted power strip at front of bottom shelf of this cab allows DH to put chargers in here and let cord dangle down so that the device is seen and not forgotten once it is charged. He can turn off power to all chargers with one switch. Lobby is to left of desk. I'm trying to put "things going elsewhere" into the shelves in the closet in lobby instead of on desk--lib. books, stuff for Mom's sr. residence, things going to friends, etc. Otherwise, they accumulate on desk. But that's fine with me--better there than in the rest of the kitchen where they used to cluster, esp on top of refrig. because that was by front door. Because the peninsula is right there next to the desk, I would rather spread out on that to do any work with pencil and paper, but then, I'm a person who needs special glasses to focus on arm's length stuff, so I suppose that little desk just looks like too much work--easier to stand and write at peninsula with my multifocus lenses and squint. I clear pencils and paper and calendar and address book off the peninsula at least twice a day and plunk them back on HIS desk. Computer will never be used at desk, I'm sure. (It moves between peninsula and dining table all the time.) Telephone holder lives on desk, at least for now. I'm hoping to get it wired into a place on wall closer to dining room, but until then, it's here. This cordless phone is another thing that hides throughout the kitchen and has to be put away on desk when I spy it. One benefit of this space: For parties, we can clean off the desk and bulletin board, put up a sign or something decorative like this framed piece, then put beverages here. Keeps traffic out of kitchen. Remember--this is Formica, so it's not going to mind.

I'll have to chime in with another vote against counter height tables. I just don't find them comfortable and I also worry about my kids sitting on them. The way my 2 1/2 yr old bops around in his chair at the dinner table, I would be a nervous wreck. He almost knocked out a tooth when he fell off his Aunt's counter height barstool and hit the granite counter. We are looking for an expensive table to get us through the young children yrs (who knew little kids could be so hard on tables!? I have a thousand fork dents in my old table to prove it!). I am seeing a lot of counter height tables in the lower price ranges...Not sure why that is...Or maybe it is just "the thing" right now. I am also seeing a lot of chairs with upholstered seats...Another thing I want to avoid right now... The little ones are just too messy. I am just going to keep looking until I find what I want. Good luck to you. I hope you find something that meets all your criteria. It's out there!

Cat-mom, I will try and find out for you. Stores will be closed now (6:00pm on Sunday). I am guessing that they won't. I think their prices are very competitive for the quality of work. Of course, Asian imports are about 1/3 of the price. Each dealer will be different- I don't think you could buy directly from them_ I couldn't even find a yellow pages listing for Woodworks. The table and 4 chairs were listed as reg price $3500 CAD (which would be ~ the same for you), The Oak Market (local store that sold them) had them priced at $2700, and then had a Boxing Day special of $1999 for the floor model. The chairs are reg $389 (at The Oak Market), so they may have a manufacturer's list price of more. I think that is perhaps a little less than the Canadel price which is another very popular Made in Canada line. These are pieces that I can envision being handed down for generations. Extremely well-made in solid Maple, chairs look like they are hand-made, edges are bevelled, hardware like the locks under the table are of high quality... and the chairs/chair backs are very comfortable. Even though they may not be available in cherry, they are available in a variety of different stains...