The support will be with the hidden island support brackets that do come in 30 in lengths so I think that the support issue can be solved, especially since this is not going to be stone or granite (butcher block), but as you point out that may be another problem to be solved. I definitely am not a fan of the counter height since this is a divider between my kitchen and living area and I want to have more feeling of separation. I'd give up the extra storage space if I had to in order to keep it a raised bar.

Frameless cabinets do not have cabinet face frames to be able to rout out that 1/4” thickness in order to have the metal brackets be flush with the cabinet tops. That means a lot of shims, because now all of your counters will need to be 1/4” higher. Those shims are going to be visible. Especially with the raised bar. Which hides exactly nothing from anyone.

Thank you, greendesigns for that info about the incompatibility between frameless cabinets and the support system. I am trying to do as much research as possible before I turn this over to the contractor and installer. I know that they are experts but I'd prefer to ask them for things that are actually possible instead of giving them a plan that makes them roll their eyes.

Hello? Do you see any frameless cabinets with the fronts facing out and brackets on top in any of those photos? No, you do not. You have a framed cabinet that had the face frame routed to accept the bracket height. You have a frameless reinforced thickness cabinet BACK that was routed out to accept the brackets and be flush. And you have a pony wall that was routed out to accept the bracket height and still be flush.

I strongly suggest you reconsider a raised bar; they are out of fashion. I turned down an opportunity to cut one down today.

No raised bar and where I am the hidden supports are done all the time with frameless cabinets . If you think a raised bare hides anything forget it unless all your guests are 3’ tall

IMO raised bars are awful. They require uncomfortable chairs which most people "scoot" over your flooring thereby marring it.

Most people who had 2-tier islands in their kitchens 15 years ago are doing all one level with their renovations or new kitchens. The only reaso why people want 2-tiers is to “hide” dirty dishes. But they’re not really hidden are they. Not fooling anyone. So you may as well have one expanse of unbroken counter. You can make your island counter material a star also if you want to.

Just don‘t make your island so big you can’t reach all of it to clean.

I appreciate all of your comments about how counter height peninsula and islands are currently the most popular and why. In this kitchen remodel I will have an island (all counter height, no seating) between my eat-in kitchen and my TV/family room. I currently have a peninsula counter with a raised bar, that I like, between my kitchen and my more formal (think adult, no tv, no mess) living room and I like it. Although many people do like the totally open feel I like the separation of space that the raised bar provides with this room I know that people standing/sitting at the bar can see my cooking activities and I haven't hidden anything. (I'm in fact a very neat person and I don't even keep things out on my counters) I'm not renovating this beach condo for resale. I'll probably live in it until it washes away.