hello! yes, it's a visual point of contention we are trying to figure out. The trouble is, keeping the bar height and counter height tops the same length, results in creating a longer 'pinch point' in the walkway. it would end up creating about 4.5 feet long and 32" wide walkway-with a 42" tall quartzite wall for the majority of that 4.5 feet. As it stands, you're only feeling the lack of space for about one to two steps. Unfortunately i created this problem by having the peninsula moved two feet back, to square up the 'U.' We've been looking at this for a while tonight, and just to keep things easy, i think we're keeping the whole thing quartzite. i'd love to see your kitchen if you have photos! thank you!

Beth, when i posted a photo before (and before the additonal cabinety changes), it seemed to confuse people more.

jessica, this just looks odd. why such a huge bar top along the peninsula? doesn't look right.

serves no purpose to have a huge peninsula, and then another huge bartop from that. plus, the differing sides just don't look right.

What I would do is make it even w/the peninsula, and waterfall a wood butcher block.

Like this
(except yours would be raised a bit more, and you'd have seating all the way across.

This is stunning. (Walnut) and paired w/the white countertop, really warms up the room.

I would copy this ^ exactly. you don't have the sink there, so ignore that.

Or, just continue the countertop to the overhang

pretend this is peninsula) if you want it extra wide, then do it like this

Not going to take up any more width than your bartop idea

imagine this as peninsula, no sink. this width would work instead of the bar top. and you'd have storage on theend if you like

Plenty of countertop space and room to eat.

peninsula w/bartop w/proper sizing

If you don't want wood, try a piece of soapstone.

Hi Beth, whoa that was a lot of information and work! Sorry I'm just seeing this now.

I agree I need to change something. My dad is concerned with the 32" 'walkway' between the peninsula end cap and wall. I realize this is not an ideal dimension, however it didn't even phase me as an issue until he pointed it out. Opinion?

What I would like to do is similar to your photos #8-11. Just get rid of the bar height area, and extend the standard height surface to the recommended dimension for seating and work space.

Which leads into another question. My current design leaves 8x10 feet behind the seating area, just wide open.

This is what previously served as the casual dining area.

I like having the open spaces, however I don't want to do yet another dumb thing and not consider all angles.

It is a high traffic area with an adjacent mudroom, bar, and sunroom.

I very much appreciate your time!

It is tough to make a bi-level pennisula look good in a medium to small space, which I suspect is one of the reasons you don’t see them much these days. All the differing dimensions will draw further attention to it. What is the adjacent room, and is it your primary living space? The kitchen is taking up a lot of it, which may be fine. I think your choice of countertop will be lovely. Can’t wait for the after pics.

Is there a reason you are getting rid of the casual dining area? Can you just upgrade the table and decor there instead? The way you have the peninsula and new bar there feels really awkward and too large for the space. If you want guests to be able to hang out in the kitchen while you cook, just have some stools that tuck completely under just the peninsula and consider keeping a small table and chairs in the casual dining area.

A few thoughts (from a non pro)…

all quartzite would look lovely. If not the best. I really do NOT like the look of the contrast wood counters above. To me, they look like aidfferent kitchen got accidentally dropped in….

I too am concerned about the size of the bar. And what is the purpose? Does it have extra stoarge below that you need? It doesnt look that way in the pics but hard to tell. If no extra storage, then I would just scrap the bar and have the countertop be deeper on the penninsula so you can have stools. But be the full length of the penninsula. And horror or horror, what if for the 15 inch countertop overhang, you curved the corner so as to take pressure off the pinch point? i know this forum generally hates curved counter edges, as they are features in a lot of dated houses. But sometimes they serve a purpose and Ive seen them used to good effect a few times on here. I think the risk of datedness is low if (as it sounds) your kitchen is otherwise fairly contemporary and clean lines.

also worth adding, my kitchen (which we inhereited when we bought the house) has a 32 inch aisle between the island and the main run!!!! So 32 inches in front of the range, the DW and the sink. It is bananas in a kitchen that otherwise is not that small. Having two people cooking in there is unbearable. But its not so tight that walking is a problem (for reasonable sized people). Im also not sure why, if your current situation is tolerable, adding 15 or 30 inches would make it that much worse.

then just make it one level, and over in the L corner do a built in banquette of some type.

or just a cute round table for a breakfast area

First, thank you to everyone for the tips and ideas! It's making me feel better about getting rid of the bar height area.

I will try to clarify a little now. My husband is working on another rendering that might make things a little more clear. 

We bought our house last Oct. It's 5300sq ft and it's largely what it was in 1967. For the house, yes, the kitchen and casual dining area are arguably too small with their dimensions. 

Beth, when we purchased, I actually figured I would do a banquet as you suggested it. However, I have learned that I'd rather have my husband be able to face me to chat, if I'm working in the kitchen. My current casual dining set up is a tulip table for four, with glass top and those Scandinavian/mcm type chairs. Even with this little set up, I still felt like it congested the area. I'm getting more inclined to simply leave it open. 

H2O2, I currently have some of upper cabinets anchored to the floor, serving as what would have been the bar height counter. I was afraid of getting rid of too much storage space. We have way more than I need, but someone else might feel differently.
As far as the pinch point, well I created that problem too. The U wasn't symmetrical, so I had the peninsula pushed out two feet. Now the end cap faces the wall the double ovens are on (ovens do not open into this small area). 

I LOVE the idea of curves, however I'm a little married to the idea of a waterfall there. Can't say I've seen a curved waterfall, but I'd sure love to!

Mizlizzie and Imckuin, I agree with your bilevel comments. Thank you for your thoughts. 
Mizlizzie, the adjacent areas that share visual space with the casual dining are the sunroom, wet bar, family room, formal dining area, formal sitting area, mudroom, and hallway toward the front of the house. To be truthful, I probably should've torn out the kitchen and made better use of the entire space. You live and learn I guess! 
I will definitely come back with after pics... probably following paint job and flooring. And after I ask 10k more questions about ceiling design and lighting.

Sorry for the delay. If anyone would care to share their two cents, I'm wondering about the height and distance of the sink back splash.

There is a six foot wide window there. Three feet tall (I think). About six inches between the countertop and bottom of window. I had originally wanted to keep it beneath the window, the full length. But, it is full height behind the cooktop. Will that look mismatched?

Where I noted 'sunroom' on the shadow filled sketch, is an archway-the wall and peninsula countertop both end there. So, just a random edge of countertop, sitting in space, is how I see it.

We will case the archway in at some point, however that will not solve a random edge of backsplash just sitting there at the sunroom entry.

Hopefully that made any sense!!

Thank you again!