If you will be using your table for both dining and crafting, if you have the room you might consider having cabinets built along one wall in there. This way you could store your crating supplies out of sight in the lower cabs and your dishes, glassware, serving pieces on top where they would be on display. You might even have two cabs built, if you have a lot of room and crafting supplies. In that configuration, you could have easy access to things you use often. Lynn

No adult ever enjoys sitting on a bench. They're difficult to get in and out of and not very comfortable. Having said that, if you want one then go ahead and get one. Your family will be the ones eating there so make the right decision based on your needs.

@ RL - very good points re: cleaning. @groveraxle - goodness, I love your candor. Here's the thing. Those are knock-off Beat pendants and they're served me over the last 5 years but I'm ready for an update. They are also very low wattage so provide very little down lighting. I'm also SUPER fussy about finishes matching, and I'm doing chrome faucets and pulls. I don't like brushed + chrome look lol. I'm picky-picky. We have vaulted 16+ foot ceilings and the space feels large at over 20 feet long (even though the island breaks up the middle), I really feel like we need pendants over the island to break up the space. But I am definitely going to hold off on the pendants over the eating bar. @Patricia Colwell - i love that look but probably for another room. Thank you so much everyone!

I have this artist saved from Etsy— he has a bunch of smaller sizes (I think this is the largest). Given your style, you may want to check him out — other artists have really cool designs too — at decent prices.