Island in kitchen w/seating for 4, do you have a separate kitchen table?

[AnnieW625]

This is our new kitchen with an island and seating for four:
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We plan on putting our current dining table near the entrance to the kitchen (where the storage unit, and Peleton are.....we will not have a love seat either so the space should feel bigger)

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(this is our dining table in our current house...we have 6 chairs, but can get 8 around it when we have the second leaf in it.....our china cabinet will go to the left of the kitchen entryway)

So if we do the dining room (as described above) does the fact that the kitchen has an island negate the need for a separate dining table for the kitchen area? I am thinking the island might be tight for four daily dining.

(FWIW...I have never had an island before and grew up in a home with a kitchen table, and a formal dining table in the dining room.....don’t have an eat in kitchen in current home)

Here are the poll options for mobile viewers:
Yes
No
I really want a table, but just have an island
I have a table and an island and just use my island
I have a table and an island and just use my table

[westwoodmom04]

This is our new kitchen with an island and seating for four:
5068

We plan on putting our current dining table near the entrance to the kitchen (where the storage unit, and Peleton are.....we will not have a love seat either so the space should feel bigger)

5067
5069
(this is our dining table in our current house...we have 6 chairs, but can get 8 around it when we have the second leaf in it.....our china cabinet will go to the left of the kitchen entryway)

So if we do the dining room (as described above) does the fact that the kitchen has an island negate the need for a separate dining table for the kitchen area? I am thinking the island might be tight for four daily dining.

(FWIW...I have never had an island before and grew up in a home with a kitchen table, and a formal dining table in the dining room.....don’t have an eat in kitchen in current home)

Here are the poll options for mobile viewers:
Yes
No
I really want a table, but just have an island
I have a table and an island and just use my island
I have a table and an island and just use my table

Just personal preference.

Our current house has a large island in kitchen and the dining room is one of my favorite rooms in the house, so I opted not to have table in kitchen/family room area, just made family room portion larger.

New house has smaller dining room and island, and breakfast nook that really serves no other purpose, so will have tables in both kitchen and dining room. Try it without a table, you can always purchase once you move in the house if you feel like it's missing.

[PunkyBoo]

Sorry I can't do the poll on my phone. What would you put where they have the kitchen table?
At our house we have a kitchen island/peninsula with only stools for the kids. We eat most meals in the dining room. But the peninsula seating gets used daily- kids sometimes do homework there instead of at their desks, DH sits there to pay bills or do work on his laptop, we do crafts there, and during regular school days the kids would eat breakfast there while DH or I were making their lunches.

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[Liziz]

Lovely home! We have an island that would accommodate seating for 4, but we don't use it -- don't even have stools at it. I think it's 100% personal preference. My ILs have dine almost exclusively at their island and got rid of their table, so it's just what you like.

Personally, I hate sitting at an countertop for meals. I find it hard to have a nice conversation when everyone is in one single line, instead of sitting around a table where we can see each other and talk more easily. I also find that often the countertop gets cluttered from preparing food, and I like to be able to move our food to a clean table, instead of needing to clear a counter before eating (of course, maybe if I was a neater cook, but that's a different story! lol). I find it easier to pass and serve food when we're at a table, too. I also don't like the kids sitting on counter-height stools -- my DDs are always messing around, climbing up and down, etc. -- for some reason they sit more nicely in normal height chairs.

So there's some of my reasons for always wanting a separate table, but like I said, I think it's going to be totally a personal preference thing as to what works best for your family! I'll just suggest that if possible, find an inexpensive way to try out whether you like sitting at the counter before you buy expensive new furniture (either a table, or chairs for the counter seating), as it will impact what it makes sense to spend money on!

[georgiegirl]

So you plan on creating a dining room in back of where the loveseat is? In the corner of the living room? That seems very awkward. I wouldn’t put a dining table anywhere other than a designated dining room or dining area. I only like having one dining table in our house. In both our new and old homes, we had kitchen islands with 4 seats plus a dining table. We eat dinners at the dining table. Informal self serve meals ate at the counter. I’d just stick your dining table where they have their kitchen table and be done with it.


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[acmom]

We have an bar height island that seats 4 comfortably. Our kitchen is open to the family room and a sunroom, where we also have a large kitchen table. We use that for meals. We also have a formal dining room that does have a table (drop leaf so it is usually folded up), but functions more as a kids homework room. Each kid has a desk in there.

We occasionally eat at the counter, but more often use it for snacks/drinks, homework, small projects or for buffet type serving when we have company. The table is much more comfortable to eat at (as well as play games) and holds more people so I would miss it if we didn't have it there. Plus the combo of all the seating in the kitchen/sunroom/family room allows lots of people to sit comfortably when we have a party or guest.

[DualvansMommy]

So you plan on creating a dining room in back of where the loveseat is? In the corner of the living room? That seems very awkward. I wouldn’t put a dining table anywhere other than a designated dining room or dining area. I only like having one dining table in our house. In both our new and old homes, we had kitchen islands with 4 seats plus a dining table. We eat dinners at the dining table. Informal self serve meals ate at the counter. I’d just stick your dining table where they have their kitchen table and be done with it.


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That is my thought too. As it seems from the picture of your new kitchen, its very spacious so very doable to put a table of 4 with leaf of 6 for bigger company. The new location of table where the bike and removing love seat just look and sound awkward to me, based on your photo. Lots of steps to that table from kitchen to serve plates and platters?

In our set up, we have pennisula/island with 3 seats where our boys eat their breakfast and lunch daily (pre covid, the lunches was usually on weekends) and during lockdown they ate lunches break there and as a family we eat our dinners nightly at our kitchen table cuz more roomier, and we all can see each other while talking/discussing our days. We also have our dining room table but it is only used as an extra sit down table that pulls out to seat 10 comfortably, 12 in a squuze for our holidays or large parties.

I would leave your current table in the kitchen and see how it looks/feel for a while before deciding to move or get rid of it.

[AnnieW625]

Sorry I can't do the poll on my phone. What would you put where they have the kitchen table? ........
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Probably nothing, but then it is a big blank space and I would feel like something is missing.


So you plan on creating a dining room in back of where the loveseat is? In the corner of the living room? That seems very awkward. I wouldn’t put a dining table anywhere other than a designated dining room or dining area. I only like having one dining table in our house. In both our new and old homes, we had kitchen islands with 4 seats plus a dining table. We eat dinners at the dining table. Informal self serve meals ate at the counter. I’d just stick your dining table where they have their kitchen table and be done with it.


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We could do that and put another office space where the Peleton is now if need be.

Part of me doesn’t think our current table fits the style of the kitchen and would look better in a formal dining space, but the table is a family heirloom and we just had the seats reupholstered so I don’t want to get rid of (I have no other family close to me who needs a table). I found the previous house listing (thank you Redfin.com!) and yes the formal dining space was in that space now. I really think it is probably a style preference, but I don’t think it would bother me. The last picture shows that they had a couch and a dining table in the kitchen. I definitely wouldn’t put a couch in that space. 5070
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[KrisM]

Well, we have a dining room with a table in it. We eat any meals we eat as a family in there. We have a peninsula that seats 4, not 5. The kids will eat breakfast/lunch there, but not all 5 of us. We decided the eating area of the kitchen is awkward for a table, so I have my desk and we have a 3D printer in it instead.

So, I think having a table is important, as I wouldn't eat all my meals at a counter/island. But, it doesn't have to be a kitchen table and a dining room table, IMO. What would you put in the kitchen area instead of a table? Why not the table there and not in the living room?

[fauve01]

we have 2 peninsulas on either side of our kitchen (not an island) and also a dining table in the "formal dining space." we have an eat in space on the other side of the kitchen. we eat family/group meals at the dining table because none of us want to eat in a line. Self serve meals and sometimes homework are done at both the peninsula and the table. In the eat in kitchen spot we now have a love seat that faces the kitchen. Everyone loves that spot for sitting/lounging/etc.

Same at my parents' house, actually, except they have a kitchen island not peninsula.

I would HATE not having a dining table.

[mom2binsd]

I'm not sure 4 can really sit comfortably there, and it's awkward for a real meal to sit in a row. I'd still want a kitchen table to sit at.

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[Kindra178]

I’m a kitchen table type person. Your island is great for breakfast when everyone is running different directions but not great for a family dinner (conducive to talking, etc).


Also, 4 chairs is kind of tight there.

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[Mommy_Mea]

Would you plan on use your current dining room table for dinner? Or would it be a formal space only for special occasions?

If it were me, I would start with your dining room table where you are planning on putting it, and stools at the kitchen island, and no kitchen table. See how you use the space and how much you sit at your dining room table.

Then you can take some time finding the right kitchen table.

[niccig]

I’d put the dining table where they have their table and see how the space works. I agree that the loveseat area may be too far from kitchen so not get used. In laws have their dining area not too far from kitchen but they use the kitchen table attached to their island as it’s just so much easier. The further away dining table is used for family celebrations. It’s seems a bit much to have island seating for 4, kitchen table and dining room table. You don’t need that many tables!


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[Mommy_Mea]

Is the kitchen just in the other side of the wall from where you want to put your dining room table? So the kitchen table area and the dining room table area are the same distance from the kitchen?

[jgenie]

We have a large double island that seats 6 comfortably. We eat all our meals at the island as set up and clean up are easier for me. It has a granite top that is easy to wipe down. We have a large Kitchen table that seats 6. We also have a dining table that seats 10 in our dining room. The kitchen table and dining table only get used if we have guests. I would try your table in the kitchen and see how it works for you. You can move it later if you find you want more room in the kitchen.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Island= hanging out but not meal time, imo. No kitchen table though. Just set up like they do with the plan of eating your meals at the dining room table for the most part.

[doberbrat]

I think I like the current configuration better than the older one. It makes more 'sense' to me. I dont think you 'need' more than 1 table space to eat at unless the house is huge and you need to fill it. I have good friends who have a similar setup as your new house. They used to have their dining room as a school space for kids when they home schooled. Now that the kids are older, They mostly eat dinner in the dining room and other meals in the kitchen. Island is for hanging out. When we go, there are 6-8 kids so kids eat in the kitchen and grownups in the dining room.

[westwoodmom04]

I’m going to revise my answer. I still think you need only one table, but given your layout, I’d put the table in the kitchen and just have a bigger family room, rather than having a table there.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I’m going to revise my answer. I still think you need only one table, but given your layout, I’d put the table in the kitchen and just have a bigger family room, rather than having a table there.
I agree. I really didn’t understand your question and was working off the little thumbnails. Our only dining space is separated from the kitchen via a peninsula bar. So there are actually bar stools in the dining area too. It’s probably the one thing I wish were different (a bigger dining room) but this is for sure the best configuration and I’d never try to shove yet another more formal dining area into our large living room. It just isn’t needed. We don’t formally entertain. What they have is how I’d set my house up too.


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[hellokitty]

We don't have an area for a kitchenette, we just have an island with room for 4 stools (we just used the 3 tripp trapps for our kids). And then we have an adjacent dining room that is our only dining room. We only use the island for breakfasts and maybe snacks. All of our meals our otherwise in our dining room. This is the second house we've had with no kitchenette and just a dining room for everything else and we like it compared to when we had a house with a kitchen with a kitchenette area (we actually made the counter smaller, since we didn't want a barstool counter area) and a formal dining room, which was almost always a junk room, except for the 2-3x a year when we might host a holiday meal.

[essnce629]

I’m going to revise my answer. I still think you need only one table, but given your layout, I’d put the table in the kitchen and just have a bigger family room, rather than having a table there.

Yes, I'd definitely just put your table in the kitchen, just like they have their table now. If you decide you don't like it, then move it later.

I would not want to have an island with no dining table. An island is fine for a quick breakfast or lunch with just 1 or 2 people, but all 4 sitting in a line for dinner just doesn't sound ideal.

The only time I'd change my mind would be if you had a drop down island/attached table:
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[WatchingThemGrow]

We have seating for 3 at the island, and there are 5 of us. We have almost a banquette type table/seating area in the kitchen. We have this because with our renovation, there were 3 almost-to-the-floor windows that we didn't want to lose because we watch wildlife out them. (Yesterday we watched a mama turtle dig a hole for her eggs, then lay and cover them up.). Mainly, we wanted the island plus the kitchenette table b/c when we have another family over, at snacktime, the boys and girls can sit separately since there are only 3 island seats, and we already have 3 kids. So we need a space for more kids without it being the dining table.

For your situation, I would just use your current table in the space they have it and maybe put some decor to make it work with the style of the house more...placemats, etc. For the other space (is there still a hanging fixture??) you could use it as another spot to hang out - either an exercise space (yoga mats rolled up and stored) or put a smaller table/desk that could be pulled out for board games, or even a computer desk for kids who would work better this coming year being out in the open, not in a bedroom.

Off topic, but that pool has permanent shade umbrellas?? That's unreal!

[dogmom]

We are one of those rare families that actually dine in their dining room, every day. It’s hard for me to tell from your picture, since the kitchen looks so large, what’s the best option for you. Our kitchen was that big, or that small. The original layout lead to a lot of open space in the muddle if the kitchen that was not convenient for a table, but too many steps to be open. We would up putting a too big island in there (contractor read size wrong, designer sucked). It doesn’t work to eat at, but it’s fine for us. We have a big room that has a clear DR/LR space with 120 inch table in it.

After 20 years in this house this is what I love about the set up.

1) I actually USE my dining room table. I love it.
2) I get to leave the kitchen mess in the kitchen and sit down with the family. Something about sitting at the DR table makes it easier to have the kids stay and chat.
3) Our table is huge. So even if stuff winds up on the table we can still all eat at the other end. Does the crap drive me crazy on the table? Yep. But it doesn’t prevent us from having dinner at it.
4) I love to cook. So I like more cooking are in the kitchen and less eating.

If it were my house I would set up comfortable seating in part of that area, maybe with some side tables to do homework/eat a snack. Hard to tell, but maybe a separate wet bar if you had a party. I would look to reclaim some area for cooking. I could in imagine a small baking island with a good surface for pastry. But that’s me. I don’t think that would work for everyone.

[JBaxter]

I have a highbar in front of the sink not an island but has seating for 4. I have a kitchen table we use for eating the high bar is used a lot for computer work or grabbing a snack or a single person eating The table for eating meals together. I like having my kitchen table

[KrisM]

I remembered that my friend has the counter seating, a dining room table and they got rid of the kitchen table and have a chair and loveseat in their kitchen instead. When they entertain, especially their families, people can sit more comfortably and talk with the one who is cooking. And it gives them a place to sit while things are cooking without being all the way over in the family room.

[bisous]

The nice thing is that you can just try it all out with what you already have! I know you worry about the style but maybe it won't bother you in the space? I would try it out in the kitchen space before I'd "steal" from the family room I think. But the good news is that if you don't like it there, move it around. I definitely would not buy anything for the space yet.

So excited for you still, Annie!

[carolinamama]

I voted that we have an island and table but only use the island, which isn't totally true. We have 4 seats at our island and 5 people but our meals are frequently in shifts and use the island much more than the table. We use the table maybe twice a week for family meals but kids do homework and projects there frequently. We use our dining table at holidays and I stack everyone's laundry there to carry upstairs. The only change I've ever considered is to take the kitchen table out and replace it with comfortable chairs for a seating area vs. table.

[squimp]

I’d put the dining table where they have their table and see how the space works. I agree that the loveseat area may be too far from kitchen so not get used. In laws have their dining area not too far from kitchen but they use the kitchen table attached to their island as it’s just so much easier. The further away dining table is used for family celebrations. It’s seems a bit much to have island seating for 4, kitchen table and dining room table. You don’t need that many tables!
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We have island seating, kitchen table for 4 and a dining room. All three are great to have, but if I only had the island and a bigger kitchen table like that for 6-8 people, we would be all set. I wouldn't like the dining table in the living room. Your dining table seems like it would fit well in the kitchen table spot.

I don't feel like I have room to do all the prep and then clean up and have meals at my island, it's not huge. I use the island like a buffet a lot. Also my helper sits and helps with prep at the island too, people have snacks and stuff there too. But for our family we like the feeling of sitting around the table.