Here is some pics of an island that I love that has a raised area to hide the dirty dishes but also has counter height all the way around. Just an idea. I had planned to use this design but opted for the full slab instead figuring my kids could layout school projects and the like with plenty of room.

That island is gorgeous, but if you did one like that, you might want to make one end larger for baking projects, etc.

If people are coming in to chat while you work, it's really hard to hide mess from them. But you can close off your kitchen more to hide piles of dishes that are there at the end of the evening. I designed our kitchen as a separate room so that I don't have to see any mess or dirty dishes from the table or any other room in the house. Lingering over conversation with family or guests is pretty impossible with kitchen chores begging to be done. Others have theirs in kind of an L, or offset, so that only the non-work area is visible from the next room.

Show us your layout (current and proposed) and see if the helpful folks here can come up with something that will help.

I don't mind them seeing the cooking mess--they want to eat the food they can know how it got there ;) But I really hate it when they come stand around chatting with each other and getting in the way. I just shoo them. In my current (departing) kitchen there's this huge peninsula that divides the working part of the kitchen from the area where they could hang out. You know, the seating area? Do they sit there? Do they stand there? NO! They stand in the middle doing nothing. They stand in the passage that's the only way in and out of the work area. They stand where I want to be next. I tell them to get a drink (in the foyer) and go sit down (presumably in the living room, but they're welcome to the whole rest of the house). They do. Problem solved :)

My new kitchen won't even have a theoretical barrier. I don't know if that'll help or hurt. But I'll still shoo them.

Hm... If you're only entertaining a few people at a time that's another story. When it's 30 there's just no room for even a quarter of them in the kitchen while the last of the cooking is happening :)

I added a peninsula to my kitchen and it provides a good but friendly barrier. Before the remodel, my kitchen was completely open and it drove me crazy having everyone leaning on the counters, etc.

The peninsula, with a couple of stools, does exactly what I want, it gives people a place to lean or sit and schmooze but keeps them out of the work area. I can put food there, too, so it keeps people busy if I'm still working in the kitchen.

I deliberately set mine up so that the working areas were not in the flow of traffic. That way everyone can hang out in the kitchen but I can still work effectively (or have help working) and everyone can still chat. in my case, it just seemed very easy to do.

I handle this with a wall. And a door. And a small kitchen.

i can't stand having people in my kitchen when I'm cooking; I burn things. Once dinner is cooked, I don't want to look at the mess. Once dinner is OVER, I don't want to look at the mess; I want to sit in the living room and talk, and let the dirty dishes wait until everyone goes home.

So I close the door, and we go in the other room.

I vote for the peninsula, and seating on the far side. A "barrier island" effect, but on purpose.

Also, I think if you have HUGE aisles, it'll look like people can "fit" over there; if the aisles are just barely roomy, people will be more likely not to get in your way.

I also have a peninsula separating me, the prep area, tha range and the main sink from visitors and non-cooking family members. Sometimes I'll stand at the end of the peninsula brandishing a spatula when I think my territory is going to be invaded. The fridge, prep sink and dw are out in the public area.

We have deep sinks for hiding the mess. We have a hutch separating the kitchen area from the eating are with glass on all the upper sides for separating the spaces (and the kitchen mess) yet keeping a bit of a link between them.

When we moved into our current house, (16' x 16' kitchen), we stuck our old, free-standing, island in the overly large space between the range wall and the built-in island. This gives me two good-sized islands,(approx. 5'9'' x 3'), and provides a great barrier when cooking since the guests all sit at the built-in island, leaving the other for all the actual prep work. I also use the built-in for serving any hors d'oeuvres.

Another plus of this lay-out is easy access to everything - fridge, MW, sink, dw etc. - without disturbing the cook. The extra aisle-ways also give us a better chance of finding a dog-free route through the kitchen, lol.

This lay-out has worked so well for us that we plan on keeping it in the remodel.

This is exactly why I"ve always shied away from an open area kitchen. However, in our current space the only sensible way to use every square inch and also get the best natural light was to open it up, and with a peninsula separating the workspace from the dining area it's actually a perfect solution. They stay out of my way, but can still be "around". After years of preferring a formal eating area, I'm amazed how much I prefer this!

Also (speaking as an easily-distracted cook), the improved layout and storage makes cooking so EASY that I find myself needing to concentrate less - I have space to lay out my ingredients so I can put them away after I've measured them (thus fewer "Did I add that yet?" moments), I have places to put hot pans as they come off the stove etc etc. Cooking is really a pleasure, and with the peninsuala/open wall I can enjoy it as a social experience much more than I used to.

I had a peninsula in my old kitchen that I hated since it broke up the kitchen from the rest of the greatroom, and was a visual barrier (it even had upper cabinets). But my approach was the opposite as yours- I figure that it is inevitable- all parties end up in the kitchen, so why not just make it easier for everyone to mingle?

One GC that I interviewed really questioned my desire to remove the peninsula for just the reason you are saying- he called it a "mom barrier"

All of your comments are so helpful -- thank you! So, when you recommend a peninsula, do you still have an island? I'm not sure I can fit one in, given that I wanted the fridge to be on the end of that long wall. (Below is link to pics of proposed layout; I do not have one that I can currently attach of the existing layout.)

Am also wondering whether it's a bad idea to have the (pocket?) door to the Dining Room be near the ovens and clean-up area. Currently, it is actually on that same wall but where the left of the butler's pantry/hutch will be. Seemed silly there, since you could just walk a few feet over and get into the DR from the family room, but maybe not.... Oh, boy. I thought I had this all figured out!

Here is a link that might be useful:

Pocket doors are great, and I think you'll enjoy having one between your dining room and kitchen. The psychological barrier will be important even though it's still easy to get to the kitchen.

You'll also be able to set up desserts (birthday cakes with lit candles) in the kitchen without everyone in the DR seeing your presentation too early.

For 30 years I had a galley kitchen that was just big enough for the workers. Instead of a peninsula we had a large pass thru. The upper cabinets were high enough so people see me, help take food to the table etc. The pass thru could be closed off with folding doors and the entrance to the kitchen had two pocket doors (large opening) which was very handy when children were too small to know to stay out of the way. But, we just gutted the kitchen in an old house we moved to last summer. My new kitchen was ready Jan 1. The work area is along the north wall and east walls. Large opening to dining room on the east wall. West side of kitchen features a brick wall and pocket door to laundry room/freezer area and antique usable wood cook stove. The island is in the middle with two chairs since there's only two of us but the island also hold my pull out cabinet for baking supplies and three pull-out drawers for pots/pans. Sorry, can't remember measurement, maybe 4x6. When you come in the back door you can walk straight thru to the dining room. Originally I hated the idea because I thought this part of the kitchen would be a thoroughfare but the KD incorporated about 16 feet from the farmers porch to be enclosed as a sunroom/relaxing area so it's on the south wall. This now provides a great entertaining area because the sunroom which is only separated from the kitchen by base cabinets is just large enough for a 6 person table. People can sit at the table, hang around the island and not be in my way. We recently had a large crowd for afternoon coffee which overflowed into my work area but people generally got the idea to stay away from the frig-sink-stove section but keep in mind that with the door to the dishwasher open, i can still walk by the open door. There's about a 4' walkway around the island so there's room even if people have the chairs pulled out. We had planned the sunroom area for two large easy chairs to be supplemented by 2 small chairs when we entertained another couple but the dining room is currently under renovation so it's being used as a dining alcove. People love the space and think the table should stay. I OTH plan to read books/drink cofee/research recipes. For entertaining it can be the drinks and appetizer area. People can move into the dining room for dinner and then move into the living room for coffee and not see the kitchen at all.
Without that alcove, the kitchen layout was mediocre and too much space was the walkway between the back door and dining room.

I like the layout for the most part. It looks like you can't really see into the kitchen from other rooms, but it's big enough for the inevitable visitors, so that's very nice.--And no traffic through the work area. Another big plus.

There are things I would change if it doesn't screw up too many other things. (1 change affects SO many other things!)

-A microwave is more convenient to use if it's near the fridge

-I would prefer the prep sink near the fridge end of the island so it's an easier route for Fridge to sink/prep to stove. With it the current way, you pass the stove to prep, then come back. Having it at the fridge end of the island (maybe 15-18" from the end) keeps work zones more separated, so if someone is using the prep sink for washing fruit, making salad, getting water for beverages,or whatever, the cook can easily access the main sink without anyone in the path.

-The oven seems way out of the loop, and it's right where I'd want to store dishes. I'd try to fit it on the range wall. Is it dbl or single? If it's single you could put it and the micro just to the left of the fridge.

Thank you for your comments on the layout. You are so right about the prep sink. We have actually moved that to the center of island (right across rangetop), so that will address the issues you raised.

Good point, though, about the ovens (double). I don't use mine that often, so I was trying to get them out of the way (though I also dislike having to bend down to get things out). But now you have got me wondering whether I should just do a 48" dual fuel range and gain that extra counter-space (plus I like the look of those wolf ranges). hmmm....

Any thoughts about the location of the door to the DR? Will it cause traffic to infiltrate "my" space too much -- or is there sufficient separation? I'd also love it if anyone has good peninsula suggestions (without causing me to lose too much of my island, of course!) Thanks so much!

I love the spatula-brandishing technique (though I might be more tempted to use a chef's knife:)). In fact, in our current house, with its L-shaped kitchen, I do frequently tell my husband (would say this only to him) to "get the hel* out of my "L." It works.

Defrost49, your layout sounds ideal and that was, in fact, what I was hoping to accomplish...little alcoves or areas closeby for guests to stop at and have hors d'oeuvres while I finished up my work. Just don't want everyone hovering on my island....

I see the dining room pocket as a convenience for you. Does anyone really hang out in the dining room or use that path as a way to the kitchen? Plus, anyone who comes in that way can easily get to the sink or beverage center and island without getting in the middle of your most concentrated work areas. It would be different if it opened into your stove aisle and that was the only direction to head. I say leave it. You can always leave it closed, and insist it stay that way unless you are serving or clearing...Tell them to consider it a wall with a secret passageway only for you, or with your especial permission. If you're disciplined about that habit for a couple weeks, everyone will get used to it, and if it's closed, they'll take the path of least resistance.

I think that island is beautiful.

About people coming into your kitchen...I have a galley kitchen and for some reason, everyone just couldn't stay out. When it got to "crunch time" when the turkdy needed to come out, I had to say, "OK, eveybody out!" and send them all to the ends.

We have a family friend who entertains all of the time. In fact, when she has a party, she has been known to put her LR furniture in the garage to fit more dining tables in the house. She has an open family room/kitchen area with a ong curved island. She puts a ribbon across the one entrance where eveyone seems to come in. She still gets to be with eveyone, and some can come to help, but it alleviates the ones that as they arrive seems to move toward the kitchen. It works and just redirects eveyone withour her having to say a word.

There has been a lot of advice about having a peninsula...My sister has one and complains that everyone comes in her kitchen anyway, and because it's a dead end with no flow, it becomes a huge traffic jam. She is really dying to have an island, where people can stay to one side, but still feel they're in the room with her. The barrier peninsula evidently makes people feel left outside and in they wander. It's a real mess when it's a holiday meal and there are multiple helpers.

The experiences on this thread have been interesting, like people following Rhome's sister into a dead end. Boy, that that one bring back memories!

But your concerns seem to be mostly visual, Starfish. Since you're not planning in a separate room for cooking, which really sounds like it would address your concerns best :), I agree with others that you really do need that pocket door so you can close off the kitchen scene from the dining room. If you can't hide the mess from people who follow you into the kitchen, at least you can put it out of sight, out of mind while you're all dining.

But for the mess in the kitchen, I'm guessing that might be a garage through the left wall. If so and this is really a signficant issue you want to fix, is there any chance that you could take a cubicle's worth of space from it in the corner for a little scullery/storage nook (a nook for the cook)? Maybe move one of those two dishwashers into it? That way mess could rotate mostly out of sight into there from the prep area and the whole cleanup/dinner mess collection area on the front wall could move back behind the island line, well away from the area traveled by your sociable guests. With, of course, a nice big deep sink.

Wow -- I had definitely not thought of a little nook for myself! I was bummed not to have a real butler's pantry (mostly for clean-up). That is indeed the garage and, in fact, I was going to put the trash can and recycling bin on that wall (possibly with a stainless steel chute for recycling through the backsplash on the kitchen side). It's the third bay of the garage so, we were planning to use it for storage/misc anyway. Probably a long shot, but I will definitely look at the space when I go by the house later today. Thank you for that idea.

And pocket door it is -- as long as they don't stick like the ones we had growing up. I will keep closed most of the time when we have company.

This really is an issue of balance for me. I wanted optimal flow around the working area of the kitchen for 95% of the time, since my kids are helping out more and more. I really only have my "public" issues when we have several guests over (and, then, perhaps I should just learn to cook more neatly...or not care!). I am glad that you are not all telling me that I should raise the eating side of the island and make it two levels -- I was afraid that might be a popular "obvious" solution. So glad I asked!

Or, my preference when several guests are coming, when possible, is to plan the food so that the messy parts are done and cleaned up ahead of time...Something that can go together and just get finished off/baked or can be simmering while guests are around. Not as possible with meals like Thanksgiving, but sometimes... I think a nice, BIG sink would help a lot. I wonder if I should have gotten a bigger one myself....

rhome410 -- what size/kind sink do you have, and how much bigger might you prefer?

I have a 2-bowl Kohler Clarity, but after this discussion I can see the purpose of a 36", 10-12" deep single bowl! We aren't into this kitchen yet, but had the Kohler Executive Chef at our last house, which has the same sized bowls as the Clarity. I was happy with that, so the Clarity will probably be fine, too...But you know, you read through everyone's threads and start second guessing your own decisions!--Always wondering if there was a better choice to be made. We have 10 people's worth of dishes, and pots and pans that match our family size, so have more demands that most on our sink.

The interior dimensions on my sink are 19x15" and 12 3/4 x 16". It can hide quite a lot, I think. :-)

I would like a double bowl also and will now look for the largest one that I can find...thanks to you. (And then I think that once I am done with my remodel, I will have to make myself stop checking this forum constantly lest I, too, second-guess all of my decisions....though perhaps I might also one day also know enough to help a newbie navigate her way through these choices:)). Thanks for all the help.

I can't wait for my new kitchen with guest barriers built in. Once we had some people over then more people showed up and before I knew it there were ten people in my kitchen about 2ft behind me while I was frying stuff. I couldn't help it I freaked out and I don't think we had guests again for like a year! Now they stay at the table...well mostly anyway.