I changing out my eat-in kitchen and replacing it with an island. I haven't made the purchase yet but that the plan. I'll be interested to see what others say.

We did this and havent been sorry- we're very happy with ours but if I were doing it again I would probably design the seating so that there are 3 sides of seating on the island, or maybe p-shaped, we end up eating there so much more than we thought we would -- even when we've had guests-- everybody is hanging out there now and the island just ended up being the logical/most comfortable place to eat. It's fine when 2 are eating but when there's more than two of us, I find myself wishing we were seated in more of a "u" rather than an "L"-- better for conversation.

Can you post your layout?

We did this and have not been sorry at all. Our home is just a "starter model" tract home, and the layout of the old kitchen was not functional at all. Our island is not two levels, it's one, butcher block (the top is 35x70 and seats five comfortably on 3 sides) but like I said, I have no regrets! I think that the old "eat in kitchen" idea is outdated, and the island is more functional and contemporary.

Dianolo is right. It really doesn't matter how it works in other people's kitchens. You don't know their layouts or what their islands even look like. Post your layout and then people can offer informed opinions.

Our kitchen is ~13x13' (I think!), and originally had space for a table and chairs (note: the before pics were taken with a wide angle lens, so like your car's sideview mirrors, objects, or space may appear larger than in reality!):

Our wonderful KD designed a kitchen for us that allowed us to have an island with seating area at one end. Had we been as TKO then as we are now, we might have explored other island options/configurations; not that we'd necessarily have gone with anything different from the config we have, but it's nice to know about all the various options (eliminates wondering down the road, how "A" or "B" might have worked out instead).

Pics of "new" (4 years old!) kitchen:

HTH!!!

We just did this & have not regretted the decision! We LOVE it. We also opened up the doorway to the adjacent dining room form a single door entry to a double door, 8 ft entry. We do eat at the dining room table more than the island which is fine by me - I really wanted to eliminate having a "only used twice a year" room in my home! I also have 3 young kids who I don't trust to eat at my Calcutta Dorado marble island LOL But, we love the island, the extra workable space, the great place for friends to gather when entertaining, extra storage, etc. We love it! It's about 4 x 7 ft.

Beth

We are removing our table from the kitchen and will be adding a 2 level island. The higher side will be for prepping food. The lower side will be a 30" height table. We are creating a kitchen where we can "age in place".

cat_mom, an important aspect of your island is that you have seating on 3 sides, so people can look at each other and converse. I personally don't feel that an island with auditorium-style seating all in a row is a good replacement for a kitchen table.

That was one consideration that our KD had in mind when he'd designed it the way you see it, marcolo. 99% of the time, it's just me and DH, so sitting side-by-side would have been okay for us (would have given us each a little more elbow room along the long side of the island for ex.). We are happy with the way it is now though, too! :-)

Hawkz, thank you for posting this!! We are considering making a similar change. I really appreciate hearing others' experience with this setup and, given the variety of layouts, I'd love to see photos of this setup in GW's kitchens.

We got rid of the eat-in kitchen table for a 9 ft island and LOVE IT! The key is that we sit on 3 sides so there is nice conversation flow.

Cabico, cherry, shaker, quartzite finished kitchen

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg011351109083.html

I can contribute to this thread... finally! Here's a not quite completed view of doing this exact concept. We love it! I think perpendicular or round seating is key for dinnertime conversation, however.

Yes, it's usually workable and may be an improvement, but as suggested you'll get more accurate responses if we can see your placement in context.

A couple of thoughts: a typical raised high counter seating as the only casual option is not ideal. Lots of people have it and enjoy it, but I'd consider a lower height like cat_mom's unless you won't mind using your DR for casual meals when you have mobility or age issues to contend with. There may be times when you or your guests may have difficulty with accessing high seating due to age (both the very young and some older folks) or disability (temporary or permanent). I'm a fan of counter seating, especially if it allows for conversation either cross or circular (seating that is, not conversation), but also have an adjacent table in the kitchen and a formal DR.

My other concern is replacing the sliding door with a single door. You may want to consider french doors, ideally both operating but one can be a fixed lite if you're against sliders. I think having as much glass as possible will help keep your kitchen feeling spacious and being able to access your deck with wider openings may prove more beneficial than through a single door.

I replaced our eat-in kitchen table with an island that has attached table-height seating. I find counter height and bar height seating uncomfortable (I'm short!) and wanted the feel of a rounded table for better interaction without the clutter of an island + table in the smallish space. I love it, it works great for our needs.

before

after:

How the heck do I post a photo in my message LOL?

here's a pretty good image of our current kitchen's layout

Here is a link that might be useful: Current kitchen layout sketch

Try photobucket instead of snapfish, and copy the html link (starting with "a href=...") into your post.

hawkz, your link is not working.

Here's a photobucket link. Also would consider taking out the island completely and instead adding a pennisula off the window wall

Here is a link that might be useful: current

Your layout:

You've got a bit wider but shorted space than me. You current island could only be 31" wide max (154" width - 25.5" counter - 25.5" counter - 36" aisle - 36" aisle = 31" left for island). Some on here will chastise you for 36" aisle widths, I am not one of them!
I have almost as awkward a doorway layout as you... here is my floorplan (tweaked a tiny bit in execution stage but this is it essentially):

With a French Door, you lose having a screen on the door. If you like having the door open for fresh air, it's something to consider.

I looked at a lot of kitchen books, and in her new book, Kitchens and Baths, Candice Olson has multiple photos of the full eat-in island. I really thought about it, but my problem was that we have a large family and often end up squeezing in chairs this way and that or pulling out a second table for the kids' friends, or grandparents, etc. The island didn't seem as flexible for our purposes. I also decided against a banquette for that reason although I love them! (Candice has those in her book too.)

It was also amusing (and reassuring) to see that Candice Olson can make mistakes. Remodeling for a family of 5 and there were clearly only 4 seats at that island. Didn't appear to be room for a fifth chair or a formal dining table. I want to know who will be left standing.

Thanks for your floor plan. It seems your existing kitchen is roughly a workable 9' x 13' (12'10" to be exact). The open space is where the current table and chairs are, and that's where you're considering expanding into with a new island, and possibly getting rid of the existing island, right? The other possibility you're considering in removing the existing island and turning the sink run into a peninsula, right?

Help me understand how much you're thinking of undertaking. Is this to be a complete gut with all new cabinets or do you just plan to just move the stove to this new island when you say prepare and serve?

I'm guessing you want to increase wall space for cabinetry by replacing the slider with a single door, right?

Where does the door before the basement door on wall B lead? Can that be closed off or must it stay?

Sorry, but please give more details. What don't you like about your current space? What is the scope you're thinking about?

Sharonite,

I absolutely LOVE your island with attached seating. How did you do it? I'd love something like that for my kitchen/dining area.

Thanks!

Re abundantblessings: this is a complete remodel, without tearing out walls. New cabinets, floor, counters, window/door, appliances, sink, hardware. I don't think we need to move the appliances much from where they are. The door 'around the corner" leads to the garage. There is a doorway to the front entryway of the house adjacent to the door to the basement. None of that will change.

The existing island has to go. It crowds the work triangle area. We are thinking of installing a new island "south" of the current island, in the current eat-in area. Or, as you mentioned above, the other option is to have a peninsula come off the counter with the sink, perhaps at a 45 degree angle, then incorporate another 45 degree angle to square it off. I would replace the slider with a glass door (on the "south" half of the current slider), and put a window over the new counter where the "north" half of the current slider currently exists.

Got it, thanks!

I think you're then left with a usable kitchen that roughly 13' x 13' if you expand cabinetry on the slider wall. I definitely would relocate the refrigerator down to the end of wall B so it's not as close to the stairs to DR. The L peninsula will provide extra cabinets and seating. The J (squared off peninsula) would be better if you end the J roughly where the current island ends. I prefer the J to the L as that would allow conversational flow with wrap around seating if you do a 90 degree. Since you have the room, I'll toss out a 3rd option that I'd really prefer: consider a circular seating area on the long leg and not placing chairs on the return.

If you add a window on the sink side you won't have a lot of uppers, if you want any. It looks like you may be able to add one upper there. Would you consider an island cooktop with DO? If so, the ovens next to the RF would allow you to have a complete run of uppers on the DR wall side and uninterrupted counters underneath.