People always sit at my counter to talk while I cook I use my stool for a quick cup of coffee we have a TV in our kitchen so mornings we watch the news while having breakfast. If you do none of those things then probably you don’t need the stools.I rarely use a cook book anymore since everything is on line and that is really why the TV is connected to the internet.

from what you describe the time that the peninsula seating would have been used has passed. I'm thinking..small kids..homework...morning breakfast and snacks/light suppers/etc. The peninsula with deeper counter may be of benefit for your kitchen in general....so don't disregard the layout...and perhaps an open section in a specified spot could allow one stool for short intervals of sitting by the cook/ transient use to read mail/read paper or open laptop with a cup of coffee/etc. Good Luck...., and yes I have a peninsula and people do not want to sit there particularly...I have table seating adjacent and a living room closeby....that's where people go.

Need a picture/graphic of your seating area, and other eating spaces.

I didn't bother with a seating area at my peninsula, as my dining table is directly beyond.

Oh, with bad knees, I don't "stand around" for more than 15 minutes at a time...

That is A MYSTERY MEAT question with no drawing, no dimensions and no photos

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GCEB_enUS814US814&q=nycbluedevil+kitchen+reveal&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiMjsjGpP3hAhWv1VkKHb7GAeQQ7Al6BAgJEA0&biw=1920&bih=937#imgrc=ac_ZsBsaMYeb4M:

We have a peninsula right next to our open dining room (hopefully the picture attached successfully). It's just DH and me now, but we eat every meal there. And when our kids come home occasionally, and have friends over, they eat there too. And when a friend drops by for coffee. Or when I want to work on my computer while cooking. And when and when and when. Counter seating is just different from chair seating. Do do what you like--how will YOU use the peninsula?. Note that my stools tuck under the counter. That keeps them out of the way.

I always love it when your pictures pop up on threads, nycbluedevil.

I discovered that aside from solo drinking coffee while reading the news, I do not like seating at an island or peninsula. I like facing people at the table- at least some of the people.

LOL and thanks Rita. I have been away from GW for a while but now I have too much time on my hands and have come back while I dream up new projects for my country house. Yup, totally a personal choice about table vs. counter seating. We like to sit around the counter--we can fit four of us--but there is something much more relaxing about sitting around a table. It's interesting--in our country house we have a table in the eating area and seating at the island. We almost never use the island seats. But in the city, we always eat at the peninsula.

We use our peninsula seating daily. Plus when the stools are not being use they tuck nicely under the overhang. We have stools that do not have a back so they can be moved out of the way when not in use.

Ours is used constantly. It's an excellent spot for guests to sit and chat while we are busy in the kitchen. After food is prepared we move to the table.

Thank you all for your input - definitely food for thought.

And nycbluedevil, your kitchen and home are gorgeous!

For those who asked, here's more information - I can add photos if you want to see it before we bought it in all it's "grandma glory". And yes, I know I should hire a KD, but we were planning on using IKEA cabinets and I haven't yet been able to find someone locally who will design with those.

Current floor plan (kind of to scale) (half wall has already been removed) and the table is just a default - our table is a little smaller:

Here was what we were going to do: (DW is "3", MW is in "10") - again, not our table or light, just threw them in there - the light fixture would be moved to be more centered in the resulting space)

Turns out we can't move the windows because of a number of factors. Well we can, it's just looking to be a little more involved and potentially costly than first thought, so I'm looking into other options than moving them. One of them involves just removing the window next to the door to the porch altogether. Now that I see that in a 3D view though, I don't know if I like the large empty wall - and I was trying to keep only uppers on the opposite wall. But, there is a void in between two of the ceiling joists where we can run a vent for the stove across to the outside if that were to be moved to the interior wall - so I thought about switching the peninsula and the fridge/pantry cabinets, which put the seating next to the dining room and seemed weird to me. Which resulted in considering just canning the seating altogether and replacing with a cabinet/bookshelves/wine/bev fridge in void under corner, which is here:

(microwave is in "2", sink would go in cabinet "4", dishwasher is "3", and I used a 15" base to represent the book case, which would only be 13" or so deep.)

And now I'm rethinking everything - or maybe the first layout would be a better choice and we should just leave the windows but raise the larger one (going to have to get an engineered beam I think though). Ugh, I'm just overwhelmed and on tilt, so any input/feedback/ripping to shreds is welcomed.

No. We don't use peninsula seating very much at all. Have lived in the house nearly three years, have sat there probably three times looking at a recipe book. We are getting ready for a reno, island will be full cabinets under, with no peninsula seating whatsoever. If someone wants to pull up a chair and sit there sideways with a cup of coffee, they surely can do so. Otherwise, we will use the table, just as we do now.

We have a primary residence and a vacation home, both with a peninsula/island. One we use for every meal, the other we never use for seating. Go figure.

I tore my peninsula out 4 years ago and am very happy its gone. No one ever used it.

We have an island with a couple of bar stools, so same idea as a peninsula. Occasionally, guests will sit there having a drink and talking to me while I get dinner, so I'm happy enough to have it, but no one ever eats there. The table is just so much more comfortable and companionable.

We remodeled our peninsula to end in a circle. So we can have the option to sit across from each other. I use it a ton with my kids for a snack or quick dinner- sometimes just one of them is eating after a late practice. We still eat family meals at the kitchen table or in the dining room. I love having all the options.

No, never, Sitting in a conventional height chair is much more comfortable than perching on a bar stool.

Use ours for casual meals ... but our dining room is separate from the kitchen. When remodeling I had the island removed from the middle & replaced with a large peninsula... it’s great for serving appetizers & buffet type dinners.

I have a peninsula with three seats, and they're rarely used. However, I think if they were better situated, we would use them. Our cabinet overhang is too shallow, and the peninsula is too close to the breakfast table.

The best answer, I think: Well-designed peninsula seating will be used.

As you've discovered, depends on the location, other seating available, and individual preference. But to answer for myself, no, we never did. Our chairs were high, as was the countertop at the peninsula (2 level). It ended up being a catch-all for junk. We tore ours out.

It looks as if you only have enough overhang for one person. Usually the overhang would extend all the way to the wall but you have cab there. Is that correct?

I might be reading that wrong in layout 2...I thought 15 was overhang but it is cabinet.

Yes. Sorry. The second plan was swapping the peninsula location, then I thought about replacing the overhang with more cabinets (I wasn’t sure having seating backed up to the dining space made sense or not). I can swap out and repost if it’s helpful for the visual.