12’ will require a counter seam. Waterfalls will require multiple counter seams, and the best fabricator in town.

Stick with simple. No waterfall. And find your stone choice before finalizing your island design. You don’t want to be in the situation of so many, which is backed into a corner spending 15k on 4 slabs of bookmatched stone (plus fabrication) , because that’s the only choice that will work with the oversized island.

I don't understand how there would be seating on 2 sides when a sink is there. I also couldn't imagine doing homework anywhere near a sink, let alone in a noisy place like a busy kitchen and football games. Splatter and racket: a recipe for messy and distracted homework. IMO

Also, it will be impossible to have end seating, unless you eliminate at least one seat on the long side, otherwise, you'll get knee-smashing. You'll need 2 feet on each end for knees.

Good point on the slab @TheCook’sKitchen

I was thinking the seating would be on the end which is 4’8” (and not across at the sink). See the first picture. I have young kids so at least for the first couple years they will need help with homework/drawing and probably wouldn’t mind the noise. We don’t normally have homework and TV going on at same time.

The seams (or not) in your 10' waterfall island depend on the material you pick. If you've got movement that has to match on the miter, you'll have 95" after the waterfall before you have a seam in the top if you use a jumbo slab. A top without movement won't require a seam depending on material.

I think there’s a potential you would cause an obstruction in that pathway to the dining room from the kitchen if you put seating on the end of the island. The 12’ vs 10’ is based on if you want symmetry with island and main kitchen cabinets ending at the same plane.

agree with Morningstar that waterfalls are the stepped/graduated cabinets of yester year. I LOVED those stepped cabinets when they came out and now they just date the kitchen.

I also love the waterfall but it's costly but I don't think the cost outweighs the 'soon to be dated' look.

I think waterfalls look lovely in the right home/kitchen, but to me, they ONLY look appropriate in large, very contemporary high-end kitchens. I don't know if that would describe your kitchen or not. I have never seen one that looked great in a normal suburban kitchen, but of course, that is just my own opinion. I think you would find the extra seating more useful.

We have a 10 ft peninsula in our beach house and I insisted we have a seat on the end so all of the seating wouldn't be in a straight line. No one ever sits there! Not even me and I'm the one who wanted it. LOL.

Another thing to consider is that, with the waterfall, there really isn't enough room for 5 stools at the 10 ft island. Yes, you have the allotted 2 ft per person but closed ends make it difficult to get on and off the stools. We had a 54" peninsula with a closed end and two small stools in our last house it was tight. Swivel stools might solve that problem though.

cheri127, That's a great point. Would you mind sharing what your 10ft island looks like with the end seating? I'd love to see. Thanks!

We are trying to go for a "higher end" looking kitchen with nicer appliances for better resale value in the future hence why our design had the waterfall. Curious, anyone know why the are "soon to be outdated"? When I look at new construction homes in the area (northern CA), they seem to be everywhere esp in the higher end homes.

The fact that they are “everywhere” says that they are overdone. No higher end home sticks in something just to check a box. It has to suit the very very modern design aesthetic in order to work. No white shaker throw up. High gloss modern orange Bulthaup cabinets with white counters and 48x96 tile floors, maybe.

If you’re grabbing hold of “Transitional” as a euphemism to “can’t commit to a style” then no waterfall or white shaker or white marble look quartz. It’s all overdone. It is the golden oak and jamocha granite look Formica of the late teens. Commit to Traditional, or Modern. Don’t straddle the line.

IMO "they're everywhere" doesn't equate to "overdone". Cape Cod homes are "everywhere", but they're a classic look and very popular. That doesn't mean they're "overdone": au contraire.

If I were you, I'd pore through kitchen photos on Houzz and get some sample "aesthetic models" that appeal to you. Go from there.

I don't believe the island—waterfall or no—should be considered separately design-wise from the rest of the kitchen.

Even if the rule of thumb is to have 2' per stool at a counter, there's no way 10' is enough room for 5 people to get up and down from their seats. Once 3 are seated, how are 2 more going to wedge their way through bodies to clamber up the stool?

24” is for very friendly adults who won’t be moving their arms freely to eat, or for small kids. Adults who want to eat and interact and be comfortable, need closer to 30”.

Waterfalls detract from function, increase the odds of having issues, and add (greatly) to expenses. They are a great look in a large modern kitchen. They are out of place everywhere else.