DC Rowhouse Kitchen - Are peninsulas dated?

[Anonymous]

We're considering options for a kitchen renovation. A lot of people in our area open up the wall between the kitchen and dining room and install a little peninsula separate the two spaces. The kitchen is only 10 feet wide so there aren't a ton of open layout options. I heard recently that peninsulas are becoming dated. What do you think?

[Anonymous]

We’re considering our options for a DC rowhouse kitchen, too. I personally don’t like the peninsula look that is SO popular in houses like ours. We’re planning to double the width of our door to the dining room to make the space more open. Haven’t pulled the trigger yet though, because it will decrease our storage space and make the layout somewhat tight.

[Anonymous]

My perspective is that a formal dining room that is open to the kitchen isn’t actually formal. I especially object when there is bar seating jammed in next to the dining table.

If it were my house I might eliminate the island/peninsula and do the kitchen around the perimeter with as much furniture or furniture-like cabinetry as possible, then put a large table in the middle of the room to use as food pre workspace/homework/etc most of the time and treat it like a “chef’s table” for formal dining.

BUT, a lot of people like to have standing workspace (counter height) that faces the living area and they wouldn’t like my solution and would prefer a peninsula. Plus some people would say I “lost” the dining room and now just have an eat in kitchen. I disagree but yada yada yada.

I do think that no matter what, if you have a smaller home where the kitchen is visible, you MUST identify a coherent design style and make sure all of your interior architecture and finishes suit each other. This is not the moment to look at a jillion kitchen pictures and pick out the cement tile you loved in a glass house in a California unless you have a huge row house that you’re taking to the studs and redoing all the interiors/moldings/finishes in a new and consistent style.

[Anonymous]

I would not worry about it becoming "dated" because honestly what goes around comes around. At some point people are going to realize that they are losing valuable storage space when they opt for an island instead of a peninsula in a small kitchen, and the pendulum will swing back. So think of yourself as being ahead of the trend! And, really, can you afford to lose that counter space and storage space? Probably not. This is a case where function is a better choice than form.

[Anonymous]

Optimizing functionality in constrained spaces doesn’t go out of style. Just make sure you have enough circulation and don’t oversize it.

[Anonymous]

+1 for more counter space. Go peninsula. Avoid the useless corner cupboard by having that section open from the other side. My aunt put that feature in her kitchen, and I’m massively jealous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Optimizing functionality in constrained spaces doesn’t go out of style. Just make sure you have enough circulation and don’t oversize it.

Yes. We are in the middle of removing a wall between kitchen and DR and replacing with a peninsula—it gives us counter space and lots more light in the kitchen. Way more functional for us, especially since we aren’t a “formal DR” family and plan to be here for a long time.

A kitchen designer can help you figure out the layout options that best fit your lifestyle and needs.

[Anonymous]

What works for your space, works for your space. It isn't dated if it is an old house and that is the configuration that works.

[Anonymous]

Making efficient use of space never goes out of style. I'd rather the workspace and storage than any trend.

[Anonymous]

We did a counter height peninsula with no seating when we gutted a 10x11 kitchen and took down the wall to dining room. Put some drawers and a micro drawer into in. It is very functional prep space and also great for serving buffet style close to the dining room table.
Yes we now have an ear in kitchen instead of a very formal dining room but it works for us. Just makes me clean up more before people come over.

[Anonymous]

We also want to do a kitchen reno in our tiny DC rowhouse. As others have mentioned, storage and prep space will never ever go out of style when you are constrained for square footage.

In our case, we want to take down the wall between the LR & DR, and also enclose the al fresco patio that is just outside the kitchen and DR. It’s much too hot and humid to ever really use the al fresco space, so we might as well just get more usable space. I’d like to install a wall of folding glass panels so we could allow that room to feel like it’s outdoors.

Anyways, it’s all about maximizing efficiency and doing more with less. That’s what we sacrifice for a 10 minute commute

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Making efficient use of space never goes out of style. I'd rather the workspace and storage than any trend.

This, exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My perspective is that a formal dining room that is open to the kitchen isn’t actually formal. I especially object when there is bar seating jammed in next to the dining table.

If it were my house I might eliminate the island/peninsula and do the kitchen around the perimeter with as much furniture or furniture-like cabinetry as possible, then put a large table in the middle of the room to use as food pre workspace/homework/etc most of the time and treat it like a “chef’s table” for formal dining.

BUT, a lot of people like to have standing workspace (counter height) that faces the living area and they wouldn’t like my solution and would prefer a peninsula. Plus some people would say I “lost” the dining room and now just have an eat in kitchen. I disagree but yada yada yada.

I do think that no matter what, if you have a smaller home where the kitchen is visible, you MUST identify a coherent design style and make sure all of your interior architecture and finishes suit each other. This is not the moment to look at a jillion kitchen pictures and pick out the cement tile you loved in a glass house in a California unless you have a huge row house that you’re taking to the studs and redoing all the interiors/moldings/finishes in a new and consistent style.

I agree on keeping the coherent style. We have a somewhat classic style so I would stick with classic cabinetry/counters/trims. I'd also still keep a cased opening around the peninsula so it would still feel like two different rooms.

As for putting the kitchen around the perimeter, our kitchen is smaller in width than the dining room (there's a dogleg on the other side of the kitchen), so that wouldn't work. It's two rooms and it would also be exorbitant to switch the dining room with the kitchen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did a counter height peninsula with no seating when we gutted a 10x11 kitchen and took down the wall to dining room. Put some drawers and a micro drawer into in. It is very functional prep space and also great for serving buffet style close to the dining room table.
Yes we now have an ear in kitchen instead of a very formal dining room but it works for us. Just makes me clean up more before people come over.

Do you have a powder room on the first floor? if so, where is it located? One issue we are having in opening up the kitchen is where to put the powder room that is currently between the dining room and kitchen.

[Anonymous]

I stalk real estate listings to get ideas for our upcoming kitchen renovation.

This is probably my favorite peninsula kitchen: https://ssl.cdn-redfin.com/photo/235/bigphoto/186/1001190186_8_3.jpg

Also like this one, with an island: https://ssl.cdn-redfin.com/photo/235/mbpaddedwide/525/genMid.1001392525_8_0.jpg