Why A Breakfast Bar Might Be Better Than A Traditional Kitchen Island

Is a kitchen island or a breakfast bar better for a modern kitchen? The answer depends on your household needs and the layout and size of your kitchen. A kitchen island serves as a multi-purpose focal point, often with food prep, storage, and seating capabilities. However, kitchen islands are often very large, freestanding sections of cabinets with space for traffic to flow around on all sides. Unless you have a sizeable kitchen that could use the extra counter space and storage, a kitchen island may not be right for you. It will take up valuable floor space and make small-to-medium kitchens look much smaller. Enter the better option — a breakfast bar.

Breakfast bars usually attach to walls or cabinetry rather than floating in the room like an island. The breakfast bar keeps your kitchen open, provides ample seating space, and might be more budget-friendly than an island. Kitchen islands often focus more on being a workspace and a place to gather while entertaining, while a breakfast bar offers a laid-back, casual spot for everyday meals. A breakfast bar within an eat-in kitchen layout provides a casual gathering space that aligns with how many people use their kitchens.

Many modern homes have also adopted an open concept, meaning the kitchen area extends into the living or family room. A breakfast bar provides visual separation of the two areas while still creating an inviting social space that doesn't feel completely cut off from the rest of the home.

Breakfast bars are highly flexible, which makes it easier to customize them to your space. You can extend them out from existing cabinetry or attach them directly to the wall. If you need more storage, consider installing cabinets on one side of the bar. Custom-installed breakfast areas create a more permanent bar space that blends in with the rest of the kitchen, but you can also find premade versions that you can install easily yourself.

Movable bar options work well for people who prefer a customizable layout or those with small kitchens. Another space-saving breakfast bar option is the floating table, which is a budget-friendly option that doesn't take up much space. With this alternative, you can create a breakfast nook for two with a smaller table, or install a collapsible version like the Masmio Mounted Folding Table, which folds down to open the kitchen when it's not in use.

For a kitchen island and breakfast bar combo that won't feel stuffy, this rollable Lark Manor Kitchen Island with an extendable table has space for food prep and kitchen storage. The extendable table has seating for two, so you still get the breakfast bar feel with the multifunctionality of a traditional kitchen island. You can even use a portion of it as a home coffee bar, perfect for baristas on the go.