When I was looking for a new home (over 3 yrs ago), I insisted that the kitchen have either an island or peninsula. I ended up selecting a house with an island. Apparently, my dogs agreed with my choice because they really love racing around it when they get the zoomies. Wouldn’t have it any other way 😊

@MTKDofficial

8 ай бұрын

haha. that's awesome!

One design issue we had with our "retirees kitchen reno" that I suspect is very common is a patio door to the back deck that is placed right where the seating by the peninsula will be and can't really be shifted. In our house, this is made worse by the fact that the main corridor through the middle of the house lines up with it. That means a need for unobstructed clearance effectively bisecting our already smallish kitchen (10' by 20') into two smaller usable spaces: the kitchen itself - a de facto 1-person kitchen however you look at it - even though it does have access on two sides (including a doorway into the dining room) - and a shallow-depth "breakfast nook" area where we'll put a banquette and narrow trestle table. Unlike other homeowners, we really didn't have the option of expensively knocking out a VERY structural wall (not only load-bearing but with every conceivable type of duct and plumbing as well) between the kitchen and dining room. So a peninsula it is. As for the storage under the peninsula's counter/overhang (at the knees of anyone sitting at the wall-end of the peninsula, by the patio door), it takes the form of a door cabinet with full-extension pullouts and will be de facto "secondary" storage for deck BBQ items not usually in active use every day - especially in our long winters here.

@florencecousin5577

8 ай бұрын

Having 3 doors in a medium-small squared kitchen (12 square meter) kitchen, I finally chose... no island nor peninsula. I tried to fit a peninsula, but finally I opted for a small kitchen table. Benefit : I can move a table, which is essential for me, because the kitchen is the only way to the garden. A peninsula would always restrict the way and the clearance would be to small to carry branches or tools like the lawn mower...

@MTKDofficial

8 ай бұрын

That patio door thing is a very common issue. hmmm. (video ideas)

I remember my grandmas house having the peninsula with upper cabinets, along with neon green shaggy carpeting. I don’t think either of those are coming back in style

@PeloquinDavid

8 ай бұрын

Minus the shaggy carpet - I presume you don't mean IN the kitchen??? - I remember that too. In our coming reno, we really don't have a choice: it's a peninsula because we don't have the space for an island, but for sure there will be no upper cabinets hanging over the peninsula from the ceiling...

@MTKDofficial

8 ай бұрын

You just never know.

We went with demolishing a wall between the original kitchen and what was the original living room. To separate the two spaces we chose a peninsula. The original kitchen was too small for an island and with the peninsula the seating area extends into the old front room. There are also two points of entry into the space, both being 4 feet wide so plenty of room without having to dance around. A set of french doors on one side closes off the kitchen from that side of the house, but there is an open concept on the other side. Best of both worlds.

I am 62. Due to a spinal injury, I have to use a rolling walker to walk. I want to build our retirement home, but can only find plans meant for the handicapped in wheelchairs. I cannot stand for long due to pain, so I need to sit to prep meals, and cannot lift more than 10 pounds. I am also planning on an induction cooktop due to my mobility issues for safety. Could you please do a video on planning a kitchen or those of us with disabilities and physical challenges as we age? Pull down upper shelving, rollout drawers, as well as pantries. I am thinking of adding a seating area to the cabinets to sit and prep. Thank you!

The house I grew up in, that my parents build, has a U shaped kitchen. However, 1) it never had the cabinets over the peninsula and there was never a separate dining room. It was separate from the living room but depending on where you were standing in the kitchen, you could see into part of the living room. That house is going to be my retirement house and I'll be keeping the peninsula / U-shaped kitchen because honestly, there is no other way to design the space.

@MTKDofficial

8 ай бұрын

Hey Mavis! Thanks for leaving a comment. U shaped kitchens are very functional.

7:35 that's what we found in the 1963 built house: the hanging cabinets over the peninsula. But we had a Harvest Gold stove and fridge, la la 😍. To match the gold broadloom in the sunken Living room.

Brilliant and informative vlog Mark.

Great video Mark!!!. Very informative!!!🤗😁

@MTKDofficial

8 ай бұрын

Thanks Natasha!!

My apartment has a characteristic that's fairly common where I live (NYC): the entry is more-or-less in the kitchen. I want a peninsula for the usual reasons, but also to define the two spaces. (Yes, I realize that such a peninsula would also become the spot where I dump things when I come home.) Thank you for your well-considered insights.

@MTKDofficial

8 ай бұрын

Thanks for the input and for watching!

Hi Mark, there is a lot of TV ads (here in Italy) for an induction cooktop that has the fan straight in the middle (the commercial name is Elica). I wanted to suggest this appliance because it comes in white too. On an island it can be a gamechanger.

@MTKDofficial

8 ай бұрын

Cool! Thanks for mentioning it. I've seen similar with the vent system like that too. Very cool.

@domenicamassaro8221

8 ай бұрын

@@MTKDofficial i don't know if it is reliable, I mean, what if you spill liquid on the cooktop (it happens way too often)? This model has a rotating cover, so, when not in use, it is sealed close. But I don't presume. I would like to see it in a few years time to know how it behaves under the hard duty of a kitchen. But it is an interesting item and, on an aesthetic level, very attractive.

@domenicamassaro8221

8 ай бұрын

@@MTKDofficial what caught my attention is that it comes also in white, and most countertops are white or a fair color. If you like a streamlined aesthetic, this is a nice option.

One thing not mentioned is the problem a kitchen island can create for people with dogs. Dogs are quite creative when they want to drive you crazy. A kitchen island gives them the opportunity to play keep-away with you when you want to do something like give them a pill or do some grooming.

When my townhome community was built, many of the homes were given a pony wall in between the kitchen and dining area. The prior owner of my place placed a counter top on it to make it into a peninsula since otherwise, there is not much counter space and the wall is kinda useless other than providing extra outlets. As I think about redoing my kitchen, I am torn what to do with the peninsula. It is at bar height which isn't the most useful for a secondary work surface, so lowering it would be my first inclination. I've thought about an island, but it may be too small to really offer any function, even though I would enjoy the extra storage. It can also be difficult to find standard cabinetry to fit my specific wants.

@MTKDofficial

3 ай бұрын

It sounds like you should keep the peninsula but get rid of the bar counter. That's probably what I would look to do. Thanks for watching.

People don't seem to understand that a kitchen that's too big can be just as bad as a kitchen that's too small.

The chicken or the egg😂😂😂😂😂😂👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

@MTKDofficial

8 ай бұрын

The chicken!

I just removed a peninsula in my small kitchen because it made it feel smaller.

😢I haven't had a job to hire you, yet...but worse--my whole house drain is not to code and embeded in the slab foundation! This is painfully expensive.

@MTKDofficial

8 ай бұрын

Yikes! Hopefully that's gets fixed without too much set back!

Hey Mark...let me know if you want to do a video together....

@MTKDofficial

8 ай бұрын

For sure!! Let's make is happen. Let me know what you have in mind.

I hate waterfalls- they make that section unusable- there is no storage access and no place for your feet while working at the island or peninsula - Very disfunctional