Kitchen - Breakfast Bar confusion

evansc1

Hiya

I'm trying to work this out, and have queried with some customer support people on the phone.

Looking to buy a kitchen (believe it or not) from DIY-Kitchens. Never bought one before. I want a breakfast bar in it, so tried finding them on all variety of sites to see how much they will cost but to no avail.

Generally, are they simply reduced depth units with the normal depth worktops?? I know that sounds simple, but am i missing something as I'm sure the back of the units don't look amazingly attractive to be showing off? Or am i being completely stupid??

Never thought something so simple sounding could be so confusing to me haha!!

Hasbeen

The ones iv'e seen are normal kitchen units with decor panel to cover backs with a breakfast bar worktop 900mm wide instead of 600mm.

Ramona123

Agree with "Hasbeen". You cannot buy a breakfast bar as they can be crafted any way that you like. All a breakfast bar usually is, is a raised bit of worktop that sticks out on the end of a kitchen run (using the units that are there).

If you are building a kitchen island to host the breakfast bar then all you are going to need is some standard kitchen base units and some reduced depth ones on the other side, if you are having laminate worktops, which are a maximum of 900mm wide. If you are using granite then you could have a bigger island if required.

Take some time to look at a few pictures of kitchen islands on Google, if that is what you intend on creating. You can put wine coolers in there, wine racks, curved corner units, split level worktops. You could even put your sink in there, if you have accessing to water pipes and a way to drain the water off.

The world is your kicthen oyster:-)

evansc1

Thanks! All sounds so good! Sadly the area isn't big enough for an island. Knocking through to make a kitchen diner and the breakfast bar is going to be the room dividing side of a 'U' shaped kitchen (that's the current plan at least!).

Doesn't sound as complicated as I'd feared though to create the BB

vansboy

This is the one I did a lifetime ago.
http://s260.photobucket.com/user/vansboyuk/media/IMG_2101.jpg.html

http://s260.photobucket.com/user/vansboyuk/media/IMG_2104.jpg.html

It is a special order worktop which was made in one piece and larger than standard size, it actually has a very very very feint line along the join, which you can only just see, when looking down on it.

The rest of the island is three 800 drawer units, with cover panels.

All from Ikea

VB

spadoosh

Many ways of doing an island or breakfast bar.

The laminate worktops for an island are 900mm and will be finished on both edges (ie rounded on both sides, standard worktops are flat and unfinished one side to but up to walls)

Some islands are made using standard base (600mm deepish) units which can leave enough room for dangling legs if your sitting at it. If not ive seen people use wall units (narrower than a base unit 300mm deepish) and but them up to the base unit to make a more complete block of an island iygwim.

The breakfast bar is typical just a piece of worktop supported by legs. You could fit wall units underneath (just buy a pack of legs/feet) if you will not need all the space underneath for legs. Decorative panels can be bought to cover the backs if they are open to see.

peachyprice

I don't have anything under my BB, it's a countertop return supported at the open end with legs similar to the pics above.

Having a space underneath means two people can comfortably sit opposite each other and there is nothing to bash your knees on.

I'm not that keen on BB's with cupboards under that are too shallow to sit at comfortably, as many seem to be, but I do spend a lot of time at mine working from home.

PasturesNew

The term "breakfast bar" is a generic term, which can have several meanings.

It can be half depth, or full depth.
It can be against a wall, or sticking out on its own (also called a peninsula).

At its easiest it's just a length of worktop with a leg fitted at one end.
Some might have base units, or not.
Some might have an overhang, or not.

You're using a generic term and expecting it to be exactly what you mean ... which it can't/won't.

evansc1

Well pardon me

I mentioned using units in the OP and also in a reply to a comment that it will be part of a 'U' shape kitchen, with the BB being the divide between kitchen and diner so would be a peninsular.

I think that is a little less vague than you make out
But thanks for your input

Actually thinking that the BB without units may be more practical (and cheaper!)

beaker141

I used diy-kitchens and created a BB as discussed above, using a 1000mm wall unit with feet added. I used the wall end panels, or decor panels, to clad the rear and side, the usual plinth added to hide the feet and job done. I can get stools with leg space on either side.