In most modern homes, the kitchen is a social space, an area designed not just for cooking but also for entertaining guests and interacting with family members. In such a configuration, the breakfast bar is often at the heart of the space. But what is in fact a breakfast bar? You could consider it the casual equivalent of the dining table. While the dining room is the official area designated for eating, the breakfast area, often referred to as a breakfast nook, is a casual and more intimate space with a more versatile nature.

As opposed to the dining room which in Medieval times was called a Great Hall and was this huge space that could accommodate hundreds of people, the breakfast nook is considerably smaller and designed for small groups of people. In the dining room you have a dining table and the equivalent of that would be in this case a breakfast bar table. Of course, it doesn’t have to be an independent piece of furniture. In fact, the breakfast table is either an extension of the kitchen island or the island itself, hence the term “bar” that defines it.

The height of the breakfast bar table can vary depending on each kitchen’s design and layoutThe breakfast table here is raised several centimeters above the island counterA raised bar extension is practical as well as visually pleasing, especially is it contrasts with the counterHere the breakfast bar table is a side extension of the kitchen island

You can use the breakfast bar table is various different ways: to grab a quick meal (not necessarily in the morning), as extra counter space when prepping food and even as a homework table for the kids. It can even be utilized for small, informal dinners but also as a party zone when entertaining. It’s one of the most versatile furniture elements in the modern home and a central piece for social kitchens.

A possibility is also to have a breakfast bar that’s the same height as the island counterWhen the bar and counter have more or less the same height, the contrast of materials can differentiate themIn some cases, the breakfast bar is simply a kitchen worktop accompanied by stoolsSmall kitchens can have a breakfast table too, even if they’re not big enough to have an islandYou could fit a small breakfast table in a small kitchen by making it a part of the counterThe breakfast table can extend to the side and form an L-shape with the counterThis is a breakfast bar for two. It’s added to the side of the kitchen island and it’s really cuteYou can simply add the breakfast bar on top of an island’s counter and they can be made of different materials for a nice contrastPick the bar stools according to the height of the breakfast bar counter to ensure a perfect match

Although it’s true that breakfast bar tables are more common in large and open kitchens, they can also be successfully integrated in small spaces where they can double as dining tables to save floor space. Also, even though usually the breakfast bar is an extension of the kitchen island or the actual island counter, that’s not always the case. When there’s no room for an island, the breakfast bar could be an extension of the window ledge or a drop-down counter attached to a wall.

A breakfast bar table doesn’t take up much space, especially if you store the stools underneath when not neededThis is an interesting design which features a breakfast bar that’s actually lower than the island counter