While the perched stools and fruit bowls were initially captivating, an interior designer has declared that breakfast bars are no longer in vogue.
In fact, Jordan Ashkenazi has advised homeowners to think twice about installing the ‘dated’ and ‘tacky’ kitchen feature, adding it feels ‘very of its time’.
‘That chunky, bolt-on piece of furniture sitting awkwardly at the edge of the kitchen suddenly feels very of its time. And not in a charming way,’ she told The Daily Mail.
No longer a highly sought-after decor element, Jordana revealed that many homeowners are even enquiring about how best they can remove them.
Originally, the breakfast bar was sold as a clever use of space, particularly in smaller homes and properties in the heart of a city, offering a ‘slim and efficient solution’ in homes lacking space.
‘No need for a dining table, no wasted floor space, just a neat perch that promised flexibility and modern living. At the time, they genuinely seemed like the way forward,’ Jordana explained.
Yet sadly, the reality of a freestanding breakfast bar is far from this idyllic dream.
From limited functionality to their ‘compromised’ design, Jordana highlighted their pitfalls – and the best alternatives if you’re looking for a kitchen revamp.
Interiors expert Jordan Ashkenazi has now advised homeowners to think twice about installing the ‘dated’ and ‘tacky’ kitchen feature (stock image)
‘Surprisingly limiting’
According to Jordana, freestanding breakfast bars are only really viable within a five-minute window.
‘They are fine for a quick coffee or a croissant, but anything beyond that quickly becomes uncomfortable,’ she explained.
Sitting with your feet dangling from a barstool is far from ideal when completing work, eating, or spending long periods of time at the table.
Jordana said: ‘What was meant to be practical often turns out to be surprisingly limiting.’
‘A dumping ground’
While those who eagerly installed a breakfast bar may have hoped they would be the hub of the home, they tend to ‘deliver clutter’.
‘Keys, post, school bags, Amazon parcels, half-eaten toast’ are just some of the items that become stored on a breakfast bar in a busy household.
Jordana added further: ‘Ergonomically, they are simply not designed for real life. Bar stools look good, but they are not especially forgiving.’
‘That chunky, bolt-on piece of furniture sitting awkwardly at the edge of the kitchen suddenly feels very of its time. And not in a charming way,’ Ms Ashkenazi told The Daily Mail (stock image)
Compromised style and design
While some breakfast bars are carefully designed, ‘many freestanding versions are not particularly high-spec,’ Jordana said.
She noted that there is often a lack of ‘truly stylish options’ available for homeowners, given that the breakfast bar’s era of popularity ‘coincided with the black metal, industrial trend’.
‘Beyond that aesthetic, choices quickly become limited,’ she added.
The result? Jordana feels that they can fail to ‘sit comfortably within more refined or luxury interiors,’ and struggle to fit with the higher-end style of kitchens.
‘Many look lightweight, can feel a little flimsy over time, and simply do not deliver the level of craftsmanship clients now expect.’
Visually heavy
Sitting with your feet dangling from a bar stool is far from ideal when completing work, eating a meal or spending a long period of time together
While many Londoners may have initially vied for a freestanding breakfast bar, Jordana says they look ‘visually heavy’.
She explained: ‘Freestanding bars can interrupt sightlines, block circulation, and make a room feel chopped up rather than fluid.
‘What once felt contemporary can now feel like an afterthought, added because a kitchen was expected to have one.’
However, Jordana clarified breakfast-style seating has ‘evolved’, rather than been entirely abandoned.
‘What I am seeing instead is a move towards more integrated, timeless solutions,’ she explained.
She added that kitchen islands with well-designed overhangs can make a space feel ‘more intentional’, while the built-in banquette model is also ‘making a strong comeback’ in family homes.
‘Even a small dining table positioned just off the kitchen often works better, visually and practically, than a tall freestanding bar ever did,’ she noted.
‘Even a small dining table positioned just off the kitchen often works better, visually and practically, than a tall freestanding bar ever did,’ Ms Ashkenazi said (stock image)
A calmer and ‘more considered’ kitchen may also be favourable, with Jordana explaining that clients are shifting towards ‘spaces that work all day, not just during the morning coffee rush’.
For those looking to plan a kitchen or undergo an extensive renovation, she advises ‘thinking carefully’ about a breakfast bar.
The key question one should ask themselves is the following: ‘Ask how you actually live, not how a show home tells you to.’
‘Design, like fashion, moves in cycles. And while the freestanding breakfast bar had a very good run, it may now be quietly joining shag carpets, glass brick walls and avocado bathrooms.
‘Fondly remembered, but not necessarily missed.’
