http://www.bathroomandkitchenguide.com/Kitchen-Design-Ideas/suspended-seating-for-kitchen-islands.html

Well, the idea isn’t really any different than what you find in the restaurant industry. The key is structural integrity. You’ll notice in that link that all of the seats are supported by steel of some sort. The island or ‘bar’ itself must also be strong structurally to support the seats and individuals, as well as be anchored to the floor.

On the ‘pro’ side, it does keep your seating nice and neat. No one is going to drag the chair or stool off someplace else.

On the ‘con’ side…. you are limiting the size of the individual who can use the seat. Someone short might find it difficult to climb into, and anyone with long legs is going to be uncomfortable trying to fit in there, hehehe. Being a tall individual myself, I prefer seating I can pull out to where I am comfortable. If I were invited to sit at an island like that, I’m afraid I’d have to just stand nearby.

I guess the bottom line is, Do you like it enough to limit your seating options?

Good Luck

Get rid of the laminate counter top on the kitchen island, lay down some wood and then tile it. (A friend has given me a ton of 6×6 smooth white tile). Remove the laminate back splash and use the remainder of the white tile as my back splash, which I will lay all the way up to the base of the cabinets. Finally replace the remaining laminate counter tops and install new laminate countertops, the ones from home depot with waterfall edges that look like granite counter tops. With the tile being free, the remaining materials would run me about $150. It will probably take me a weekend to get through.

Is this is great remodel idea that will save me money and result in a unique and stylish kitchen, or are these shortcuts going to leave me with a confusing and out of place kitchen design?

Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Confusing and out of place kitchen. Pick a counter top and go with it throughout. Laminate doesn’t buy you anything these days. Kitchens are expected to be a stone of some sort….granite, silestone, or any of the new stones. Tile can be done but you would then have to do it for your entire kitchen countertops. Use the tile you have been given for your backsplash and pick a coordinating stone countertop to match it. That would pull your kitchen design together. Kitchens and baths are two areas you shouldn’t go cheap on. It will always affect your resale. If you don’t do it now, you will have to do it later and what you are proposing is just too disjointed and doesn’t flow. You will be wasting your money. Wait until you have the money to do it right.

They’ll be eager to please, need the experience and you’ll get exactly what you want as well as be listened to.