Column on island bench

Wanted to get people's opinions. Looking at sone 2 storey plans. There is 1 that we are thinking but it has a column sticking up from the island bench. Apparently it is a structural column for upstairs slab. Apparently can't be moved. Unfortunately there is no photo so can't visualize if it would distract from the otherwise open space area.

Anyone with something like this.

Friends of ours have a column jutting out of the corner of their L shape island bench. They knocked down back wall and extended AND built upstairs and this panel needed to stay for structural reasons. Theirs is about..... 1 metre wide(????). But they actually cut a hole in it (rectangle, length-ways) so that you can see through it and the it's not one solid panel blocking the way. They painted it a feature colour. All in all, it looks great.

Having said that, theirs is still in a position that really isn't central to the room or blocking any major areas (it does block some, hence them cutting the gap in it). So if the structure you are looking at really blocks say they main area between kitchen and dining or living and acts as a 'wall', then you would need to think hard about if it will affect the flow/feeling/layout.

Good luck.

Our house has a pier at the end of our island bench that supports the upper slab. I actually like the fact that the kitchen isn't just open at that end as you walk through the house.
The kitchen is still nice and open but has some good seperation from the areas you walk through.

Thanks all,

cant wait to see your updates chippy. Slightly off topic but are you aware of any perth builders using bondek for their suspended slabs