My kitchen does not need to pass inspection so I was also thinking I would skip the air gap. That would then be 4 things placed at the sink. What would be a good placement for those? It won't be symmetrical since the faucet will be centered. So, where should the soap dispenser, filter faucet and air switch go? What would look the best? Thanks again!

Lexluthor, it's not a stupid question. I didn't know what one was until I encountered the term here--and then I had to have one (two, actually!). An airswitch is an alternative to a wall switch. It's the little button on the counter to the right of the faucet in my pic. In most cases here, it's to operate the garbage disposal, although it could be used for just about anything with an on/off switch. Most people who use them like not having the clutter of a wall switch on their backsplash, or in the case of a garbage disposal in an island, having an easily accessible place for the switch. I have them at both sinks and love them.

It is personal preference! But, here's my setup: To determine which side to put the SD & GD air switch with a single bowl sink, first, decide which side to put the SD. (1) If you have a soap bottle now, which side is it on? Most likely that's the side you're more comfortable w/having the SD & that's the side to use. (2) If you don't have a soap bottle now or you're not sure you have the bottle on the correct side for you, then imagine yourself washing your hands (go through the motions at the sink to make it more real!). Which side do you naturally want to go to to pump the soap? That's the side to use. For us, we put our left hand under the dispenser to collect the soap and use our right hands to adjust water temp. For us, it worked out better to have the SD on the left...so we put the GD switch on the right...even though our GD is in the left, large bowl. Once you've decided which side to put the SD: If you only have the 3 (faucet, SD, air switch), I recommend putting the airswitch on the opposite side of the faucet from the SD. If you also have an instant hot water, filtered water tap, or other (like side spray), then put the GD on either side...it's so low-profile that it's location is not much of an issue. HTH!

“I cannot picture what one looks like with a handle in front.“ Here is a link to a thread on this topic. With this faucet handle placement, you do away with water, soap scum, and hard water minerals from dripping hands landing on the counter under the faucet. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2442104/positioning-single-handle-kitchen-faucet ”I'm not sure there's a more safe place or a less safe place as far as kids or someone touching the switch if someone had to stick their hands down the drain for if something like a fork fell in the drain...” You could also consider a “batch feed disposal”, in which there is no switch. The disposal is operated by a cover which doubles as a sink strainer and stopper. Push the cover in, the disposal starts. Pull the cover off, the disposal stops. The disposal can only operate with the cover on. There is no separate switch. There are pros and cons of each type of disposal - the “continuous feed“ which is what an air switch operates that you are talking about, and the “batch feed” which is what I just described. Read up on them if you are interested. I myself have a 1 hp batch feed disposal which I have had for many years because I too was concerned about my kids. Now they are grown but I still prefer the batch feed style. One caution is that my 1 hp batch feed disposal is large and takes up more room under the sink. This very quick video shows the cover of the Waste King batch feed disposal turning it on, turning it off, and acting as a stopper or as a strainer so you can see how the disposal works (though mine doesn’t have the strainer thingy shown at the very end. That strainer makes no sense since the black cover acts as the strainer). https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=15y-l7sO3pM