I know your post is from a couple years ago, but I'm wondering if you got the Julien sink with the sponge drawer on the side, and if so - what do you think of it? I'm looking at that same feature on the julien sink but can't seem to find too many opinions on it.

Shortly after the original post above, I replaced the drain with a Blanco "3 in 1" drain, which is both eminently more functional, and far more appealing, all for about $50. It is a moderately straight-forward change out, particularly if you have PVC waste line. Note there are different models depending upon whether you have a disposal. It was a bit more complicated with the cast iron waste here in NYC, but a massive improvement..

@cabinathome Concerning my Julien Smart Station sink, I’ve now had the sink for almost 4 years. The ”protective” feet on the grid have marked the stainless sink and I‘ve had no success removing the marks. Julien did not offer a solution or cover this under their warranty, which seemed outrageous to me. Since my original post, the wood sides on the dish drainer accessory have begun to rot, so I will need to order another of those. This should not have happened on an expensive sink that is not heavily used (2 people). As for the stainless finish, it seems dullish to me despite following all of Julien’s cleaning instructions and using their recommended cleaning products. The stainless on this sink was supposed to be the best quality—how is it that plastic grid feet have permanently marred the surface of the sink and the finish is rather dull after only a few years?? I have no clue. I was not happy with Julien’s customer service and lack of resolution for the marred stainless, so I won’t be purchasing a Julien sink again. As for the design of the Smart Station sink, I do like it.

@C. First of all, if you are 5'10" and have really bad back pain, then a 38" countertop height might still be too low for you. I'm barely 5'7" when when standing up as straight as I can, and a 38 3/4" countertop height is very comfortable for me. At 5'10", you could easily go up to a 40" countertop height. It is uncommon for kitchen designers to specify countertops much higher than 40" for anyone except a frequent kitchen user who is taller than 6 feet in order to retain the general usability for varying heights of potential users, but you may always do what you find best for yourself. I would encourage you to do a mockup of a 40" countertop height and try different tasks like chopping on a cutting board and stirring in mixing bowls to see how you like it. Remember that you should allow 1/2" for cabinetry leveling, so find your perfect height, and then subtract 1/2" (from the total of cabinetry plus countertop) when placing your order. The minimum possible front countertop ledge width is determined by factors which contribute to the risk of a break. I will guarantee you that ledge width in your picture is probably wider in person than it may appear here. Few fabricators will cut a continuous ledge (meaning without seams) less than 2 1/2" to 3" wide, and some fabricators will even burden you with a 4" or greater ledge, though that is excessive. The Galley issues guidelines for cutting the sink hole with no seams around the hole, but this technique complicates the handling and transport of the piece because that area is so delicate once it is cut. If I understand, correctly your countertop will only be 1/2" thick which may mean that you are using porcelain or something of that nature, and in that case, the substrate will dictate that you will need a seam for a narrow front ledge rather than having the sink cut from the middle. Porcelain is already fragile, and it won't survive the handling, transport, and installation with a pre-cut, narrow, continuous sink ledge. Be cautious of any fabricator who wants to install steel rods to help stabilize a front sink ledge. Those rods can get wet and swell and cause future breakage. The best policy is to avoid rod reinforcement. In terms of ergonomics, the height of your countertop and the height of your sink is relatively more important than how far forward you stand to the sink, but if you have really bad back pain and want to give your best effort to eliminating that in your kitchen, then an apron-front sink still needs to be on your list for consideration. I regularly operate within the full confines of the apron front which brings dishes and other tasks such as cleaning the sink very close to my body and allows me to stand mostly upright. It is the leaning forward at a sink that strains your back, and you will lose at least a hand width's advantage with a non-apron-front sink of your ability to work closer to your body to minimize leaning. For many people this is not an issue, and due to the fact that non-apron-front sinks are usually less expensive and more plentiful in terms of brands and styles, plus more aesthetically pleasing in many instances, the majority of kitchen remodelers are not using apron-fronts. Both Rachiele and Havens offer texturing for their stainless steel sinks, and if you look at their portfolios, you'll see that a hammered or otherwise textured finish is actually very pretty for an apron front sink. I have a textured finish, and it hides water spots and scratches and it looks as new today as it did several years ago when I had it installed. My only caution is that the interior of the sink should preferably be smooth to aid with cleaning. I believe that texturing can be applied only to the forward-facing and top ledge part of the apron front if you like that look. Spillage over the apron front is not a problem for me. Every now and then, I might get a small drip down the apron front, maybe after loading the dishwasher with something wet, but nothing more than you would sometimes get from a sink with a ledge that gets water on the front ledge and drips down occasionally. I would be hard pressed to say if I even have to wipe drips of water off the apron front even once per week. It just really is not a problem for me. It sounds like you are on the right track to helping with your ergonomics. As I mentioned earlier, your first step is to see if you can raise those countertops up to 40". If you do a lot of bread kneading or something where you need your arms straight down, you might consider doing dual levels somewhere in the kitchen. Generally, 41" to 42" is the upper stretch of a modified countertop height, and that would be for someone taller than 6 feet. The reason that we don't like to raise the countertop much more than that is because then they become unusable for people who are shorter. However, at a height of 5'10" with back problems, 40" is not at all out of reason. Be aware that if you wear shoes with thick soles when you are working in the kitchen or if you intend to put down a comfort mat on the floor that has substantial thickness, those factors could alter how you feel about your cabinetry height. Mocking up a height and doing various tasks is the most reliable way to determine what is best for you.