I'm not a fan of a sink with an upper over it. I think you need to stand too close to the front of the door, no matter what. But if you are determined to do that, then by all means I would consider using a farm sink and bumping it out. That means setting it proud (forward) of the front of the sink cabinets and the adjacent base cabinets. I have this arrangement (my sink cabinet is bumped out as well) and it makes working at the sink extremely comfortable because I get farther over it. The trick is in the selection of the sink. The classic Rohl fireclays are the same all the way around. The sink on the floor upthread is the same. But some farm sinks have notches on the side to fit against the cabinet fronts. Some have a flange. Before you choose/buy it's important to figure out how you want the sink to look and then choose one that will do what you wish. There are so many choices, even in SS it shouldn't be a problem. One factor is whether you prefer a 0 radius sink (square corners) or a more traditional sink with rounded corners. How far you want the sink to protrude -- mine stick out 2 inches in front of the cabinet. One sink upthread has the curved front and doesn't protrude much. Etc. Lots of photos on the link plus a farm-sink installation tutorial that will explain the general concept. Here is a link that might be useful: Farm Sink Gallery

It isn't an old fashion gooseneck but I a have been very pleased with my Kohler Fairfax in brushed nickel and I am redoing a small galley, hopefully with soapstone counters and a farm front sink, either 24 or 27 inch and am planning on another Fairfax.

Fireclay is certainly more beautiful IMHO. But I like the ease of stainless, and being free of worrying about chips, cracks, wine stains, and boiling water. I was at the store yesterday looking at sinks, and my thoughts are identical to yours. A sink is -- first and foremost -- a workhorse, so I'm going with stainless steel ... even though I think a white fireclay sink is prettier. I don't like the Vigo apron front because the front is curved and thick. The big advantage of an apron front sink is the ergonomics of being able to stand right up against the sink, as opposed to an undermount sink where there is a strip of counter in front, which makes you have to bend slightly which can be uncomfortable over time for some people. But the Vigo apron front is curved and thick and so defeats the benefit of an apron front sink. That had not occurred to me. Thanks for this. I had no idea that was the benefit of a farmhouse apron sink. I might reconsider my choice now. Farmhouse sinks are great for us short people -- I barely scrape the bottom edge of 5' tall with my shoes on. We don't have to reach our short arms so far to reach into the sink, but don't take my word for it -- go to Lowes and pretend you're working at one of their sample sinks. You'll see whether you like them or not. i contacted kohler and their's is guaranteed for life against chips but yea i suppose if that happens i''ll be stuck paying to have the work done Yeah, having them replace a chipped sink is good, but having a sink that never chips in the first place is far superior! Even if they paid for the installation, you'll never find a convenient time to schedule workmen, clear out that portion of your kitchen, and miss a day of work while it's being done. A bounce-off question: Like I said above, I was at the store yesterday looking at farmhouse sinks ... and I notice that the cabinets underneath are noticeably shorter /a little harder to access. I'm sure it has to do with necessary support under the sink. Questions: - Assuming you're sold on the farmhouse sink, is this a worthwhile trade-off? - Is this shorty cabinet still enough for a garbage disposal? (You'd think I'd have thought of that question at the store.) - I'm thinking a pull-out shelf would work well here. Any experience with such a thing?

It is definitely a trend now. Which means that it almost inevitably will be uncool in 5 years You are wrong. Apron front sinks have been in kitchens since the 1800s. Saying it "inevitably will be uncool in 5 years" means you are not knowledgeable about kitchen design over the decades. "either a Shaw style enamel or one that is fabricated from the counter material... negative reviews of Shaw farmhouse sinks here - that they craze after a period of time, for instance, and that the sizing isn't uniform." You are correct that there are many reports of fireclay sinks (not just Shaw's) that craze and/or have uneven sizing due to how fireclay is made. I suggest you consider a stainless steel apron front sink where you won't have to worry about that, nor about pouring boiling water into it (isn't that a standard job of a sink? Yet some sinks will crack from thermal shock with boiling water). A stainless steel apron front sink is an easier installation too because it is lighter weight than the very heavy fireclay or enameled cast iron, and its dimensions are exact which fireclay's is not. If you change your mind to a stainless steel apron front sink, both Kohler and Elkay Crosstown make good ones. Elkay has a very flat apron which solves your issue of the protrusion of the sink will be (though I think you are overthinking, as this is not an issue - there are millions of apron front sinks in small kitchens). If you think that stainless steel can only go into a contemporary kitchen, that is not the case: