Putting main sink in a island

hollister768

14 years ago

Ugh...working on these layouts can drive you crazy!!

Please give advice about putting clean-up sink in a all-one-level island.

Do you have one? Do you like it? Hate it?

Thanks in advance for any replies!

Featured Answer

Buehl

14 years ago

If there's no other place to put it, then at least it's better than a range or cooktop. But, it does eliminate the advantage of a wonderful expanse of work space an island or peninsula offers. When we were baking & later decorating Christmas cookies & other goodies, it was great to be able to have the the kids working with me on all 3 sides of our peninsula. We could roll out the dough, "cut" cookies, and have room for the cookie sheets all at one time instead of having to do it piecemeal. The peninsula offered a big work area w/nothing in the way.

If you have people seated at the island...you do need to worry about splashing...but an 18" overhang should take care of that issue.

You might have to warn children (if you have any) to be careful about doing homework and other crafts/projects on the island b/c of the splashing issue since those activities typically require use of a greater expanse of work area than eating a quick meal or sitting down for a chat (especially if your printer uses the type of ink that runs when it gets wet.)

As to spending time doing dishes & visiting...first, if I have visitors, I'd rather not be washing dishes...that's the last thing I want to do! I'd rather wait until everyone has left and then do the dishes (a deep sink really helps!) Regardless, keep in mind the following statistics (I know, many of you have seen me post these...but they bear repeating in this thread b/c of the subject):

Time spent in a kitchen while working:

70% - Prepping
20% - Cleaning up
10% - Cooking

If you're interested in visiting with people at the island while working in the kitchen, then the best thing your island can be used for is prep (and baking if you bake a lot). That being said, if you plan to prep in the island since your sink is there, then remember that you will now be competing for space not only on the counter, but also in the sink w/anyone else at the sink AND with the dirty dishes! (A double bowl sink may help a little.)

A prep sink, b/c they're usually small and on an end, is usually OK unless you have a small island, but I know I wouldn't want a full size sink in an island (or peninsula) unless I had no other options. But, as you've seen by previous posters, it works for some.

Caveat to the above: If you have a huge island or peninsula (say 10 feet or more), then I think a sink will work fine b/c there's so much room...as long as it's over to one side & not centered.

Comments (20)

jraz_wa
14 years ago
I considered doing this because I wanted to have my prep sink in the same run as the cooktop against the wall. I was thinking the island would be 3-4 feet wide and about 10 feet long, all one level. I thought a bit about the fact that cleanup would be on display in the middle of the kitchen. I determined that no matter where the cleanup sink is in our very open kitchen, it will be visible. Besides, that is what the large sink would be for - hiding stacks of dirty prep pans/dishes; and I tend to clean as I go, so it never gets that bad.

In the end we decided our aisles would end up being too narrow and so we switched layouts. So much for all that thinking! =)
needsometips08
14 years ago
I say this every time this comes up: I LOVE my sink in island (which is all the same height). I am giving it up in my reno, and it was a huge hurdle to accept....almost a dealbreaker for quite a long time.

It's wonderful because it allows me to do dishes and chat and interact with the family and guests. I never feel relegated to a different room because of it. I am always a part of the action.

I have had several people say they thought that would be a "con" when we bought the house and then after using it while working in the kitchen with me, they came to really like it.
Related Discussions
Where to put InstaHot/Cold: Main sink or Island/Veggie Sink?
Q
Comments (9)
Thanks, all - I think we'll go with the main sink and maybe I'll get the sink that is sort of shaped to accommodate that extra faucet (Yep, still haven't picked that out yet.) The main reason that we're going with one in the kitchen and one in the wet bar is that after having 20 years of freezers with no ice maker and certainly no water dispenser, I am giving up my lifelong dream of having a dispenser in the door because we're getting an 32" all fridge/all freezer set. I know there is raging debate about the usefulness of ice/water in the door but I loved that cold, cold water. So, I want it in my kitchen AND the wet bar - it's a modified version of my dream. :-) I'd probably put an insta cold in my master bath if I could- hey, hmmmm.... If anyone has their insta hot or hot/cold and would like to post a picture, I'd love it. I'm trying to find a faucet for the hot/cold that doesn't look like bunny ears. Just makes me giggle. :-) Thanks, everyone!
...See More
Prep sink in perimeter cabinet?
Q
Comments (13)
I have to say that I have a prep sink in my island, and would always plan one in any kitchen we have. We have lots of activity and a big family for which it's often useful, but even when I'm working alone, I think my prep sink is priceless. I so enjoy having a specific place to wash and prep food, while I can throw dirty dishes, tools, and pots off to the cleanup sink. If you do any entertaining, it'll be nice to have the cleanup area elsewhere, while you entertain... visit or serve... at the island. You could put ice in the island sink for beverages or foods that need to be kept cold, while dirty dishes collect in the cleanup sink. -Or- If others ever come and help you with a holiday meal or party, it's easier to share a prep sink at the island, since people can stand at any side, while, again, any dirty stuff gets put out of the way on the perimeter sink. Not trying to push, just more to think about, only because I love mine so much and want you to see the possibilities and consider all your needs.
...See More
please check floorplan
Q
Comments (2)
Main sink on the cooktop wall, definitely. It's a more natural way to work (no need to turn around while prepping/cooking) and gives you a lot more counterspace (not to mention undercounter storage space) on the island, which is great because typically the island is the biggest flat surface in the house, and there are times when you need that much flat surface. Also, you can set up a buffet there for parties more easily without a sink in the way. Also--last but definitely not least--putting the cooktop and sink across an aisle from each other means you will be carrying hot and dirty things across that aisle, which creates daily opportunities for accidents. Moving such things down the counter is safer than carrying them across the aisle. That being said, even without measurements the space you drew between range and sink looks small, particularly if there are corbels coming down to the counter to support the hood. You don't want the sink and range ridiculously far apart, but having three to six feet between them will give you room to spread out when you're doing something complicated. We are changing interior walls as we see fit, so pretty much have a blank slate. Have you hired a structural engineer to determine which interior walls are load-bearing and what would need to be done to remove or cut holes in them? No existing house is truly a blank slate, because you have to respect the load-bearing walls. Not that you can't move them, but there are trade-offs: not just the cost of adding the structural support, but the fact that, for example, removing X wall might only be possible if you place columns at points A and B--which means you don't get to completely dictate the floor plan; you have to have those columns. We just hired a structural engineer to figure out what would need to be done to remove the DR/kitchen wall. It's only 11 feet long but it is load-bearing. The answer? We have to install reinforcements in the basement to distribute the load to the I-beam that runs across the basement, then we have to build temporary supports on either side of the wall (you always have to do this when removing a load-bearing wall so that the ceiling doesn't collapse), then remove the wall, then replace it with a fairly thick beam across the ceiling, perched on 5" thick columns at either end. Those columns and the ceiling beam are non-negotiable. The wall cannot be removed without them. It cost us all of $450 to get an incredibly detailed professional report from this engineer. We found him on Angie's List, in case you're wondering where to find recommendations for a good one--personally I would use one who was not affiliated with my GC, because you want an independent perspective.
...See More
Those of you who have your main sink in your island?
Q
Comments (20)
Another issue I see with your floor plan is that your access to the back yard through the sliding glass door is very round about from the kitchen. I would try to create an L shaped kitchen with a smaller island so that you have more direct access to the back yard if you will be using the back yard alot. I think if you swap the closet and walk in pantry, you can have an L shaped kitchen.... Another "traffic jam" as you have drawn floor plan is the size of the living room furniture. You have blocked the person into the sitting area. You need to lay it out with smaller pieces of furniture so that people can walk out of the sitting area around both pieces of furniture. Again, this is how you psychologically create spaciousness if you are not building a huge house. You need to use furniture that is scaled right for the room. I think smaller L shaped couch may be a better option for you. When smaller houses are not laid out well, they feel cramped. If you pay attention to how they work, then they can live large. In smaller houses, it is more important to feel that walkways are adequate and traffic flows are not dead ended. You have very generous hallways, ie 5 ft. You need to creat similar spaciousness elsewhere by paying attention to traffic flow. If you have already thought through, then never mind. Good luck.
...See More
fin1
14 years ago
I looked at several houses with island sinks as the main sink. I could not figure out how, with no backsplash, the water does not end up on the floor. I really did not like the look and decided not to have an island sink.
hollister768
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you for your replies everyone! Mixed opinions...as I would have expected. Hmmm.....

Needsometips08- I am glad you like your sink in the island. I often feel banished in the kitchen washing dishes, so I can imagine that you like having company. Do you have a problem with water splashing all over the counter?

Anyone else care to share their experience?
jlinajo
14 years ago
I love, love my sink in the island. We built the whole kitchen around that design thinking that you are always in the sink for some reason and that person could see the whole house and the backyard as well. It is the center of everything in the kitchen. (Even DH does the dishes now:)
hollister768
Original Author
14 years ago
jlinajo- Thanks for your reply! Do you have a one-level island? Do you have issues with water splashing?
jlinajo
14 years ago
There is some splashing only when I get too messy but my island is huge, 7.5x9 so, no, no water ends up on the floor. I can't tell you how much better doing dishes is with lay out. I also eliminated the reason for a prep sink which saved enough money for me to buy my large franke sink which I love. If you have an open floor plan I would recommend it.
hollister768
Original Author
14 years ago
This is very encouraging! We have room for a big island, and will have an open floor plan. I looked for your kitchen in the FKB to see your sink but didn't find it. Tell me about your sink! Can you fit a drying rack in it?
jlinajo
14 years ago
sorry hollister I forgot to answer your question about the height. It is all counter height which I think is more inviting and open. My kitchen is still not on FKB as we are just finishing the details. The sink is a 36" 3/4-1/4 which I bought in matte black and I believe comes with a drying rack. I bought the racks for the bottom of the sinks and I love them. Sooo happy with my sink combination and funny enough was, the quickest and least stressful to pick.
megradek
14 years ago
Our only sink is in the island (4x9, 36" single level) and I love this set up. It's a very open floor plan, so like needsometips and jlinajo, I'm happy to be able to see the whole family room, bfast nook and yard. Since it is my only sink, this is where I 'live' in the kitchen (all that prep work and cleaning takes up so much more time than cooking!). I have a single bowl, large sink that fits things if I've got to leave in a hurry without washing. I don't like having lots of dishes around when having guests over - regardless of sink placement.
afr66
14 years ago
I have my one and only sink in our one-level island. The island is 6' X 3' and it works well for us. Sometimes I get a bit of water behind the faucet if I'm doing a ton of dishes, but it isn't an issue otherwise. Also, I'm not typically doing dishes when someone is seated at the island eating a meal so it doesn't impact that. In a perfect world I'd have the sink along a wall but we didn't have to room to have that AND get the amount of counter space beside my cooktop that I wanted. I prefer to prep next to my cooktop rather than on the island so I wanted the bulk of my empty counter space there. I do use the island for cookies etc but don't usually have the water running then either!
boxerpups
14 years ago
Hi Hollister768,
Years ago I had a sink on an island. Burmuda Island.
(I am getting punchy)
The kitchen island sink was our main sink.
The island had two levels. I really liked it. When washing
I got to watch TV. I have memories of watching Sesame St.
with my kids. Today I could see myself watching the Soxs
or better having hubby wash dishes with the Soxs on.
That would be a design feature I never thought of...Hmmm
Maybe these pics can help you visualize for your design
choices. Best of luck with whatever you choose, it
will look great.
~boxerpups

The Sexy Kitchen

kmcivercustomhomes.com

webcontractorkona1

uptowncarpentry

Google image
{{!gwi}}

indKD

donharborvillas

bestcontractors.com
{{!gwi}}

home-designing.com

Yahoo images

Flicker images
needsometips08
14 years ago
Yes, there is splashing, but I am not even remotely careful so I know a backsplash would get wet too, and to me, it's no different to have to wipe water off a vertical surface (backsplash) than a horizontal surface (counter).

If you do have a sink in the island, it's just better not to keep paper items there.

As far as people seated there getting wet, that's not really an issue. It's not a ton of water, even with the slopiest of water sloppers (like me). In normal use such as an overflowing sink of dishes and every square inch of the island filled with dirty dishes, I wipe up a puddle up to 4 inches wide that sits behind the faucet, and that would occur even with a backsplash.

I find the water splashing to be a non-issue for me since I have to wipe down counters anyway, sink or no sink.

I love my island sink SO much that if I can think of a great way to integrate it into my farmhouse dining table on one end (raised to counter height on that end), I will do it (instead of moving it to the window).
dreamojean
10 years ago
Question - if we are in a small urban kitchen and tend to leave a lot of dishes filling up one side of a 33" 50-50 double sink plus a very full dishrack, is it better to have the main sink along the main wall versus in the island? We have 12' between door to deck and wall against bathroom along main appliance wall, and plan to have a 2' or 3' deep and 5-6' long island, as our entire kitchen space. Not a lot of room for small appliances or countertop along the main wall unless the sink is in the island. But I envisioned the island being the prep space for the whole kitchen, and versatile if we don't have the sink in it. Plus the cost is a few thousand more for the sink in the island.

I feel like I'm squeezing a toothpaste tube around trying to make this kitchen work in the space we have, but we're in the city, so what can you do.
illinigirl
10 years ago
i'm planning a sink in my island. I'm undecided as to whether it will be the main sink or a prep sink. One reason for having the main sink in the island (which is my intended main prep space) is that will be next to my prep space and I can put the dirty prep dishes right into the main cleanup sink. With baking there are a lot of bowls, measuring cups, etc used so it's nice to put them out of the way right into the cleanup space. If I had a prep sink in the island then I would have to walk dirty dripping things over to the main cleanup sink......

I don't know. It just makes sense to have the main clean up space next to the main prep space. But I can see having the clean up space out of the way of the prep/cooking area also. I guess it depends on how many people are in the kitchen at once.
Ann Marie Spinner
10 years ago
I have had 2 houses in 30 years and I have always had my sink in an island- no prep sink. I love it. In my remodel, I am keeping the sink in the island, but changing to a farmhouse sink. I have an open style layout with the island size 4'x 8'. I can't imagine my sink anywhere else. Just my opinion.
dreamojean
10 years ago
I should have mentioned that we only have room for an island that is 5-6 feet long and 2-3 feet deep. Does that impact your answer for our situation? If 30" deep with a 10" overhang I will be happy because I want stools on the dining room side but it will be encroaching on the dining room table a bit. We are in NYC in an old somewhat narrow brownstone. So no matter what we will have sacrifices of some sort.

If we don't do sink in island we gain prep and social space and lose small appliance space and space next to large appliances for prep purposes. And let's not even talk about storage space and the lack of a pantry - I haven't figured that part out. We have our contractor working now and assuming no sink in island so it Might be too late to change at this point.
FmrQuahog
10 years ago
It was a personal mandate that the main sink be in the island, in our upcoming build. Island dims are 47" x 103", and the sink base will be flanked by the DW on the right, an 18" waste/recycling pullout on the left, and an 18" 3-drawer stack to the left of that. Perfect work flow for me. :-)
dreamojean
10 years ago
FmrQuahog, would you feel the same way about the sink in the island if your island could only be 6 feet long by 3 feet wide, including a 12 inch overhang for stools? Your island is 8.5 feet long (greater than the width of our entire kitchen) and 4 feet wide - if I had that size island I'd feel I wasn't giving as much up by putting a sink in the middle of it.

In our case even a 24" sink would have been flanked by only 2 feet of space on either side, and being 3 feet deep including the overhang I felt it defeated the purpose of the island - to have a breakaway, prep space and a serving space, basically it's more versatile to have an open expanse of space in an island.

My last home, a rental, had a layout like we're recreating now and it was awesome. It really worked for us. The kitchen was longer than our current kitchen will be so perhaps I'm not comparing apple-apple in setting it up the same way. But I do have 5 years of living with that kitchen happily to go on... I hope we're doing the right thing! We just decided to skip the sink in the island.

It came up whether to put a small prep sink at the end of the island closest to the fridge - now THAT was interesting to me. Would have allowed a smaller main sink since I wanted a 70/30 undermount 30" (no wider) sink along the main line anyway - I could have had a 24" undermount on the main line and 8" prep sink on the island. But the price was thousands more for breaking up the sink - more floor work, more plumbing, more sink/faucet expense. I would have loved it but not 100% certain, so we aren't.