Many people like prep sinks, but in your case, I don't think you need one. Your prep area is right next to the sink and there's no barrier island. Unless you need a sink closer to the fridge, I'd rather have the uninterrupted prep space :)

I'm voting with Lav on this one. Unless you mostly have two people cooking at the same time... then maybe?

You've never had one. Have you ever wanted one? (I have, like right now when my kitchen sink is stopped up, but I'm not sure I'd plan a kitchen around that! :P)

What those above said--unless you have 2 people fighting over the sink, seems superfluous in your layout. You'd need a darn good reason for it in that kitchen. It's such a nice clean look without it.

If you do mega food prep operations in there, though, like canning or other processing of tons of stuff at once, it could be pretty nice to have.

Generally there is Just one cook but sometimes I have a couple "helpers" in the form of 6yo twin girls. Dh is the main cleanup person. He might be in the kitchen working the same time I am but not all the time.

If you locate the smaller second sink on the peninsula, it won't be a prep sink. Its too far from the range and would only function as a place to wash hands or fill a water glass. (Prep takes place between water source and fire source.) The peninsula won't serve as a prep spot period unless you're working on a major project like Fori mentioned unless you need tons of counter space. Again, its just too far from the range and, with one sink, the water source. It will, however, be a great spot to sit at the stools to admire the chef's culinary skills, have an informal meal (how much counter overhang do you have?), to layout party snacks, work on a craft or school project, etc.

Short answer: I would skip it! :)

I think a tiny bar sink on the counter facing into the family room by the fridge would probably be more useful to you. Those cabinets could act as your beverage/breakfast center then and you could put your coffee maker and toaster there. Then if you have two people prepping at once, it's a short trip across the aisle or to the main sink if handwashing or vegetable rinsing is needed.

Or, isn't the stairwell going to the left of the fridge now? Is any of that space under it recoverable for storage or beverage area? Or am I remembering the direction of the stairs incorrectly?

In this case with this layout I think it's not necessary

With your layout, I would skip the 2nd sink. The placement on the peninsula won't do anything to shorten the route of food from fridge to sink to stove. I think the unbroken counter space on the peninsula would be more useful.

LWO the stairs are going to be flipped. They currently start right beside the door to the garage. We might be able to steal some space above the steps, next to the pantry by the fridge.

I would not have the cabinets all the way down to the counter between the main sink and the stove top. The most heavily used counterspace in the kitchen is between the sink and the cooktop. You want to leave this open so that the space is contiguous and easy to use. They tiny counter space in front of the hutch is not that useful.

Another reasson you do not want the second sink is that this is your logical staging area for large parties, if you have any. Because I envision this as the staging area and your kids' school work area, you may want the penisula as a single level, not two levels as you have drawn.

I like the idea of second sink by the ref. This may not be that expensive since you have to bring in water for the frig (ie ice maker) to that wall. Is there a drain near by?

Our small sink is near the fridge but out of the main work area. It's a good secondary work area when someone is helping me. As my daughter got older I could start relying on her to make dessert while I cooked dinner for company. The baking area is right near the small sink and it allows us to work independently without ever getting in each others way.

Our water sources get used for much more than just food prep...hand washing, filling a glass or pitcher, wetting a dish cloth for wiping down counters/tables, rinsing out recyclable yogurt/cottage cheese/juice/milk containers, adding water to leftover soups before microwaving, rinsing fruit from the fridge, and rinsing hands when making sandwiches. I love having easily accessible water at various places in the kitchen. It always seems like I'm getting something on my hands that I want to rinse off.

Btw, I prefer standing at our peninsula for prepping than standing between sink and range. I love the openness, it's much more appealing than facing a wall (even a wall with a window.) The peninsula is the hardest working spot in our kitchen.

If you eat a lot of salads, prepping them at the peninsula makes a lot more sense than trucking the veggies across the kitchen. It also looks like a great place to make sandwiches and pack school lunches.

I would hate to give up the uninterrupted expanse of peninsula but I would find the second sink more important.

You should take mental notes every time you or anyone in your family uses your kitchen sink, even if it's just to rinse a knife between sticking it into different jars. That's the only way to really know if a second sink makes sense for you (and keep in mind that your needs may change as your children get older and help out more.)

I agree with Zelmar about peninsula use. Some folks may find that they prep heavily between sink and stove. But for me, plenty of meals get prepared without using the stove: most breakfasts, many lunches (eat-at-home or bag lunches), most snacks,and even some dinners when we're cooking on the grill.

Would I put a second sink on that peninsula? Maybe. Probably, not, though.

Zelmar beat me to it, but I could see that sink used by the twins to help with dinner by making salads and doing other secondary prep. And not all prep projects need to be near the stove, so you could stand there and enjoy the movie your family is watching, the fireplace, etc.

If the girls want to do a baking project (or art project?) on the peninsula while you cook, it could also be of help. The peninsula will offer more room to roll things out or put cookies on cookie sheets, and be better for group projects. (For that reason, I'd want the peninsula all one level) Anyway, our prep sink is a big help to have close to where we're preparing baked goods... Washing gooey hands, adding water to recipes, or a handy (temporary) place to drop egg shells and dirty measuring spoons.

It could also be a help, rather than a hindrance, in buffet serving.. Fill it with ice and keep beverages or bowls of seafood or other temperature-sensitive foods chilled.

Thirdkitchenremodel, I was wondering if you've used this layout before? I would worry that I wouldn't like shlepping everything back and forth across the cleanup area and would tend to prep by the stove. I don't think a prep sink would keep me on the peninsula when family wasn't sitting there. TV maybe--do you see it from the peninsula?