Have you had the chance to look at a 24" base/sink? We did and opted for a 30" base because the 24" was just too small - no matter what sink we researched. We also wanted a pull-down/high arch faucet. We cook from scratch daily and needed a sink that could handle multiple pot/pans and a bunch of cookie sheets. I also rinse tons of veggies/fruits at the same time so wanted more space. We opted for an 18" DW which was helpful in our small kitchen plan - have you considered this? The 18" DW has been awesome (we too did not have a DW before our renovation). Also keep in mind that getting an over-the-sink cutting board and/or colander will free up counter space. I would vote for more sink.

Here is a picture of our set-up. I have actually replaced the large colander on the left with another over the sink one - even more of a space saver - below is the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Large Over Sink Colander