I undermounted a Whitehaus fireclay sink because I wanted a fireclay sink, didn't want the apron front, and liked the sizes available in the Whitehaus product line. (None of the true undermount fireclay sinks quite fit my size requirements). I have a wall mount faucet, so didn't need space for a deck mounted faucet behind the sink--so the deeper (front to back) aspect of an apron front sink worked well for me to maximize the size of sink I could fit in my small kitchen. If you plan on a deck mounted faucet, though, you'll probably need to have countertops deeper than 24" to allow space for the faucet--check the sink measurements. Installing the sink didn't seem to be a big deal for the installers--they just added a support structure inside the sink cabinet and set it in. The countertop (Paperstone) installers templated for the sink, and added some shims to make the sink fit snug against the countertops. No problems so far, and I don't regret not going with the apron front. In my small kitchen, I think the continuous run of cabinets/countertops looks a BIT more expansive than it would have looked with an apron front sink. While there are lots of nice examples of apron front sinks in modern kitchens, I think I agree with you that a regular undermount sink will have cleaner lines in a modern kitchen. If you aren't terribly attached to the Shaw's sinks, you might want to look at Whitehaus or other brands (like Franke). You really pay a premium for the gorgeous curves on the Shaw's apron-- but if they won't be visible, might be able to get a better deal on a different model. (I got a great price on my Whitehaus 501 model online from Home and Stone) Here are a couple of pictures... hope this helps! (oh---and ignore my index card backsplash!)

I disagree with Mama Rachel. Our stainless apron front has been in use for over a year and it still looks great. I cook every single day, almost exclusively from scratch so ours is a heavily used kitchen. Ours is curved, not flat front, but the finish is brushed so maybe that helps hide any incidental small scratches. Maybe it helps that I rarely wear a belt and I very rarely tuck anything into my pants so maybe the zipper is covered most of the time. It hasn't been an issue for us at all. ETA...we have the 36" single bowl Vigo and I just love, love, love our sink!!

Not advised to create a ledge. You physically can, but now you depend on silicon to keep things water tight. If you keep a zero reveal or an overhang, then water is less likely to accumulate on the sink flange (Which is used to create the ledge). The silicone then can stay intact longer, and not be needed as the primary water guard. Often the biggest problem we see with ledge sinks is with the installation. Some issues we have been told is with accessories not fitting. However, this is easily avoidable with two best practices: 1. The fabricator should always follow the template 2. Once the hole is cut for the sink, dry fit the accessories to ensure smooth sailing from the client. If you like ledge sinks then check this new release: Kraus Kore

^^This is what I did, but it turns out that there are standard sizes for these rollup racks, and they are either too small or too big, so I have ended up with the slope anyway. I got one with flat bars and coated in silicone and things don't roll. If you do rest it on the reveal, that works, but it sticks out in the front and I kept bumping into it and knocking things around, so I just rest it on the back. My adjustable colander works fine, though. What I need is 18.5", give or take a quarter, but they appear to come in 17.5 and 20.5 (which makes sense for standard sink sizes). If anyone sees an 18.5, lmk!