From the thread I linked to previously... ++++++++++ When most people think of double-bowl sinks they think of the ones with both bowls the same size...and I have to agree that those aren't that useful (unless both bowls are really big...but that would mean a 48" sink base or so!) However, today there are a lot of other options for double-bowl sinks. Most of us who still prefer a double-bowl sink have unequal sized bowls. My sink, for example, has one bowl 21-3/8" x 18-3/4" x 9" and the other bowl is 10-1/2" x 15-7/8" x 7". I can fit my largest cookie sheet, my largest frying pan + handle, roasting pans/racks, refrigerator bins, and refrigerator shelves in my large bowl. I don't hand wash oven racks so they're not an issue. Whether a double- or single-bowl sink is right for you depends on how you use your sink. Do you cleanup as you go along so there are never any dirty dishes in the sink so you would not have an issue with trying to prep in a sink full of dirty dishes? Does only one person usually use the kitchen at a time so there's no competition for a sink? Do you have a separate prep sink? Do you only have room for a small sink base in your kitchen (generally If yes to all of the above, then you may very well be fine with a single-bowl sink. However, if you frequently have a sink full of dirty dishes or if more than one of you work in the kitchen at the same time (especially if one is cleaning up while the other preps or cooks) and you only have one sink in the kitchen, then think carefully about single- vs double-bowl sinks. Yes, you can put a dishpan in a single bowl sink, but then you have to find a place to store that dish pan when not in use...and they're not small. You also have to make room in the sink for the pan when it comes time to use it. If you leave it in the sink all the time...then maybe there's a reason (perhaps you really do need a small bowl on a regular basis). In our home, we frequently have 2 or more people working in the kitchen at one time. We do have a prep sink, so to some degree that issue is taken care of. However, then we analyzed how we did the dishes (or, should I say, how my DH does the dishes!). We realized that he likes to have one bowl to stack dirty dishes and/or soak pans and still have a bowl open for other uses like washing hands, soaking utensils, etc. It made sense to us to stick w/a double-bowl sink. In particular, my DH didn't want to have to find room in a sink for a dishpan once dirty dishes started stacking up (there's no way asking everyone to corral dirty dishes in only one part of a single-bowl would work) and he didn't want to have to deal with emptying it...it's a lot easier to just pull out a strainer. In the end, it's really how you use your sink. I will say this, if you cannot fit at least a 33" sink base in your kitchen, then I think a single-bowl is probably better since even the larger of unequal sized bowls in a smaller sink base probably won't be big enough. I would aim for at least one bowl to be around 20" wide (or greater). But, you don't want the small bowl to be so small that it's useless. I wouldn't go for anything less than 10" or so.

In the FR against the Kitchen/pantry wall, we plan to put in some tall cabinets of some sort for books and other storage and maybe the TV/stereo components as well as put a 36" desk between them. That wall is 82-3/4" right now (it extends about 4' beyond the kitchen) plus we're adding another 18" or so to that wall for the pantry. That means we will have 100-3/4" to work with. We'll probably put in a 30" cabinet + 36" desk + 30" cabinet, all at least 24" deep. The desk may be 30" deep. That's the plan anyway. However, that will not be for at least a year or two. We need to save the $$$ to do it. But before then, we'd like to put in a DIY Mudroom in our Garage. We need someplace for all the clutter, etc. We might be able to put the Message Center there, but I'm not sure we'll have the room...it's going to be a small Mudroom (we're taking a 5' x 10' bite out of one garage bay to do this...we will still have room to park a car in that bay, but just barely!) So, in the mean time...I guess we'll have to find someplace else. The Pet Center is where we plan to store the dogs' food, collars, leashes, etc. We feed them right around the corner in front of the PR where there is a little setback b/w the kitchen & PR. The counter above is my baking center...I don't think I want to put a phone, keys, etc. where the flour may be flying! My KA Mixer will also be housed in that corner on the counter. [We have 2 standard poodles, around 45 pounds & 55 pounds.] Ruby & Shea (sister & brother) I have just about every counter and cabinet planned out! Perhaps I could put the landline phone & answering machine on the DR peninsula...although, there will be prep sink in that corner and it's pretty far from the FR...I'll have to think some more! Thanks for the suggestions!

holligator I love the kitchen! Thank you everyone for your responses. The issue of "stacked=busy/limiting" really ate away at me over the weekend. So I did some more research..... Over the weekend I looked at more pictures and nearly googled myself to death looking for ideas. Finally I called the KD and asked him to re-design the uppers using 42" cabinets - the maximum for that manufacturer. This means now they will not be flush with the ceiling. My motivation is that I think 42" cabinets are more useful than 30s topped with 15s. As my mother says, if you don't see it often enough when you look in your cabinet, you'll forget it's there, and then what's the point in having it? Anyway, after I got the drawings, I colored them in like I did with the originals, then passed them around looking for critiques (Mom, DH, and an independent KD). In a nutshell, the 42" cabinets won out. It's simpler, cleaner, and I think gives me more accessible space. It's also several $K less. So what I will have is a to-ceiling corner pantry. Over the fridge and wall ovens (on either side of the pantry) will be "nooks" for putting some decorative things (vase, whatnot) which will reach to the ceiling. The trouble is that for the rest of the upper cabinet run, there will be 9" from the top of the cabinet to the ceiling. No matter what, I will be putting lighting up there (up-lighting). My choices for finishing that area are: 1. Leave it alone with a gap to the ceiling. 2. Build a Soffit down to the cab tops but have it recede (not flush with the front of the cabs - to leave room for the up-lights)This is definitely not my favorite choice since that would be a change order and the drywall is up. 3. Build a decorative wood trim piece in the same dark espresso stain as the cabinets, with geometric cut-outs to allow light to shine though - any handy wood-worker, or I/DH for that matter, should be able to come up with something to prop up there/snap in place so we still have access to the lights. Any other ideas or thoughts on what I'm trying to do? I like my #3 idea because it's different, but not too busy. I'd love to hear other ideas or even "noooo don't do that because xyz!" if it keeps me out of trouble.

I have stacked uppers and love the look of it. We have just about 9' ceilings. From the bottom of the cabinet to the ceiling is 52". The door (not including frame) on the lower is 28" and the upper door is 12" - the rest is taken up by the frame and molding. Here is a pic (taken before kitchen was fully done): To the far right of this picture is our stacked upper that comes down to the countertop, but doesn't go all the way to the ceiling like the others. This is where we store our dishes and silverware so we were going for a hutch type effect, and this works well given the proximity of this cabinet to the DW and the table. here is a pic of Woodmode cabinets with stacked uppers and with glass doors and lighting in the upper cabinets. I have to say that I did not like the light seeping out around the edges of those upper doors (the issue is not apparent from the photo I am posting). Perhaps this is better pulled off with full overlay cabinets vs. inset?? or maybe this just bothers me??