Many people like or are used to seeing a window over the sink. There is a plan for plumbing and putting it on an outside wall keeps it out of the middle of the basement or crawl space. It is easier/cheaper to vent cooktop to outside wall and many places have code requirements that make it more difficult/expensive to put cooktop under window. More efficient for dishwasher to be easily reachable from sink and for dish storage cabinets to be within reach of dishwasher.

In the three U shaped kitchens I had in the past, the stove was always in the center so can't answer you.

@shivece I was referring more to just the general relationship between sink, stove, and worktop, rather than any position of the walls/windows

I'm surprised we don't see more sinks on peninsulas facing living areas, worktops under windows, and cooktops on the right angle exterior wall from the window

Most recent rental was that exact layout but walls on all sides and fridge on the opposite wall. It was about 8x8 feet. With only one external wall for the sink there werent many options. There was no peninsula just a narrow pass through over the stove

i think that slighly larger u shapes do have variations. I don’t think they are all the same. some have a sink in a peninsula Or the stove in the center. We currently have a 12x14 u shaped kitchen with the stove in the center and the sink next to dishwasher on your diagram. The fridge is on that wall too then the opposite is a peninsula with prep sink. So with more space you get options.

Many people are against having a sink on an island or peninsula, because they want a long expanse of counter for entertaining, or don't want a sink across from an island or peninsula seat.

Many of us don't want a cleanup sink in an island or peninsula because it puts your dirty dishes front & center and on display for all to see. Deep sinks help a little, but not much.

If you have seating at the island or peninsula, then the dirty dishes are "in the face" of someone sitting there -- unless it's a very deep counter, which most aren't.

Most islands and peninsulas also aren't long enough to provide both ample prep counterspace on the non-DW side of the sink + cleanup sink + DW.

A prep sink, on the other hand, makes a peninsula or island much more useful because it doesn't take up as much space, it can (and should be) offset, and allows not only plenty of prep workspace but a larger expanse of workspace for larger tasks (baking, science projects, wrapping gifts, crafts, etc.)

Regarding the "U", many I see have the range or cooktop in the middle -- like mine!

In the image you posted, I'd rather see the sink & DW along the back wall, the range in the middle and, if room, prep sink in the peninsula. The window, though, makes it difficult to do that.

Or, get rid of the peninsula (or move it to the other side) and let the DW be on that side of the sink in a straight line.

It's not just the "size" of the Kitchen, it's also the configuration of the doors & windows.

I'm surprised we don't see more sinks on peninsulas facing living areas, worktops under windows, and cooktops on the right angle exterior wall from the window

I know - since I essentially designed my own kitchen in my current house (some help from this site), I put the cleanup sink on peninsula facing the dining area, and my workspace under the window. I figure when I am prepping food, it's always daylight out, and sometimes prepping takes longer than cleanup. So, I wanna look out. At the cleanup station - that often happens (in winter) at deep dark night. Plus I can talk to any guests more easily.

My arrangement: Fridge (west wall), small prep sink - NOT in front of the window!, prep station range (from right to left on south wall), recyclables and general trash, sink, dishwasher (from right to left on peninsula). Most-used dishes stored an easy reach from DW on north wall. Pots and pans under range or in drawers just to the right of range. Absolutely NO complaints from me in my kitchen arrangement. But my kitchen is semi[open rather than full scale open. You can't see the dirty dishes from the living room, although from the dining area you'd still see them - no matter where they are.

Here, code precludes putting a range in front of a window - which I didn't want to do, anyway. I would also never voluntarily put a range on an island or peninsula.

There are those who say that putting a DW to the right of the sink is the thing to do for right-handed people. I'd spent the past 30 plus years of my life with preexisting kitchens with one to the left - totally adapted to that, (just as I trained myself to mouse left-handed on computers from the get go of the invention of mouse-operated computers... - leaves my right hand free to scribble notes...)

Due to the overall functionality of the house, and that I wanted the dining area to the east - more importantly my master bedroom on the west - (seriously, I thought with retirement I'd be sleeping in a lot more than I do! HAAH!) my cooktop / range is to the LEFT of the prep area / window. And my view / back of the house is to the south.

@Buehl yes that makes sense. Can you clarify what you mean by "Most islands and peninsulas also aren't long enough to provide both ample prep counterspace on the non-DW side of the sink + cleanup sink + DW." maybe with a simple diagram?

@artemis_ma sounds good. I tried to sketch a rudimentary diagram of your description, can you tell me if it is reasonably accurate?

I use my double sink for both prep and cleanup, so I want it next to the cooktop. And I clean as I go, often leaving the dishwasher door open while I cook so I can put things in as I go along. So I definitely don't want it between the sink and cooktop.

I wouldn't want sink or cooktop on the peninsula or island (I don't have an island) because that's where we dish up and where we assemble things that don't need the cooktop, like salad, sandwich, cereal.

If you want a wider sink, the island would increase with the sink width.

The "bare minimum" is just that...it will be cramped and only one person can realistically work at the island at one time.

With both the "OK" and "Better", you still have dirty dishes "in the face" of anyone sitting at the island.

In all three, dirty dishes are still front & center and on display for all to see. If you have a an open layout or if the island is visible from the front entry, I would think twice before doing this.

While this is showing an island, a peninsula would be similar, only adding the additional 27" or so where the peninsula is anchored to the wall. The "Best" might be able to incorporate some of its width into the corner (losing cabinet space on the peninsula), but not the "OK" or "Better" layouts.

@Buehl I'm a little confused...if the sink and worktop were swapped in the original image, wouldn't there be plenty of workspace between the sink and stove?

Do you mean sink and cooktop?

Is there a Kitchen with measurements that you're trying to work on? If so, please see the "New to Kitchens? Read Me First!" thread of what we need to work on a layout.

Each Kitchen/situation is different, I'm just talking generalities.

No, I mean sink and prep area, like so (just a quick sketch, dimensions not really planned out)

That one is OK, not ideal or best, but OK. While I'm not necessarily a fan of the cleanup sink on a peninsula (reasons stated previously), others are. If you're one of them, then that particular layout works -- assuming you have the room for it. Even without seats, there should be at least 18" behind a sink to minimize splashing on the floor and accidentally knocking things off the back of the peninsula.

But...where do you plan your dish storage? Between the range refrigerator? That's the logical place for it. it's out of the Prep Zone and directly across from the DW.

In this case, I would move the range closer to the corner to give you more room for dishes. You probably have plenty of workspace at the base of the "U", so moving the range closer to the corner will not affect workspace for the Prep Zone.

Is there any way to get more space at the end of the peninsula? 24" isn't much for a Cleanup Zone and dirty dishes. The other side will be for prepping, so you don't want dirty dishes stacking up in that space.

Where is your table space? If next to the peninsula, then:

• If you have seats at the peninsula, you will need 60" b/w the table and peninsula
• If you do not have seats at the peninsula, then 48" should be fine.
• If you do have seats at the peninsula, try for at least 18" b/w the back of the sink and the seating overhang edge. 24" would be better to minimize splashing someone sitting at the peninsula. Cleanup work usually results in more splashing than prepping, at least in my experience. (If you have children who will be doing homework there, shoot for more than 18" so their homework isn't soaked by someone working at the sink.

How wide is the aisle b/w the two sides -- range to peninsula counter?

This is all assuming you have the room. Without actual dimensions, no one can tell you for certain.

Yeah no worries. This was just a simple sketch to illustrate the relationship between sink, worktop, and stove indicated in the original post