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Kitchen Solution: The Main Sink in the Island
Putting the Sink in the Island Creates a Super-Efficient Work Area — and Keeps the Cook Centerstage
Rebekah Zaveloff, owner and principal designer of KitchenLab, co-founder of Design in a Bag.com and Houzz contributor. I'm a self-professed tile nut and believer in good design for all! You can also visit me at: http://kitchenlabdesign.com and http://designinabag.com
Rebekah Zaveloff, owner and principal designer of KitchenLab, co-founder... More »
When you're limited on space, putting your main sink in the island can save your kitchen layout and functionality. While many people might cringe at the idea of having a main sink full of dishes at centerstage, I'll make a case for why it's a design I love and how it makes so much sense for certain kitchens. For most of these kitchens, an additional prep sink isn't an option, so take a look at why this design can work so well.
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by AMI Designs
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| The strongest argument for the main sink in the island is how much time we spend at the sink. We spend most of our time in the kitchen either prepping or cleaning up. Standing in front of the cooktop is a fraction of the time spent in our kitchens. That said, if you want to socialize while you're doing most of your kitchen tasking, then the main sink in the island is the best option.
Sure this kitchen could have sacrificed that terrific furniture piece so they could move their refrigerator over to that wall in order to get the main sink in the perimeter cabinetry — but why, when this works so well? |
For years there was a trend of putting the cooktop in the island, but it was never a design I was crazy about. The reason: Unless you do a downdraft hood, you end up blocking the view you're trying to open by using an island in the first place. And while downdrafts might work well enough, they don't work as well as canopy hoods. The nice thing about putting the main sink in the island in lieu of the cooktop is that you get to use pendant lighting and keep the space feeling open and airy.
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| In this kitchen, the argument for putting the main sink in the island was a no-brainer. We would have had to sacrifice the French doors in order to get the main sink on the back wall. Main sinks on islands often reveal the tightest, most efficient work triangle. It's like galley kitchen with an island. Similar to what we see on boats and in restaurants, this design makes the most of a small and challenging space. |
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| One of the best parts about using a farm sink or apron-front sink in the island is that they're often pulled forward a bit on the cabinet, and they don't require 3" of countertop in front of the sink hole. You gain usable counter space for your guests on the other side. |
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See how the farm sink is pulled forward a bit on the cabinet? Those extra few inches get transferred to the back side of the island where there's seating.
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When designing a kitchen with the main sink in the island, it's important to resist the desire to center everything. You don't want to bump into the person cooking at the range, and you want to maximize counter space to one side of the sink. I like to put in the dishwasher first, then the sink. That way both of those utilities are ganged together at one end, leaving as much counter space as possible to the other side.
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| If you've got a large space and a deep enough island for a regular undermount sink, then that's a great option as well. Here you can see that the sink and range are centered, and in this modern and minimal space that makes sense. Especially since there's ample room between the island and back wall. |
| A galley-style kitchen with the main sink in the island is a wonderful alternative to a U-shaped kitchen. When you don't have enough space for two walls and an island, this is a great solution. The gorgeous waterfall edge of the marble countertop makes this kitchen island a focal point. |
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| Okay, so back to the most common reason for not wanting the main sink in the island — dirty dishes. Look at this way: It's one way to train yourself and your family not to leave dirty dishes in the sink. If you don't want to look at the mess and the clutter, this is a useful manipulative tactic.
That said, this design may not be best for those who can't get past those habits or just don't want to. There's an ideal design out there for everyone, it's just a matter of finding the best fit. |
Ideabook published on June 21, 2011.
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Another way to avoid a view of dirty dishes (esp if the kitchen opens onto a great room) is have a multi-height island, with the kitchen/sink side lower and the eating/great room side higher.
of kitchen doings out of sight in a dedicated room !
However now we have found ourselves with a great room with a fabulous garden and pool off to the end of it, it was easy to leave the new kitchen open to the main room and the sink in the island. Embracing the concept wholeheartedly I use my benchtop island fully for prepping and arranging and decorating it for its own sake with flowers, plants, kitchenalia collectibles etc. Long live the open kitchen !!
PS: @ patricasteven - easily avoided by putting prepared food into pots/pans/whatever before moving them over to the stove, then you do not have to handle wet food and have it drip everywhere. Simples :) x