Is a Kitchen Corner Sink Right for You?

slyturner We had a corner sink in our first house and I hated it. I'm 5'4 and my back constantly ached after finishing up a huge load of dishes. It was a tight corner but I always felt I was reaching unnaturally into the bowl, for the sprayer, the soap and to clean the inevitable over splash into the back corner. My husband who is 6'0 had none of these issues. Though with our stone floors in our new kitchen, now it's my husband complaining of a sore back!

poddler I hate my corner sink. Loading the dishwasher is awkward because you have to turn every time you move something from the sink. The space behind the sink is wasted because you can't put things you use frequently behind it because the faucet is in the way. And as the article says, it is harder to reach to clean back there. It's just awkward.

Colin Robertson Don't have one, but after a big meal like Thanksgiving my extended family always chips in to help with the cleanup. I imagine it would be much harder to have two people doing dishes at a corner sink.

the_misfit I currently have a corner sink and I don't like it. I have a very small kitchen with limited counter space, and I think the sink is hogging it. It's a single, rectangular, large-bowl sink, but because it's at that 45-degree angle, the spaces on three sides are ruined. The space behind is useless; things I store there get wet. The space to the left is encroached on by the sink so I can't have a drawer there. To the right is the only place to put a dish drainer, so I sacrifice good space on my tiny countertops.

No more! I have decided that I will buy a vintage cast iron sink with a single bowl and drainboard. The drainboard will be inside the corner, where it's hard to reach - but all it needs to do is direct splashes into the sink, and offer a spot for my dish drainer to sit. The bowl will be in the non-corner part of the space, so that people using it can face it straight on. I'll be able to fit a full-sized drawer on the left side. I know standard cabinet boxes will not hold a vintage farm sink, so I am planning to build it its very own frame out of 2x3s.

I think this is a win - I'll let you know how it turns out.

indymom We are near the end of our kitchen remodel and this kitchen was designed with a corner sink that we chose to keep. We have a large island that is nothing but countertop. With 2 small children, I did not want a sink or cooktop in the island. The sink looks out through 2 large corner windows onto farmland. I love the view and actually don't mind doing dishes for once :) We recently had granite countertops installed and a very deep 60/40 stainless steel sink that I can finally soak pots and pans in. The "cabinet" that houses the sink is not really a cabinet at all. It was custum built that way and when the countertops were installed they had to trim the cabinets on the right and left side of the sink. It is a very tight fit, but thakfully it worked out. I am almost 6 ft tall, so reaching behind the sink to clean is not a problem for me. If you're considering a corner sink, I think you definitely need to consider where the dishwasher will be. We have a drawer cabinet in between the sink and where the dishwasher starts. Because of the amount of space/standing room the drawer cabinet provides, it is not akward to load the dishwasher.

blomst I have a corner sink and I love it. It was actually the first thing in my kitchen. My kitchen is lang and narrow, so this way I get mutch more space.

MERAV no matter if you put top stove or sink, make sure the to notice to wide the corner access

olldbobbi In all the pictures shown here, except one, the corner sink is accompanied by corner windows. Reaching across a wider corner unit like these with a faucet in your way to clean that window must be an acrobatic challenge! Does anyone with a corner sink find cleaning their windows more difficult?

MERAV for some reason, kitchen sink associated with window above it
maybe to avoide high kitchen cupboard
i put the cook stove at the corner and drawers under it
i will upload pictures soon

jlshaw331 I moved my sink to the corner to add valuable counter space in an other wise small kitchen. It also allowed for the installation of a dishwasher. As I am usually the only one in the kitchen the cramped zones are not a problem for me.
We stumbled across the stability of a corner cabinet issue as well. In order to provide proper support for a double sink and the counters we built a frame for the cabinet (which was nothing but a face). This provided installation points for the counter as well as added overall support for both the counter and sink. Truthfully, even if we didn't have the sink in the corner I would still recomend building that frame, it just adds support to what most manufacturers call a corner cabinet, which was nothing but a bottom and a cabinet front.

95stretch My wife specifically wanted the sink to be in the corner. I battled with her saying it was "design taboo", but she stuck to her guns to get what she wanted. Our 9'x12' kitchen turned out very functional for us, and I have to admit she was right. We now have better prep areas, and working in the corner keeps you out of the work triangle also. The only thing we don't think works that well is the upper cabinets, as she has to use a chair to get the items from up there. I'm 6'5", so I have it good.

Loading the D/W is very easy, but she made sure it was moved over to do so. The ikea cabinets don't come with a lower angled corner cabinet, so I had to fabricate my own. This is a drawback if you don't have the ability to do your own fabrication. It would be a costly venture to do.

mrsben In my first home when renovating I re-located my sink in a corner and never ever regretted it. If I were doing a full kitchen reno in the home I have now, I would seriously consider doing it again. Like any kitchen layout, ensuring you have enough space for the function of other applicances is a must so I don't really feel having a corner sink necessarily creates any more of a problem.

P.S: If comparing function, I have seen some pretty tight squeezes between Islands and other appliances like refrigerator and oven doors which IMHO would prove to be somewhat more awkward.

albion223 We are just finishing up a new addition that features a corner sink. I don't think a corner sink is feasible in a small kitchen due to the amount of room that is needed to place the sink in front of the two adjoining walls converging into the corner. We put a 30" wide farmers sink into our kitchen and raised the area behind the sink 6" to establish a raised countertop. The faucet for the sink is a wall mounted fixture that projects from the face of this raised area. Both areas were covered with granite and it looks awesome. Faucet is going in this week and if anyone is interested I will be glad to post pics once complete.

albion223 BTW...corner sink is framed by multiple windows on both sides of the corner (2 on the left, 3 on the right). The view overlooks the garden and meadow behind.

Nancy Huschen We've had a corner sink with beautiful corner windows for 24 years. It is so uncomfortable. Count on back aches with every long cooking session. And because of the tight sink space, the clean-up crew is minimal. *dislike*
Ditching the corner sink was forefront in our new remodeling plans.

sdevries I have a double corner sink and it has worked admirably for me for years. I do have a lot of counter space on each side of sink though. It is surrounded by large windows that overlook gardens and river so it's fun to work there.

margok 95stretch love the granite counter. What is it called?

mansonm We have had a corner sink for almost twenty years. When we renovated our kitchen two years ago, we kept the corner sink, because it has worked so well for us. The garbage can and composting bin are located under the sink on a pull-out drawer, so sometimes there is congestion if someone is working at the sink. We have a narrow pull-out between the sink and the dishwasher that provides a buffer between the two and gives ample space for loading the dishwasher.

To Bobbi P:

Yes, it's more difficult to clean the windows (and shutters), but it's not a big deal for me. It's a worthwhile trade-off for the long stretches of counter.

Donni I love the views from my corner sink, but as a petite gal, it is hard ot open the windows! We need to get a chair every time we want fresh air. Won't do it in my next house.

suzanne803 20 years ago, when I moved to my grandparents home, I was faced with remodeling a very small kitchen (10x10), with three doorways. I knew right away that a corner sink was the best way to utilize the space, as corner cabinetry is always tricky and usually requires a lazy Susan, which I detest (too many pinched fingers as a child). The only window in the room was in the middle of the wall, so with the sink in the corner, the fridge at the end of the counter, I was able to have my prep area in the middle with the window above it. My thought was that more time is spent doing prep rather than dishes (think dishwasher) and I'd much rather have the view, where I would be spending most of my time. It's a decision that I have never regretted. My carpenters thought about the area behind the sink, and angled the wall, complete with a door, to store sink necessities (detergent, scrubbers, cleaners, etc.). The overhead corner cabinet is where I keep large serving pieces, that don't fit in normal wall cabinets and the base cabinet is where cleaning supplies are kept in a roll out tub. I am getting ready to remodel and double the size of the kitchen and already know that I will keep my corner sink, as it has worked well for me.

n4c4c4 I have a corner sink. Being only 5 ft. tall presents its problems. There is no way I can reach to clean behind it. The upper cabinet storage is only for once a year cookware, over-sized pots, pans, etc.I use turn tables up front to the cabinet to reach my pitchers and plasticware. I've had to create a list of items that I posted on the inside of the upper cabinet so I can remember what I stored up there in the back. As for the dead space behind the sink I finally came up with the idea to have my cookbooks there. I found one of those wooden book holders used for kid's books. Its about 24 inches wide and I can push it back and still can reach it to pull it forward when I need a book. The dishwasher is next to the sink and does pose a problem when trying to rinse dishes and the door to the washer is blocking access to the sink. But I've learned to live with it. I do have an old kitchen cabinet door that I use from time to time when I have to get way back there. I just put it over the double kitchen sink and I can sit on the door get all the way to the corner. Otherwise I wait for my 6.3 ft. brother or my 6.4ft handyman to come over an rescue whatever ended up in the black hole of Calcutta.

Anna Our house was built in 1965 and in our yet-to-be-remodeled kitchen, there is this horrible inverted V corner sink. It's practically impossible to do dishes together, uncomfortable to rest against a 90 degree angle when doing dishes and you can't really reach the area behind it. When it comes time to redo, this will be the first thing to go!

nanadoll I have a corner sink. We have a very small kitchen, but by putting the sink into the corner and opening up the walls to the living room and dining room, I now can be a part of everything going on. Also, I love the feeling of having my own command central, so to speak. I have everything I need within arms' reach. If I can't reach something for cleaning, my husband is only too happy to help me out. The expanse of counter tops totally makes any cons worth it. I love it and it works well for our style of living and the space we had available. And loading the dishwasher is not a problem. We store our trash can and recycling bin beneath the sink, along with the cleaning supplies.

artcarved I have small U shaped kitchen. There is a large pass thru window to the patio behind my sink. I am thinking of getting a corner sink so I won't have to lean over the sink to pass food, etc to the patio. The sink would allow me to see into the family room as there is a pass thru below the cabinets. I will be remodeling the kitchen in the next 6-8 months. I like the modified Mission style.
There is nothing on this site representing Mission. At least I haven't found it.

Shirley Corwin I had my kitchen restored 2 years ago in my 1850 farmhouse. I was sure I wanted a farm sink. Since the only window in the kitchen is low, there was no way to put the sink in front of a window. I opted to have it next to it but in the corner. It is OK but the space behind is lost except for display and the cabinet above I only use for barely used items and for display. I have to get a stool to get up there. I still love my kitchen though!

qabath I hate my corner sink, but because of the design of our kitchen and the kitchen windows we had to keep the sink where it was when we remodeled. So we tried a different shape sink where the sinks are split but connected and so they are not diagnol to the counters and I think that is even worse than one big sink.

elizabeth22 Our previous kitchen included a corner sink and a corner cook-top, and we loved it. The long, unbroken work counter between the two had a beautiful view through what had been the over-the-sink window. We had a narrow cabinet between the sink and the dishwasher, so opening the washer wasn't a problem. Both corners had upper cabinets, and the one above the cook-top was raised several inches higher. We have moved and will renovate the current kitchen; it will probably include a sink or a cook-top in a corner.

Lynn Fultz_Baldwin I believe the corner sink is the answer to my remodel issues. I can't wait to look out to both sides of my front yard, as well as gain counter space.

uberv Wow! I never thought a corner sink was a disadvantage. We've had one for 22 years. It is fronted by a breakfast bar and looks into the family room. I see out the windows to the trees or watch TV with the family as I clean up after dinner. As for the dishwasher next to it... they do load from both sides and if you are rinsing your dishes first you are wasting both time and water. I have a full sized stainless steel double bowl sink for the fine things I need to do by hand. The only issue I have is there is more dead storage under it but that's where we put the refills for the floor and pet cleaner that we seldom need to dig out. It sure beats the walls I looked at while cleaning up in our two apartments and I am not stuck away from the action as I was in our first two homes.

JHF Design Studio LLC Even though I am 5'-9", I still have to get a step stool to reach the windows in this corner configuration. And I agree with the writer - it makes the work area cramped. It's a hassle when the dishwasher is open and someone else needs to get to the sink. I will not have another corner sink.

artemishouse Just remodoled my U-shaped kitchen. It's not huge (it's a condo), but there was room for a pull-out trash bin on the right (followed by the stove) and a bank of drawers on the left (follwered by the dishwasher). This gives me plenty of working room and the DW is the perfect distance for loading. The sink is deep and fronted by continuous grantite that flows across the turn (no hard edges). Before the sink sat in the middle of the counter, fronted by a raised bar area. By moving the sink into the cornder and lowering the bar to counter height, we created this wonderfully large granite "island" that otherwise would't have been possible in such a small space and it's become the perfect prep and entertaining space.

marjimo Recently we did exactly the same as artemis and we found our kitchen's new layout much better and practical. The corner sink was an excellent idea as we have much counter space to work with. I love it.

Cordini Remember that Cordini can help with the kitchen countertop space by getting rid of all those appliance cords and also cell phone charger cords... Look at my website and see how Cordini can work for you. www.BuyCordini.com

artemishouse Corner Sink Before and After

Meant to include in my original post above.

Rebecca Elkana I do not like my corner sink. The space behind it is wasted, and it is almost impossible to reach the cabinet above it on one side, or to open the window on the other side.

zeke_kreeft We have a large 3 piece cast iron sink in the corner. As everyone else is saying, cleaning behind it is a nightmare. The corner extends 1.5ft out, so in order to clean the back and windows, you have to squat on top of the counter behind the sink. Here is a rendering of the current layout. We are in the process of coming up with a new design to eliminate the corner

1god I have a corner sink and it is very awkward. When the dishwasher door is open there is hardly any room to move when putting dishes in. It is difficult to prep food, cook, and clean at the same time. Also,I am short so cleaning on the backside of the sink is a real exercise for me and quite funny. It looks nice but not practical from the standpoint of working in the kitchen.

renobabe We recently renovated our kitchen which was a traditional "U" with sink under the window, stove to the right and a work peninsula on the left. There was never enough counter space for two people to work at. After moving the sink to the left corner and relocating the dishwasher from the penninsula to under the window where the sink had been, I now have two large work surfaces with good separation of the users. The sink can be reached from three sides now! I have a cupboard door at the back side of the peninsula, which makes it very easy to get under the sink, and the plumber loved it. I am considering putting a removable wall at the back of this area close to the plumbing with narrow shelves for cereal etc. as the eating nook is adjacent to this side. We made the upper cupboard above the sink narrower to hold glasses, and while we did lose some storage space I feel it was definitely worth it!

05mimi We built our home 12 years ago with a corner sink and I love it. I can look out the windows and see the changing seasons, a lake, woods, animals, etc. I can't imagine looking at a wall or cabinets while doing dishes. Would make an already boring job worse. It's a little hassle cleaning the windows and the back of the sink, but it's still worth it to me.

brookewasden We are renting a tiny beach house while building our home, so we had no say in the corner sink in the world's smallest kitchen. (I used to live in an efficiency with a bigger kitchen.) I actually like it- a lot. The "awkward wasted space" behind the sink is perfect for bulk spices and although I consider myself average height (5'8") I have no trouble cleaning or reaching behind to get spices. If the owner hadn't installed the corner sink, we would have zero counter space. It is a pain to have to close the dishwasher to get soap from the cabinet, but it's a decent trade off. There are no scenic views from the kitchen windows, but it's highly functional for this type of kitchen.

95stretch Margok:

Aran White, from South America, and is a premium series, so costs a lot more. Original quote for "builders grade" was $65/sf supplied and installed for 1-1/4" thick material with standard nosing + $130 for the sink cut-out. For the Aran White, it cost $2,087 dollars more, but my wifie had fallen in love with it, so being this was the last time we were ever going to renovate the kitchen, she worked a few OT shifts to get what she wanted. Best decision we ever made as we see so many "jewels" in the granite every day in different lighting. I asked for the bottom of the island to be polished as well as I didn't want it to be rough on our legs. Almost a 3rd of our budget spent was on this granite... (appliances included).

Here's a picture of the pull out baskets under the corner cabinet to make the space easier to use / access. We also added a hot water tap to the sink, and we love it.

denverdawn I've had corner sinks in my last 2 homes & LOVE them. Both kitchens are small, and it was a wonderful use of space. In our last house, that corner of the kitchen was open to our eating area & connected w/the breakfast bar, so it was easy to clean behind the sink. In this house, I use the area directly behind the sink for a stainless steel dish drainer - looks good, and very useful!

If you had windows behind it, I agree it would be hard to clean. I also have the stovetop in the opposite corner & LOVE it...

Keith Evans My kitchen is small, but very efficiently laid out, except for the corner sink. If you think you can use the extra storage under the sink be prepared to not see many things you place there for a decade. The smallish door that opens to a larger space is impossible to navigate. Also, just try to find a drain board that will fit a corner sink. I don't think they are made. One corner of the board will always jut into the sink to hinder cleaning of anything large. I also made the mistake of using a sink configured with small and larger bowls. This places the faucet off center and it barely reaches the larger bowl, which is also where the disposal is located creating an indoor corner pond.With cabinets to the left and an open dishwasher door to the right I am a prisoner until dishes are rinsed and loaded. I can't wait to correct these compounded design errors, but it will mean a lot of re-configuring. Don't do this unless you have lots of room to spread out the elements.

sharminmeadows I love love love my corner sink!! We are looking at building another house so and I am tired of looking at all these plans that have the sink on the island or on the breakfast bar. The corner sink makes it easy to clear dishes out of the way when you need to clear space but our not ready to clean yet! I wish I could move my kitchen with me!

lindacongrove I am 5'10" tall and I have trouble reaching the far corner behind my corner sink to clean it and it is cramped when more than one person is working there. I'm getting ready to remodel and move the sink to where I suspect it originally was in my 1950s ranch, under the window. If the counter behind the sink had 2 levels with a rectangular strip immediately behind the sink and the triangular portion raised then I think it would be much easier to clean with less chance of water being splashed (or leaking) all the way to the back point of the triangle. I have a couple of decorative items in my triangle and it looks pretty but is just too hard to reach to wipe off the counter. A raised triangle would help, I think, but I'm not going to try it.

jsaranik We are just finishing a kitchen remodel in our new home. There was a corner sink with big beautiful corner windows. My husband is in the construction business and insisted we ditch the corner sink for all the reasons listed in most of these comments, even though I wanted to keep it because of the windows. I'm so glad I listened to him! I'm 4'11" and can only imagine the back aches and all the climbing I'd have to do to clean behind the sink! Thanks for confirming we made the right decision.

meech64 I recently renovated my L-shaped 100 sf kitchen and moved the sink to the corner. It had been in the middle of the countertop to the right. Horrible location!! Moving it made a huge difference in terms of usable counter space. It's a bit tight when loading dishes in the dishwasher from the sink, but still very doable. There's good storage space under that corner cabinet though! Two people can now wash dishes, prep and cook comfortably. I installed Granite Transformations Trendstone engineered granite overlay countertops. They are much lighter in weight than granite, so the corner cabinet can easily support the weight. Slab granite may have been an issue. I'm only 5', so I keep a step stool handy to reach the corner recess and upper cabinets.

leahfera I don't like our corner sink for several reasons. (we have a large new kitchen built in 2008 with granite counters and high end appliances).

1) we can't reach to open or close the windows (even with a normal step stool!) or clean the back corner.
2) the upper cabinets block a lot of light from the corner window (think twice about the size of your corner windows)
3) The dishrack doesn't fit well next to the sink (too small an area for a normal dishrack) -
4) There is not room for people to work next to you. Room is cramped when the dishwasher is open even for the person at the sink.
5) I can't find a floor mat that fits on the ground nicely under the sink area!

If the kitchen wasn't new and nice, I'd remodel and create a window on a straight area of the kitchen.

artemishouse I've really enjoyed reading all this posts and since I love my corner sink am surprised at the number of people who hate theirs. The key issue seems to be if the sink is backed by windows, which creates a deep triangle and windows which are hard to reach, or by a breakfast/bar area. I have the latter and the space behind my sink extends my counter area and provides a nice spot to showcase my wines. It's easy to clean from the counter side. I added another upper cabinet over this area and have it openning from the bar side to provide extra storage for the attached den area.

I also notice that lots of the designs have the dishwasher right next to the corner sink, which my designer warned me about. Even though my kitchen is fairly small, I was able to flip the DW with a row of drawers. Granted, you can't have two people at the sink simultaneously, but I can rinse and load the DW easily.

Great discussion!

elizabeth22 meech64 commented about the weight of the granite in a corner. We had no problem with our corner sink and corner cooktop. We have moved so I can't confirm how it was installed, but I believe there were 2x4 bracings built under the granite in the corners.

I've been surprised at how many people don't like their corners because I adored mine. I had an 8-foot long unobstructed work counter between the two. I had the window at the workspace, so I didn't have a cleaning problem. Our kitchen designer put a 12-inch cabinet between the sink and the dishwasher, so there was no problem with a too-tight space. I notice the above photos 1, 3 and 7 have the dishwasher too close to the sink; photos 2,4,5 and 6 have cabinets between the two and would not have a problem.

The only problem we ever had was opening one of those 12-inch drawers while a second person was washing dishes, but that issue goes away if you store things there that aren't likely to be used at the end of a meal.

katherinei I renovated my kitchen and put a butterfly sink in the corner. I put a casement window in each side of corner with the crank away from the corner. The amonut of space behind the faucet is perfect for a plant or vase of flowers. My cupboards run right up to the window, however they are triangle shaped at the window so they do not block the windows. Lastly since my sink goes around the corner there is plenty of room for my dishwasher to open. I love this kitchen. I also took out the wall between the upper and lower cabinets, yes it is an exterior wall, and replaced it with glass blocks. Easy to clean back splash which allows a ton go light in. Unfortunately I was transferred just as I finished and now rent it out. Wish I could uploads photos with this iPad.

writerinfact My feeling is that a corner sink will only work if it is in an otherwise well-planned and executed design. And, of course, if the homeowner and/or principle kitchen-user is willing to make it work. There have been corner sinks in nearly every rental I've ever lived in - except for the current one, which contains only about 3 feet of counter space - split between both sides of the sink. Because of the placement of the only usable electrical outlet, I can't put the dish drainer on the left (much more efficient for a right-hander - and no, there is NOT dishwasher in the kitchen, unless you count me as the dishwasher) because that would force the placement of the coffee maker on the right, which would stretch the cord right across the sink. Great move, huh? Personally, I hate corner sinks. Yes, I'm technically vertically challenged (that's my son's term) but my feeling is, why make things more difficult than they need to be? Anything stored under the sink is probably gone for good - or until you move - because that space is huge compared to the access to it, there's absolutely no light unless you use a flashlight, and you need a monkey to retrieve anything that's gotten pushed to the back, because you're too large - at 5 feet, 4 inches - to crawl inside the cabinet. So, no, I'm not really willing to make it work, because long experience has taught me that it won't work for me. For those with other experiences, more power to you. Mine is different, and I'm not personally impressed with your testimonials. As with almost everything else, individual tastes and mileage may vary. And yes, unless I'm planning a complete kitchen overhaul, a corner sink would definitely be a deal-breaker in my (potential) new house. Along with an electric stove. And a stove butted up against a refrigerator. And a lack of pantry space, or even regular cupboard space. : )

Hometown Building/Intercept As a professional designer, CKD, CBD, I have remodeled many kitchens with putting the sink in the corner. It has a lot of benefits, many of which you mention. But, the main use of this placement, is to increase the distance between the sink and range. These are the two most used work stations and deserve the larger proportion of countertop betwen them that a corner sink an sometimes provide. Thanks and smiles, Francis Jones, CKD, CBD

Gloria Graham, AKBD As a designer a corner sink is last resort. When it's the only option I try to insert a cabinet between the sink or dishwasher (as in the green kitchen shown) so that you have room to stand between the dishwasher and sink. Even a 12" wide cabinet makes a big difference!

backsplash5 We are doing a complete kitchen reno to get RID of a batwing corner sink. As mentioned, it makes the sink essentially a one-person location, and the adjacent dishwasher has provided me with many skinned shins! So looking forward to a larger sink on a more spacious counter!

vickiholst I've noticed some corner sinks counters and cabinets are set back about 4 to 5 inches. Does this help with the small space from the sink to the dishwasher?

Hometown Building/Intercept Setting the corner sink back a few inches doesn't help with access to the dishwasher. It is still best, if you can, move the dishwasher away from the corner sink with a small cabinet inbetween. The set back is more of a design element, it can give more width space to fit your sink in or/and it provides more acces to the spac behind the sink. Francis Jones, CKD, CBD

Nancy Huschen Setting a corner sink back a couple of inches is an ergonomic nightmare. The dishwasher has to lean into, and over, the sink. It might work when you are young, as I was when we built. Twenty-four years into this house? It's a pain. Literally.

katherinei If you use the butterfly or bat wing sink, it goes around the corner right on top of a normal looking corner cabinet. You then stand at the corner and are not in the way of the dishwasher opening.

Betty McCommon I HATE my corner sink also. Because of the 2 corner windows, I loose cupboard space and the space under is so useless. It's big but I can't find anything and there are no good ideas out there to organize it. I would never, ever do it again. IF we ever remodel I'd like to get rid it it but it would mean redoing the outside too. If anyone is on the fence, I'd say don't do it. Windows are hard to reach, only one person at the sink and it's just a pain.

dmatland Having just finished remodeling my kitchen, I can state the saving grace was the corner sink. The original cabinet and appliance layout wasted the available space. By placing the sink in the corner, the useable counter-top area and the cabinet storage capacity was doubled (not exaggerating). Washing up and loading / unloading the dishwasher has not proved to be any issue, and I'm not petite at all. There is a narrow 12" cabinet between the corner sink base cabinet and the dishwasher, which provides ample maneuvering room. The "dead space" behind the sink is handy for an item you want easily accessible but out of the way. In our case, a large decorative glass vessel brightens the corner and makes it easy for my husband to find the supply of coffee filters when he is half-asleep. The only issue for me was large single sink or smaller double sinks? After reflection, I opted for a deep "butterfly" double sink; albeit there is a trade-off with the width.

mikeandmary We have a corner sink in our kitchen that we built 22 yrs ago. We are building a new home and not putting the sink in the corner. It was a cool look, but not practical for us. We call it the "one butt kitchen". There is so much congestion by the sink. If I want people to help with dishes, it's just too frustrating to work around the corner sink.

Hometown Building/Intercept Having a corner sink or not should not be based on just the sink location. It is part of a number of design questions. Once you install it, there is no turning back. Whether it is in the corner or not should be based on the over all function of your kitchen, designed to fit your needs and lifestyle.
Corner sinks work, as long as they are a part of the best design for you and your space. Francis Jones, CKD, CBD

Lynn Fultz_Baldwin I agree with Hometown Buildings comment in regards to what works best for the design. I am thinking about a corner sink with windows on both sides, because i want to see out both to my walk way up to front door and side door.

punkypower21 I hate my corner sink because of all the wasted counterspace behind it. I'm not short (5'8" with long arms), but cleaning that corner and opening/closing the corner windiws is a major pain. I have to practially lay in the sink to reach over to that corner.

qofmiwok I hate our corner sink, but to be fair the idiots who build the house didn't use a corner cabinet, they just stuff the sink behind a 90 degree cabinet. So you can barely wedge yourself in, no way too people can get in at once! Hell is waiting for contractors who cut corners like this right?

lyvia My latest sketch has a corner sink and a corner stove in the opposite corner. I did it because of an awkward issue about focal points that arose from opening new sightlines. By avoiding a focal point in the center of the wall, you don't notice what else isn't centered anymore. The sink will be open to a hallway, so I can clean behind it. I will have to design something cleanable behind the stove. Maybe a wall safe behind a tiled panel! The sink itself will be large, so I only need a few extra inches extra room before the dishwasher. The view from the sink includes the family room, dining room, office, den, and back porch. So lots of space, but not directly a window. Hope it works. But it's only paper so far.

smwandmbm I like my corner sink but like most of the folks that like their corner sink, there are corner windows looking at grass, hills, trees and deer in the evening. We are in the middle of remodeling right now and the sink was a keeper from the start. Our DW does have a 18" cabinet that separates it from the sink, so no issues loading. As far as cleaning the windows and the space behind the sink, I'm 5' and have my step stool at the ready. I would still need the stool to clean windows if the windows were on a long side of the counter. It just comes with my height.

albion223 Here are three pics of my kitchen with a corner sink. I am doing all the work myself, including the kitchen cabinets, which explains why there are no doors on the cabinets yet. My wife and I love the sink in the corner which overlooks a large meadow in the backyard. Since I was able to design the kitchen as part of an addition a corner sink made sense, my only caution to having a corner sink is that it does eat up room on the floor plan.

ajparrothead I have a corner sink and I hate it! I have to jockey around with opening the dishwasher to load it, then close the dishwasher to open the under sink cabinet to get to my soap, then reopen the darn thing just to put the soap in it. I find that the odd shaped counter wedge behind the sink is a wasted space. I can't store anything useful there. I also have windows at the corner and they are impossible to open and clean. I never want a kitchen with a corner sink again!

orgle We just purchased a house with a corner sink, dishwasher, stove & fridge jammed into the most ridiculous semi-circular layout possible. Oh, and the opening to this kitchen is on the far end of the room; you have to walk around the eating bar to access anything. Fun times.

The kitchen is high on our renovation list because the layout is so poor that my husband and I cannot work in it together. We'll definitely be reworking the plumbing situation and going for a sink/dishwasher in a straight island. Thankfully, we know a good cabinetmaker -- me :)

Alahnna Woods Our new house has a corner sink and I've been excited about it. There's a view of the forested area and I thought I'd put some plants or herbs in the space between the sink & windows. Once I start using the kitchen, I'll have a better idea on whether or not I like it! The feedback on this article has been useful.

lival In my small kitchen, we had to put in a corner sink in order to fit a dishwasher in the room. Of course water splashes behind the sink and the space is very difficult to reach. We are planning a remodel of the kitchen, but can't get away from the corner sink!

Lynda Allen I have this design and my windows are suppose to raise and lower. It is also extremely difficult to open or clean the windows unless you are over 6' tall! Same problem if you install blinds.I cannot reach the strings to open and close, and totally forget about trying to raise them. I do not have a good view either - neighbor's backyard fence. On the positive side, I do have a small vertical cabinet between the sink and dishwasher, so no problem there. I wonder if the cabinetry could include a pull out 'step' for us shorter people? Or a different window design - make vertical sliders or roll out or even a fixed, single pane? I am also considering the undercabinet that looks like doors, but is really drawers with indented front. I would really like to change mine and would be very interested in any comments or ideas.