nollie_gardener - I have the perspective of not putting in a farmhouse sink and not regretting it. I think a farmhouse sink is lovely, would look lovely in my kitchen, was considering it, but decided it was not necessary. I never look at my kitchen and say, if only we put in the farmhouse sink. I do look at kitchens with farmhouse sinks and think how pretty they are and that it would have looked nice in my kitchen. Does this differentiation make sense?

What about it do you love - function or just the looks (yes the polished white expanse at the sink is pretty and breaks up the cabinets.) Is money a factor - can you put those dollars into something else you love? That was a factor for me - I was renovating the entire house - I didn't want it enough to spend the extra dough (but don't talk to me about granite & tile - dough, dough, dough...)

Also note, I prefer a stainless sink (left streaks in my MIL white sink too many times for comfort - don't want my guests in that same spot.) Also my husband was not a fan. I hope this helps.

sparklekitty - Thanks for giving me your perspective. I really appreciate it. I'm also spending alot and doing more than just the kitchen. I also don't want to go cheap with my granite and tile. Apparently I have expensive tastes in that area. :)

We debated the same thing and ended up getting a very large double bowl farmhouse sink, and we are so glad. Aside from loving the look, we love how huge it is. I also like that you don't have to lean over as much at the sink. I don't think it's any easier or more difficult to clean. May be after years of having a ss undermount sink, the change is just good? Who knows. It's tough when you are making so many decisions. Good luck!

I too was set on a farmhouse sink - they are gorgeous (sigh). Ultimately, my faucet choice changed my mind -

Once I started looking at faucets, I realized that I wanted to try something very different from the traditional bridge faucet I had in my previous kitchen (love them, just wanted something new). I could not find something that tickled my fancy until I saw the Karbon - love at first sight. Well, it was that decision led me to the SS undermount Stages sink because I was not sure how the Karbon would look on a farmhouse sink.

Interestingly, once the longer sink was installed I realized that it lines up really nicely with the trio of windows on my sink wall (looks like I planned it LOL) and I think a farmhouse might have looked a little too narrow there.

Whenever I see a farmhouse in someone's kitchen, I still think it is gorgeous(!) - but for my space (with the faucet and windows) I am still glad I went undermount stainless.

That is just my experience - I don't think you could go wrong - they both have so many great things about them. Maybe listen to what makes your heart sing - for me, it was the faucet and that helped dictate the sink. But maybe for you,it is the (farmhouse) sink? :-)

I had a beautiful large single bowl farmhouse sink in my last kitchen and I loved it, but this time I am going for a stainless steel undermount. My reasons are: cost savings, cleaner lines for the counter edge around the sink, and stainless will be easier upkeep for me. I agree with laurainlincoln that you can't go wrong either way, it's a question of where you want to spend those hard earned dollars!!

I was obsessed with getting a white Shaw's farmhouse sink. In fact, I had been set on it. And then, in the end, I ended up going with a Franke stainless steel sink, and I'm actually so glad I did. I decided that I wanted cleaner lines and nice efficient simplicity. I LOVE farmhouse sinks and think they are gorgeous, but I'm actually happy I opted not to go that route for my particular space.

Thanks for everyone's input.

gobruno - What sink did you end up buying?

laurainlincoln - I had never looked at the Stages sinks until a few minutes ago. Are you loving it?

We are building and right now I'm planning to get a single bowl farmhouse. I am also a little torn. I also am concerned about a single bowl. Friend say they love it any thoughts. I'm also looking at the restaurant style faucet. Hope it goes together ok.

We got the Rohl 4019

http://www.rohlhome.com/products/products.aspx?type=3&cat=19

Here's an old photo during construction:

I was worried at the time that it would be too big. Now I wish it could be even bigger!

nollie - I love our sink - we came from an old, leaking disfunctional sink setup so it seems like heaven! I worried 45" would be too big, but it weirdly doesn't and it hides lots of dirty dishes :-)

I got a farmhouse-style sink in soapstone. I had considered traditional white and also copper earlier in the process.

Mine is single bowl, 33". I haven't used it much since we are not moved back in to the kitchen yet, but I love how it looks. I used to think a farmhouse sink went more with a certain style of kitchen (country/traditional/Victorian) but now you can get them in stainless with very sleek lines too that would look great in a more modern-style kitchen.

Here's mine:

I wanted the single bowl. I have large pans and the cookie sheets that don't fit in a double bowl sink. I love my fireclay single bowl. I can put everything I use to cook/bake in that sink. I will never go back to a double bowl. I have a farm type kitchen with 1930's through 1950's decor.

Honeychurch, What a gorgeous sink! I love it!

Initially I had budgeted for a farmhouse sink...but then, with my other selections, I couldn't figure out how to make the farmhouse sink materials work colorwise. So, I ended up with a very large double (I am one of those double sinkers)undermount Silgranite sink. I love the functionality of my sink and I love the color. It's in Cafe Brown, so I don't have to worry about marks or chips like I got in my last enamel sink. On it's own, I adore it. But.....when I see a farmhouse sink... like Honeychurches...I wont it. Go figure. But the color wouldn't work. And, at this point, I won't go back to cast iron in the kitchen. In addition, I used the money saved for backsplash. And my sink works great, but it's not a farmhouse:(

This may sound odd, but if the only issue was a little more money I would have purchased a farm house sink in a second. I'm normally frugal but I am also capable of justifying some expenses by the cost over time.

I love the look of farmhouse sinks, but the problem I have is that there is no good place in my little kitchen for garbage other than under the sink. I tried, but that is the only area available. So I bought a 7" D bowl sink that I don't like, but it will allow the trash to go where I need it to go. One of those necessary trade-offs that I can remind myself of whenever I see a farmhouse sink.

honeychurch - Your sink is gorgeous and it looks like you also have a drainboard in your countertop. I would LOVE to have that, but I've been told it would be fairly expensive to do in granite. :(

My husband and I are both "double sinkers" so going with a single bowl farmhouse sink is just too much of a change for us. I also want a large bowl where I can wash cookie sheets, big pots, etc much easier than my standard double bowl sink.

The sink I've been on the verge of ordering is the Elkay ELUH 3520 which has a 20 X 18 x 10 large bowl and a 16 x 11.5 x 8 smaller bowl. I'm hoping the 20 x 18 bowl will be large enough for washing large items, but I would still have the smaller bowl for rinsing, etc. To get a farmhouse sink this large I need to get the Rohl 4019 (which I LOVE) like gobruno's, but I just don't have that much in my sink budget...

Do you all think the ELUH 3520 will be large enough to get some of the benefits of a single bowl sink?

Funny how I'm sweating a decision over something I never even saw before a couple of years ago!

nollie_gardener - I know you are leaning towards the farmhouse (fantastic) but I will share a bit about sizes & double bowls. I had never had one, but this was one of the few things my husband really wanted and I am a convert. We were constrained by cabinet size (33") and really wanted a functional 2nd bowl. Our sizes are 11 inches long x 15 inches wide and 18" x 18" and am happy. The large bowl fits a large 12" skillet or my broiler pan flat. It does not fit the cookie sheets flat but, the amount of times I use and appreciate my two bowl sink far out numbers the times I have to wash the cookie sheet (it is also easy to wash it on an angle at that size :) The smaller bowl fits my larger stock pot but not my large colander (but you can't have everything :) I had a "regular" 1980's sink and this one is much more functional (and deeper.) Hope this helps.