Great question!

I actually cannot remember any home that I have ever lived in (even close friends' homes for that matter) that did not have a window above the sink. I am not saying it cannot work. Many have it in the island for example. Although, maybe there is a window to look out from that direction. I am just saying that I would have a hard time with it, just as you are, due to the fact that I am so accustomed to having the window above the sink. When you have never known any other alternative, it is tough to give any other opinion. :)

My husband did not put his foot down on much of anything as far as our kitchen design, except two things.

1) I want the sink... under the window...facing the front yard.

2) I want the isle between sink and island bigger. (Sorry, that is another issue)

I can't wait to hear what others think...

There are a lot of amazing kitchens both here in the Kitchen forum and on Houzz that don't have windows as they are interior kitchens. And kitchens on exterior walls that don't have windows over the sink.

I'm a fan of as many windows as possible but I don't believe it's necessary to have a window over your sink. Studies show that most kitchen time is spent prepping. So, really, it makes the most sense to have a window over the prep area as that is where you will be spending ost of your time.

My mother's kitchen does not have a window over the sink. I don't hate it, but if I had to use it all the time I think it wouldn't be my favorite arrangement. I dislike doing the dishes more than I dislike prepping. Plus when I'm prepping I usually have a sharp knife in my hands and can't look out. So I think a window is more valuable to me over the sink.

Requiring a sink under/in front of a window is a relic from the past - before there were DWs. Before DWs, all dishes were hand-washed & hand-dried, so people spent a lot more time cleaning up and working in front of the sink than they do today. [Today, only 20% or less time is spent cleaning up (70% or more is spent prepping and 10% is spent cooking).]

If you have a window and it has a great view and it works functionally, I would put the Prep Zone in front of the window - with the sink off to the side so the actual work/counterspace in the Prep Zone is in front of the window. Unlike Crl, I don't use a knife for most prepping - I spend more time on other tasks (like measuring, mixing, etc.).

If you don't have a window, then I recommend either no cabinets over the sink or a plate rack mounted higher off the counter surface so you don't have cabinets "in your face" when working at the sink. I also suggest considering making the counter deeper so you have more room behind the sink for faucet, etc....but I recommend that even if you have a window - or maybe even especially if you have a window that's above the counter (b/c window sills steal space from behind the sink and can cause issues with faucet handles working properly.)

For 13 years our sink was in front of a wall and we had no problems with it. We actually hung a calendar on the wall over the sink. Others here have hung a stained glass or other piece of art work in front of the sink. One person even hung a mirror (I don't think I'd like that, but to each his own!) You can make anything work. If not having the sink in front of a window works better functionally, then there's no question in my mind - go with what works best functionally b/c that's what will really make or break the kitchen!

I've never lived in a home without a window over the sink. It's true we use a dishwasher, but many things get hand washed in our sink. I'm washing my hands at the sink multiple times a day, I use it for houseplants and I garden and winter sow and use it for that. I would not say that our sink gets used less than the other areas of our kitchen. Sometimes the only time I actually stand and look out the window is when I am at the sink.

We renovated the kitchen about 15 yrs ago and we took out a small window and added a 6ft window that slides open half the size of the window. You can see out that window from the sink and the prep area and the eating area at the counter. It is my favorite feature of the kitchen. I feel a real connection to the outdoors and I get a very positive boost from looking out the windows. The bird feeder is nearby and we can see all the birds, what the weather is doing, the garden in bloom. Personally, I would feel deprived without a good size window in the kitchen which is the most used room in the house. I also get satisfaction out of having something in a traditional way. The older I get, the more I dislike change. I would not enjoy changing a life long habit of looking out a window over the sink.

That being said, that's me. If you spend a lot more time prepping and would use a window more in that position, maybe it makes sense. As long as there is a good size window somewhere in the kitchen where you will use it the most, it should work out. On the other hand, I solved the problem by having a large enough window to cover just about everything we do in the kitchen. Our large window in the kitchen was the best renovation decision I've made in the house.

Is there a reason as to why you cannot add a window to the kitchen? In a kitchen, there are features which usually fall in one of the following buckets: Cannot change, Can change but will be expensive, Can change easily.

If for example, your layout is the reason as to why the window does not look possible, the very helpful GWers could suggest modifications.

Personally, I would like to have a window above the sink, but if it is not possible, the following threads may help to give you ideas for kitchen without a sink. The kitchens shown are gorgeous and the lack of a window does not even come to mind when I see them.

No window over sink

Please post pictures of kitchen sinks without a window

I agree with Buehl. The "window above sink" concept is a tradition that used to have real function: When women stood in front of the sink for long periods -- both washing vegetables and dishes -- it was a real treat to look at something other than the wall. I'd add that in those days houses weren't always air-conditioned, so women likely opened those windows for ventilation more often than we do today!

Today I think it's just become a "cultural expectation". Just as we expect a nice house to include a fireplace, a guest bath, a welcoming foyer -- these things may not be used on a daily basis, but they're niceties that most people want.

I'm in the majority: I definitely spend more time prepping than anything else. My personal preference is to prep with nothing over my head (i.e., on an island), facing out towards the rest of the house (i.e., towards the family room), and with excellent lighting. This doesn't exactly scream, "Put a window in my prep area!"

Would I personally INSIST upon a window over the sink? No, if the rest of the house "worked for us", I wouldn't see this as a "hill upon which to die"; rather, I'd put it into the category of, Things I want, but could live without.

I love my window over the sink. I love looking outside & I love natural light. I only wish mine were a little higher so I could get a taller faucet. The pics of no windows over the sink are beautiful too. In the end it's really just personal preference. And you would gain additional storage space without a window.

I don't have any windows in my kitchen. I used to, in the traditional over sink location, but it was small and didn't bring in any light anyway. My clean-up sink now faces a wall and I have a prep sink looking out over my great room which has lots of windows and light. I don't miss having a window over my sink at all.

I'm like the rest who can't remember ever not having a window over the sink. I do hand wash a lot of things, but, like prairiemoon, am at the sink for other reasons. My prep area is adjacent to my sink and the window extends over that area too. My backyard doesn't provide the best vista, but I can see the sky and birds and it lifts my spirits immeasurably.

If you have an interior kitchen, I guess there's nothing to do about it.

I moved to a house with an interior kitchen and I hate it. I can't wait to change the kitchen so I have a window somewhere, anywhere in my kitchen! Makes it more pleasant to spend time there if you have a window. Over sink window might be negotiable but I would insist on one somewhere.

Another reason I think that the sink is under the window traditionally is that the window is a break in the wall storage, so heads are not bonking shelves or cabinets while using the sink.

In a smaller kitchen, where wall space is at a premium, one either puts the sink under a window or chooses to eliminate a cab or 2 .

The original kitchen in my house had no windows. It was part of the reason for the remodel. I referred to it as the cavern and I HATED working in there. Now I have large windows with lots of light and I love it.

This is a timely post for me too.....we are in the process of designing our build and keep seeing plans with interior kitchens. We live in an old farmhouse with 2 big windows (although the kitchen isn't very big), one over the sink. I told my husband last night that I've officially decided that I can't imagine not having a window over the sink - I love to look ouside and watch the birds and the weather while I'm at the sink, and even with a dishwasher, I spend a LOT of time at the sink. Let us know what you decide to do and good luck!

@Texas_Gem: Ya know, I see all sorts of building plans these days where the bedrooms are on the perimeter with the windows and the living areas are inside with just windows on each end. I hate them. Hate. I would never live in one and can't imagine why anybody would want a house like that. I never spend time in my bedroom except at night; why would I need it to be the room with the best windows?

That said, I'm all for windows. I have many and I don't even have window coverings. Love the light and views, too. However, if I didn't have a window over my sink, I would be cool with that as long as there were windows somewhere in my kitchen. I think that's basically what the OP was asking. Not should I have a window? But do I have to have a window over the sink?

I don't understand how people look out their windows when they're working. I might pause now and then and take a glance but my eyes are on my work. Maybe I'm too klutzy to do both at the same time.

I do have a window over my clean-up sink but when we redid our kitchen I wanted a window near where I prep. We couldn't actually put a window right there due to by-laws (too close to the neighbours, blah, blah, blah) but I had a big window in the eating area and so moved a prep sink down to that end of the kitchen and it worked out.

I love having the window there so that I can get the light and sun near me. All this to say - I don't have to have one by the clean-up area but definitely by the prep area. As mentioned, function division in the kitchen has changed with the advent of the DW.

Kymberie, you are so fortunate because you get to plan a new home. You can do whatever you want! Your not stuck designing around what is built already. So go for it. Window under sink. Window above prep. Better yet a whole wall of windows! Let us know what you decide.

Hi Everyone! Thank you so much for so many replies to what I thought was a simple question. You have all provided some different thoughts regarding the situation. Rebunky, yes, we are very lucky to be building our home. It will be our last home to build, we have done it already once. The kitchen can be planned around whatever I want as you have said, however, there are a limited number of exterior walls (to save on building costs). I will post a picture of our floor plan, once I get the little ones in bed. I did have a kitchen company plan out our kitchen already, and it has a window, but I have since changed the location of the kitchen and the kitchen plan may not work.

Gemcap, I would love for any GWers to give me feedback on the plan. I will post a little later this evening.

We've been living in temporary housing while our home is remodeled. The kitchen sink in this apartment is on an interior wall--no window above the sink--but there's a large window perpendicular to the sink that provides nice natural light.

This is the first time I've lived in a home with the sink on an interior wall and it really is just as pleasant. The key for me is just lots of natural light. I think if this was my longer-term home, I'd probably use the sink wall to mount up an ipad holder above the prep area next to the sink. I'd find it more useful to be able to google recipes, info, watch video or listen to music in front of my sink/prep area than a window. As long as I had ample natural light.

I don't think you have to actively look out a window to appreciate the benefits of being next to a window. It's a feeling, a sense of sky and weather and growing things. Of noisy bluejays and the neighbor's cat walking along the fence. When I've worked at my friend's windowless sink, in an otherwise fantastic kitchen, I feel like I'm being punished.

Edited to remove floor plans and pictures. I created a new post that can be found here.

I would not buy a house with the new floor plan. It has one facing a wall regardless of where they are working in the kitchen. Even with the island, one faces the back wall of the dining area rather than a vew. Is it possible to reorient the kitchen to face the fireplace and windows in the family room?