I can only answer the negative reveal question. All my sinks have negative reveals and I've never had a problem with them gunking up.

Check overstock.com for sinks. They normally have some excellent deals and they are great with their return policy too.

Good to know! What are overstock's shipping and returns like? I haven't purchased from them before. My GC is very old fashioned and is wary of ordering off the internet.

I haven't ordered this year, but last year ordered a desk. Shipping was $2.95 and the top came in with a corner chipped. I called them and they shipped me out a new one the same day. They told me to just trash the broken one.

Sarah- if you decide to go with a drop in and are open to a large single with offset drain, I'm pretty excited to get this Kohler Riverby from lowes installed. We've been tripping over the box in our entryway for a couple months, but got it on sale at lowes for $200.

http://m.lowes.com/pd/KOHLER-Riverby-22-in-x-33-in-White-Single-Basin-Cast-Iron-Drop-In-4-Hole-Commercial-Residential-Kitchen-Sink/3547006

A white solid surface sink could be flush mounted (insert method) to the top of the butcher block with the edge profiled. You'd have the same function as an undermount without the worries of exposed end-grain butcher block, no gunk ever, and a renewable sink that always looked great.

I'd seam that with Integra's Composite Bonder, not pure methacrylate. Maybe sneak a little white tint in.

"4. Am I forgetting to take something into account?"

Yes. This suggestion requires the fabricator to make an exact jig which takes time and costs money. You don't want a cheap sink; it's the workhorse of your kitchen. Find someplace else to cut, because you're going to be using and staring at this thing a dang long time.

The Staron A2321 is an acrylic beauty and is what you're looking for or close to it. I've purchased several and think I paid about $250.00 plus shipping. No polyester, please.

I can't speak to the waterlox but I really do like the ease of clean up of the white blanco silgranit. Very delicate sink prior to installation. Be sure to see the white in real life as it is an aggregate color. Also depending upon your cookware you may want to buy the sink grid (another $100) cast iron is the only thing that has marked mine so far...the mark took all of 30 seconds to scrub off...

Sarah if it helps we've got three (messy messy messy) boys and I cook, can, etc. and decided to go with the Blanco Diamond in white. I really wanted a big, pretty cast iron sink but I've heard too much about staining and my mom's was scratched. I've only read raving reviews about Blanco's white, aside from an issue that Blanco fixed in the early 2000's. And if you're really worried, the grid is like $80. I'm not getting it right away because of budget but may end up getting it eventually. Love seeing your kitchen come together!!

@joseph cortlett I love that idea, but I don't think our budget or my GC's time limit and skills would support it.

I went to home depot last night to look at their granite composite sinks because I was all for them after reading so many rave reviews, but they only had them in black, not white and I didn't really love the matte look.

The ones that I'm seeing that I like are mostly from kohler around the $600-700 price point.

Another question: is the smart divide that kohler offers with the lower partition between the bowls really all that useful? What's the point of having it there at all if you can't fill at least one side to soak things? Or am I missing the point?

Still having a lot of trouble finding a sink that I like... can't decide between 70/30 split or single bowl; cast iron or silgranite. Still definitely want it undermounted, might even go with an apron front if the price is right.

I'm going to wind up paying extra either way, so I might as well get what I want and will work well.

I don't really like the plasticy look and feel of silgranite, but the rave reviews I've read, plus the lower cost, have me torn.

I've never had a single bowl, so I don't know whether I'd love it. I feel like I'm shooting in the dark a little either way!

Does anybody have silgranite or single basin and NOT love it? I think hearing cons from people who actually use them would maybe help me decide...

Don't do a split. You can always put a plastic tub in a single bowl but you can never get the full width using a split sink. Think large cookie sheets, large bowls, large stock pots, etc that all need to be cleaned. So easy in a single bowl and I only have a 30"! I have used both and will never have a split bowl again. I have an apron front and LOVE it. Extra deep and so easy to reach as I'm not very tall.

Check out the sinks with the lower divider. Might be the best of both.

Ok go see a kohler iron tones low divide in sea salt and prepare to fall in love with its looks...then remember cleaning and get the silgranit...

I have the Kohler Iron Tones Low Divide in White - loved the Sea Salt but the white was a better match with my countertops. It cleans like a dream. I've had it for two years. It is the best of both worlds. I can plug both drains, fill above the 4" low divide & I have a single bowl sink. The 70% side is large enough that most dishwashing is done with only that drain plugged. I also like resting the edge of a cutting board or cookie sheet against the 4" divide & scrubbing it clean, moving it to the other side & rinsing. I had the old Kohler 50/50 split sink with a high divide - they function completely differently. I would never have that style of sink again.

Where can I go to see all different kinds of sinks in person? Lowes and home depot only have a few variations and they're mounted up on a wall, so hard to touch and feel and get an idea of functionality!

A plumbing supply store. Ferguson comes to mind, but I don't know if that's in your area.

Ok, so I've been to a plumbing supply store and saw the white silgranite in person and decided against it because I still don't like the feel of it and it's not a pure white.

So, I'm going for a cast iron or fireclay apron front now because of the butcher block counters - having the addition front will keep an additional side of the wood not in direct contact with water.

Anybody have any experience or thoughts about this sink?

http://www.wayfair.com/Single-Bowl-Fire-Clay-Farmer-Sink-FS30-BCY1205.html

I'm wondering if it is too shallow...

Have you and your GC sorted out installing a sink like that? I'm curious how you install a farmhouse sink in an Ikea base. Did you get the Domsjo base?

I think 8.75" deep set below your butcher block sounds like a good depth. I'm 5'8" and would probably put a rack in the bottom so I don't have to reach as far.

I actually just have a regular base cabinet because I was previously adamantly against a farmhouse sink, but my GC says it shouldn't be a big deal to work it in and I've asked him several times. He has to exchange some stuff for the kitchen at ikea anyway, so he's going to pick up some different stuff for the cabinet while he's there.

Good point about the undermount adding to the depth, I forgot about that. I was looking at 33" sinks in the store yesterday and they just seemed enormous, so I think 30" will be better.

Ikea has a small version of the Domsjo for $105.99-- it's a top mount, but I've seen it in real life, and the lip is pretty flat. You should be able to rig something up to undermount it. I have the other two Domsjo apron sinks-- they are huge, and even huger. :)

I just ordered the one off wayfair and got an extra $100 off through my contractor's discount. I'm very excited. Especially to be done thinking about it finally!

What a relief! I'm looking forward to your reveal!