I like the island oriented in #2 because it appeals to something OCD in me. Now a prep sink? You don't need one. But if it's easy to add one while things are torn up, it won't hurt. You can store trays under it so the space isn't a complete waste (says the person who has a bottle of vinegar and some silver polish under the prep sink) and when life changes, you'll have a second sink handy. If space is really tight or it's hard to install, don't bother. You don't need it.

In your kitchen, I would not use that island for typical meal prep. Maybe for baking and other stuff--it would totally get used. But I'd be using that nice spot between the sink and range for most prep, regardless of whether or not there was a sink in the island.

I don't have an answer for island orientation and it looks like either would work, but maybe these questions will help you think it through:

1. Sight line from living room to kitchen: Would you prefer to see the back of the island, or the side? What will be on the side - a nice panel, cookbook storage, etc. Maybe drawing up and comparing your elevations will help.

2. Sight line from island seating: would you rather face the cooktop wall or the sink wall? Will you ever want to see a TV or anything in the living room from the island seating? (It would be easier to twist and see from option B then option A)

3. Distance from table seating to island seating: draw in the space your table chairs will take up with someone seated, and see what the distance is between chair backs when someone is seated at the island in option B. Looks like you have plenty of room but it might help to visualize.

4. Will you ever have people seated at table and at island, who might want to interact? Option A would work better.

5. If you entertain, where do you envision visitors, who will inevitably stand at the island? Which would give better flow for how you'd like them to interact with you and each other? Option A they have backs to people in the LR; Option B they have backs to people at the table.

6. When taking something big out of the oven, like a turkey, Option B is a shorter carry. Not sure if that will matter to you.

No prep sink.

I think with the island oriented towards the sink it will give you more usable storage for dishes right across from the DW.

Where are you planning on storing pots and pans?

Is your sink window set?

chicagoans: Wow! you posed some really good questions that I am pondering...definitely things I had not thought of! Thank you! If I see the side of the island from the living room, i do not want it plain...I envision making it look like a cabinet door. When entertaining, I suspect guests will only be at the table when eating, and no one will be sitting at the island. The island will be for serving food buffet-style.

Adding an island prep sink is very doable if one is needed. Unfortunately, moving the window is not possible...big, sad sigh here!

A stucco exterior with replaced windows along with difficulty finding someone to repair stucco in my part of the country (a dying craft) makes moving the window difficult. DH might lose a "gasket" if even mentioned. I so wish I had discovered this site before we started remodeling 10 years ago..."poster-child" for having a total remodeling game-plan before tackling an expensive project.

cpartist: pots/pans will be stored under the cooktop; I agree about the dish storage drawers in Option A.

In Option B, close-to-dishwasher storage is more problematic; I wonder if it would be be better to void the corner (ditching the corner drawers) and use that 30 inches of perimeter space next to the cooktop for a bank of drawers for plates and bowl. Drawers there are not as convenient to the table, but maybe still convienent for unloading the dishwasher???

I am finding it very hard imagining how I will work/cook in a space based on a paper design. I have hated my current kitchen layout for 15+ years...I do not want to mess this up! Sigh!

Such a hard choice, but I like A for the dish storage like cpartist suggested. Also your trash would be more convenient.

I am not the expert on kitchen layout. I will tell you that when I had a prep sink, I loved it. I would stand at the sink and chop veggies or whatever. It is nice to be able to look out while prepping. Talk to people in the breakfast area or those sitting at the island. I currently have a smaller kitchen and my only sink is on the island. I like it. We don't have an outside wall in the kitchen--so no choice of having it under a window.. Also, I would put the trash pullout on the other end of the island in both scenarios. Make it accessible from throughways. So people don't have to come into the work zone to reach the trash. Just my thoughts.

My island is 36 x 52 - a bit smaller, but I agree that putting a prep sink in the space would limit the usable space on the island too much. I have a similar layout (in a much older kitchen) and I agree that most prep occurs between sink and range. My island (when I don't clear it off for a nice pic) often has some bakery goods, bananas in a tray, some recyclables I need to take out to the garage - the stuff of life. I don't eat at it though two of my four kids like to snack there or eat an early dinner - I go over to the table, which in my case is in a separate dining room, but in the same location yours is.

My island is 8 inches smaller in length - but you can see it really is not that big - but big enough.

https://www.houzz.com/photos/my-pics-work-in-progress-phvw-vp~93784291

jhmarie: thanks for the picture...what sink do you have? I like sitting at an island so will eat there a lot; DH says he hates it...but suspect that is his hating change shining through...again.

I made a major compromise to eke out 30" between the cooktop and sink corner by moving the fridge from its current short wall corner (more hidden) to the space next to the dishwasher. It makes the fridge front and center, but I gained 6 more inches to prep in. Right now, I prep in a 12"x12" corner space between the sink and stove so I too expect that area to be my major prep area if there is no prep sink. A 12"x30" corner space will feel spacious even though 36" is the recommended minimum.

kelleg69: I considered putting a smaller main sink in the island more to get it away from the window and DH's splashing/dish-cleaning gunk. But when I really thought about how we entertain (15-25 people), I realized that I would miss the buffet-style serving that my hated peninsula facilitates.

A 60"-63" island is not large; the lost serving space to a prep sink doesn't bother me (I'd just put a serving dish in it); it is the 24" of storage space that I would miss.

My kitchen sink is the Kohler Whitehaven "short apron" style. It can be installed easily on a standard sink base cabinet. Since I kept my cabinets, I went with the "short apron" style so i would not need to get a new sink base cabinet. I like the short apron style because it is somewhat reminiscent of the big cast iron sinks from the early part of the 1900's, and I was going for a vintage look. The Whitehaven also comes in a "tall apron" style which needs a farm sink base cabinet and more resembles the "butler" sinks of Europe - which is what the farmhouse sinks are modeled on.

Both the short and tall apron sinks are the same depth inside and made of cast iron. I really like mine, not just for how pretty it is, but I like being close to the sink while I work, and despite being close, I never splash myself like I did with my old sink.

I probably prefer the table because I'm short and don't like dangling my legs:)

I will add that my sink fits the 36" cabinet base - it is plenty big. It comes smaller and if you wanted a few more inches, you might do a smaller sink base cabinet if you could get it to fit the dimensions.

Is there a reason you cannot make the island longer? Is the kitchen table your concern? just wondering. Your island is pretty small, so I can see not doing the prep sink. Anyway, good luck with the project.

The table is the concern...I need space to move around it. From my research and GW help, I just make the minimums. The table is the only sit-down eating space in the house.

Would you consider the following? I know the fridge would now be in your "dining" space but when you see the full space, I don't think you'll notice that it's not strictly in the "kitchen". I say that as someone who has a similar space and is also moving my fridge and DH's coffee station down more into the "dining" area. Yes the sink is no longer completely under the window, but now your prep space is under the window.

cpartist: hmmm...I am going to have to mock your idea up in the room; I could live with this...DH??? Did the fridge move down 18 inches? If I did this, I think I could put the fridge back in the short wall corner to make it less "front and center" but I lose ice-water-stone-fire...maybe not a big deal in a small kitchen???