I like it because I can look out to the window, and I am facing what is going on in the kitchen, family room and outside. Very helpful with kids, guests, etc. In my home, if the main sink was not on the island I would be facing the wall with my back towards everyone. It is an open kitchen.

However, when entertaining I would like to have use of the whole island, which I don't because of the sink, to lay out food etc. Some newer sinks come with covers you can slide to close. It makes it look cleaner when entertaining on the island.

To me, the important thing is where the sink should be in the entire kitchen design and not if it should or shouldn't be on the island.

I like mine but I have the unpopular (here at least!) raised bar behind
it to contain "work" mess and serve as a room divider. If it was an
island in the middle of kitchen (instead of forming the edge of the
kitchen like mine), I would want it flat for working at all the way
around. I'd probably still like the main sink there, though!

Thank you for your quick replies. My current island doesn't have anything in it and I love it for food prep and serving. With open concept I'm concerned that I won't like having the sink in the middle of my island with dirty dishes and dishes drying all the time. But it sure seems to be a popular layout right now!

I have a double drawer dishwasher in the island, so that is convenient in putting dishes away, and not having them pile up.

“I'm concerned that I won't like having the sink in the middle of my island”

A sink in an island should not be placed in the center. It should be off-center toward one end or the other. That way, you have more of an uninterrupted expanse of counter.

Your point about having dirty dishes visible is the reason people opt: (1) for an extra-deep sink to hide them better (but those deep sinks can be harder on the back), (2) for a sink that is on the wall not the island, so not so much in view, or (3) not to have an open kitchen-to-living-room set-up.

Here are a couple articles about closed kitchens becoming more popular, but there are many other articles online with the same message if you google.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.treehugger.com/kitchen-design/amp/closed-separate-kitchen-makes-comeback.html

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/guid/835A8F82-9B62-11E8-9999-4B1A16BA4FF7

Shannon I so agree about the deep sink (which I have) and the fact that closed kitchens are becoming more popular. I'm not a fan of open concept but my husband is insisting on it in the new build. I'll reference the articles you linked when I talk to him :-)

if you are by nature a tidy person an island sink won't make you too miserable. its a matter of always putting things in the dishwasher and always wiping the counter and having space below the sink for the sponge and dish soap etc.

i guess i'd ask, how much time do you really spend at the sink, washing dishes? not food prep, as thats very much a come and go activity.

if you plan to have seating at the island, or having serving dishes of food on the island, and then the sink being a magnet for guests to put dirty dishes and utensils in, well, that just isnt very appealing to me.

I’ve always had a sink in the island but we also have open concept for 30 yrs so it’s nice to look out and talk to people as you clean up.

The problem comes with having a small island and the sink. I like to prep next to the sink and it’s horrific to have 12” to prep in.

I have a huge 48” sink now (love it) and 24” on either side for prep. It’s been lovely. I find that I only need one side, probably habit from having too little room. I do not like to prep away from the sink on the perimeter counter.

It really depends on how your kitchen is set up. I have two sinks in one very large island. My kitchen layout did not permit anything else. It works for me, but my kitchen is closed, and I am tidy (as a rule.) I would rather have the sinks in the island as opposed to facing a wall.

You can see dirty dishes and drying dishes at a sink in perimeter cabinets too.

Yes definitely a plus here as long as you have room for dishwasher and trash pullout.

I am in a simialr situation. The way ours is set up I don't want my back to anyone, and facing a wall. So I am currently opting for the sink in our small island. If standing at the sink - forward is a small dining area and windows, and to the right is the living room/area, and more windows. The DW is in the island.

Our is open concept. It's just the two of us. So occassional friends and family. I'm not too worried about stock piling a mess in the sink.

We are meeting our KD again tomorrow. We've only had a first pass at the layout.

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I'm a fan of sink in the island. We have a very large and deep sink, as well, so dirty dishes can hide, and I am rather fanatical about keeping the island clear as its visible from the front door (I would change that if I could!)

Another option is a slightly raised section behind the sink to help hide it, running the full width of the island. This has the advantage of stopping water from splashing over onto the floor on the outer side of the island, which happens for us all the time and is an annoyance with a hardwood floor. And it can function as an eat-in area, using bar stools instead of counter stools.

Our prep sink is in our island and I love it. I like chatting with my kids while I'm preparing food (which is always). When I need that extra space for serving company or even in the morning when I am spreading out to quickly pack 4 lunch boxes I just put a cutting board over the sink and it solves the problem of continuous counter space. Our sink is offset in an 8.5' island.

@Kathi Steele I see your point. Not sure about a mirror (seriously hate cleaining them, lol). But what you say for work flow makes sense. FYI, that under counter microwave is going - it's supposed to be an oven/micro combo, not a double with a separate microwave. Will keep this in mind when we meet KD tomorrow. Thank you!

We have back to back sinks in our island at one end so still plenty of space for entertaining and this I designed for how we cook .That IMO is the deciding factor of where the sink goes.