Second bar sink in island??

last year

We are renovating our kitchen in a house we just bought, and we are keeping the current layout but redoing everything from head to toe. The previous owners have a small bar sink at the island. The sink is almost directly across from a large sink at the window.

We can either leave the sink, and be able to use it when prepping at the island, or remove it and have a big giant clean island counter.

I sort of think it is overkill, since we can easily turn around 3 ft behind us to the main sink, but my husband thinks it could be nice to not have to carry cuttings and such to another surface to dispose of. (Both sinks would have a disposal if we did it)

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Jennifer Hogan

last year

Fori probably has the best suggestion. When we buy a house we imagine how we will live in the house and we make all kinds of plans about what we want to do to make our home work with the way we imagined it working. Then we live in a home and things we never noticed become glaringly obvious and bother us every time we enter a specific room and other things we thought wouldn't work end up working beautifully.

I would cook for 2 weeks with the sink covered and then remove the cover and cook for 2 weeks with the sink and see how often you really use the sink, how necessary is it?

I grew up in a family where we typically had 14+ at the dinner table and meals were prepared by the girls (4+ My mom) in a 10 x 12 galley kitchen. We never needed 2 sinks or more space to prepare dinners. When we baked we needed to use the table because there wasn't enough counter space for 15 dozen cookies to be cooled and decorated or for 10 loaves of bread to be kneaded and shaped.

With the holidays approaching and COVID in full swing this just made me quite nostalgic. I was just thinking how my mom would leave the kitchen at 10 minutes before 5, leaving the girls in charge of the kitchen while she ran back to her bedroom, fixed her hair and makeup and put on a nice dress so she would look nice for my father's arrival. She had already sent each of us to brush our hair and clean up before dinner. Dad would come in the house at 5:00 on the nose - even if he had to drive around the block before coming in. Mom and dad are long since gone, but we still gather at one of my sister's homes for the holiday dinners. That won't happen this year. It will be the second time in the past 59 years that I won't be having Christmas dinner with family.

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Comments (10)

herbflavor
last year
I’m not in the camp of large uninterrupted island. Personally like the idea of facing out towards people and having sink handy that way, as so much goes on around sink. I would probably place large single sink at island and have the second sink a bit to left of the white porcelain one you show. When removing something from fridge it might be better if range were a bit further to the right. Don’t you think that landing right of fridge is critical ?
Buehl
last year
last modified: last year
I think it would be helpful if you read the Kitchen Design Guidelines/Best Practices. From the "New to Kitchens? Read Me First!" thread:
- Aisles Widths, Seating Overhangs, etc.: https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5500771/faq-aisle-widths-walkways-seating-overhangs-work-landing-space-etc
- Work Zones, What Are They?: https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5500762/faq-kitchen-work-zones-what-are-they
- Storage Planning: https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5500787/faq-how-do-i-plan-for-storage
- Ice.Water.Stone.Fire, a humorous discussion of Kitchen design: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2699918/looking-for-layout-help-memorize-this-first
I would keep an open mind regarding the layout, it could be improved. (E.g., the minimum recommended aisle width for a one-person work aisle is 42"; it's 48" for more than one person working on the aisle. Aisle widths are measured to/from the items that stick out into the aisle the farthest -- appliance handles, counter overhangs, etc.; they are not measured to/from cabinets as cabinet measurements only include the boxes, not the doors/drawer fronts or counter overhangs. Your aisle width of 36" is too narrow.)

Your island looks to be about 5' deep, I would reduce it to 41.5" deep to get more aisle width b/w the sink and island. (41.5" = 1.5" counter overhang on the front + 24"D base cabs + 1" decorative door/end panel on the backs of the cabinets + 15" seating overhang)

The minimum recommended seating overhang for counter-height seating is 15".

If the refrigerator is on the back wall behind the island, that aisle should be 48" to 54", depending on whether that's a busy path through the Kitchen.

Regarding whether or not to have a PREP sink in the island, that depends on the entire layout, which I cannot see. BTW...get a PREP sink, not a bar sink. Bar sinks are barely big enough to empty a glass of water. Prep sinks are big enough to actually work in...they should be at least 15" x 15" and at least 7" deep (deeper is better). If there's enough room, I recommend a sink that fits in a 21" sink base, but one that fits in an 18" sink base will work as well. You should have at least 12" for landing space on one side of the sink (and to mitigate splashing water on the floor) and 36" or more on the other side of the sink (42" or more would be better).

Where is the refrigerator? Is that a pantry cabinet to the left of the range?
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clydem
last year
I have almost the same kitchen layout. My most favorite thing in our kitchen is the 2nd sink in the island. It makes it a 2 person kitchen which if you have a large family or do a lot of entertaining is very useful. We also put the trash compactor next to it so when your preparing a salad or veggies you can dispose of the cuttings right off the counter.
emilyam819
last year
Where is the fridge? That matters when considering prep sink placement.
Robbin Capers
last year
I'd want to have a sink next to my main prep area, but I'd also want that to be between the sink and the stove. If you're happier prepping on the island then a sink there makes sense.
Fori
last year
You're keeping the same layout. Why not LIVE with it a bit and see if you LIKE the sink in the island?
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Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
Where is the fridge ? A prep sink or main needs to b in close proximity to the fridge and ideally without crossing in fron of the range to get there. Of course you need trasj where ever you prep or do dishes and FYI disposals should be illegal every where so IMO not an issue. I will however say 2 sinks layed out like that would not be very functional. cabinets sitting on the counter are IMO a waste of counter space for no purpose . I do agree that renovating a kitchen without having lived with the layout,you are not planning on changing, is a risky idea.
marilynmontano
last year
We have a similar layout and LOVE having the second sink in the island. Make it big enough to wash your largest pan and definitely include a garbage disposal so both sinks are fully functional. I also agree about leaving a wide aisle between the island and the cabinet wall. Ours is 49” and that’s worked out well - wide enough for two people to work at either side but close enough to be efficient ‘spinning’ to grab something from fridge or oven. If dishwasher will open into this space, make sure you can walk past it even when open.
giantauthenticfan
7 months ago
Can I ask what your final choices were for your apron front sink, as well as your prep sink?? How did it turn out so far?? Thank you.

Second bar sink in island??

Jennifer Hogan

Comments (10)

herbflavor

Buehl

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