With a single-bowl sink you can always add a dish tub for soaking.

ALL my pans AND my oven racks can fit in my single sink, PLUS I only need one set of drains underneath, which frees up more under-sink cabinet space (plenty of room to store a collapsible tub if need be).

Hello-

While we are often partial to large, single bowl undermount composite sinks, you have to make a decision that reflects your personal style. A white farmhouse sink in a black countertop is a high contrast statement and draws attention. In the photos below there are some classic, traditional looks that feature this combination beautifully. A dark sink, black or charcoal, will blend in and is sleek, and more modern often. So all combinations can work, and you just need to decide how much attention you want your sink to steal. If you want to make it a focal point in the kitchen, go for a higher contrast. If you have a better focal point, such as a hood/range moment, or a view to maximize, then consider drawing less attention to your sink to avoid competing with the main focal point. Good luck!

White sink with light countertop, dark sink with dark countertop. I would do a single bowl.

Other than cookie sheets what do you regularly use in your kitchen that won't fit in a 15"x18" sink?

I have two frying pans like this that are 21” that I need to soak regularly.

My cast iron pan is also 21” and although I don’t usually soak it, I do sometimes soak it in hot water for a few minutes when my scraper thingy or scrubbing with salt cannot get all the cooked on crud.

Also I will occasionally soak my cooktop grates if they get nasty. They are 20”.

I don't really understand why people are so invested in someone else's sink. It is understandable that someone might encourage others to try a single bowl sink if they haven't, but why does anyone here care what I prefer for a sink?

We have tried it... and don't like it. In fact, we have had two (one by choice and one at home purchase) and prefer divided sinks. My divided bowl workstation sink has always had plenty of space for our needs. Specifically we don't like running water over wooden spoons, cutting boards, and knives, so when I had a single bowl sink those items were left on the counter until they could be washed.

I do respect that everyone has their own solution to those problems, which is great, and feel free to share your solution... however, if you wouldn't mind doing so without acting like I am doing something wrong that would be appreciated.

ETA: This is not the first time this topic has come up. Every time there is a question and someone notices more than one bowl in the kitchen the same old debate happens.

I also prefer divided sinks

I think I must be missing something? Did a comment get deleted?

Anyways, this kitchen forum is great. People can come here to get advice and hear the opinions on all sorts of kitchen related stuff. Sinks apparently are a hot topic!

Imo, sink preferance is one of those things where there is really no right or wrong choice. Some prefer single bowls and some like double bowls. I appreciate reading comments describing what they like or don’t like about each type.

I do have to crack up when I see the word “hate“ used when describing their feeling towards a kitchen sink because I totally get it! 😉 😂

@rebunky I found the explanations for why people were happy with their sinks super helpful when I made my choice recently. And absolutely hated my previous one, and am thrilled to use my new one. 😊

In my sink replacement business, about 1/3 of our work is replacing cheap builder-grade double bowl sinks with singles without changing the cutout. In 4 years, I've never gotten a single call to go from a single to a double. An employee was going to switch his double for a single, but his girlfriend prohibited the change. Rare.

Virtually everyone who changes a sink chooses a single bowl sink. We may do 3 doubles a year out of 300.

Get whatever you please; I'm just relaying what the marketplace has told me.

I agree with what Joe said. All of my clients that make the switch, even the ones that are skeptical, love their large single sinks. 22 years ago, my engineer husband said NO to a single bowl sink. That is when they first started becoming popular. I gave in because he was the main cook in the family. We ended up getting divorced a few years later. But remained good friends. I have remodeled TWO of his kitchens since then and FINALLY talked him in to trying a large single bowl. HE LOVES IT! He moved into a house a few years ago and couldn't wait to remodel the kitchen because it had a double bowl sink. If I can change HIS mind about it....I can convert anyone to a large single! :-)

To the person that thinks they are a water waster? I disagree! I only ever have a couple inches of water when soaking things....it actually helps because you can lay things down flat. What really wastes water is those that feel the need to rinse everything before putting in the dishwasher....that is a major pet peeve of mine.

I don’t like the idea of a dark sink, because I feel like I might not see if the corners are cruddy and could be harboring bacteria. But I also use a grid in the bottom of my single bowl stainless sink, and it makes it more inconvenient to clean the sink surface after every use. For those with single bowl sinks, do you use a grid in the bottom?

When I have a client who wants a double-bowl sink (maybe about 5% of the kitchens I design?), I recommend a low-divide sink. They allow for a few inches of water on each side, but can more easily accommodate large baking trays or pots with long handles. I think they are the best of both worlds for someone who wants two bowls.

I have had 50/50 double bowl, 60/40 double bowl, a three bowl sink--2 equal size with a small center bowl and currently a 33" stainless steel single bowl. I love the single bowl. Everything fits. Room for long handle skillets to sit flat and soak. Largest dirty pan or bowl serves as the 'dish pan' for things that get hand washed. Like aluminum cake pans; nothing aluminum ever goes into the dishwasher. Dishwasher space hogs get hand-washed.

I will never go back to a divided bowl sink but I *could* step down from a 33" single bowl to a 30" single bowl.

I miss my 60/40 sink. i drained my washed knives & cast iron pan in the smaller side. That was the sink I washed all veggies and fruit. Always had leafy greens This house i put the one large sink. Yes i can wash a cookie sheet flat but have to clean sink for washing greens. . i do that more often than a cookie sheet.

I think that the growth in popularity of the large single bowl sink was about the same time as having a separate prep sink grew in popularity.

It makes perfect sense that you only need a single bowl sink if you have a separate prep sink.

But not all kitchens have both or have room for both. In that case you will have to choose the sink that makes the most sense to you or that best fits your needs.

- 1 large sink that has to somehow function as both a prep and dish cleaning sink or

- 1 double bowl sink where one side is used as the dish washing sink and the other side has the garbage disposal and is used as the prep sink. Can be split 50/50, 60/40 or 75/25.

I have been cooking and doing dishes for over 50 years and somehow managed to wash my dishes no matter what size or shape kitchen sink I had. I prefer 2 bowls, but that is simply my preference.

@rebunky

You do realize the picture is of a non-stick pan. It may not lay flat into a sink, but it is easy enough to clean as it should only need to be wiped out with a hot soapy rag and rinsed.

I do have a couple of large items that don't fit into my sink, but rarely use them and if they need to soak I can always find a flat surface near the sink to set them on while they soak.

I would like to understand how you solve for not having a prep and dishwashing sink. When cooking your dinner do you have a bin in the sink with hot soapy water for washing the counters and stove or do you have another way of disposing of prep scraps other than running them down the disposal? How do you manage keeping things clean and doing prep in just one sink?

This is when the Houzz Kitchens Forum becomes frustrating since all but a couple commenters are bothering to answer the OP's questions. Instead, commenters are on a tangent that they want to talk about, not what the OP asked about. How would you all feel if you were struggling with a color decision, and everyone responded with something else, and something that has already been discussed to death on this forum to boot?

@jordanelotts asked about the color of the sink or whether an undermount would be better than the apron front.

We don't even know the OP's sink width which would come into consideration if she did want to know whether to pick a one-bowl or a two-bowl sink.

@jordanelotts - I think the apron front sink will be great. We have an apron front sink, and can't go back to an undermount. It's more ergonomic compared to an undermount sink which has several inches of counter in front of it. I like the idea of a black sink with your counters, it will look sharp.

It would be helpful to have a bit more info from you. Such as what sink material you are considering? Do you have hard water? If so, the black sink may show water spots. Though people report that certain black sinks are more prone to water spots than others - it depends on the sink material. And many people do not care one bit about the water spots - it's a sink after all. Are you looking at granite composite, enameled cast iron, fireclay?

We have the Elkay Crosstown farmhouse sink, but in stainless steel (ECTRUF30179R). As I said, we like the apron front design, and also the corner drain especially, and we don't have to worry about stainless steel cracking or chipping. We don't bother with the sink grid but other people like the grid. I have also had a granite composite sink in a vacation home, and liked it very much.

I’d go under mount. Match your countertops for a cohesive look. Darker colors stick out like a sore thumb.

RoyHobbs:

Instead, commenters are on a tangent that they want to talk about, not what the OP asked about.

But then you go on about what you are criticizing commentators for doing.

We have the Elkay Crosstown farmhouse sink, but in stainless steel (ECTRUF30179R). As I said, we like the apron front design, and also the corner drain especially, and we don't have to worry about stainless steel cracking or chipping. We don't bother with the sink grid but other people like the grid. I have also had a granite composite sink in a vacation home, and liked it very much.

No one here is being rude, most are just mentioning personal experiences with sinks, as OP's photos are of double sinks.

@jodyrah - why are you saying "darker colors stick out like a sore thumb", when the OP said her counters will be Brazilian Black Mist?

I often recommend an apron sink to save cabinet space while maximizing the size of the sink. A 30" apron sink fits in a 30" cabinet while an undermount sink typically needs a 36" cabinet. In some layouts, those 6" make a big difference.

I always recommend a rack, regardless of the sink material, to prevent/reduce scratching.

@elcieg - I just knew someone would say that, and it was you. Did you read where I answered the OP's questions about apron front vs undermount, and color suggestions? Unlike the many commenters here. The context of my comment about my sink was that I am recommending the apron front design from my own personal experience with an apron front sink. After writing 5 paragraphs addressing @jordanelotts' post, I mentioned my sink was stainless steel because I didn't want the OP to assume that my apron front sink is one of the colors she was considering. I also added my experience with granite composite (which may be what the OP is picturing - we have no way of knowing).

Roy,

I can appreciate your frustration, but I think quite a few posters did answer the question directly.

Side tangents happen frequently on threads. That doesn’t bug me as much as when the OP never returns. That is so frustrating to me.

I asked the OP about the sink brand and material because, like you, I was going to warn her about the hard water issues with a certain brand composite granite sink.

Jennifer,

I forgot, here is another thing. I like that I can give my doggies a bath in the sink. Leaning over the bathtub just kills my back.

Actually my sink is a Blanco Precis Cascade with the low divide.

I like it ok. Just don’t get me started on my rant about the ugly white streaks on it from what I am guessing is hard water stains. Ruined my black granite too.

To answer you question, yes I am aware it is a non stick pan. Lol!

I like to soak it sometimes, not for the non stick part of the pan. That is easy to clean as you nicely pointed out. It is the outside that can get stuck on gunk that is difficult to get off. I have know idea what my messy dh does to the pans while cooking, but I think he puts the fire up to high and stuff that drips on the side get burnt on.

Can I clean it without soaking? Of course. Sos and eblow grease usually works. But I do have to buy new non stick pans all the time because after a while it is a lost cause.

As far as my dinner prep routine, I don’t think I need to go into depth about how I can possibly cooking dinner without a double bowl sink. I usually clean everything before I start, and then clean again after dinner.

If something needs cleaning during prep, I don’t need a bowl of hot soapy water sitting there waiting for me. If something is spilled that is non hazardous, I don’t worry about it. If it is something gross like raw chicken juice on the countertop, I use a paper towel and sanitizer to clean it.

I have a question for you though. Why did you feel the need to patronize me? Asking me if I was aware my pan is a non-stick was quite condescending don’t you think? I am sorry if you didn’t mean it that way. iIt seemed that way when I read it.

I thought you were asking a genuine question regarding what items are too big to fit into one side of a double bowl sink. I sincerely apologize if I offended you by answering your question.

From the posted photos, I would go dark apron single bowl sink. I like the drama of the dark stone and dark sink.

I have a white farmhouse single bowl and love it. No matter what you buy, get the fitted grids that fit to keep your sink free of scratches, etc.

" Instead, commenters are on a tangent that they want to talk about, not what the OP asked about. How would you all feel if you were struggling with a color decision, and everyone responded with something else, and something that has already been discussed to death on this forum to boot?"

RoyHobbs:

Compared to many here, I have nearly no eye for color coordination, so I leave that to the more experienced. I am very experienced in sink configuration and believe a bit of thread drift is a small price to pay for perhaps keeping someone from making a design mistake. Sometimes we see fire code violations in pictures asking for other advice. I'll continue to contribute to the best of my abilities with a little drift.

In answer to the color question, I would NOT choose any version of black, matte or gloss. Ever owned a black car? Every speck of anything will be highlighted with the black background. You'll be chasing things down the drain that you ordinarily would leave to get washed down later. Like flour sprinkles, tiny bits of cauliflower....

I would not choose white because I don't like the high contrast with the counters you have chosen.

My choice would be stainless steel.

@Joseph Corlett, LLC - I agree a bit of "thread drift" as you say can be good, but not what I was talking about. Earlier in this thread @bry911 was already commenting on the sink bowl replies, yet they continued. Most ignored the OP, and did not respond to her questions. Your analogy to fire code violations does not work. A fire code violation risks people's lives and homes. That is not the same as people single-mindedly focusing on the number of sink bowls the OP pictured.

I agree with @Joseph Corlett, LLC about the single bowl sink. With maple/white cabinets, I'd go with a white sink. Have you looked at the Kohler Whitehaven? Gives you an apron front with the convenience of an undermount.

I’m big fan of the black undermount with the black counter. Apron sinks, to me, call too much attention to themselves. You can have all the functionality without the visual mass.

I’m doing exactly that now in a small kitchen.

Do have a question that arises from light to dark transitions from countertop to sink..
What color chalk is or could be used in these transitions. Does it match the sink or countertops? Or does one use ultra clear silicone caulk between high contrast finishes. So many details arise from the original posts that are exciting to discuss.
Sorry if this takes the thread in another direction. We are working on the slowest DIY remodel known in Houzz history and the pros here have been a ton of help…

I've had several types of sinks, double and single, stainless and white ceramic, but no black or charcoal. The ceramic needed constant cleaning from black scuff marks, the shiny stainless got water spots, the brushed stainless single bowl was my favorite and the least 'needy'. Single bowl was my choice because I do a lot of baking and candy making and being able to fit the baking sheets and large pots and tools is so convenient. My grandmother had a large sink made from heavy oak and that was my favorite. It was big and deep and charming, but forget getting it as clean as today's standards require! And if it got too dry, it would leak.

I would also not recommend black counters, although they look great, they show every last speck of dust or crumb and need constant wiping.

The contrast between countertop and sink is stunning - under-mount white sink in contrast with the black countertop. If you want to achieve a a more subtle understated look in your kitchen (with consideration to the finish on your appliances and fixtures), the gray sink appeals to understated elegance, especially with brass complements . If visual continuity across the entire countertop is your goal then a matte black sink keeps the eye moving uninterruptedly across the horizonatal.

"What color chalk is or could be used in these transitions. Does it match the sink or countertops? Or does one use ultra clear silicone caulk between high contrast finishes."

You always bring the stone to the sink, never the sink to the stone, with caulk color choice. This is particularly important with flush (ugh) and positive reveal sinks. In the first two pictures in this thread, a translucent white which suggests the countertop, not either the white or black sink, would look much better than a black or bright white caulk.

You would think a bright white caulk would look good with a bright white sink, but you would be wrong. The bottom of the stone is not smooth and all the little imperfections get filled with bright white making an awful looking saw-tooth installation. A color suggesting the top or even clear would be a better choice. I only have clear on my trucks and we've never gotten a caulk color choice complaint.

@ rebunky - My inquiry was sincere.

I happen to be older and remember going to the farm show and seeing the demonstration of this new frying pan with a non-stick surface. My dad bought one for my mom. From that day on we had a non-stick egg pan, but nothing else was non-stick. I remember soaking and scrubbing pots and pans and having to use copper polish on the bottoms. Doing dishes before non-stick was a lot more work than it is today. I also remember baking fruit filled pasties before insulated cookie sheets and parchment paper. The fruit would spill out onto the cookie sheets and burn fast. It was an SOB to scape and clean that burnt on sugared fruit. They had to soak. That isn't true today.

My mom cooked for about 15 people every night. We had 5-6 people in the kitchen when we cooked and when we cleaned up after supper. We baked, we canned, we made home made jelly and ice cream. Sometimes I think the only thing we didn't do was churn or own butter.

Our kitchen was not all that big per today's standards, but it was really well designed and functioned really well. My mom needed two large sinks, a 8 burner stove, double ovens and a full size refrigerator and a full size freezer in the kitchen.

This is approximately what my mom's kitchen was like.

I see a lot of kitchens today where people have larger kitchens and as much cooking and more prep space than my mom had and I wonder how much thought has gone into their decisions or if it is just a matter of wanting more or wanting what is popular and/or being advised to follow the trends.

To me choosing a sink is like choosing colors. Just because gray is the trend does it make gray the right color for every home? First questions should be "Do you like gray?" and "Will gray work with the things you own?"

First question in choosing a kitchen sink should be "How many bowls will work best for you?"

I think that advising people to buy what is popular without regard to how they cook it is a disservice. Does it matter if my neighbor loves her single bowl sink if it won't function as well for me? Does it matter if she painted her walls gray if I love cream?

Did the person giving the advice consider any other information other than "This is what is popular" ? Did they ask if the person has a separate prep sink? Did they ask if the person has a laundry room with a large utility sink near the kitchen? I may not need a second sink if I have a prep sink. I may not need a large single bowl if I have a huge utility sink for those times I need the larger bowl.

BTW - I love your doggie pic. My dog is a bit too big for the kitchen sink, but I fostered a lot of animals over the years and bathed quite a few in my kitchen sink. They were usually kittens and puppies and fit in the larger size of my 60/40 sink, but for you this may be a compelling reason to get a single bowl sink. For me, needing to wipe down surfaces and clean dishes as I cook is a compelling reason to want two bowls. I do remember us bathing her grandbabies in my mom's kitchen sink. If you were planning on having more children or think you will have 1/2 a dozen grandbabies coming along this may be another great reason for wanting a large, single bowl sink.

Every household is different, so shouldn't we find out more about the home and the household before directing people to choose one option over the other based solely on popularity or our own experience.

Since your preference is dark countertops, I would view Houzz photos of sinks with dark countertops to see what color pairings appeal to you. I would heed advice regarding materials/maintenance issues though. Obviously everyone thinks their opinion is right. Lol. I’ve never had a dark sink since the tales regarding staining scared me. I’ve had a couple of white porcelain sinks and black marks appear but can be removed with magic eraser. My preference is for a clean, bright, low maintenance (defined by me), look so light countertops, single bowl under mount sink in brushed SS but that’s why they make chocolate and vanilla. So choose your visual preferences but keep in mind maintenance. If you love the look, know/accept what is required to maintain the look then the right decision will be easy.

We put in leathered Uba Tuba granite counters and a soft black composite granite sink in 2014 and have loved both choices. The undermounted deep black sink somehow hides dirty dishes, is easy to clean, doesn’t chip or amplify clattering - very happy with it. No divided sink for us. Here’s a photo after installation.

@tzudesign - in two previous kitchens we had the BlancoDiamond Super Single (undermount) in the Silgranit Anthracite color which is a charcoal color. Loved it. It didn't show anything, and seemed impervious to everything. No staining, no marks, and even though we have slightly hard water, it did not show water spots. In the last kitchen we did similar to what you pictured, though with Virginia Mist granite (a black granite with white streaking throughout, and somewhat similar to the OP's slab) and it was a beautiful combo. We also had a tall pre-rinse style faucet in polished chrome which really gleamed against the black, very eye-catching.

For our current house, we have a stainless steel sink, only because after two homes and many years with Silgranit, I wanted to try something different. The stainless steel is very good too, but does not have the visual drama of the anthracite Silgranit. I understand that Silgranit has a new color "coal black", which is more deep black than anthracite. If the OP does decide on a black sink, it might be something for her to consider.

An observation and an inquiry about the drift.

I have never been a fan of doing something because everyone else thinks it is a good idea. It has been my experience that people regularly follow trends without any thoughts on the benefits. So the fact that most people select single-bowl sinks is not really a reason to select a single-bowl sink. It could be a reason to evaluate your preferences and that is all.

It is being presented here, as it almost always is, as the correct answer. Respectfully, @Joseph Corlett, LLC, you are not "just relaying what the marketplace has told [you]," when you make statements like, "ditch the full divide please," and note that you feel you are "keeping someone from making a design mistake."

----

Now the inquiry...

Suppose I am making a pasta and it needs some herbs. I grab my wooden cutting board and my knife and cut up some herbs real fast. I then turn and place the knife and cutting board in the sink. If it is a single bowl sink, how do I drain the pasta? You should not let your chef's knife or your cutting board be submerged and definitely shouldn't dump starchy salt water on them.

I was also constantly taking items out of the sink so I could use the colander or taking the colander out of the sink to wash my hands (I prefer a bowl colander to the accessory on my workstation sink).

I do understand that not everyone cooks like I do and there is nothing wrong with that, however, for us, it was always take the pot to the sink, realize there was something we had to get out of the sink before draining pasta.

Grew up with a large deep porcelain sink so a stainless divided was the modern way to go. Since married I have had divided stainless, divided white and a black single. I just love my new single stainless deep. It is so useful. What I don't love is the grid but engineer hubby likes the look. My 2 cents.

I think the original poster doesn't care what anyone thinks since they have never responded. Maybe they just wanted to start disagreement and watch what happened. Reading these posts has been a blast!

You all who are soaking pots and pans might try Dawn Powerwash. No soaking necessary anymore. That spray lifts everything and dissolves grease like nothing else.

@Jody Hall, the discussion provoked by the OP has been a blast. Who knew sinks provoked such strong feelings?

@Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc. Kristin, re: the picture you posted, what is the cabinet color and who made them? Lovely kitchen! Thank you!

I would never buy a type of sink because it’s popular. I’ve had 5 homes and I’ve built 3 new kitchens so I know what I like. The trend right now is a sink in the island which is a deal breaker for me. That is another hot topic that gets people riled up. I don’t get it. If you love the sink in the island, buy a house with one. Why try to convince others that their choice is wrong or they are only purchasing because it’s trending, or they can’t put their cutting board on the counter next to the sink so they can pour spaghetti water into the sink or they waste water if they have one sink. Giving advice is one thing. Condemning other’s choices is another.

Jennifer,

Awww, cooking and canning with your mom and family sounds so wonderful. I bet you cherish those beautiful memories. And your kitchen looked like it was very functional! We are empty nesters now, but I would be thrilled to have grandchilden someday!

M Miller,

I have heard of others like you, who have zero issues with their silgranit sink in the darker colors and I am so jealous. Mine is the Cinder. I wish I knew what causes the terrible white streaks. I have city water, and don’t have a clue if it is hard water, but the streaks definitely look like water splashes and drips. They are also on the sides of the sink, nothing really on the bottom. Go figure! I have my whole cleaning and oiling routine and can get it looking like new again, but it doesn’t last very long. 😞

Bry911, I think the difference for the way I work making pasta is that I would not put the wooden cutting board and knife into the sink at all. I would scrape the herbs into the sauce and just set it back down on the prep counter where it was.

Sometimes I will have a bowl or colander of washed salad greens sitting in the sink and need to wash my hands. I just bump the colander over to the left and bump the faucet a little bit to the right. The water and soap never get close to getting on the greens. The single bowl has enough room to almost act like a double bowl, except the center divide is invisible. I think the sink styles and cooking styles are one of those tomayto, tomahto things. No right or wrong answer, just personal preference.

One thing that I do like about my blanco presis cascade is it has the little raised shelf area that came with a removable metal colander basket you set on it. I place my knife in it after I rinse it off and then my rinsed cutting board can be stored upright between the basket and the side of the sink so it doesn’t fall down on the bottom of the sink and get wet as people use the water.

Jody,

I am right with ya! That is a pet peeve for me, when the OP never responds. I feel like if they make it clear they have abandoned ship, the rest of us can feel free to drift a little.

Well, I guess we should be mindful not to take it too far, because then it bumps other people’s threads down that really need immediate kitchen help.

@Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc. Kristin, re: the picture you posted, what is the cabinet color and who made them?

This one?

These cabinets are from Seville Cabinetry and the finish is Meadow. It's such a soft, pretty color.

I think any sink color would work, it is just your preference. I can tell you that I have a grey/black sink and I love it because it hides a lot.

Having had brown tub and sink in my bathroom in the 1970s (they were on sale) i would never go with the dark sink colour. there will be a ring of scum visible around the sink every time you empty the water.

@thelaundress - how does your experience of a tub and sink in the 1970s of unknown material equate to a kitchen sink today made of granite composite, fireclay, or enameled cast iron? If your only experience is from 50 years ago, it is not helpful to the OP. I have had two Blanco granite composite sinks in the anthracite color in my last two kitchens - in the 21st century - and they showed nothing and were easy care.

I’ve got the same countertop as you and love my stainless steel under mount. Don’t look at the mess please.