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mjfisher77

Kitchen Island: sink or rangetop?

mjfisher77
last year

We are gut-rehabbing and expanding our kitchen. In the current proposed layout, there is a kitchen island, and an L shape run of counter/cabinetry. Either the 48” rangetop or main sink will be on the island, with the other behind it (offset) on the run of cabinetry. No windows at all on either side of the L. Would you choose rangetop in island or sink in island, and why? (Don’t get stuck on the schematic… cabinetry is moving around a bit… it’s just a visual aid for the question .)

Comments (8)

  • millworkman
    last year

    Personally I do not think your island is large enough for either. Gun to my head the sink as it would be less intrusive that a how stovetop making the countertop useless for sitting. Plus how would you vent it as downdraft hoods typically are poor options.

  • Lyn Nielson
    last year

    Never a sink on an island... no one wants to see or sit among dirty dishes... even a coffee cup and spoon.


  • susan49417
    last year

    Never, ever a cooktop on the island. Who wants to sit at an island with stuff spattering at you and poor down draft. The sink is not ideal either as you loose a lot of your surface area depending on the size.

  • Anna C
    last year

    ideally neither, but sink on the island if I had to choose. I don’t like the look of the hood over the range on an island or the stove mess there either.

  • lharpie
    last year

    48” range requires a giant hood with good ventilation unless size is just for show. that needs to be on wall so sink on island (unless you can make room for it on L too). as it stands you have hardly any usable countertop with a 48” range….

  • Mrs Pete
    last year
    last modified: last year

    Random thoughts:

    - I'd put the sink and dishwasher in the island. Why? Because when I work at the sink, I'd rather not face the wall ... and because placing the cooktop here would mean you'd need a range hood over the island, where I would rather see uninterrupted space.

    - If you're concerned about looking at dirty dishes in the sink, have a large cutting board made to cover the sink.

    - Looking at the available space, I'd downsize to a 30" or 36" range ... you just don't have the cabinet space for an oversized range + ovens (plural). If you go this direction, you'll have essentially no cabinet storage.

    - As shown, wouldn't the pantry door conflict with the ovens? How big is that pantry door? I'm not convinced you'll have good access to that storage space.

    - This space doesn't seem to be big enough to support the alcove around the cooktop.

    - You'll have 3'8" behind the island /for the seating. This is on the small side but not impossible. Placing the second pantry (which is more shallow) on the end, as shown, is wise.

    - Where will your glasses be stored? Ideally you'd have a cabinet for glasses near both the dishwasher and the refrigerator.

    - I like the separate cabinet run across from the main work area for coffee, microwave, etc.

  • mjfisher77
    Original Author
    last year
    • thanks, that’s what I’m thinking about sink versus range in the island. We don’t really keep dirty dishes out much.
    • yes, starting to think 36” is the right size. The double-griddle is probably overkill.
    • the cabinetry in this version is not right, nor is the alcove staying. Will be changed. Further, will probably nix the window above the coffee station for more uppers.
  • 3katz4me
    last year

    Sink in the island because I can't stand working at a sink that faces a wall. I have a sink in an island and it's okay but my preference is nothing but countertop for an island. That's what we did when we remodeled our kitchen in a previous home.