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in my small ish kitchen, I have an island that is about 4 feet wide and 3 feet deep ( or maybe 5 x 4). There are two bar stools on one side for guests, and I do all my prep work at the island. no sink. My husband is usually doing the cleaning, and we do get in a jam at the regular sink. If I could make my island larger, I would definitely want a sink on it, that I would use just for washing hands, washing ingredients, and the like. No dirty dishes--they would still go near the regular sink. My stove, by the way, is not on the island, but behind me when I stand facing the island.
My friend has a long island with a prep sink and a disposal. I cook at her house a lot and I use the sink frequently. I would get a sink with three holes--a faucet with attached lever, and one hole for dish soap and one hole for hand soap. The thing with a flat island without the pony wall is you can't really keep stuff on it without it looking too junky. Also, the tradeoff would be that you lose one side of the island where people can lounge. and they will lounge, no matter how much you want them not to!
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John E.
Jan 24, 2011 03:31 PM
If I had the choice I would maybe have a small bar-type sink for convenience with a high faucet but not a prep sink. I agree with escondido that a dirty sink nearby is nothing pretty to look at.
I recently saw a story in the local paper (home section) with a photo of a remodled kitchen. Either the architect was clueless or the homeowner was and forced the design. The kitchen was huge about 20' x 18'. The sink was on one wall with a window, the stove was in the middle of the next wall and the refrigerator was across from the sink with a huge center island in between. Whomever was responsible for the new kitchen obviously didn't ever actually cook in a kitchen.
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BiscuitBoy
Jan 24, 2011 07:45 AM
island sinks work well in homes where people order takeout alot, and in magazines. Unless you are type A+ in keeping your kitchen squared away, they just aren't practical. An electrical outlet or 2, however, is an excellent choice...no need for gfci is not within 3 ft of water
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susancinsf
Jan 23, 2011 06:53 AM
when I saw the question, I immediately answered to myself, 'sink, of course'. I love my prep sink on my island (which has a garbage disposal, btw, though I am trying to mostly compost). But then, as noted in other replies, my island is large, and there is lots of counter space both on it and elsewhere, nor is it the island where guests congregate (we have an area on the perimeter which I prefer anyway, as they aren't in the way; a sort of peninsula except that it goes almost all the way around).
The island also has an outlet, but we never use it except now and then for the immersion blender (plenty of counter spaces and outlets on the internal counters and I worry less about knocking an appliance over if they are placed there).
btw, don't know if you have thought of this, but my island is a different height than the surrounding counters (I didn't think of that, was fortunate enough to be able to buy a house with a great kitchen). Good when you have preparers of different heights, and another reason to put a sink on the island, for those who are more comfortable with the shorter (in my case) height.
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re: susancinsf
jenscats5
Jan 23, 2011 07:17 AM
We've decided to go all 1 height.....husband doesn't want the pony-wall for a bar counter.....so that's what we're doing.....the counter will have an overhang for chairs tho....
One plus for no sink will be the pots N pans organizer I can get for the base cabinet....Hmmmm
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Will you be having this permitted. If so--at least here in California--you will have to have outlets at regular intervals. Not a bad thing and remember you can put them on the side.
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re: jenscats5
c oliver
Jan 23, 2011 06:48 AM
You really can never have too many outlets but you can sure have too few. We did a whole house upgrade/remodel/addition five years and we teased the electrician (SAM - love that Sam) because he was insisting on so many all over the house. We're really glad we went along with him.
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We are fortunate to have a large island. I was able to put a two drawer dishwasher and a refrigerator drawer and freezer drawer in the island. Having the sink there allows me to keep the veggies in the refrigerator drawer, away from the main fridge. I can prep them right there while the other sink is in use. I agree with the person who commented that you need to have a large enough island. But, if you can configure the island to have the sink on one end of it then you would still have a continuous work space.
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Tell us more about your kitchen - present and future. Size is important, what do you want it to do for you?
I am lucky to have a rather large space. My 4.5' X 9' island does have a sink. My guests sit around a long peninsula, not the island, and can watch/participate from there (so they're not all underfoot all the time).
When planning this kitchen, I was told to choose a sink not labeled "prep" or "bar" sink because not all of them are large enough to be able to accept a garbage disposal. I made certain that the sink I chose would hold large plates also.
Often, when having a party, I fill the island sink with ice and use it for beer-wine service since I have prepped at this same sink before guests arrive. If I were to design a kitchen again, I would absolutely opt for an island sink as well as a main sink. They've both been joys.
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re: Sherri
jenscats5
Jan 22, 2011 03:27 PM
Our LR, DR & kitchen are all 1 big, huge bowling alley of a room with no division between the rooms, really.....there's plenty of room due to the very long structure of the room....the kitchen itself isn't that big - small L-shape of cabinets & we need more room for storage as well as better storage....so we need to be smart about it.
We won't have the room for a full sink or a disposal - island will be 6' max with 2 cabinets + a beverage center....
And we'll be building it ourselves....so no sink will be easier for me which is a plus....LOL
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JEN10
Jan 22, 2011 12:54 PM
How large is your island? I like to have a prep sink in the island, if that is where I will be doing the prep. It is also nice to have when someone else is at the main sink doing clean up. I will usually put the filtered water faucet at the prep sink, that way someone can get to it if main sink is busy. Also be sure to add a garbage disposer, you can use an airswitch on the counter instead of a traditional switch.
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re: JEN10
jenscats5
Jan 22, 2011 01:01 PM
We don't have the island yet....we are planning on what we want so we can order cabinets to build it....
The thought for the bar sink would be to be able to wash hands or rinse something if the main sink was busy....but what we both mostly "fight" over is counter space, not sink space, so I'm divided still at this point....
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re: jenscats5
JEN10
Jan 22, 2011 04:57 PM
Putting in a sink would require a bit of plumbing handy work, as you would have to tie into the exist. sink stack for proper drainage. Or create a new stack in a nearby wall. It is not as simple as one might think, so unless you have a plumber in the family I would get a consult on that idea. Best of luck with your project!
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I have had islands with and without sinks and I vote for no sink unless the island is amazingly long and/or wide. Here's why: Odds are you will have people standing/sitting on the other side of the island. And what will they be looking at least part of the time? Dirty dishes. Sponges/scrubbies. Dish soap. Maybe a little gunk around the faucets that you haven't cleaned away. And will they also be looking at a dish drainer? Oh, and then there's keeping the sink itself clean virtually all the time, even those little flaps that go down into the disposal.
And what's so great about an island with nothing--not even a prep sink? You have this wonderful large space to prep on, roll out cookies, make pasta. And when you have company it's a bar/buffet/hang out spot with nothing in the way. And all it takes to keep it clean is a good wiping down right before people walk in the door. I have regretted both the islands with sinks, the two without, not for a moment.
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re: escondido123
jenscats5
Jan 22, 2011 12:41 PM
Interesting!! Something I didn't think of....Although I was more looking at getting a 'prep' or 'bar;-type of sink...mainly just to wash hands if someone is washing veggies at the main sink or rinse out a glass.
However, our kitchen isn't huge, so it's not a big deal to only have the one sink. And it would save on costs to not have the sink....
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