KITCHEN SINKS
The sink is one of the most important work spaces in the kitchen, as people spend more than 60% of their time in the kitchen at this area. Your kitchen sink will have a significant impact on your daily routine, so it is an important decision to make as part of your kitchen renovation. The following guide explains some of the choices you can make, and some of our recommendations.
SINGLE OR DOUBLE BOWL
A single bowl sink has one basin with no dividers; a double bowl sink has two basins in one unit that are separated by a divider. The double bowl sink was most popular before the arrival of the automatic dishwasher, when its two bowls facilitated an easy dishwashing system: soapy water and dirty dishes were on one side, and clean water for rinsing was on the other.
These days, people seem to be choosing single over double bowls, largely because they allow for more space to wash large items (like big pots and roasting pans). However, if you are big on handwashing dishes, perhaps a double sink would still work best for you. Double sinks also help separate dirty dishes from food preparation, as you can assign different functions to each basin.
In most of our projects, single sinks reign supreme. One hybrid idea: purchase a plastic basin that fits into half of your single bowl sink if you ever want the benefit or function of two basins.
SIZE
It is important to balance the size of the sink with the amount of available counterspace your kitchen allows for. Single bowls have a smaller footprint, so they make more sense in compact spaces. Whether single or double bowl, we recommend a minimum basin size of 21” wide. If this is part of a double bowl configuration, we recommend that the second basin be at least 15” wide.
INSTALLATION METHOD
Most kitchen sinks are installed in one of three ways: drop-in, undermount, or apron-front.
A drop-in sink is set into a cutout in the countertop and has a rim that rests on top of the counter. We typically try to avoid drop-in installations because the rim can collect dirt and look grimy. However, if you are doing a butcher block countertop with a sink in it (which is also usually a situation we try to avoid), then a drop-in installation would work best for that application.
Drop-in sink image via We Are Found.
An undermount sink is installed under the countertop, which is usually the cleanest approach and is well suited to show off the beauty of a stone or engineered stone countertop. This type of installation is one of the easiest to clean and maintain, and also gives you a little extra bowl depth of the sink, because it adds the thickness of the countertop material.
Undermount sink in our Ritchie Rowhouse project.
An apron-front sink is installed so the front of the sink (called the ‘apron’) is exposed beside the cabinet fronts. These sinks are usually deeper and wider than a traditional kitchen sink, and make a strong aesthetic statement in the kitchen.
Apron-front sink image via Remodelista.
