sinks
Would like two of these side by side
4. Maximize prep space on an island. I love symmetry, and for years, I would center the sink in the island. But unless the island was 9 feet long, the prep area on both sides of the sink was limited. These days, I hold the sink to one side of the island to allow for maximum prep space. Another consideration when placing a sink in an island is the height of the faucet. The taller the faucet, the more of a focal point it becomes.
. Consider Prep Tool Storage Since prep sinks function for before-meal preparation, you want to include shallow drawers nearby for your tools: knives, peelers, whisks, spoons, measuring cups and all your favorite gadgets. Small appliances like your food processor or rice cooker, mixing bowls, colanders and salad spinners can be stored in deeper drawers or rollouts underneath. This is the oceanfront real estate in your kitchen — make sure that everything stored here gets used frequently. If the potato masher comes out only at Thanksgiving, put it somewhere else.
While this kitchen has an island, the prep sink here is also located on the perimeter, facing the window. They had a nice view and so chose to put the sink in front of it, and the cooktop on the island. Because that side of the kitchen has expansive counters, they were able to maintain symmetry with the window without sacrificing continuous prep counter space.
This island offers two sinks. It’s a large open-concept kitchen, yet with all the windows, doors and walkways, there isn’t a lot of wall space for perimeter counters. Placing the sinks on opposite sides of the island provides for both prep and cleanup space. It also allows you and your sous-chef to easily converse while preparing dinner.
5. When Putting the Prep Sink on an Island If you’re locating your prep sink on an island, it’s important to put it on the side closest to the range. If the prep sink is around the corner from the cooktop, then you are either wasting counter space and cramping your room, or you have to take several steps around the corner to get from the prep area to a cooking surface. Here, it takes just a pivot to get from prep counter to cooking. This makes it much easier to monitor what is on the stove while you continue prepping.
4. Stay in the Food Prep Zone The prep sink belongs in the food preparation zone. You should be able to move from the fridge to the prep counter to the cooktop or range in a couple of steps, with no obstacles in between. So don’t put your prep sink on the opposite side of the kitchen from your cooktop or refrigerator, especially if there is an obstacle (like an island) between them. If possible, island prep sinks should be located on the side of the island facing the refrigerator, but on the opposite end. This way, items coming out of the fridge have a clear counter on which to land, but they don’t clutter the prep zone. As a side note, try to lay out the kitchen so that the path from the eating area — whether it’s an in-kitchen eating nook or a formal dining room — doesn’t cross the cooking zone. Having smooth, uninterrupted traffic flow is the most important element of functional kitchen design. You don’t want the person clearing dinner dishes getting in the way of your efforts to plate up dessert.
2. Know the Ideal Prep Sink Size The most effective prep sinks are single-bowl, 16 to 21 inches wide, with a garbage disposal. The sink must be large enough to fit your largest colander and most frequently used pots and pans, without being so large as to waste important counter space. While the prep sink’s primary purpose is food preparation, you should also be able to comfortably wash a pot or pan within it as it comes off the stove. This allows the prep sink to function as a secondary cleanup sink after a large gathering.
When planning your kitchen, it’s critical that you give the prep sink the best real estate in the room. That’s because you probably spend more time chopping and prepping food than you do rinsing dishes. If you want a social kitchen, put the prep sink on the island. If you have a beautiful view, put the prep sink facing the window. When I make these suggestions, some of my clients object, because prioritizing the food prep sink may mean locating the cleanup sink so that they’ll be doing dishes in front of a wall. But remember, most dishwashing takes place after dinner when there isn’t much of a view anyway.
4. Deep sink. While a fridge can sometimes be too big, I’m not sure the same can be said about a kitchen sink. Typical sinks are often around 8 inches deep, but a sink that is 10 inches deep or more (especially a wide one) makes for luxurious ease of use. Being able to easily fit a large pot fully inside the sink for filling or cleaning is very practical. Plus, if you do leave an item or two in the sink to be cleaned later (sitting on top of a perfectly fitted metal sink grate, of course), they won’t be visible in your seemingly bottomless sink.
11. Island sink with light countertop. Stainless steel had been my go-to finish for sinks for many reasons, including its durability and availability at many price points. Then I realized it’s not always the best option, depending on the countertop’s finish, as well as the look you are trying to achieve. With a lighter countertop, a stainless steel sink may look like a dark hole in the island. A white sink, though, will not.
Overlooking the pool
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