The National Home Builders Association reports that more than 70 percent of all buyers want kitchen islands, and half consider one a necessity. It’s easy to understand why; kitchen islands can have a huge impact on your ability to use and enjoy your kitchen.
If you enjoy cooking and cook often, extra space for food preparation can be as much a necessity as a luxury. Or perhaps you like the company of others as you prepare your food, including having them help you as you work. You can even add places for seating, which can also be used for casual meals.
An island can help you re-orient where you perform common tasks. You might not enjoy facing the wall as you chop vegetables, for example.
Whether you already have an island in your kitchen that you would like to remodel, or are thinking of starting from scratch, there’s one amenity that can make a significant contribution to its utility: a kitchen island sink.
Choosing Your Sink
One consideration that sits above all others is that your kitchen is a workspace. Even if someone other than you may be doing a meal preparation, you still want the layout to make working in the space efficient and enjoyable. There are several points to consider in planning.
How Big Is the Island?
Think about everything you want the island to provide. Will your island be just a cooking space? Do you want to include some seating? Do you need some space for a large appliance? This will dictate how much space you would be able to allocate for a sink and still be able to use the island the way you want to use it. If your island is big enough, you can even include more than one sink.
What Is the Purpose of the Sink?
Is this a secondary sink, or are you wanting to include a dishwasher on your island and make your island the location of your only sink in the kitchen? That might be a good choice if freeing up space elsewhere in the kitchen would make the layout more efficient.
Perhaps you only want a small sink that will enable you to wash your hands and rinse utensils as you cook. If it would greatly improve the flow of your cooking routine, you might want the sink on the island for washing vegetables and meats, draining pasta, etc.
Finding the Right Location
You may have a vision about your kitchen island sink, but it’s also smart to imagine yourself at work in the kitchen. If you are standing at the sink, what is front of you? Do you want to be in proximity to your stove, or is it more important to be able to view other parts of your home?
Again, imagine yourself at the sink. If someone else was in the kitchen, whether a helper or a family member, is it easy for them to maneuver in the shared space?
Kitchen Sink Ideas
Now that you have a fairly good picture of your available space and the function you want your kitchen island sink to serve, you can begin to explore the options that are available. There have never been more choices than there are now. Some examples:
Seamless, integrated sinks – If you are planning to have natural stone or quartz composite countertops, you have the option of a sink constructed of the same material, seamlessly integrated into the island.
Undermount Sinks – Another seamless option, these are compatible with solid surface countertops. Options included enameled cast iron, which are available in wide range of colors.
Bamboo – Although it might seem counter-intuitive, a sink made of bamboo that has been rendered waterproof with safe materials can bring something truly unique to your island.
Sinks in Shapes – Smaller sinks that are intended for food preparation use, or hand washing, can be found in shapes such as crescents and triangles.
The experts at Ben Franklin Plumbing can offer advice regarding integrating any of these options, and more, in your kitchen island.
