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Should my kitchen island have a sink?

The kitchen is a hub for many households, and a kitchen island can provide a further focal point as the center of activity. While you may think that a kitchen island is an appealing design element, there is also functionality to consider. One such functionality, and design element, is a sink. Should your kitchen island include a sink? There are pros and cons to installing a sink in your kitchen island. Here are a few of each for you to consider.

Benefits of a kitchen island sink

You have probably seen sinks in the islands of many model kitchens. This is because a sink can be ideal for that particular layout. Reasons for this could include:

Save on wall counter space

The wall space in the kitchen can quickly become crowded. Refrigerator, stove, oven, and sink all compete for room. Then there may not be enough countertop space if you want to include smaller appliances like microwaves, blenders, and coffee makers. With a sink in the kitchen island, you can spread things out a bit more and increase the available counter space.

Have a view from the kitchen

Most wall counter sinks are installed by a window for a nice view as you do the dishes. However, if you do not have a window in your kitchen or if you prefer to overlook your living area, an island sink is ideal. This way you can see what is going on, which is good if you have children running around or if you want to interact with guests from the kitchen.

Consider an additional sink for prep

There is no rule that says you can only have one sink in your kitchen. If you cook a lot at home, you might want to use your island as a prep area, complete with a small sink to help prepare ingredients for meals. Wash vegetables, strain sauces, soak noodles in this prep sink, and use your main countertop sink for soaking dirty dishes and utensils.

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Create a social center in your home

With a sink in your kitchen island, you can create a social center in the middle of your kitchen. Perhaps you can have stools on the far side of the island so that family members or guests can sit and chat with you as you prepare or clean up at the sink.

Make the island your workspace

If you have limited wall space, you may want to use the island as your main work area for prepping and plating meals. Having a sink in the island can help make things easier as you have water flow for prep and for washing up without having to move around too much in your kitchen. Furthermore, if you are an advocate of the kitchen work triangle, an island sink situated between the fridge and the stove may be the perfect setup for you.

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Issues with a kitchen island sink

As with all good things, there may be a few pitfalls. The same goes with having a sink in your kitchen island. Some issues include:

Dirty dishes and more

Since the sink may end up as the center for prep and clean up, your island may look like a harbor for dirty dishes and food messes. This kind of clutter is not aesthetically pleasing, especially if you are entertaining guests. However, as long as you maintain a routine and good cleaning habits, hopefully this will not be a problem.

Loss of counterspace

If you are planning to use your kitchen island as a prep and dining area, a sink may take up too much room. While the sink may help as you get a meal ready, it may take up space for a place setting.

Complicated installation

Installing a sink in your kitchen island may be a complicated, expensive undertaking. If you are starting from scratch with a new home, you can arrange for plumbing to be installed as part of the original plan. But if you are renovating, redoing the plumbing in your home may get costly as you may have to break into flooring and reroute pipes for water and waste.

Design distraction

For those who prefer clean lines and simple design aesthetics, an island sink may not be appealing. In addition to the potential mess and clutter mentioned above, the tap and sink may obstruct lines and views or perhaps even clash with lighting or other design touches you are planning.

Kvik can help with your kitchen layout

Do you want a sink in your kitchen island? Perhaps you may want to have a stovetop there too? There are so many choices in kitchen design, you may want to consult with experts. Kvik is here to help you. With our many different designs and solutions, we can help you select the right kitchen for you. Contact us today to find out how.