Where To Place The Sink When Designing A Kitchen (And Why It Matters)

There are not many spaces in the home where layout is set in stone at the outset. However, when it comes to the kitchen, that is often the case — quite literally so if you opt for stone as your kitchen countertop material. Unlike, say, the living room where the furniture can easily be moved around or swapped out when you're tired of the layout, items in the kitchen tend to stay put. Thus, when designing a kitchen, every element must be thoughtfully planned before the work begins to ensure a good, usable space. According to Artem Kropovinsky, the owner of the New York City-based modern interior design firm Arsight Studio, that planning process should begin with the sink.

"The sink defines how the kitchen functions day to day," Kropovinsky says, emphasizing it as the highest-use part of the kitchen. "We utilize it for prep, filling pots, cleaning, and washing produce, so its location determines the flow of the space." But there isn't really a clear-cut rule for where the sink should fall in your kitchen layout style. Instead, there are simply a few factors to consider which can help make the decision for you. According to Kropovinsky, consider what the sink faces, how close it is to the dishwasher, and whether or not the location is within the most logical and intuitive prep station in the room. Given how much use it receives, you want your sink to be central to everything, but without getting in the way.

While all of this might seem to be piling pressure onto one particular design detail, as Kropovinsky explains it, sink placement can be the cornerstone that unlocks the rest of the kitchen layout. "The sink has a strong impact on other areas around it," he says, "plumbing, the location of the dishwasher, placement of the trash pullout, the prep area, the cooktop, and the fridge. If the sink is positioned correctly, the rest of the kitchen organizes itself logically."

If the proposed layout of your kitchen — as well as where the sink might go — is quite flexible, then choosing a good backdrop may be just the trick you need to lock in the plans. "Natural light is a big consideration, Kropovinsky says. "A sink placed in front of a window often feels intuitive and pleasant." But, as nice as it may be to look out the window while washing dishes or peeling carrots, Kropovinsky says that practicality needs to come first. You will be happier with a sink placed for utility than one that has a nice view but also blocks the corridor whenever someone is washing dishes. "It needs to sit where prep, cleaning, and movement feel effortless," he adds.

For those blessed with larger kitchens, there may be a workaround to some of these concerns. One of the kitchen upgrades homeowners don't regret is adding a second sink. Of course, you still want to ensure that the kitchen has an intuitive workstation centered around one sink, but if you add a kitchen island sink as well, it can take a little bit of pressure off the decision and open up additional working areas for prep and dishes.