As our arms continue to recover from our recent kitchen priming and painting marathon (shared here this morning) we thought we’d take it down a notch or two with a post about sinks. That’s right, it’s like a slow jam following a spirited chicken dance or an energetic Macarena.
One thing’s that been fascinating about owning our second home is comparing its features to our first home and noting pros and cons (especially as we think about what improvements we want to make). There are many things that we prefer over our previous digs – like the larger rooms, opens hallways, en suite master bath, etc. And of course some things that make us miss our old set-up, such as our former more open laundry area, enclosed garage, etc. But when it comes to some things, we’re still unsure if they’re upgrades or downgrades… like our kitchen sink.
It’s a deep single sink (call me Captain Obvious). I like it. No, wait, I love it. I think. Okay, no, it’s probably just a like. Honestly I can’t decide whether or not I prefer it over the double sink that we had in our last kitchen (seen below).
Why do I love the single sink? It fits everything. Okay, not literally – but at least I finally can get my pots and pans (including handles!) fully in the sink to clean them. Seems silly, but the double sink we chose for the last kitchen did get on my nerves sometimes. Pan handles would protrude over the countertop. Water would splash everywhere during half-submerged rinse sessions. Frustrated husbands would curse the act of doing dishes. So this new situation is a welcome relief (the pan shown is 22″ including handles).
Some of the few of you who were reading way-back-then even questioned our double-sink decision. But despite my affection for the our single sink, I don’t completely regret choosing a double. Here’s why:
Now that I’m without a “Washing Side” and a “Drying Side” my pans end up on the counter post-wash. Yes, I realize it looks lame and messy (and that our pans are definitely past-their-prime). I know we could get a drying rack, but (no offense drying rack makers of the world) it’s hard to find something that looks good enough to earn a permanent spot on the already-limited counter space (my crazy pot drying method above only means that the side of the sink is occupied for an hour or two after dinner as opposed to hosting a drying rack 24/7). This is where my parents would probably tell me just to buck up, dry them by hand, and put them away immediately. But yeah, that’s not going to happen.
The other thing that makes us indecisive about this set up is the faucet placement. Usually we’re fans of a centered faucet, but such a square shaped sink must have required it be nudged to one side (it doesn’t look like it would have fit in the center). But in a surprise turn of sink-related events I’ve been enjoying the ability to fill up a pot while it rests on the counter (rather than having to hold it as it grows heavier with water in the sink). Life’s small pleasures, ya know?
In the end, we’re not planning to replace this sink and I’m still not sure which I prefer – though I think I now lean towards the single sink camp. What about you guys. Are you on the fence too? Or do you feel passionately about one set up over the other?
You know, I’d always thought that I would prefer a double sided sink, but I really think I’d probably like single better! I usually dry things and put them away as soon as I wash ’em, so I don’t really need the other side – and I HATE not having enough room for pans and cutting boards in my sink!
I’m the same way! At the beginning of the post, I was all set to cheer for the double sink (we grew up with one). We never really used the second side except to maybe put a drying rack or leave something that was defrosting.
I’ve recently started becoming a fan of the single sink. Our apartment has a single sink but it’s a little bigger than yours. We’re able to fit a lot of dishes in there and we just put the little dish drying rack on the counter. We don’t really mind it.
Oh, and I love the faucet placement. It’s so irritating to be washing pans and hit the faucet.
I don’t like the look of drying racks so I use a drying mat, it absorbs the water and the counter doesn’t get too wet. When I’m done with it I stick it back into the cabinet under the sink.
We use a drying mat at our house, too! We put it in the drawer when not in use.
And as to the sink question, Youngsters, I think what I actually I prefer is a double-wide, deep sink without the divider. What our kitchen has (and I love it) is a $60 Craigslist cast iron sink (which is double-wide with a somewhat-low divider). Also, double-wide sinks with a smaller basin on one side are nice.
I’m with Rachel…I have 2 drying mats from bed, bath & beyond. Total space saver, they suck up a ton of water and they’re machine washable, too.
I had never heard of drying mats! I’m going to go get one today!
Another vote for the drying mat. We were trying to use a couple of towels when a friend enlightened me. They have them at Bed Bath & Beyond for a few dollars. I think it’s microfiber and it has a bit of cush to it. Roll it up and stash it away when you’re not using it and throw it in the washer every once in a while. Easy peasy! I love the color you chose for your kitchen and I’m definitely repinning that inspiration photo. I noticed the darker green inside the glass front cabinets, more like the outside of the artichoke to continue the comparison. Very nice!
I never thought while growing up that I would ever be thinking/talking/writing about sinks. But here I am…oh Lord.
Anyways, I was having the same debate (with myself) when we were remodeling our kitchen. My final solution was a 70/30 sink. I LURVE that I can fit all of my pots and pans over on the 70 side, but if I happen to not want to dry the dishes that night they can chill out over on the 30 side.
It seemed like the perfect solution!
“I never thought while growing up that I would ever be thinking/talking about sinks…”
My sentiments exactly! God, this getting older (I’m 29) thing is fun.
On the sink front I’ve had both and definitely prefer the single camp. There are some nicer stainless steel drying racks that don’t look toooo bad..but I do see your point.
ooh! great idea. i didn’t know such a thing existed.
I just moved into a new house and it has the 70/30 sink and I love it! The smaller side has the garbage disposal and isn’t as deep. The faucet is between the two, and I can remove the faucet to work as a sprayer. I love it!
I too have this set up, Michele and I LOVE IT!!!!! :) Especially for washing bottles!
i think i want a 70/30 sink. We have a huge one sink, and it’s annoying in terms of – there’s NO place to put our pots/pans after we wash them.
I have a super deep 70/30 sink and I lurve it. I also love that when I’m cooking I can toss my “trash” into the 30 side of the sink and when I scoop it out to toss into the trash while cleaning up, I don’t have nearly as much sink to clean. (Side note: this is part of the joy of a kitchen too tiny keep a trash can, so it resides in my garage.)
I also have an offset sink and I love it! One huge side that will fit anything, but the small side is nice for when I do want to fill it up and wash or soak something and I don’t want to fill up the whole giant side (which takes forever).
so excited be the 1st one leaving comment. love your website and read it almost everyday.
it’s so weird to see a sink without the ‘drying rack’ space to the side… i think in England almost every kitchen sink is a variation of this:
http://tinyurl.com/6bugch5
and if you manage to find one that looks good, it solves the dilemma :)
Oh yeah that would be so handy.
-John
Ditto to this! I love a single sink, with a mini sink and then a draining area.
The mini sink is great for when you want to do something sinky whilst the main sink is full (like… you’re washing up but you need to pour some liquid out of something before putting it in your washing up water).
Something like this…. http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=sink&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=17303968640947097570&sa=X&ei=l9AMTvmnLoOZhQfGpfzjDQ&ved=0CHoQ8wIwAg (not that one though…. I like em big – of course my utter dream is a massive belfast sink like this http://pinterest.com/pin/32882883/)
I’ve seen these at IKEA!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S69847464
They have different size sink bowls and even ones with double bowls…
Ikea sells these too.. I’ve only ever seen them there.
I still miss my sink like this (enameled cast iron on metal cabinet base). It was in my old apartment and probably from the 30s-50s, but solid. Such a practical design.
We have an old white porcelain type of these sinks, and no dishwasher (for now)! We keep a drying rack out, but we use it everyday, sometimes twice a day. Before we lived in our house, I often just used a towel as a temporary “drying rack”.
That’s my exact one! But it’s low quality, and the water from the dishes just sits there so it’s stained within about a day. Way too high maintenance for a “clean once a week” gal!
Yes! I was going to write the exact same thing – all the kitchens I’ve ever seen in the UK have ‘draining boards’ as I call ’em. Another good thing I’ve seen is two full-size sinks, one with a draining-board cover so it can be used as a sink or as counter space – and you can get wooden or glass chopping boards to fit flush on top of the the sink too so you don’t lose workspace if your kitchen is small or you’re low on storage. Handy eh?
Example of draining board cover plate from Ikea:
http://tinyurl.com/66qjfqv
Example of chopping board cover:
http://tinyurl.com/6ytgoun
When I lived in England every house I visited or lived in had that exact style of sink! We used a lot of CLR or Lime-away to keep them shiny.
I was shocked to learn that for the most part Brits do not rinse their dishes. They wash them, put them on the side, then dry them and put them away. No rinsing. Even dish soap ads show the pots sitting on the side drainer, with bubbles on them.
Absolutely true! Living over here, I’ve gotten so used to the built-in “drying rack space” on *every* sink I see. It does require lots of cleaning, though, to keep the lime scale away.
As for any preference, I think I’m a fan of the single sink, provided it’s like the one my mom had installed: huge, wide, and very deep. Basically, if it can’t fit a defrosting turkey inside: it’s too small. :)
My roomies and I also hated the look of a drying rack so we got a couple of these: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=17316192
You can throw ’em in the washing machine and they roll up for easy storage when you don’t want it out on the counter.
Those are cool! Never seen them before.
-John
those rock! We have two, they wash up great (esp with a little oxyclean) and absorb like crazy. Once the dishes are dry it can sit out blending in quietly, or be stowed in a drawer. So much better than a 24/7 rack, or ugly dishtowel, or drying RIGHT AWAY (shudder)
we got one of these drying mats from my mother-in-law as a christmas present a few years ago. it’s fantastic for the reasons lauren mentioned. of course, i think a regular old kitchen towel works just as well for a temporary drying rack (that’s what my mother does).
back to the actual sinks – i have to say, i’m a big fan of the d-shaped sink that y’all have now. we used this sink (with the off-set faucet) in our condo kitchen remodel two years ago. i loved that i could fit the pots and pans in it and that it was fairly deep. we’ve moved since that remodel, but i really do miss that sink and would totally consider using it again when we re-do our current kitchen. i feel like it’s a more efficient use of space than the double-sink (more counter space!), but that’s probably b/c i’ve only ever lived in tiny little kitchens with zero counter space.
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing. I hate our drying rack, but it’s a necessity as we hand wash a lot. This is much nicer looking and easier to move when people come over (I always hide the funky rack when we have company!)
I was going to post this exact same product.
We also hate the “drying rack look” and have two of these in gray. They are like a shamwow for your dishes. Best of all they are easy to dry, easy to clean and can fold up and be put away.
Give ’em a try!
I love my drying mat too. I just have to convince my children that it isn’t a hotpad or a place to make lunches. Of course, if I would ever put it away, that might solve the problem. :)
I was just going to recommend this to them!! I LOVE these. They are life savers! They are thicker than a towel so the water doesn’t soak through as easily and you can just throw them in the wash. We have 2 of them so we have one to keep out when the other one is being washed. Definitely worth the $5 or $8 investment, depending on what size you get. Especially if you are grabbing something else small and have a $5 off coupon! Love them! Great invention!!
Best buy ever. I don’t know what I would do without mine. They have them on amazon for $14.00.
YES! We use these too… SO much more convenient than a drying rack – less obvious and super easy to store away when not in use!
Ever think of a drying pad? My mom gave me one she bought at Bed Bath and Beyond, and it is just a mat that I keep under the sink, pull it out to put the clean wet dishes on, then put it back under the sink when the dishes are dryed. The mat is even washer machine friendly.
Embarrassingly enough we’ve never heard of them until today. So smart!
xo,
s
I’m totally ordering one of these…I must be living under a rock to have missed these :)
We have a very large, very deep double sink. Each side is wide enough to hold large pans including handles. I like this best. When I wash pots and pans, I scrub them down and then set them in the other side of the sink. When I get done scrubbing everything, I rinse them all off at once. Then I do put them in a drying rack, but the drying rack folds up and goes in the cupboard when not in use. So it doesn’t live out on the counter. I guess I could leave them in one side of the sink to dry, I just find that they dry quicker on the rack.
When you build your island, will you include a prep-sink in it?
Nah, it’ll be so far from the actual working part of the kitchen (so it’ll serve more as a work/crafts/casual dining spot with cute stools and some storage for stuff to set the nearby dining room table).
xo,
s
I’m with tarynkay….we have a double sink but both sides are rather large so I wash on one side and rinse in the other. When I’m not doing dishes, I just stack the dirty one’s in the one side of the sink (so they are not on the counter). I keep the one side completely clean and clear at all times so it’s always ready for anything- washing food, washing dishes, filling glasses or pots, heck even washing my hair!
That is definitely best. I grew up washing dishes with my aunts. One person scrubbed, one person rinsed, and one person dried. You need a big double sink for it, but it works great.
I’ve got a big vintage double cast iron sink. Both sides are deep and big enough to handle a stock pot or a 12 inch frying pan with a standard handle. I love it so much that instead of replacing it, I’m going to have it re-enameled.
I don’t have a dishwasher yet (it’s in the plan for the kitchen remodel – someday); so like tarynkay, I wash in one side and rinse in the the other. I do leave my dishdrainer out most of the time (unless I have guests, in which case I stash it under the sink).
Drying pad at Bed Bath and Beyond is the perfect solution, as several others have mentioned!
I miss the double sink we had at our old house – the new house came with a 70/30 like Michele mentioned. I love that I can clean/soak an entire cookie sheet (!) in the big side but I HATE the ugly drying rack on the counter. I have 2 small kids at home and even with our dishwasher I still do an enormous amount of dishes. Not sure what we’ll do when we spruce up our kitchen… I’ll check back to see what other people think!
Our house has a pretty deep double sink, but we still keep a drying rack on the cupboard. I’m going to try out your method of using the other side of the sink, and maybe I can get rid of the silly drying rack. In the magical far away future where we redo our kitchen, I think we’ll probably just keep a double sink – I lived in a couple apartments with single sinks and they drove me nuts-o. Of course then I lived in an apartment with a double sink that was so shallow I could barely wash a frying pan in it… that was pretty annoying too. So, in conclusion… go Team Deep Double Sink!
My boyfriend and I are looking into buying or probably building a house, and one of the things I think will be most important to me in the kitchen are the countertops and the sink. I think the faucet on the side thing does kind of prove to be genius even though I hate the lack of symmetry. I grew up with a double sink, but it was not like what you had in your old house, there was a large section and then a really small one that would be good for soaking something small or washing produce, whatever, and that’s what I want. We currently live in an apt. with a very small single sink, so I want a big sink in my real life house, but I don’t want to have to fill up the whole thing for washing stuff by hand, dishes or clothes, so I think something like a 20/80 or 40/60 double sink would be best.
Our faucet is mounted in the middle of the (very large) sink, so it’s symmetrical, yet the faucet swivels and is a pull down sprayer type- you can set it to spray or regular- so you can set the pot on the counter, pull the sprayer bit out, and fill pots that way. It is this style of thing:
http://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Faucet-Single-Handle-Brushed/dp/B0049CNH1Y/ref=sr_1_8?s=kitchen-bath&ie=UTF8&qid=1309465294&sr=1-8
So you can have both symmetry AND ease of pot-filling!
I went from a deep double to a deep single, well, a 90/10. The little side has the disposal – decision mistake. I love the extra deep single though I miss a drying side also. Since I use my dishwasher 99% of the time, I too purchased a drying mat. Problem solved. If I had the space I would go with a trough sink ………….. hands down.
We also put in a 90/10 with our kitchen remodel. Big mistake. Food bits always end up in the big sink, so you have to clean the drain screen out in the little sink with the disposal. and the little sink is too small for any function. Hopefully our comments will prevent others from making the same mistake.
I never understood why people put the disposal in the short part, but I’ve seen it a lot. Maybe it’s to accomodate the motor? Seems really irritating to me.
Love my drying mat – and as long as we’re talking about Bed Bath and Beyond…has anyone seen these?
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=120822&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=memory+foam+bath+mat&utm_campaign=Exact&
Holy crap – I need one.
Ooh those look lush. Haha.
xo,
s
They’re great! So comfy on the feet!!
I’ve been lusting after them for awhile…I bought 2 at Costco recently and LOVE them!! Soft, plush and dries quickly. Have not washed yet, but a friend tells me it comes out like new. Go for it!!
I use a drying pad now, but I also have a rack. After the dishes are dry, I slip it into the cupboard under the sink (letting it lean up against the side so it takes up little room).
My question is, in my double sink, one side is to wash, and one side is to RINSE (so as not to run water into the dishwater because I use cold to rinse, I don’t know why). I think it would be hard for me to rinse into the same sink….?
I have to agree..I use my other side to rinse the soapy dishes in. Doesn’t everyone rinse? I don’t like leaving the water running to rinse, that’s like leaving the tap running while I brush my teeth! I just toss a dishcloth onto the counter and lay my dishes out on that and then hand dry them. Or I have the minions do it. Then I just toss the wet clothes into the wash, or hang them up on the stove to dry if they weren’t soaking. (which, with kids rinsing, they usually end up more than a little wet!)
I have a dishwasher too, but doing them by hand promotes a little more responsibility among the kids (those clean dishes don’t just magically appear in the cupboards!!) and I like the job to be over and done!
Yes, I agree–I don’t get it either. I have always had a double (or when I lived in the UK the one with the big and mini sinks and the drainer space). I don’t think I could do without (unless I had a huge sink) because I fill up one side with sudsy water and rinse in the other (I think this is more efficient, and I don’t leave the tap running the whole time). While I still wish for a dish washer, I do like my apt’s retro double sink with the drainers on both sides (it’s the same one as in Breakfast at Tiffany’s!)
When I fix up my kitchen, I might even do a TRIPLE sink. Yeah, I said it.
Ooh a triple sink? Swanky.
xo,
s
My dream is a triple sink all the way too! I can’t stand a single sink. But we do a lot of cooking and washing dishes!
This is so interesting and thought provoking, especially as we are gearing up to tackle a few things in our kitchen. And yet, I am stumped. I think a deep double sink . Yes…..i think. :)
Chris Loves Julia
I love the 30″ wide single sinks.. or the wide farmhouse/ apron front sinks. I think they are beautiful. And if I had the room, I wouldn’t mind a really nice looking drying rack, they do make some cool ones. We have a 32″ double sink. It is not wide enough or deep enough for my liking. I think I’d be torn with what you have as well.
If you ever have the chance to have a triple sink….it’s a winner. Deep bowls, center garbage disposal, and sink for drainer or to use to defrost. Both my husband and I love it!
Never even knew those existed until today. Sounds so fancy and amazing.
xo,
s
Similar to this, my parents have a pantry off of their kitchen with a super deep sink. They use this to defrost meat, soak pots/dishes, fill with ice and drinks and use the pantry counter as a bar during parties. It’s out of the way, and they can do those things without tying up the regular kitchen sink. It’s also good for washing the dog, or putting wet/muddy shoes/boots!
I love this! Stephanie Hirsch also makes great stuff for home decor. Check her profile here http://www.clos-ettetoo.com/blogs/clos-ette-favorites/3476662-clos-ette-favorite-stephanie-hirsch
We had a drying rack forever that we hated. Now we dry most of our stuff, especially pots and pans, on the stove. It’s not being used after dinner, and the burners allow for air flow and quick drying. Just like a drying rack without the tackiness.
going to second (or maybe third (or more), i haven’t read all the comments) the drying pad from bed bath & beyond. it changed our VERY mini-kitchen little lives! so much better looking than a drying rack and it just folds right up and goes in a drawer when not in use. plus washes & dries in the laundry. GENIUS! (i seriously can’t oversell this thing… it’s like $10 and it’s amazing.)
Ok, we’re sold. We’ll have to pick one up and give it a spin.
xo,
s
Yep, LOVE mine!
Seriously, I love my drying pad from bed bath & beyond. I bought 2, that way I have a back up if I am not caught up on the laundry :-)
Well, I’m a devoted fan of the double sink. I have a medium depth double sink and I specifically replaced the deep single sink when we built this house. I wash a lot of dishes by hand (even with the dishwasher) and I’ve used many deep sinks. But I find that the deep sinks cause me to bend over slightly to reach the bottom of the sink (and hence the bottom of dishes/pans in the sink) and that strains my lower back and I end up with a sore lower back. The medium height sink saves my lower back. And if I need to fill/wash bigger items, that’s why I have a retractable hose faucet head. It pulls out and then behaves like a higher faucet/deeper sink. we also have a nice black mat and chrome disk rack that we used daily. I wouldn’t do without it. I leave it out when we have a more casual affair. If we have a fancier affair, it can go in the utility closet and leave the counter clear. And for after parties, we have 3 of the drying mats that can come out for all the stuff that doesn’t fit in the dishwasher. As for double vs single, we use one side sink for dirty dishes as they build up and then I wash as a batch like once/day. But this still leaves us with the other sink for regular usage even as the first one is filled with dirty dishes. I like having both a usable sink and one for the pile of dishes to be washed.
I HATE our double sink and can not wait to replace it with a single. I wash our two 10 poundish dogs in the sink and the separation hits them right in the neck and makes the job harder.
We don’t have a dishwasher and without that, our single sink really doesn’t cut it. If we had a double sink, we could fill one side with hot soapy water and load it up for washing, and then rinse on the other side. But instead, we have a big pile of dirty dishes that we have to wash under continuously running water with a scrub brush and soap – not effecient and a waste of water and soap. Unfortunitly our sink isn’t even big enough for a removable basin or anything to divide it up and help with the washing…so, if I had a dishwasher, I probably wouldn’t mind a single sink, but without one, I’m definitly wishing for the double (or just wishing for a dishwasher!).
I’m SOOO right there with you! I end up washing mine in a bucket on the counter next to the sink so I can use the sink to rinse. Serious pain! Can’t wait for a double sink AND a dishwasher!!
I LOVE a double sink. I would take that any day over an extra deep sink. I’m with you on the issue of where to dry the dishes– I just don’t think the countertop drainers are very attractive.
When my parents updated their kitchen, they found a deep double sink. One side is very big (great for washing those pots and pans), and the other side is pretty tiny, but big enough for holding dishes that need to dry. I think this is the one: http://www.lowes.com/pd_205707-20602-R3361-4-NA_4294801821+4294801690+4294837010_40_?productId=1163659&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl_Stainless%2BSteel_4294801821%2B4294801690%2B4294837010_40_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=2.0|Stainless Steel Maybe that could be a compromise for you!
I am obsessed with our single farmhouse sink from IKEA. It’s HUGE, super easy to keep clean (our old stainless steel one always had drip marks) and was crazy affordable.
Ooh I love that sink too! In fact, I dream about that sink.
xo,
s
is this a white enamel sink? we have a white sink in our current kitchen and i cannot keep it clean for the life of me. i scrub it down weekly with bon ami but it gets dingy again immediately. is there a trick that i’m missing?
I was thinking about the single farmhouse from Ikea, but we have the space and my husband said he preferred the double. Not going to complain on that one!
Of course our kitchen reno is a ways off (too many other projects!) BUT that is my dream sink.
Going to jump on the drying pad bandwagon. We have a double sink but I still hate the look of drying racks (even the in-sink kind) so we use the cheapo 4.99 one that I can sit on the counter to dry my pots/pans and then before bed (or lets be honest, after breakfast), I can put my pots and pans away and fold up the drying pad and stuff it in the top drawer for clean counters!
I have been reading your blog for about 2 months now and I just want to say you two are awesome. I love all the tips and tricks :) Anyways back to the sinks….We love our single deep sink! It really does fit more then the double sinks. I use a bamboo rack (wedding present from Bed Bath & Beyond) and a light blue mat (Kitchen Collection outlet). We don’t have much counter space either so when all the dishes are dry I fold it up and place it behind our sink and tuck the mat away in a drawer for easy access. We have a white back splash so it gives the kitchen a little pazzaz.
I’d have to have a double sink. One side to put dirties in, and rinsing on the other side. And I tend to let my dishes pile up. So I can stack them on one side, but still use the other side to fill up my Brita pitcher, etc.
Completely agree with all of this!
I have decided, there is no perfect arrangement! After 10 years in a house we built with a very basic double sink, I longed for a super deep sink and upgraded faucet. Would it be stainless? porcelain? undermount? 75/25?soap pump or not?Well,after years of longing, we researched, looked, compared, thought some more and…..finally had an extra deep double sink w/upgraded sprayer and new disposal installed. It still has drawbacks!! And I’m someone who really can be satisfied and looks on the bright side, blah, blah, blah. BUT: pan handles don’t fit, I really don’t need 2 sides, and it’s still sometimes not deep enough! I love Nancy’s idea: trough! I wish I’d gone for the old fashioned farmhouse sink that holds it all and hides it all. And, you can use it for Burger’s baths:) We love that little guy! (Clara’s adorable, too! just sayin’) Tracie and John
i think that i would love to have a large farmhouse sink in my next home. i would be nice to be able to submerge everything in hot soapy water before i do the dishes.
as far as the pot drying, i usually just leave my wet pots and pans upright on the stovetop to dry. i could have sworn that i got that tip from you guys, right? {scratching head}
Wasn’t us. But very smart!
xo,
s
haha! you guys get the credit for all nifty household tips/tricks that i implement.
I let mine dry on the stove too so I don’t have to use a towel or take up counter space ;)
I like the double sink so I can fill up one side for washing and one side for rinsing and minimize water use (with the added benefit of being able to hear the t.v. while I wash). We don’t have a dishwasher though, so I am doing all my dishes, not just pots and pans.
Btw, I have the same pots as you and mine look just as… ‘loved’ as yours do. I attempted to scrub them one day after reading the manufactures recommendations and after about 15 minutes and about one square inch of perfectly polished pan, I decided that I actually kind of liked the ‘seasoned’ look they had going on and I had much better ways of wasting time that didn’t involve quite so much effort.
Haha- I love the “seasoned” sentiment when it comes to our Greenware. Sounds better than old. Haha.
xo,
s
I have the same exact sink. I am a fan of clean lines and was not excited about the shape of this sink, but my fiance took it upon himself to finalize the decision so I had to embrace it. My favorite feature is also filling up a pot of water on the counter. Also, I find that the sink itself motivates me to do the dishes right away!
Came on to tell you about the awesome dish drying mat — and it looks like you’ve already been edumacated! :)
I’m definitely in Camp Mat.
I am going to have to check out that drying pad! Right now I have that cute little Boon grass drying rack for the little things. The big things have to get put away right away.
I am a single sink fan! I have had both and definitely prefer the deep single sink for washing dishes. My in-laws have a wide enough one that their dish rack actually sits inside it and doesn’t get in the way! So nice.
So funny that an apparently simple topic is really so complicated!
Our old house had a ‘standard’ double sink, although it was deeper than most. I liked it because ALMOST every pot and pan fit in to be washed (because it was deep), and dishes could dry in a rack on the drying side without being super obvious or cluttery on the counter.
My mom recently upgraded her sink to a double bowl sink but with one side MUCH bigger than the other – and I hate using it. The huge side is the only side that makes sense to wash large pots in – but it takes forever to fill will enough water to wash, and the small side is way TOO small to dry in. So she usually washes in the small side (which is really too small) ugh! I would hate it, if I was her!
When we remodeled the kitchen in our new house, we bought a double bowl, with a smaller and bigger side – which I would never have thought I would do! – but there’s not a huge size difference between the two. The bigger side is D-shaped and wonderful for fitting pots/pans – our turkey roaster would fit in! We find we use the small side for washing salad greens etc. But I have the same drying-rack-on-the-counter problem as you. I am currently storing it under the sink when not in use, but it’s not a great solution.
Ugh-So complicated! I’m not sure there is a perfect solution at all!
Our house has a large single bowl sink with a built-in drainboard & backsplash. I’m not sure if it’s original to the house (built in 1957) or if it was just a cheap sink that the people before us put in during their remodel. Either way, it’s really nice for all of the hand wash items we have.
yup, the drying pad from Bed Bath & Beyond is the way to go!
I’ve been reading your blog for over a year now (obviously, I LOVE it) and this has been the first post I’ve felt compelled to comment on. So here goes: NOOO!! Don’t do it!! DON’T MAKE IT A DOUBLE!!! Ok phew, I feel better.
We had a contractor talk us into a double sink and to this day it irritates us _everysingletime_ we use it. The popularity of the double sink is absolutely baffling to me. First of all, a big single sink is great to gather all of your pots, pans, and cooking utensils in to tidy up the appearance of the kitchen while you’re eating dinner and before you get around to cleaning up, especially if you have company over. Second, how do people wash big pots and pans in a double sink?! It’s extremely frustrating and you end up getting water and soap everywhere.
Go with an oversized single sink and you can’t go wrong!
We’re not changing the sink- not to worry. Just talking about preferences! It seems like everyone has different pros and cons for each choice. So funny!
xo,
s
We love our single deep sink as well! We have one that is pretty much the size of a double sink, except it’s a big rectangle. To solve the drying issue, we bought an over-the-sink metal drying rack (with a little holder for utensils) from the Container Store. This way we can easily put the dish rack under the sink when we need the extra sink space. Oh, and we also put our heavier pots and pans to dry on the stove – which ends up drying them pretty quickly if you have an older gas stove (where the pilot light is always burning).
When we renovated our kitchen, I totally obsessed over the sink. The sink had to be large enough to place my roasting pan (and yes, I even brought it with me to the store) and give me the abililty to wash and rinse separately (i didn’t want to rise dishes over the sudsy water). I can’t tell you how I’ve struggled in past kitchens trying to wash large items w/o getting water all over the kitchen and myself. Then this sink walked into my life:
http://www.homeportfolio.com/catalog/Product.jhtml?prodId=12805
It was horribly expensive. But worth every last penny (though I did get a good price buying it online :)). My roasting pan fits with room leftover AND I can put a dish pan inside and wash dishes on one side and rinse on the other.
I do have a drying rack that I keep on the counter. It’s the most attractive I could find considering I don’t like to dry the dishes:
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/kitchen-and-food/dish-racks/simplehuman-compact-dish-rack/s613081
But take a look at this one. i may just have to upgrade:
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/kitchen-and-food/dish-racks/bamboo-dish-rack-with-drain-tray/s167005
Dianne
Ooh- that one is very sleek indeed.
xo,
s
I have those same pot & pans and mine are showing their age too. Any idea if this happens to all pans after 3 or 4 years? I wonder if it has something to do with the “green” qualities of this specific set.
Not sure. I love them though. Maybe for Christmas we should replace them since they’re looking a little old, but we’ve had them since 2008 (woah, time flies).
xo,
s
We have All-Clad pots & pans from Williams-Sonoma and ours look and work just like the day we bought them. We got them with Pottery Barn gift cards (yes, WS take PB gift cards) after we got married and we’re hitting our 5 year anniversary in 1 week! With pots & pans – I say skip the non-stick stuff (or limit it to only 1 or 2) and buy the rest with lifetime warranty. They really should (bc they are $$$$) and I predict they will – last a lifetime.
I have a 70/30 double sink too and I love it. I use the smaller side to dry dishes or I line it with paper towels and peel vegetables in it. Easy clean up and no bending over the garbage…
I hate double sinks. Our old house had one and they were way to small! Also, I confess that I never know what that other sink was for- drying, huh? But I would think your dishes would take longer to dry in a sink than on a rack. I particularly don’t understand how you manage Clara’s bottles ad sippy cups without a rack.
Big, single sinks are great for washing big pans, babies, etc.
She just has two sippy cups (with straws) and never took a bottle very often at all (and never does now). So cleaning out her two sippy cups each night before bed and refilling one with water and one with fresh milk seems pretty simple so far. Those might be famous last words though…
xo,
s
I’m flip-flopped from your situation. I just moved from a house with a big single sink to a house with a double sink. I’ve only been in the new digs for two weeks, but I’m already missing my big single sink and the lovely gooseneck faucet . A kitchen reno is in our future so, like you guys, I’m going to live with it for a bit and really think about what one I want to go with. I don’t really have the issue with dishes piling up because I wear the Captain Anal Retentive cape in my house and always quickly put away any dishes that are in the sink. I know … it annoys even my husband who should be reaping the benefits. OK, that was a sidetrack, but I am right there with you on the sink conundrum.
Also, love the look of the kitchen! I was a little unsure when you said you were painting it “grellow” but I am digging it! :)
SINGLE!!! We just finished our kitchen remodel (last night, in fact) and our very favorite feature is the deep, wide single bowl sink. Ours is a rectangle with an offset drain so all of the plumbing, disposal, etc goes in one side of the cabinet and we can fit trash cans in the other. I haven’t missed have a second bowl and just throw a towel on the counter to drip dry pans and things.
I currently have a double sink like the one in your previous home. But after shopping around in Lowes and online, I can’t wait to make the upgrade to a single bowl sink. I would like one that is the same size as my double bowl, but without the divide. I’ve never really seen a sink that is the shape of yours, and maybe you would appreciate the single bowl-ness of it all if it was a little bit wider, more like a traditional sink. But I do like the modern look of your current sink!
We just revamped our kitchen and before we have always had a double sink. And we always had the same problems with pots and pans not fitting. This time around I decided to get a the double size sink with no separation. A link to my picture is below. It’s not directly over the sink but you get the picture :)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.603010365925.2097235.69400786#!/photo.php?fbid=605878168825&set=a.603010365925.2097235.69400786&type=1&theater
Oh man it’s blocked (maybe it’s a privacy settings thing?)
xo,
s
You know, we always just stick our newly-washed pots right back onto the stove. We can pop the heater on for 30 seconds if we want a quick dry, or we leave them there to air dry for a bit. (Though sometimes we’re lazy and just leave them on the stove until their next use. :)