As our arms recover from the kitchen priming and painting marathon we shared earlier this morning, we figured we’d take it down a notch with a post about sinks. Think of it as a slow jam after an energetic dance number.
One interesting part of owning our second home is comparing it to our first and weighing the pros and cons as we plan future improvements. There are many features we love here—larger rooms, open hallways, an en suite master bath—and other things we sometimes miss from our old place, like a more open laundry area and an enclosed garage. But some features leave us undecided on whether they’re upgrades or downgrades, and the kitchen sink is one of those.
Our kitchen has a deep single-basin sink. Do I love it? I like it—probably more than I thought I would. I can’t entirely decide if I prefer it over the double sink we had in our last kitchen.
Why I appreciate the single sink: it fits things. Not literally everything, but finally I can wash large pots and pans, including their handles, without everything sticking out over the countertop. With the old double sink, pan handles would protrude, water would splash during half-submerged rinses, and washing dishes became a minor battle. Being able to fully immerse pans—this one is 22″ including handles—has been a welcome relief.
Still, I don’t fully regret having had a double sink. One downside to the single basin is that without a designated “washing” and “drying” side, washed pans often end up on the counter. It can look messy—especially since our pans are well used—and while a drying rack would solve the problem, finding one that’s attractive enough to live permanently on our limited counter space is a challenge. My temporary pot-drying setup only occupies the side of the sink for an hour or two after dinner, rather than keeping a full-time rack visible at all times.
Another detail that makes us pause is the faucet placement. We usually prefer a centered faucet, but the shape of this square sink required the faucet to be offset. Surprisingly, that offset placement has a perk: I can fill a pot while it sits on the counter instead of having to hold it in the sink as it gets heavier. It’s a small convenience, but those little improvements add up.
Ultimately, we’re not planning to replace this sink, and while I’m still torn, I now lean slightly toward preferring the single-basin setup. It’s better for large cookware and feels less cramped, even if it requires different drying habits and accepts a different faucet placement. What about you—do you prefer single or double sinks, or are you undecided too?
