This post is written in partnership with Signature Hardware

All opinions are my own.

There were several decisions in our kitchen remodel that kept me up late at night, googling, reading Houzz forums, and second-guessing myself. But none of them gave me more anxiety than our corner sink! We inherited this sink placement from the original kitchen. The windows are in that corner, so we decided it would make sense to keep the sink there. Sticking with the same basic layout would obviously save us money too. But I kept doubting! This was our opportunity to redesign the kitchen from scratch! Should we have put the sink in the island? Or on the back wall? We could have cut a new window facing the backyard...would that have been better?! I was really nervous, especially after receiving a few comments and DMs from people who have corner sinks that they hate (if one of them was you, I truly appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns and I did take them into consideration). But we forged ahead with the corner sink placement. And now that our kitchen is done, I'm so glad we did! Our corner sink is perfect for our kitchen and needs. We have no regrets (phew)!



But through all my late night googling, I learned why some people hate their corner sinks, and the mistakes to avoid. I also learned why some people love theirs, and the ideas to copy! I've compiled those do's and don'ts, for anyone else considering a corner sink layout. Hope this is helpful!

Corner Sink Do's and Don'ts:

1. Dishwasher placement: In a standard kitchen layout, the dishwasher usually goes next to the sink, to minimize drips while loading dishes. But with a corner sink, if the dishwasher is right next to the sink then you are seriously boxed in when the dishwasher door is open. This was the number one complaint I saw in forums about corner sinks. So DO put a small cabinet between the sink and dishwasher to give yourself room to move while loading dishes. In our case, we used an 18" trash pull-out which works perfectly and is super convenient.



2. Sink cabinet shape: You can either get a "true" corner cabinet shaped like an L, where you're standing in a 90 degree corner, or a corner cabinet on a diagonal, like ours. The L-shaped sinks were universally hated in the forums I read. It's uncomfortable to stand in a sharp corner for a long period of time, and an L-shaped sink makes it difficult to wash large dishes. It could be okay for a secondary prep sink, but in general I would say an L-shaped sink is a DON'T. On the other hand, I think diagonal corner sinks are a DO. There will be some "wasted" counter space behind the sink, but that can be a great spot for plants and herbs, especially if you have windows above. Best of all, a diagonal corner sink actually utilizes the corner, and maximizes a space that's often unused. It also allows for longer stretches of uninterrupted counter space on either side (so important in a small kitchen). And since they're less common, I think corner sinks look striking and unique in the kitchen.



3. Sink cabinet size: Diagonal corner cabinets come in two standard sizes: 36" and 42". This refers to the length along the back wall, from the corner to the edge of the cabinet. Those sizes might sound big, but keep in mind that the front face will be much smaller since corner sink cabinets are shaped like a diamond. On a 36" corner cabinet, the front face is only 17". On a 42" corner cabinet, it's 24". This affects how large of a sink you can fit. We really wanted to maximize the sink size, so we went for the larger 42" size. Either size could work, but DO think about sink size before you order your cabinets.



4. Sink size and setback: A big, deep, single-basin kitchen sink was one of the top items on my kitchen remodel wish list. But how big of a sink could fit in our corner sink cabinet? It was a bit more complicated to figure out, since a corner cabinet is not the same width from front to back. If you want a farmhouse sink, then you can't go any wider than the front face (24" for a 42" corner cabinet). With an undermount or drop-in sink, you can go a little wider since the sink will be set back a few inches. But if you go too big, you'd have to lean forward to turn the faucet on and do dishes--not great for your back. With our 42" corner cabinet, we got a 32" sink and I love it. It's big and deep, easily fits large pots and cookie sheets, and hides all our dirty dishes. But we had to do a 5" setback instead of the standard 3.5". It's still comfortable for me to do dishes, even pregnant (and actually, kind of nice that I don't get water splashed on me as much as before)...but I'm glad we didn't go any bigger. Be careful and DON'T get too big of a sink for your corner sink cabinet.



5. Cleaning: DO be aware...cleaning behind a corner sink is annoying. It's hard to reach back there, especially if you're short like me. On the plus side, water from the sink never hits our backsplash, so we don't have issues with cracking or peeling caulk like we've had in other kitchens. Now that I think about it, that's actually a big "pro" of corner sinks!



Ok, enough about the layout...let's talk about the sink itself, and the faucet we chose. I loooooove them both. Together, they have made one of my least favorite chores (hand washing dishes) almost enjoyable...and that's saying a lot!



Here's what the kitchen looked like when we first bought the house, and what it looks like now. Before, we had a double basin sink that was the same width as this one, but not as deep. I know some people like having a separate side of the sink for drying dishes or whatever, but we never used it that way. The divider was just a huge annoyance, making it hard to wash large dishes and wasting space right in the middle of the sink. We also had a drop-in sink before, and water and gunk would gather around the edges (gross). With an undermount sink, we can just wipe crumbs and water riiight into the sink without hitting a ridge. It's the best! And you know how Ben was worried that with an open layout, our dirty dishes would be on display? Well, a big, deep sink easily hides all those dishes from view when we have people over (shhh, don't tell). I'm actually AMAZED by how many dishes can fit in here!



Our new sink is the Atlas Undermount Sink from Signature Hardware. I looked at a lot of options before deciding on this one! I was looking for something durable, low-maintenance, and good-looking. We cook daily and our kitchen sink gets a lot of use, so we needed something hardworking and resilient. Unlike a fridge or dishwasher that can be upgraded down the road, a sink is not easy to change once the counters are in place, so I definitely took my time making sure we got it right the first time around. I considered lots of different materials, but in the end I really wanted something scratch-proof. This sink is made of Type 304 stainless steel with a 16-gauge thickness (that's top-of-the-line for stainless steel sinks), plus it's treated with a scratch-resistant and liquid-repellent coating that allows imperfections to easily wipe away. It also has sound-dampening pads and an undercoating that prevents the buildup of condensation, so your cabinet stays dry below. And the pewter finish is beautiful!

The faucet was also a huuuge upgrade for us. This kitchen originally had a very builder basic faucet that made it hard to maneuver tall pots under the water. Also, the side sprayer was broken. Needless to say, it is HEAVENLY to have a tall, gooseneck faucet with a pull-down sprayer! We chose The Rhine Single Hole Pull-Down Faucet. The single hole is so easy to clean around, the pull-down sprayer is super convenient and easy-to-use, and the design is clean-lined and beautiful. Solid brass construction and a corrosion-resistant finish give me peace of mind that it'll last for a long, long time.



Ready for one more before & after? I find these so satisfying.



With this kitchen, I tried to balance modern and traditional elements. That's one nice thing about remodeling a cookie cutter builder house. I didn't feel constrained by time period or obligated stick to choices that could've been original. I just went with what I like: a little bit modern, a little bit classic. Once we get the right lighting hung over the island (instead of the old pendant that's there now) I think it'll come together really well! In the meantime, I'm already loving and enjoying this new view.



Well, what you think? Did we make the right call in knocking down the wall? And if you have a corner sink, anything else you'd add to my list of do's and don'ts?

The post Corner Sinks: What to Consider & What We Chose appeared first on At Home In Love.
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