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divamum_gw

Centering sink under window.... or not?

divamum
16 years ago

How weird does it look if your sink ISN'T centered under a window?

Usual problem: limited space means function has to trump form and my current batch of "what if's" adds much-needed counter space, but... the sink will wind up only halfway under the sink, which I think could be a little weird.

Thoughts? Anybody come up with workarounds for this that don't involve moving the window, or lots of fillers?

Tx!

Comments (21)

  • lascatx
    16 years ago

    I am one to mix up choices, break so called rules and to do things a little off the expected norm, but unless you have a very long window so that the sink is occupying one side of it, I think an off-center sink would really bother me. If you are within an inch or two, I think you can fool the eye with things like size and shape of the sink, faucet placement, other features aound the sink. So fudging a little is probably okay. All to one side of a panoramic view, okay. Half a sink hanging under the window and half not -- there's gotta be a beter way.

    Function is primo, but this reaches into the so awkward it is function realm for me. Can you flip something and put the sink completely against a wall? Maybe even in an area where you can still look out the window, but not straight in front of you. Mahgold was just asking about sinks against walls -- they allow some things like drying racks above the sink or pot racks where things can drip into the sink to dry. Open shelves are very nice over a wall sink. Then make that area in front of the sindow a prep area where you may spend even more daylight hours there, and you won't enjoy the view washing dishes at night in most places. Maybe the answere is as simple as flipping your sink and DW?

    Keep looking at it. Post your plan. I bet you can come up with something better.

  • napagirl
    16 years ago

    I'm confused: "the SINK will wind up only halfway under the SINK".

    If you mean the sink will be under the window, but off to one side of the window, that's very common. My old kitchen was that way. Of course, its not the perfect solution, but its not so bad.

    If you mean the sink will straddle part of the window and part of the wall, I think that would look terrible. You might be able to get away with it if there are NO CABINETS over the sink, but I still don't think it will look good.

  • beatrix_in_canada
    16 years ago

    I agree, locating the sink halfway under the window and halfway under a wall might look weird. Ours is entirely under the window but not centered. That is not an issue at all. Looks fine to me.

    {{!gwi}}

  • napagirl
    16 years ago

    I wanted to mention something my architect suggested and I was adamently against.
    We wanted to add a window to the neighboring wall to get light from two directions, and his idea called for centering half of the kitchen sink on a 4'window and the other half on an interior bi-fold window that opened into a new sunroom/porch. I would have been looking at a 8-10" wide end-wall going away from the house! Where do these guys get their ideas? I opted for corner windows and put the sink on an angle.

  • oofasis
    16 years ago

    I don't have a picture because our remodel isn't finished yet. My sink is completely under the window but it isn't centered. It's a few inches off but it actually works because we have a double casement window. If the sink were completely centered, my line of sight would be right at the middle frames of the casement window.

  • pcjs
    16 years ago

    Our sink isn't centered either - I wanted it centered but I wanted a dishwasher and a trash can too and couldn't do everything with a tiny kitchen without compromises.

    We're a little further along, but here's an old picture to give you an idea (one of these years I'll update our pictures):


    After a while you get used to it and it isn't a big deal. Our faucet is centered so that balances it some.

  • divamum
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Wow - another tiny kitchen! What are the dimensions on that L (I'm guessing about 7x6?) Thanks for posting the picture - like you, I'm struggling with getting maximum bang per buck out of a small space, so it's very helpful to see other folks' solutions! I'm giving in to an 18" dishwasher, btw - there's only three of us, so it's not that big a deal, and ANY dw is a big improvement over the one I DON'T have now!!

    Thanks all for the comments - I think I can line mine up with one edge, so we'll see....

  • pcjs
    16 years ago

    That was actually the only half done - we had the stove on the right where two trash cans now reside (which I love).

    Here is the other half if you need more ideas: I really need to update the pictures.

    (this is with the counter-dept fridge with the panel - makes a huge difference in a small kitchen - we lucked out and got it for $950 - I didn't realize at the time it took panels - we needed a smaller fridge in a hurry and didn't have time to shop when we moved in - I liked the digital controls and the price)

    My new lights right after my husband and his friend installed them. :) We still need a few recessed.

  • pcjs
    16 years ago

    Our kitchen is a little smaller than 9x12 (that was the size of the sheet vinyl) - it's been about 8 months since we've worked on it as we've moved on to other projects and will come back to it at some point - we have all the trim up around the doors/windows which helps a lot and so we just now trim under the top cabinets, and need to need to finish that molding, finish the walls, and paint.

    What helped me was just to sit down and study the Kraftmaid spec's - that's how I found that tiny cabinet by the exterior door that works so well. The kitchen "designers" that we talked to never suggested that or a few other things.

  • msjay2u
    16 years ago

    Hi,
    I have a very small kitchen as well it is only 8x10 and my problem is that every wall is broken up. one wall has a double window and the sink is plumbed there, another wall with a single window and the 2 other walls have doorways. The house was built in the 40's and the inefficiency shows! . Right now under the double window I have 3 small base cabinets, and a narrow draw cabinet. in the corner is a triangle shaped wall cabinet which fits in the corner. going left the next wall has the single window nothing on that wall, next wall going left is the wall with the doorway at the end. On this wall I have the fridge, stove and a small butcher block cart sitting between them. no base cabinets on that wall and there are 2 wall cabinets regular size and 2 small cabinets over the fridge. next wall going left is the wall with the doorway and nothing on it. I went to Home Depot and they suggested a cabinet going over the fridge from the wall all the way to the front of the fridge. and basically the same configuration replacing the cart with a cabinet and the corner cabinet with a regular cabinet. Not much extra room gained. and the design cost $6000 plus the counter, stove and labor.
    I emailed Lowes and they came up with a u configuration but the only problem is that the stove will be under the window. she said the only way I can do this is if I will not put any curtains over the window, which of course is common sense. Your configuration if it was all continous looks like what Lowes proposed for me. I need the counter space and the cabinets.

    Next problem is that one of the cabinets will go over the floor vent which your photo shows the solution. I appreciate you having those photos posted. Any thoughts of the stove being under the window? Also your kitchen is BEAUTIFUL. what brand/style/finish do you have?
    Thank you
    Jacki

  • jgarner53
    16 years ago

    My sink isn't centered under the window - never has been since the house was built in 1923. When everything was ripped out, you could see the original pipe stubs (and faucet stubs on the wall), and the second set just a few inches over. We added a third set and nudged the sink just a bit the other direction. It was the only thing that made sense. There was no way to center the sink under a window (either one), or on the wall, without losing functionality. The way my sink is, I can easily look out the window and have a nice long prep space to my right and staging area for dirty dishes on my left.

  • rmkitchen
    16 years ago

    Every time I see jgarner53's kitchen my heart swoons ....

  • msjay2u
    16 years ago

    I would like to add a photo to my posting so you guys can all see just how small my kitchen is but I have no idea how to do it.

  • Buehl
    16 years ago

    Msjay2u: The Kitchen Forum FAQ has instructions

    BTW, to add a click-able link inside your message, use the following:

    [a href= http://www.XXX.html]Description[/a]

    (Replace the square brackets "[" and "]" with angle brackets "")
    . . .
    . .
    .
    For example: To create a Kitchen Forum FAQ:

    [a href= http://kitchenforumfaq.com/]Kitchen Forum FAQ[/a]

    and it will look like this:

    Kitchen Forum FAQ

    (Again, replace the square brackets with angle brackts)

    Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen Forum FAQ - Adding Pictures and Links

  • weed30 St. Louis
    16 years ago

    Buehl,
    you can actually show the angle brackets (I call 'em chicken beaks :), by using the example command first, which is (and then the at the end)
    Kitchen Forum FAQ

    I learned that over on the Computers forum :)

  • msjay2u
    16 years ago

    here is my kitchen.

    {{!gwi}}

    the sink is centered but I am not sure if I am going to keep it like that or not. the cabinets are all one piece, I think handmade. plywood :-(

  • pcjs
    16 years ago

    To get a dishwasher in there, I would move the sink over to the far left - possibly just under the one window. You might want to go with an 18 inch dishwasher vs. the 24 inch though. Ours in not centered but with the dishwasher it was impossible to. I much prefer my dishwasher than an centered sink. We did manage to center the faucet, which helped.

  • alicate
    16 years ago

    Personally, it would bother me to no end to have the sink not centered. I am a very symmetrical person in that manner :)

  • PattyK
    16 years ago

    I am so glad someone asked that question..we have that problem and the KD suggested moving the sink off center but by only 1/2 inch...I didn't think that would be a big deal...

  • maplelane123
    4 years ago

    I have the same issue as I am generally a very symmetrical kind of person so please give me your thoughts on the proposed kitchen. The sink is proposed to be one side of the window so that my line of sight isn't a casement line. What do you all think? Or couldI I get away with centering it? If I don't centre it, I suspect i will go with the sink under the larger window and center with that window at least. Thoughts?