I like the arrangement here. The island should be a place for people to chill, eat, lay out trays of food. Not to watch a cooking demonstration.
Also, moving the hob to the island would require an extraction fan overhead, which would spoil the neatness of the layout.
corndogwolverine
Amateur baker here – I love an empty island for making things like strudel, phyllo and other larger projects. The less on the island the better
GotenRocko
Neither, I personally took out the bar sink that was in my island and put in a dishwasher instead when I changed the countertops last year. Had that setup for a year and the new setup for almost a year now too and can say having a big working surface island is awesome. Much more useful and I think looks better too.
Henbogle
I would never put a hob on an island. I prefer on a wall (preferably outside) where it is more easily venter. I also prefer my sink on a wall, but could see a prep or bar sink on an island to give water access outside if the work zone.
SeaSpeakToMe
Neither.
DevonFromAcme
100% neither, but if it has to be anything, sink.
the_perkolator
Team bare island. If I’m dropping big $ on a kitchen, I’m prioritizing function over aesthetics. The ability to have a large wide open flat work surface in your house is huge, many people don’t even have a table that big in their house aside from a dining table.
rachelgall
We did a hob in the island, love it. It continues to be a way to showcase the cooking, as we often entertain. Looking at people’s half eaten food on dirty dishes is a turn off, so our sink is along a back wall.
peterprinz
not a hob. everything gets dirty and it’s not always easy to install a duct in the middle of the room.
asielen
Hob should really have a vent over it if you are going to do any serious cooking. imo it looks ugly to have a vent over an island.
Sink on island is okay
Bitter_Arachnid_25
Neither. Probably just repeating good points others have made, but:
1. Large, clean worktop is great for prep work, baking, setting down your groceries when you come in the house, etc. 2. Cooktops require ventilation above, show splatters and mess easily (which you can’t always clean until it cools down), splatter grease to a larger area, and are dangerous if you have small kids sitting at the island. 3. Sinks might be better, but you’ll still have dirty dishes or drying dishes up there if you have a family or do even light cooking.
If you must do one, try to put it on an end or off center, whichever way will give you a large, uninterrupted work surface. There are lots of nice kitchens with that type of configuration.
zorasorabee
As someone who works in the industry: keep the island empty UNLESS the only option for your sink is facing a wall.
It’s best to have your sink facing a window, your range against a wall, and a nice empty island. Also, make sure your fridge and freezer are within the triangle. I see so many kitchens were the island blocks the flow to the fridge and freezer.
_pounders_
i’m just distracted by that illegal cooking apparatus in the back center 🔥
[deleted]
1. Empty 2. Sink 3. Hob – I really dislike this from both safety and design perspective. Putting a hood over an island ruins sight lines and the feel of the space, and having hot stuff in the same place that people gather around is just asking for someone to burn themselves or spill something.
Empty is my strong preference. So much more practical for cooking and hanging.
intatime
Definitely clear island. Maybe possibly a secondary sink, but definitely definitely not a main sink. With a main sink comes a dish rack and various cleaning tools that I would not want cluttering up the island or on display for everyone else to center around.
johnpl25
If i can choose, i’d rather have an empty island
likestocuddleandmore
What is that teensy sink at the back to the right for? It’s too small for any pot.
18 Comments
this kitchen has the sink on the island with the hob behind but i wonder what the pros and cons of each configuration are?
[hurlingham house by de rosee sa](https://deroseesa.com/project/hurlingham-house/)
I like the arrangement here. The island should be a place for people to chill, eat, lay out trays of food. Not to watch a cooking demonstration.
Also, moving the hob to the island would require an extraction fan overhead, which would spoil the neatness of the layout.
Amateur baker here – I love an empty island for making things like strudel, phyllo and other larger projects. The less on the island the better
Neither, I personally took out the bar sink that was in my island and put in a dishwasher instead when I changed the countertops last year. Had that setup for a year and the new setup for almost a year now too and can say having a big working surface island is awesome. Much more useful and I think looks better too.
I would never put a hob on an island. I prefer on a wall (preferably outside) where it is more easily venter. I also prefer my sink on a wall, but could see a prep or bar sink on an island to give water access outside if the work zone.
Neither.
100% neither, but if it has to be anything, sink.
Team bare island. If I’m dropping big $ on a kitchen, I’m prioritizing function over aesthetics. The ability to have a large wide open flat work surface in your house is huge, many people don’t even have a table that big in their house aside from a dining table.
We did a hob in the island, love it. It continues to be a way to showcase the cooking, as we often entertain. Looking at people’s half eaten food on dirty dishes is a turn off, so our sink is along a back wall.
not a hob. everything gets dirty and it’s not always easy to install a duct in the middle of the room.
Hob should really have a vent over it if you are going to do any serious cooking. imo it looks ugly to have a vent over an island.
Sink on island is okay
Neither. Probably just repeating good points others have made, but:
1. Large, clean worktop is great for prep work, baking, setting down your groceries when you come in the house, etc.
2. Cooktops require ventilation above, show splatters and mess easily (which you can’t always clean until it cools down), splatter grease to a larger area, and are dangerous if you have small kids sitting at the island.
3. Sinks might be better, but you’ll still have dirty dishes or drying dishes up there if you have a family or do even light cooking.
If you must do one, try to put it on an end or off center, whichever way will give you a large, uninterrupted work surface. There are lots of nice kitchens with that type of configuration.
As someone who works in the industry: keep the island empty UNLESS the only option for your sink is facing a wall.
It’s best to have your sink facing a window, your range against a wall, and a nice empty island. Also, make sure your fridge and freezer are within the triangle. I see so many kitchens were the island blocks the flow to the fridge and freezer.
i’m just distracted by that illegal cooking apparatus in the back center 🔥
1. Empty
2. Sink
3. Hob – I really dislike this from both safety and design perspective. Putting a hood over an island ruins sight lines and the feel of the space, and having hot stuff in the same place that people gather around is just asking for someone to burn themselves or spill something.
Empty is my strong preference. So much more practical for cooking and hanging.
Definitely clear island. Maybe possibly a secondary sink, but definitely definitely not a main sink. With a main sink comes a dish rack and various cleaning tools that I would not want cluttering up the island or on display for everyone else to center around.
If i can choose, i’d rather have an empty island
What is that teensy sink at the back to the right for? It’s too small for any pot.