Browse Forums Kitchen Corner Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 3May 30, 2007 1:06 pm From a practical point of view - I think the sink is a better option to go into the island bench rather than a cooktop. A sink can still splash but it is safer than hot food. Food splattering becomes an issue - and often when you are entertaining guests/family - they will lean up against the island bench, talking with you as you cook - it then becomes hazardous.
I have seen many island benches with a small splashback - surrounding them up to 1100mm high. This way you avoid food splashing, it becomes safer and you can still see what is going on in the living area. This can be tiled or glass - and from the front can look great with a stone finish. There are solutions - and a kitchen is a very personal space - because it has to work for you as an individual. I'll pull out someof my photos to show you the island bench design I am talking about. I hope this helps. Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 4May 30, 2007 8:01 pm Think you both have given valid reasons to keep them seperate, the hot plate against the wall with splash back is far more sencible.
Infact, I hadn't even thought of the safety issues.... Thanks Kylie & Fiona Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 5May 30, 2007 8:30 pm Susan,
Your motivation for putting the stove as well as the sink on the island bench is to face towards the action. This is something I'm also after, however my design has the sink on the island looking at the view and facing the action but the stove on the wall bench. The way I look at it, most of the time is spent in preparation. The stove is periodically used. Therefore I'm happy to have the stove against the wall. It's also easier to vent the exhaust fan to the outside. Cheers, Casa Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 6May 30, 2007 8:47 pm It's bad feng shui to have a stove in an island bench
For the same reasons I'm doing the same as casa. Big benches looking to the dining/outdoor area and for people to sit at while the prep work is being done, stove on a wall and I'm going with an island bench on wheels to make the kitchen flexible design - hence an island sink is a tad difficult, so it's on a wall 4 me. Funny enough good feng shui is exactly good work flow as well. Say your going left to right, it should be: Fridge, work bench, prep area, sink, bench stove, bench to the serving area. Put an island bench with sink in there and your done. Steve Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 7Nov 20, 2007 9:09 pm Hi Susan,
Just wondering if you ended up going with the island cooktop. I've always wanted one for the reason below ie wanting to be part of the action when we had company. We're building the Hamilton and I fell in love with the idea even more when I saw the Hayman display in Berwick. Many people pointed out the impracticalities of it and I ummed and aahhed over it for ages but decided to go with it in the end. I figured there'd either be mess from washing dishes or mess from cooking...either way I'm cleaning up afterwards! I also went to a friends place who have the island sink and every time I go over, the first thing I see are dishes and I didn't really want that to be my "kitchen feature". Of course, I'm also looking forward to some home teppanyaki! Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 8Nov 21, 2007 2:47 am Hi Mikita,
I've pretty much decided to have just the sink in the island. Casa2 made a good point about preperation (of food) is the main time consuming part and that can be done on the bench next to the sink. I've also decided to put the sink at one end of the bench giving me heaps of space to make heaps of mess. Good on you for your decision! You sound convincing...errr, maybe I could change my mind again? Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 9Nov 21, 2007 5:48 am I would only ever have one in the island bench.
As to which one it really depends on depth. If your having a 700-900mm deep island then I would only put the sink in it. If you island unit is between 1000-1200 then you can have a cooktop in it safely. Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 10Nov 22, 2007 9:39 pm Susan Hi Mikita, I've pretty much decided to have just the sink in the island. Casa2 made a good point about preperation (of food) is the main time consuming part and that can be done on the bench next to the sink. I've also decided to put the sink at one end of the bench giving me heaps of space to make heaps of mess. Good on you for your decision! You sound convincing...errr, maybe I could change my mind again? Oh no! I'm sure you've made the right decision for you. I've just always had a thing for them and knew I would have regretted it if I'd gone the other way. Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 11Nov 29, 2007 11:11 am This is almost completely off-topic but I just wanted to share some wisdom on island benches, it might be useful to someone. I was given a 1450mm space between my island and wall bench and started to panic thinking it would not be enough. Now that I've lived in the house for a while I have to say it is an absolutely perfect distance between the two and anything more would be too much.
Re. cooking and washing, I agree that you don't stand at your cooker all that much stirring and staring into the splashback. The sink is good on the island but it's useful for the island to be at least 900mm as there are bound to be some splashes. Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 12Nov 29, 2007 11:35 am mek,
You mentioned that a 1450 mm gap between wall bench and island bench was a good size and any more would be too much. I've currently got planned a 1200 mm gap. I was wondering what you would think if your kitchen benches were 250 mm closer together. The advanages I see for a 1200 mm distance are: 1) More space elsewhere 2) The sink (on the island) is closer to the stove and fridge so the work triangle is smaller. The disadvantages I see are: 1) Can get a bit tight, particularly if two people are in the kitchen. Cheers, Casa Demolition August 2009, Construction Started September 2009, Completed December 2010 Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 13Nov 29, 2007 12:59 pm Casa,
We reduced the size of our island bench to make sure we had a 1200mm gap between island & wall benches. This was what the cabinetmaker advised was a minimum distance we would want to have otherwise gap would be too tight. We didn't want to reduce any further than that - our island bench wouldn't have been long enough then. Jo Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 16Nov 29, 2007 9:35 pm renomart If 1200 mm is good (and 1500 mm great), I'll set my distance at 1200 mm since it means that I'll have more room between the island and the area outside the kitchen. Lock it in! Demolition August 2009, Construction Started September 2009, Completed December 2010 Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 17Dec 03, 2007 9:36 am I've been thinking about this lately as well. In the standard kitchen of the floor plan we've settled with the stove is against the back wall, sink is on one side looking out the window whilst washing up and the islan bench is free bench space.
At this stage I think I will leave it as is, and have the island bench as a brekky bar / prep area. I do like the idea of having it on wheels! Anyone else done this before? Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 18Dec 03, 2007 9:54 am I have just looked at our kitchen plans and hhmmm... Our island bech is 2610mm long by 900mm wide. The cooktop, wall oven and fridge would be 1700mm behind me and the sink would be 900mm from the left hand end of the bench. Going by earlier figures this sounds a little too much?? Any one help??? Gav & Vanessa Building In Melbourne (Sth East Suburbs) http://www.arkraider.blogspot.com/ Rawdon Hill Construction - Canterbury Heritage Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 19Dec 03, 2007 10:33 am Too much which? Space between benches or layout of the sink.
If it is the sink in from the edge of the bench... It depends on the layout of the undersink (dishwasher?) and the overall width of the sink as well...2610 is a nice long bench, although 900 in, with say an 1150 sink only leaves you 560 on the other side. I believe importance should be given to having set down areas either side of sinks and cooktops (and to a lesser extent ovens) and would definietely not want to go below 300mm from the end of a bench with a sink, depending on your workflow and which side the drainer is on. As for the 1700 between benchtops, conventional opinion in the industry seems to indicate that 1500 is the optimal distance between the primary work areas in a kitchen; over that and you start finding yourself having to walk too far all the time when working. Just an opinion... Cheers, Earl Re: island bench, sink or cooker preference? 20Dec 03, 2007 10:34 am Sorry unintentional double post...is it just me?
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