If you have a stone or imitation stone benchtop, you pay a lot for that benchtop and the streamlined look, and having two sinks and a drainer cut out of that top doesn't make a lot of economic or visual sense. I have a single undermount sink with a portable drainer, which I quite like. I'd probably suggest a flushmount as a good alternative, in that it doesn't take out so much of the expensive stone. If you need a double sink with drainboard, I'd be looking at alternatives, and I was very fond of the corian-type benchtop in our last house.

Bump.

Hello Anne Marie, I am very sorry to hear about your husband's condition. Adapting to such a change will be quite a journey for your family. It certainly introduces another layer to the decision making process. It doesn't mean you can't have a great looking home though! The primary appeal of an under mount sink or basin is visual. They look minimally neat and maximise the presentation of the bench top material. In terms of cost, an under mount installation does mean extra cutting and polishing for the stone mason, as Dr Retro pointed out. I also second his comment about the problematic junction underneath where the sink meets the stone. As you pointed out there is also the risk of chipping the edge, but I haven't seen many instances of that happening, particularly if the cut out is chamfered or rounded at the edge. I prefer drop-in style in most situations. They are easier (and cheaper) to install and maintain. There are some good looking designs on the market, particularly from the high end manufacturers, so the money saved on the stone mason can be put towards a great looking vessel to add "wow" in another way. If we factor in that extra layer to your decision making, your husband's condition, there are further benefits to a drop-in type. The first is tactile; there are more edges to feel which helps a vision impaired person orient themselves to the appliance. The built in draining board is also stable compared to the tray types, so there is no chance of it slipping or moving if bumped. The second is tolerance for error. Splashes and spills are more contained and easier to wipe up with a drop-in unit. If hubby has any residual vision then he will appreciate some contrast to help him locate things. A tonal contrast between the sink and bench top will make it easier to find and locate himself to. Hopefully you are getting lots of support to assist with adapting to your husband's condition. There are several online resources as well. For a really good grounding in awareness I recommend having a look at the Liveable Housing Guidelines. Let us know how your journey unfolds.

Tap on bench or on sink. Taps should not be on a laminate or wooden bench as water can seep into bench over time. But not really a prob with ceaserstone. Big taps can cause flex in sinks so can be better fixed on a bench, although a good quality sink should provide enough strength around tap hole. Unless you have an undermount sink on bench can be harder to clear up any water spills and mess around a bench tap as you have to get over the sink lip. In terms of splashback, tiles can add texture. You haven’t said what style door but if just flat I would go tiles. Glass is tempting as no grout to clean. Colour needs to work with your other colours and hard to do from screen pics as colours vary.