I put a lot of thought into what kind of sink to install ino my new kitchen: single vs double, stainless steel vs other materials, dish drainer or not, and finally undermount vs top mount. I went safe and chose industrial grade steinless steel, double sink without a drainer but with aditional part with multi purpose. I was very indecisive about the last thing: undermount vs top mount sink and finally decided after reading this - I will go top mount.

Different strokes for different folks, as they say. We have a butlers pantry, smallish, with a sink in it. The pantry has become effectively a walk-in pantry, with storage, a wine fridge and the toaster and microwave. It's very useful, but we almost never use the sink because there isn't enough practical counterspace and because, well, who wants to do dishes in a closet? We also have an island, with a single basin sink in it, and of course the dishwasher. That's where we do prep, and it works just fine for us. We can watch TV while pealing spuds or washing those dishes that don't go into the dishwasher. Even with the sink, there's still plenty of prep space, and we have a good work triangle between sink, oven on the wall directly behind it, and fridge, oven and pantry on the end wall. In practical terms, the arrangement works for us. When we entertain, we clean up and load the dishwasher as we go, dump the pots and pans in the butler's pantry, wipe off the bench, and we're good to go. And since it's only a single basin undermount sink, the look is clean enough for us.

Our island is 900 depth, 2400 wide, with a sink in the middle (opposite the cooktop), which works well for us. Plenty of prep area either side of the sink (mind you, it's a single undermount sink, about 500mm wide, with no drainboard). If we were going to use the island for actual meals, ours is only deep enough for a person either side of the sink. So, if you're thinking of having the island as a dining area, go to the 1200 depth. Just walk around it to clean it. On the other hand, if the island is going to be for prep, and a place for guests to prop up a glass of wine and chat while you're getting dinner, 900 is fine. Our dishwasher is to the immediate left of the sink, and we have pull out waste bins underneath the sink. We have 1200 mm space from island to the wall side and the range top, and about the same to the other ends. Our fridge, which isn't huge, is in a 900 mm+ cavity which would be big enough for a deeper fridge. It's in relatively the same place your fridge is, and works fine there. Hinges are on the non-kitchen side of the door, so it opens into the kitchen. Cabinets beside it are a bit more in depth, so fridge and cabinets line up nicely. 850 for your fridge seems reasonable to me. I wouldn't put that study where you have it: I think you'll need all of that butler's pantry for butlering type storage. My 5 cents worth based on new house, new experience, absolutely no kids in the equation!

1. Noise cancelling walls, if you have children, no matter where they are in the house, you can still hear them. 2. Space and or everything has a place, some people thrive in chaos, most don't. Have a drawer where you stuff things in so its out of your face and clean it later. 3. Surround yourself with inspirational things, some like posters with words, some like sculptures, books, games. Whatever motivates a person to get in the zone to do what is necessary in these rooms should be highlighted somewhere in the room if not everywhere in the room. 4. A clock, should try to limit yourself and set time frames for things so you know your on point. 5. Keep it a toy, food, junk, washing free zone. Don't have these things in this room period. 6. Calendar, planner something to get your task management on point. 7. Quality Electronics. Don't compromise as they date rather fast and this years computer will be next years paperweight. Buy something that can be upgraded with just parts for a few years. 8. Lighting, you need to make sure you can see what your doing, most people are on computers or laptops or an ipad these days, but old school still use pen and paper so having a desk lamp for night time or windows, solar lights during the day are also good. 9. Plants, we all know they help keep the air blah blah blah, but good oxygen means better brain processes. 10. If budget permits, NOT IKEA FURNITURE, its been done a gazillion million times and it still looks the same old boring blandness as it looks in the catalogue.