Hi, I designed my business partner's renovation a few years back and placed the sink and dishwasher into her island bench, which has worked really well for her and her husband. Whilst their kitchen is a different layout to your proposed kitchen she has a bi-fold window, allowing access to the rear deck. The layout has also provided a lovely clear long bench which she can use in multiple ways. She tells me that she is constantly at the sink and being in the island bench means she is looking out at the room and the people in it rather than having her back to it. Hope this helps!

Photo of the kitchen below.

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Good luck in making your decision.

P.S. include drawers where you can, they work so well and provide greater accessibility to those pesky items that shift to the rear.

Hi Relly72, my advice is a less direct answer, because, everyone is after all DIFFERENT. firstly, will householders sit at the island for meals (breakfast?), if so, you'll want convenient access to plate, so is can still go on the window wall but closer to the dining side. o you hand wash your dishes? if so, do you prefer watching telly while doing so or is there a view out of the window you would ore greatly appreciate? main dish-washing person right handed or left handed? if right handed, you will want your dishwasher tot he left of the sink. will that leave enough room for the plates cupboard? next, a lot of people prefer the sink against a wall because they can 'splash around'. if you're a tidy person, then this won't make a difference, but if you're like me, having a sink in an island is a nightmare, with items rolling around on the bench and water everywhere. it really helps when there is a wall to contain the chaos. finally, are you installing 2 sinks? will the dish rack go inside one of those sinks? if not, having the sink in the island can really ruin the look because you will permanently have a dish rack on there. that's why sometimes it's great to have it tucked away against a wall. i hope this helps you come to a decision. best of luck

In our new house build (4 year's ago) we had sink overlooking back yard/pool and then had our wider island parrallel to it in the centre, great prep area, back of kitchen houses cooktop , refrigerator, lots of storage. etc . We love it, both hubby and I like to cook so plenty of room for us to do this. We had space for 3 stools.We moved the DW next to left of sink (not as per plan shown), On the island we had our cutlery and crockery drawers, so you literally open the dw door and unpack straight into drawers opposite, works v well. (Nb I also had sink on the island initially but really happy I changed it to overlook the pool area/backyard). Plan looks small but has a tonne of drawers, pantry and overhead cupboards.

The only issue I see is someone at the sink, doing whatever and someone wanting to go to the pantry. I think it's a busy area and you're better off having it on the bench. I'm not that keen in Island bench sinks but for the same reason my house plan has it on the bench

It's going to be the busiest part of the kitchen. If you have kids it's going to feel like they live in the pantry or fridge

I have 2 sinks and D/W in island bench. It faces into the kitchen/lounge. It is the hub of our family. We have lots of other families around. It works well for us as everyone gets involved in the preparations, including visitors. Its works for us as an informal family opposed to others who are into more formal entertaining.

What length is your bench @sharon2786?

I am not a fan of sinks in the island bench. However its important that where you have your sink and dishwasher that it is close to where you store your dishes and cutlery. Having a view would be nice from the sink. It looks like you will have heaps of room in your butlers pantry, have you thought of putting a sink and dishwasher in there. ( If the budget permits)

1800 x 1400 is the size of our island bench. We look out at the beach and this was another reason we had the sink & D/W in bench, plus it worked well with kitchen as work space.

I spent ages figuring out the lay out of our kitchen and am really happy with the result (four months in). We put the sink on the back wall, under a window and love looking out.

Make sure there is a bin drawer next to the sink. Ours goes bin, sink, dishwasher, drawers, stove, drawers, oven stack. I think the passages in your kitchen area are a bit narrow. We have 1300mm between the benchtop edges. People can then pass each other easily and it doesn't matter if the drawers or dishwasher is open. The island then has drawers holding the plates and cutlery. You can unload the dishwasher straight into the opposite drawers which the kids love.

You have two lots of corner cupboards in the pantry and might be better off with one straight line as I don't believe you gain much more and it will feel more spacious.

Consider leaving a space on the kitchen side of the island so you can sit too. I hate standing while entertaining and everyone else is sitting at the island!

Hope that helps.

How about your cook top on the bench opposite island bench and sink where your cook top is. Your dishwasher could go on the left or right of the sink and have drawers in your island for crockery/cutlery. Then your cooktop will be near fridge for easy access

I was going to suggest the same as cavassi - can you put a window to that side? I also think the proportions looks a bit funny as so much of your kitchen is kidden behind - not great for access- You have a lot of bench space along that back wall and I can't see how you would use it for prep and then pop into the front section (which seems more cramped by comparison) for cooking etc,

I would definitely put the sink under the window. I have this and my island bench is free and a great bench when entertaining. I love looking into my alfresco and garden where my trees are now blossoming in spring. Such a lovely view and again....my island bench is free to work on when entertaining- great place for serving starters and welcome drinks.mworks wonderfully. Good luck.