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- A bunch of people on the internet are just now figuring out why so many homes have windows over the kitchen sink.
- A homeowner got people wondering about it when they asked on Reddit if everyone’s kitchen sink in front of a window.
- Read more “Did You Know? stories here.
Have you ever noticed that most homes seem to have windows directly over the kitchen sink? Have you ever wondered why?
One homeowner on Reddit did recently and sparked a flurry of comments and conversation.
“Is everyone’s kitchen sink in front of a window?” the homeowner asked.
“Planning a kitchen renovation, and realised we can easily move the kitchen sink away from the window to give us more usable counter space.
“Then I realised, I’ve never seen a kitchen sink that isn’t in front of a window. Is there a reason for that? Is staring out of the window while washing up just a British thing? Or am I crazy in even suggesting a sink with no window?”
One, it’s definitely not just a British thing. Two, they’re not crazy. There are windows above kitchen sinks in homes all over the world and there were over 200 comments and responses to the question.
Some responses were more helpful than others.
Why do so many homes have windows above the kitchen sink?
One person quoted German kitchen designers KDCUK, who claim, “The simple reason why kitchen sinks have traditionally been placed under the window is that the window is, obviously, on an outside wall. In terms of plumbing, using as short a waste pipe as possible from the sink to the drains is not only the most effective but also the cheapest, solution.”
That commenter also added, “It’s also because it’s where the most natural light comes through. Plus if you wash by hand plates dry quicker. This is a hangover before the dishwasher.”
Another person wrote, “I always thought it was so housewives could send the kids out to play and watch them while she washed up!”
They also were not wrong, as another commenter responded, “There’s an early post-war UK architectural guide book I have somewhere, for designing social housing, which does indeed propose that 1) kitchens should have a window, and 2) the sink should be under the window, for the assumed reason that the housewife will find the kitchen a more pleasant place to spend her time if she has a view (and also light), because so much time is spent at the sink. It’s usually too hard to position a gas cooker (which was the other place women were assumed to spend their time) under the window because of the flue, so the sink makes the most sense.”
If you don’t want to take their words for it, the top link on Google from KitchenBedandBath.com reads, “Kitchen sinks are typically placed under windows because the window can help filter the bad smell from the sink. Also, kitchen sink plumbing will have a short drain pipe that is filtered to the outside.”
And now you know why so many homes have windows above the sink in the kitchen.