Thank you! We did have two showings so far. One couple told us that although it was nice, it wasn't what they were looking for. The other couple still has us 'on the list' of potential places. They had seen several others and were not only impressed with the size and flexibility of ours, but also the fact that it was the only one they'd seen that wasn't going to require major renovation.
Funny you mention the sink. I really hate that thing! It's nostalgic and all, but it's a real pain to use. The drain is about 2" in diameter (maybe) and there's no garbage disposal. It also takes up a LOT of room and there's no storage underneath. I just have stuff sitting on the floor which is the reason for the skirt around it.
So, am I crazy for wanting to get rid of the sink? There is a sink base cabinet in our carriage house that came with the set of beige cabinetry that you see in the kitchen. The previous owners didn't put the sink base cabinet in because, at the time, there was a 6', 700lb radiator underneath the sink. Well, over the years, we've been getting the kitchen ready to eventually replace the sink with the cabinet. We first had to disconnect the radiator, and then have it removed. We've also replaced the floor. However, getting a new sink and using that cabinet will require new countertops in the whole kitchen which is going to be pretty $$.
So, should I just leave it?.
I would leave it. It is nostalgic and attractive. (And I would totally buy it from you in a heartbeat if we were closer and you decided to do the change)
But the real reason I would leave it is because almost everyone changes the kitchen to suit their needs. If you went to the trouble to put in the cabinet there is a very good chance the next folks will change it out anyway when they redo the kitchen to suit the way they cook and serve. What I'm saying is the sink is not the only thing they're likely to change. At the present time it looks burly, period appropriate and capable of heavy work. It is also memorable, which is a good thing when you're looking a multiple properties and trying to remember the details of each.
I grew up in a house with a similar cast iron sink and drainboard, and the same two inch (maybe) drain and no grinder. The shine was long gone from the pitted porcelain so regular scrubs with scouring powder was one of my jobs. These days we don't have a grinder here either (on a septic system). I grew up being careful with scraps and grease so its pretty normal to me.
When we turned a former bedroom and bath into our kitchen, the health department directed us to install a three compartment commercial sink, 12 inch back splashes and impervious surfaces. We added a 5 burner and two oven propane range and a commercial electric griddle, both under a stainless range hood with commercial extraction fan. The cabinets are reclaimed from a demolished 1920s apartment building, with an enameled top kitchen table and an old pie safe from my mother. My husband did a pretty nice job of combining the health department requirements and the nostalgic elements. The health inspector loves it. I love it. And the next owners will likely gut it and remodel it. I hope to use it for a good 10 more years before that happens.
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