An empty sink beneath a vase of flowers is easy to place. Try placing a sink with a colander, three mugs, and a dishwasher waiting to be unloaded. That is the one you will own.
Follow the dirty plate
Trace the route from table to scraping bin, sink, dishwasher, and everyday dish storage. An island sink can make that sequence compact. It can also turn the route to the fridge into a queue behind whoever is loading.
A window-wall sink gives an island an uninterrupted surface, but only if the wall has enough useful landing and preparation space. A tap beneath an operable window also needs a real clearance check. A pleasing centreline on the drawing is not enough.
Act out the same dinner twice
Use bowls and tape to represent both layouts. Set a chopping board beside the proposed sink and occupy the stools. Ask someone to unload dishes while another person prepares food. Include the bin location; otherwise every layout looks suspiciously efficient.
IKEA Canada’s workflow guidance emphasizes the relationship between work areas. Our design recommendation is to keep the cleanup sequence compact while protecting the surface you use most.
A nice view does not settle the plumbing
Have the plumbing route, ventilation requirements, electrical work, and applicable permits checked before treating a sink move as a cabinet choice. Keep the island sink if its social benefit survives the dinner test. Keep the wall sink if an empty island is what makes the whole room useful. Neither choice obliges you to become a tidier person.