When it comes to selecting a kitchen sink with one bowl versus two, a home owner often reverts to his or her childhood.

“If you grew up with a single bowl sink you tend to stick with a single bowl sink,” said Alan M. Danenberg, director of marketing services for Elkay Manufacturing Company, a sink and faucet manufacturer in Oak Brook, IL. “The northeastern part of the country tends to be a single bowl market because kitchens tend to be smaller. The rest of the country tends to be a double bowl market.”

Others push the envelope even further by choosing sinks with three bowls. This typically requires having a larger countertop area. The sink may have three sections that span 43 by 22–inches. One bowl would be used for soaking, another for food preparation and the third for placing dishes in to dry.

What does your childhood say about your sink selection?