kitchen sink and faucet design

No kitchen is complete without a sink and faucets. Choosing a sink can be a lot of work if you want to consider its material, pricing, installation cost, lifespan, and style. According to several kitchen sink manufacturers and sellers, the style of a sink is secondary when you are shopping for staples. However, we do not agree! We believe that the styles matter just as much as the functionality and ease-of-use of a kitchen sink.

Do trendiness and functionality go hand in hand for stainless steel kitchen sinks?

So, how does one pick an affordable kitchen sink, yet keep their modern kitchen trendy? The best kitchen sinks are always stainless-steel no matter which brand or shop you are browsing. Most modern kitchens come with solid countertops of composite stone, granite or marbles. Hence finding a kitchen sink in stainless steel that complements these suave countertop materials is not tricky at all.

Although ceramic, and enamel coated cast iron sinks are still available, and they might be slightly less costly than their stainless-steel counterpart, they are not the best choices for home and commercial kitchens. Ceramic is somewhat porous and cast iron coated with enamel is prone to chipping, none of which provide ideally hygienic conditions for a kitchen. Stainless steel is among one of the easiest materials to clean up, and it also maintains a high standard of hygiene in any kitchen. Besides, stainless steel is most resistant to corrosion, even in areas with hard water. Therefore, they prove to be a smarter installment as compared to other sink materials.

What type of sink can you choose for your modern kitchen?

sink
Most modern US households feature a double-bowl sink. These are the ones with two equally-sized bowls adjacent to each other. However, going for one over-sized bowl and a smaller one that is at least two-thirds of the larger bowl make scraping, disposing, and cleaning much easier for the user. You can choose a double bowl stainless steel sink irrespective of top-mounting or under-mounting of the sink. If you are looking for a bang for your buck, consider top-mount drainboard sinks for the countertop as well.

At the end of the day, the bulk of cleaning and washing you do in the sink will also determine the ideal size and style of the sink your home needs. If you love to cook and bake for your entire family and friends, your pots, pans, and trays should be bigger than the average. To find the sink that’s most convenient, always consider the size of your largest cooking and baking utensil. It is the time-tested method of picking a sink that’s just right for the family kitchen.

Top-mounting and under-mounting depend on your countertop finish, the available engineering options, and of course the plumbing skills at your disposal. Under-mount sinks require considerably more care and skill during installation as compared to top-mount sinks. Either one of them can come with a flush aka highly-glossed surface or a brushed aka matte finish. Installing a top-mount sink is easier and cheaper than installing an undermount kitchen sink. However, undermount sinks offer a flush look to the countertop as compared to the other.

How to pick the right faucet design for your perfect stainless-steel kitchen sink?

kitchen faucet design
Finally, it is time to talk about the faucets that will add functionality to your single bowl or double bowl sink. Faucets are not just a style statement, but also highly necessary for defining the utility of your sink. You can browse the thousands of faucet designs online or at any store near your location. Always ensure that they go with your chosen sink style and finish.

When talking about faucets, we can confidently state that functionality comes before looks. So, try to stay away from brass-finish or full-brass faucets. They perform well in low-intensity of use areas. If you need more options regarding faucet finish, you can go with polished nickel, chrome, or pewter. These tend to outlive the brass-finish and full-brass faucets, although the latter offers a sophisticated look.

More than 70% of the faucets in the market use ball, cartridge, or ceramic disc valves. Apart from considering the looks of a faucet, you should view the disk valve and base material to add some durability to your kitchen sink setup. The ones that use a solid brass base or ceramic disk valves are the ones with the most extended lifespans among all faucets.

Additionally, experts always steer clear of the double-handled faucets for their kitchen sinks. They go with the single lever set up for the simplicity of use and maintenance. The latter seems to have a longer life as compared to double-handled faucets. You can also choose to add a spray arm for filling up pans and pots. Spray arms can also make it easier to rinse down both sink bowls once a day!

Why should you invest in kitchen sink extras?

Sometimes, adding extras to your conventional stainless-steel kitchen sink can add to its functionality. Check out more faucets that allow adding spouts or choose a removable appendage that can make washing the kitchen sink easier every day. Consider hot water dispenser and garbage disposal for making your daily chores a lot less tedious and a lot more convenient.

Sometimes, more massive sinks call for hidden reinforcements like steel or wooden frames that hold the sink in place. Although experts recommend epoxy glue for installing sinks on a natural stone countertop, it might not prove enough to hold a 36-inch undermount sink of 16-gauge thickness for years of daily use. Talk to your installation expert before you decide to DIY the process as per YouTube videos.

Having a hot water dispenser can make washing off grease from baking pans and roasting trays a minute’s task. And garbage dispenser can keep your kitchen free from the smell of rotting sinks, fruit-cores, vegetable peels, and table scraps. These are imperative add-ons for every stainless-steel kitchen sink for homes that consider hygiene to be a priority.