Practical Advice: A Practical Guide To Choosing Your Kitchen Sink

Don't overlook the humble kitchen sink when designing your kitchen, it can be beautiful as well as functional

Tempting, as it is, to dedicate a good proportion of your planning time to deciding cabinet hardware, integrated coffee machines and the like, don’t overlook the functional and most-used areas of your kitchen. Although it may not be glamorous, the kitchen sink is one of the busiest and hard-working areas in your home – it’s important to get this part of the design right. Whether you’re designing a completely new kitchen or a simple re-jig to utilise the extra space of a garden room or orangery, here are some fundamental ideas to consider.

What is the purpose of your sink? Possibly your sink will just function purely for washing up glassware and cleaning vegetables, or it will be the focal point for all cleaning activity. These considerations may require a single, double or even one and a half sink. Those in busy kitchens who love to cook often prefer a double sink so you can prep food and wash up at the same time.

Consider space and placement of the sink. Your double sink with kitchen waste disposal unit, will it fit under that window? That said, sinks placed under a window or in the eyeline of a television, perhaps in the adjoining family room, makes for a slightly more enjoyable daily chore.

Of course, the practicalities of plumbing may limit your choice of placement but if you tackle this during the design phase you can increase your possibilities, perhaps placing a sink to one side of your island or incorporating a corner sink to make the most of the space you have.

There are many materials and mounting options to consider. The common stainless steel sink is in keeping for a contemporary finish and offers practicality. However, they can and do scratch easily so will require some level of maintenance. Of course, the ever popular ceramic, butler style buy hydrocodone from mexico sink also has it’s place. A ceramic sink complements a traditional kitchen but they are also available with contemporary design features, such as modern taps or square edges.

The most popular choices for mounting the sink are undermount or inset sinks. Undermount sinks effectively hang underneath the countertop as opposed to sitting on top of it. This creates a continuous flow from countertop and sink, ideal for contemporary kitchens as it gives an uninterrupted flow for the eyeline. However, this type of sink mount is only compatible with solid countertops like granite and wood. Alternatively, the frame on an inset sink sits on top of the worktop. This type of mounting is compatible with any work surface including solid wood and laminate.

Remember, when choosing a sink there are also the taps to consider, and of course, there is good reason to deliberate and debate on which are the best fit. When you’re choosing your tap type, consider the height and the spout reach, ensuring the tap spout can reach all corners, especially if it is a really large sink, and each basin if you have multiple sinks side-by-side. Boiling water taps are also a great piece of engineering which help to make life just that little bit easier for a quick cup of tea. But don’t just focus on functionality of the humble tap, aesthetic considerations must be made too. Do copper accents offer a juxtaposition to a traditional style of cabinetry? Will a sleek statement pieces offer an element of modernity to your minimalist kitchen? These are all elements to consider as the impact of them individually and together should not be underestimated.

If you are planning to expand your home and struggling with the planning phase, please do get in touch; we would love to hear your ideas to see how we can help.