As you begin to think about your new kitchen, you will look at cabinets and door styles, and get caught up in all the beautiful options in countertop materials. But before you settle on any of those things, be sure to consider your sink. Your sink choice is an important factor in selecting your sink base, and should be discussed with your designer early in the design process. That said, a number of factors can impact your choice of sinks.
Do you spend a lot of time at your sink, scrubbing vegetables, washing dishes, or watching the birds come and go from the feeder? Such activities can help determine the location of your sink in the room – under a window, in the corner, on the island – and the size of the sink, too. Do you need a deep sink for soaking pots and pans? If counter space is limited, you may want a double sink with one side for draining dishes.
If you are ready to work with a kitchen designer or are ready to buy, TAKE NOTE: Dresser Hull has partnered with our countertop fabricator/installer to offer a FREE UNDERMOUNTED STAINLESS STEEL SINK with your purchase of 30 square feet or more of any natural or quartz stone countertop from July 1 through August 1, 2019. Ask your kitchen designer about this offer!
Do you entertain often in your kitchen, or have multiple cooks who need their own space? Perhaps you should think about adding a second sink, on the island or at a separate workstation.
The overall design of your kitchen, and your personal preferences, can help you select a material for your sink. If you want a sink that fits a particular color scheme, you may want to consider enameled cast iron or a sink made from a manufactured composite material, or even granite or other natural stone. Of course, stainless steel has a look and feel all its own, and can be equally at home in a traditional kitchen or in one with a more distinctive design. You’ll want to become familiar with the care requirements of the different sink materials, too, before you make a final decision.
Another important consideration is how the sink will be mounted to the countertop material. An undermount sink is attached to the underside of the countertop, concealing the rim of the sink, while a drop-in sink is set into the countertop from above, with the rim visible. The currently popular farmhouse sink style, also called an apron-front sink, exposes the large front panel of the sink to the room; it requires additional support in the sink base. Your contractor or cabinet installer will be responsible for ensuring the necessary support. Another option is an integral sink, which is manufactured from the same material as the countertop.
And, of course, your budget will help to determine your sink selection, too. When weighing how much of your budget to spend on a sink, consider the overall importance of the sink to your design and lifestyle, and how it compares with other kitchen components.
This is by no means a complete discussion of sink considerations. There are many resources online that will help you understand the options available to you in kitchen sinks, including the manufacturers’ sites, which offer detailed information about the various sinks they make and sell.
A visit to the Dresser Hull Kitchen and Bath Design Showroom will give you the opportunity to talk with our designers, to see installed kitchen displays and to look at a large number of catalogs and material samples. Sink styles you can see in our showroom today include a stainless undermount sink from Karran, set in a Formica countertop, as well as an enameled cast iron sink from Kohler, set into Viatera Quartz, a manufactured material.
You can set up a meeting with a designer at your convenience, either by phone at 413-243-1400, or online at our website. We look forward to hearing from you!
