The complete guide to renovating your kitchen sink and faucets

The kitchen is the heart of any home. It is a place where friends and family gather, both for daily family life and weekend entertainment, a casual place to chat, eat and relax. So important is the kitchen, an increasing number of homes are designed around an open-plan living space, with the kitchen as the centerpiece.

Inside the busy kitchen, it’s the humble sink that handles most of the chores, making the faucet the hardest-working piece of equipment in the home. So when planning a new kitchen, it’s critical that your new sink and faucets look great and are built to last.

But choosing the right equipment can be an overwhelming experience, so where do you start? Here is a complete guide to help you on your way.

Space

The first consideration when designing a new kitchen is how to organize the layout to make the most of the available space. If you are on a tight budget or looking for ways to save so you can splurge on your dream countertops, you may want to leave the plumbing alone and install your new sink in place of your old one.

If you can afford to move your sink, make sure you do it for good reason. Let’s face it: washing is a chore most people don’t particularly enjoy, but set the sink next to a window with a view and you may be fighting over the dishes. If you have an open plan living / dining room, you may prefer to position the sink so that it faces the room. That way you can keep an eye on the kids or continue chatting with your guests while you work.

Wherever you put your sink, making sure it’s paired with your dishwasher is a no-brainer. This allows you to easily scrape and rinse dishes before loading the dishwasher, and it helps to be able to pour out any water that has accumulated on your dishes when emptying the machine.

Design

Next, it’s about design. For the traditionalist, Belfast or country house sinks are a nod to the past that are becoming very fashionable. These solid, antique sinks resemble those found in historic farms and add a timeless appeal to your home.

Undermount sinks are becoming a favorite in contemporary and minimalist kitchens as they look clean and are easy to clean. However, for the ultra-minimal effect, look no further than a fully integrated sink that will give your kitchen the ultimate in sleek lines. If a tried and tested design is what you are looking for, an automatic rim sink will never go out of style.

Once you’ve decided on the overall style of your sink, you need to think about the practicalities. Choose from a large or double sink, perfect for the avid cook who likes to wash and drain food at the same time.

If you are short on space, you have several options. A corner sink saves space and is great if you have an unusual shaped kitchen. Another option is an accessory sink – you can find them with built-in cutting boards, drain grates, or even strainers, allowing you to make the most of the available space.

It is essential to choose taps that match the overall design of your sink. If you’ve opted for a farmhouse sink, then a mixer with two separate crosshead taps looks eye-catching, and the fine detail on the faucet heads complements the traditional look. However, if contemporary style is what you are looking for, the possibilities are endless with a wide range of simple and elegant faucets on the market. For the ultra-minimalist approach, a single-lever faucet, allowing you to control temperature and flow with one hand, is the very latest in technology.

As with sinks, there are a couple of practicalities to consider when choosing taps. A swivel head is useful for filling the sink and then moving it to the side for rinsing when washing glasses or when tackling pots and pans and with a variety of spout heights available, opt for a tall spout if you use a lot of large items. Also, for the foodie cook or design enthusiast, choose a professional-style faucet with a 360-degree swivel head and removable sprayer.

Material

Finally, there is a wide range of materials to choose from when designing the kitchen of your dreams. Depending on your choice of sink, the decision can be made for you – Belfast and farmhouse sinks are generally ceramic, while built-in sinks will be the same as your countertops, usually quartz or marble if you’ve opted for. for the high-end option. .

Stainless steel is by far the most popular sink material, it is heat and stain resistant and great value for money; however, a composite granite sink is durable and will not show watermarks like the stainless steel option. If you are looking for something different on the market, try a copper sink, which has a lot of charm and is resistant to rust.

Finishing your faucets can go a long way in achieving the desired look for the heart of your home. Opt for a warm bronze or gold finish for a traditional look, in tune with your Victorian farmhouse or kitchen. Chrome fits all kitchen styles and is durable, while stainless steel or nickel faucets will perfect your contemporary minimalist kitchen.

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