There are a lot of different sink styles to choose from available on the market today. It can be almost overwhelming! Much of the difficulty of designing your bathroom remodel stems from the multitude of choices available. A great way to narrow down your selection is to consider what your overall needs are and take a look at the various pros and cons are of the different sink styles before you make your final design decision.
1. The Cultured Countertop/All-In-One Sink
The cultured countertop, or all-in-one sink, is the typical type of sink we think of as part of a bathroom. The sink is molded into the counter top as a single unit piece and is usually mounted on top of a bathroom cabinet.
These sinks are easy to clean and offer a great choice for a family bathroom as they’re resilient, relatively affordable, and easily replaced if necessary. They come in a variety of standard sizes and will fit the majority of stock vanities, making your remodel easy and efficient.
The downside to cultured couontertopsinks are that they’re not very customizable and can leave you with less counter top space than you might need.
2. Top-mount Sink
The top-mount sink is one of the more popular choices for bathroom remodeling projects and is commonly seen in both bathrooms and kitchens. The sink can be dropped into an existing hole in a counter top for a quick change out and update. One of the challenges here is finding the right sized sink for an existing counter top but if the entire counter top is to be replaced along with the sink, the design opportunities are endless.
These sinks can be the most affordable option if keeping to a strict budget is a high priority. They’re also available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes along with different materials and styles, making them a truly versatile choice. Although cleaning becomes a little more difficult as the seam between the counter and the sink adds a raised area that can prevent quick clean ups.
3. Pedestal Sink
Pedestal sinks are great space savers and offer a visually clean and elegant appearance, which is especially effective in a small guest bathroom or powder room. The sink style is very minimalist and visually striking.
Unfortunately, you lose storage and counter space with this design option. Before you decide on a pedestal sink, make certain that you are comfortable with the loss of storage space.
4. Under-Mount Sink
This bathroom sink-countertop duo will leave you with a clean and seamless look because the sink is mounted underneath the counter top. The sink edges are not visible and clean up is easy because liquids and spills are easily wiped from the top of the counter in to the sink bowl to be washed away.
Unfortunately under-mount sinks don’t work with laminate surfaces and must be paired with a solid surface counter top of some sort, which, along with the higher price of the sink itself, can raise the overall price of the remodel.
5. Vessel Sink/Bowl Sink
The vessel sink has the entire sink resting above the counter top. In some models, the bottom of the sink may sit slightly below the counter top level, but most rest on top of the counter. The diversity of available options here is endless and the style makes for some gorgeous statement pieces in the bathroom. I have seen cobalt bowls shot with gold, bowls carved and polished out of granite, and other stunning examples of artistic design. You can dictate how deep or shallow or how wide you need the sink to be and it definitely provides a stunning focal center point for any bathroom.
There are some downsides to this design though. If you aren’t careful about your counter top height, your sink could end up sitting too high. Keep in mind that the mounts for these types of sinks aren’t as sturdy as other options, so they’re not ideal for family bathrooms. Also, shorter counter tops could mean there will be a lot less storage space under the sink. Additionally, cleaning around the sink can be quite tricky.
When it comes down to choosing your sink, make sure that the sink fits your needs both practically and from a design perspective. Homeowners who work with the professionals at Better Built Craftsman can go over all these various design elements to arrive at the desired design and the desired results. We can help you determine which style suits your needs and professionally complete your bathroom remodel on time and on budget. Call us at (205) 441-2529 to get started today.
