The kitchen is the heart of every home. In addition to functional appliances and spacious cabinets, you should also take a moment to choose the right sink – even if your home is equipped with a dishwasher. And what should you know before making a decision?
While there are few lovers of washing dishes every day, it is unfortunately an unavoidable task. Even if you have a dishwasher, some dishes need to be washed by hand. When choosing a sink, you should consider the amount of dishes you will have to deal with, ergonomics of kitchen use, its size and aesthetic consistency with the rest of the arrangement.
Although the kitchen sink is mainly associated with washing dishes, it is also necessary as a place for cleaning vegetables, straining potatoes and pasta, and simply as a source of running water in the kitchen. Constant use of the sink can cause damage, so it is worth choosing the right material.
The most popular sinks are stainless steel, composite (and therefore granite) and ceramic. Steel sinks are popular because of their price and wide range of colors and textures – smooth, matte, or decorated sinks are available. However, steel is prone to scratches, and stains quickly become apparent – especially noticeable with hard, stony water
Composite sinks are also becoming increasingly popular, as in addition to the minimalist options, ones in more avant-garde colors are starting to appear. Thanks to the hardness of the material used, they are extremely resistant to mechanical damage. You can get as much as a decade warranty on them! Unfortunately, they may get discolored.
Ceramic sinks, although they are associated with something fragile and impermanent, are the most expensive for a reason. They combine the hardness of granite and the stain resistance of steel, making them virtually flawless. However, they are available in a more meager range of colors – usually white or black
The size of the sink is obviously dependent on the size of the kitchen. Sometimes, however, even with plenty of free space, it’s not worth installing a two-bowl sink. Why? If you have a dishwasher and rarely cook, you’ll need the sink mainly as a source of running water. So, there is no point in installing a double bowl sink as you will only expand the surface that needs to be regularly polished and cleaned of stains.
A two compartment sink will come in handy especially if cooking is your passion, so you need space to wash fruits and vegetables, drain pasta, plus many dishes require hand washing. Also consider a draining board – it’s definitely worth installing it on the left side since it’s usually in your left hand that you hold the dish you’re washing. However, if you have a lot of empty cabinets in your kitchen, why not use one for a pot dryer? This will hide unnecessary chaos and save space
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A kitchen is a place that is supposed to be, above all, practical. This means that the height at which the sink will be mounted, the distance of the faucet from the edge of the countertop, the type of faucet (with or without a pull-out shower) should make your life easier while cooking and cleaning. So that your back doesn’t hurt from bending all the time, it’s a good idea to adjust the countertop to your height. If your sink is large, it’s a good idea to place the faucet on the side of the bowl rather than behind it – this will help you avoid leaning forward
Everything else is a matter of taste and sense of aesthetics. Remember that the sink is one of the main design elements of the kitchen. So try to fit it into the arrangement in a coherent and thoughtful way, both in terms of color and shape and form.