Kitchen and bathroom sinks and faucets
by Marc Huminilowycz
If you’re considering upgrading your home, most realtors will agree that putting your money into the kitchen and the bathrooms makes the most economic sense. RENOVA, an interactive web-based guide provided by the Appraisal Institute of Canada, lists 25 of the most popular renovation projects. Kitchens and bathrooms top the list for payback on renovation investment, as they have for many years. According to the data, homeowners can expect to recoup 75 to 100 per cent of the cost of their kitchen or bathroom renovation (by contrast, installing a swimming pool may provide only a modest return, if any).
In today’s open-concept designs, the modern kitchen – with its gleaming stainless steel appliances and stone countertops – has taken centre stage in the home, to the point of defining the entire space. Similarly, bathrooms are no longer the mundane and utilitarian spaces they used to be. Today’s ensuites and powder rooms are statements in luxurious comfort and style.
Whether it’s a kitchen or a bathroom, the details count. And the focal point of these spaces is ultimately the humble sink and faucet. Whether you’re doing a full renovation or just want to update your space on a budget, sinks and faucets can make a huge style statement. With this in mind, On The Bay asked several local kitchen and bath retailers and installers to outline the latest trends in kitchen and bathroom fixtures.
All sources agreed that stainless steel is still by far the most popular choice for kitchen sinks. “I don’t think that stainless will ever go away,” says Deborah Morrison of Hanover Kitchen and Bath. “It’s durable and it comes in an incredible variety of grades, sizes, shapes and price points.” Brand names such as Blanco, Kindred and Bristol offer contemporary under-mount designs, featuring square shapes with subtly rounded corners and “sink-and-a-half” configurations, which complement the modern stainless and stone look of today’s kitchens.
Stainless aside, other sink materials are making an appearance in the kitchen. According to Sarah Green of Georgian Design Centre in Collingwood, composite granite sinks are gaining in popularity. “They’re durable, and they create a more seamless look if you match the colour to your granite or quartz countertop.”
Composite granite sinks are made from mostly quartz, the hardest constituent of natural granite, combined with an acrylic binder. Besides the ability to match to quartz countertops (top mounted or under-mounted), these sinks offer other advantages to stainless. They have a smooth, soft finish that is highly resistant to heat, bacteria, staining and scratching.
The most popular choices, according local retailers, are manufactured by Blanco and Cristadur. Although these brands and others are available in a variety of colours, they are currently limited to dark tones such as black, greys and browns. “People like these sinks for a number of reasons,” says Douglas Crews of Town and Country Kitchens in Collingwood. “They won’t scratch, there’s no tinny sound when you put dishes inside, and you get comparable quality and sizes to stainless for only a few dollars more.”
Although not as popular as stainless or granite due to its high comparative cost, another trend in kitchen sinks is what is referred to as the “farm sink” or “apron sink.” As its name implies, this large, deep and traditional sink sits on top of the counter, hanging over the front and sometimes extending up the wall in the back. Manufactured by Kohler and others, apron sinks can be made of china, cast iron or stainless steel.
When it comes to kitchen faucets, the high arch, pull-down, single-lever design continues to be the top choice among consumers. Purchased primarily in brushed nickel, chrome or stainless finishes, they offer a practical solution to washing pots and pans and rinsing vegetables. According to Georgian Design Centre, matte black and matte white faucet finishes have emerged recently and have been selling briskly.
For those who want added functionality and convenience, there are electronic faucets with touch and motion technology. “With these clever faucets, contamination is minimized because you don’t need to touch the fixture after washing raw meat, for example,” notes Devin Pearson of Kitchen Painters, who has seen a demand for electric faucets manufactured by Delta, Moen and Brizo. “And there are no more drips to clean up on the faucet or the counter after you turn off the tap.”
Pearson has also had numerous clients asking him to do some creative plumbing in the kitchen, strategically planning the configuration of water pipes and drains under the sink to avoid the large, unusable space underneath. By doing so, clients are able to make use of the space by adding storage such as pullout shelving.
Moving to the bathrooms, Dean Mills of Premier Kitchens in Collingwood points to a trend toward a greater variety of materials, sizes and styles in sinks and faucets compared to kitchens. “People are installing under-mount sinks in china or quartz for the most part,” he says. “But vessel sinks [a bowl on top of the counter] with ‘cascade’ channel spouts, glass, stainless and even copper sinks are sometimes requested.”
Regardless of materials, shapes and sizes, double sinks in the bathroom are a must these days.
“His and hers, two kids – everybody wants them now,” says Mills. One company has created a compromise between single and double sinks. The Vero Washbasin from Duravit is an extra-wide china vessel sink (countertop or wall-mounted) with two separate faucets spaced apart and one common drain, to accommodate two adults who like to cosy up while they brush their teeth.
In the bathroom faucet category, there is a large variety of styles and finishes to choose from. According to Deborah Morrison of Hanover Kitchen and Bath, most customers are opting for chrome, brushed stainless and oil-rubbed bronze finishes with “very contemporary” levers and knobs. The preferred spread (between hot and cold valves) is eight inches.
Master bathrooms aside, Sarah Green from Georgian Design Centre notes a current trend to stylizing the powder room. “Powder rooms are usually the place to add fun and interesting fixtures like a vessel sink and channel faucet,” she observes. “And wall-mounted fixtures are a great choice for adding some interest.”
We’ve come a long way since the days of avocado appliances, boring taps and arborite countertops. Kitchens and bathrooms are now the rooms of choice for homeowners to feather their nests and make a modern statement with the latest in contemporary design and convenience. The humble sink and faucet have taken the spotlight, with many new options on the horizon. ❧
