Choosing The Best Vessel Sink for your Bathroom


Vessel sinks are all the rage these days. Nothing screams ‘modern bathroom’ quite like the vessel sink perched upon the counter of a sleek piece of furniture in the bathroom. It’s amusing that the concept behind this very modern bathroom sink is the wash basin of old. Many tie the vessel sink the Chinese washbasin, but one need only look as far as the old timey metal wash basins in old country homes with no running water to find the inspiration for these sinks.

 

However, what was old becomes new again. Once seen only in the trendy, posh sushi bars, these elegant sinks became popular seemingly overnight and evoke a sense of sleek, cutting-edge style in the bathroom. Vessel sinks are now a cornerstone of the modern bath.

 

One important note regarding the vessel sink, however, is to consider your audience. These are typically considered appropriate for the adult bathroom, but not for small children. The vessel basin can have a great deal of splash back when young children try to use. Plus, the height of the bowl presents challenges as well. So, if you are considering a master bath or a guest bath, this is a great option.

 

The first decision to make is whether you want your vessel sink to sit on the counter or furniture or to be recessed. This will effectively decide the look of your whole bathroom, as well as the height of the counter and the installation.

 

Next you need to consider the design. Vessel sinks come in a stunning selection of styles, shapes, and materials. You can get a standard bowl, a square sink, and all sorts of configurations in between. There are simple, elegant designs as well as chic, decorative bowls. There are bright, eye-popping colors and understated, grand basins as well. Whatever you envision when you think of your dream bathroom, you can find the sink to match.

 

Vessel sinks come in every material imaginable. There’s the whimsical frosted glass, porcelain, bronze, stone, terracotta, stainless steel, nickel, marble, gold, cast iron, and even copper. If it can made to hold water, there is likely an array of designs of vessel sinks made in it. Although glass is the top choice currently, stone and copper are also very popular. But don’t feel limited by what’s popular. Part of what makes the vessel sink such a modern choice is the fact that you can individualize your bathroom. As a matter of fact, the trend right now is for your vessel sink to not match your tub and toilet. So feel free to go out on a limb and choose whatever material you would prefer. The colors of vessel sinks are nearly as varied as the materials, but for some substances, the colors will be limited by the inherent qualities of the material. Otherwise, the sky is the limit.

 

Next you want to consider the faucet. Vessel sink faucets are slightly different than standard faucets. Vessel faucets are typically either deck or wall mounted. If they are deck mounted, then you are using a tall vessel sink. These faucets have a curved neck design so that the faucet can both accommodate the tall bowl and allow the user to wash her hands. But these are an easy install. There is no switch-over in plumbing so the standard under the counter plumbing is fine and one small hole in the counter will take care of it. The wall mount vessel sink faucet is a bit more tricky. If you are designing the bath in a new home, then it doesn’t matter much. (Also, for bathrooms that are being demoed and completely redone, this is also not a huge consideration.) The wall mounted vessel faucet has both water lines—hot and cold—in the wall above the line where the basin is. The faucet itself is fastened right to the wall. In the case of this faucet, positioning is everything. The faucet must come out long enough to hit the center of the vessel sink basin or else the faucet will hit the side of the bowl and the splash back will be considerable.

 

Whatever you design choices you make, your vessel sink and vessel faucet will add grace, elegance, and style with a decidedly modern twist to your bathroom.

 

 

 

 

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