First up, the sink. We already knew the dimensions we were looking for & the price range we wanted to stay in. However, we had to make a few other decisions regarding our sink.
Here are some things we had to consider:
1. mount type (undermount, top mount, apron front, etc)
2. finish (cast iron, stainless steel, etc)
3. # of bowls (one or two)
We quickly ruled out a top mount sink - we originally had a top mount & we were not huge fans. While we loved the look of an apron sink, we would of had to modify the cabinets in order to install it. In the end, we felt that an apron sink would have required more effort than we were looking to expend. That left us with the undermount sink option - which we loved for both beauty & function.
Next up, we discussed the finish options which was a fairly quick decision for us - we decided to go with stainless steel to match the rest of the appliances in our kitchen.
Lastly, we had to decide on the number of bowls we wanted. Our previous sink was a double bowl, which (as I'm sure many of you can relate to), made washing larger pots & pans a bit difficult. Not impossible by any means, but sort of annoying - especially since we wash our dishes by hand 99% of the time (since it's just the two of us). After much debate about the pros & cons, we chose to go with a single bowl.
Once we had an idea of what we were looking for, we began our search online. We checked out Home Depot & Lowe's where we found a couple of good options for around $300. We also decided to check with Melissa @ Granite Direct Warehouse (where we purchased our quartz) to see if they had a comparable sink. Turns out they had a special on a Schon sink - it's the Heavy Duty 16 Gauge Radius Undermount Single Bowl Stainless Steel 32"x19" sink. So for just under $300, we got a sink that normally retails for around $500. Bonus - it also came with a grid to protect the bottom from scratches:
Next, it was onto faucets. Our goal was to find a good quality faucet.
Again, there were still a few more things we needed to decide on:
Again, there were still a few more things we needed to decide on:
1. finish (stainless, chrome, nickel, etc)
2. # of handles (single or double)
3. # of holes for installation (1, 2, 3, etc)
4. spray nozzle type (pull-down or separate)
5. soap/lotion dispenser (or did we want to use a separate countertop dispenser?)
To make it easy, we opted for a stainless steel finish to coordinate with everything else. We also decided that the fewer handles & gadgets to clean around - the better. So that narrowed it down to a single handle pull-down sprayer. After we refined our search, it was left to aesthetics. Our favorite was the KHOLER Barossa faucet. The only thing we didn't like was the faucet plate:
Luckily, even if the photo shows a faucet plate, it doesn't mean you have to install it that way. As long as the box says 1-hole/single hole, you can install it like this:
As you can see, the Barossa faucet also comes with a lotion/soap dispenser. However, after some discussion we decided not to have it installed. We felt it was just another component that we would have to clean around.
Before we ordered the faucet, we checked with Melissa to see if they had any similar options - turns out it was more cost effective for us to buy a faucet through Home Depot. They were out of stock @ our local Home Depot, so Nader went ahead & ordered one to be shipped over from another store for free. All we had to do was e-mail Melissa the make & model # of the faucet so they could cut the opening once the slabs arrived.
We know this is not the most exciting post content, but it's all part of the real life boring details. The next step in our kitchen makeover process entails having the countertop template measured & demoing our existing counters & backsplash...
More on that coming soon!
Mel & Nader
:)
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