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Home Improvements: Bathroom Sinks & Faucets |
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Written by Doresa Banning Photos by Chérie Turner (unless otherwise stated)
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Wednesday, 01 August 2007 |
In the grand scheme of a home, the faucets and sinks may not seem to be a big deal. But they can make a big impact. Simply swapping out the old for new is a surefire way to enliven a bathroom or change its look and feel. The days of being limited to chrome faucets and porcelain sinks are far gone, as finishing and style options are numerous.
“If there’s a look you want, you can find it,” says Linda Bozzuto, showroom specialist at Reno’s Savage & Son.
Faucets
Faucets serve an aesthetic purpose as well as a utilitarian one.
“The faucetry is the jewelry of the home,” Bozzuto says. “It gives a bathroom a personality.”
Depending on the brand, up to 30 finishes are available, including copper, brass/antique, gold, white, pewter, and iron. The most popular are oil-rubbed bronze, stainless steel, and nickel (satin, solid and polished). Styles range from traditional to contemporary, understated to dressy, casual to stately. There’s
sleek, Zen, Tuscan, Victorian, futuristic, and more.
Sink faucets are configured as single hole (a single post containing one or two levers) or triple hole (a spout and two separate hot and cold water handles). Triple-hole faucets come in two spread sizes: four- and eight-inch, the distance from one handle’s middle to the other. Sometimes the three components line up straight; other times they’re contoured. When replacing existing faucets, you must match the configuration you are replacing.
The latest in shower faucets is personal systems, in which you customize the types and numbers of heads, sprays, and nozzles. Maybe you want a temperature control, three body sprays, a handheld nozzle, and an oversized head. When replacing a shower faucet, you must know the trim brand, as each brand corresponds to a different-size valve.
As for bathtubs, you may be stuck with the faucetry you have. Tub hardware can’t be changed unless access under the tub
is available. Frequently, it isn’t. If a bathtub is set in a surround, you likely won’t have access.
If you plan to redo your bathroom’s tile or stone, select that first. Then pick your faucet style and finish. Last, choose
your sink.
Sinks
The hot trend is vessels—bowls or other-shaped containers that sit atop a surface.
“Vessels are made of everything from hand-blown glass to ceramic pour,” Bozzuto says.
Other materials include copper and stone. Oil rubbed bronze and satin nickel sell the best, she adds.
Vessels are mounted onto a wall or set atop various-styled stands, furniture, or stone slabs. Unlike traditional sinks, vessel sinks typically have wall-mounted faucets positioned above them.
Also popular are under-mount sinks, most often for master bathrooms where countertops are granite slab or other solid surface. Under-mounts are secured in place under the counter. The vitreous china and fireclay models, which come in different colors, are in greatest demand, as is the rectangular shape, says Jeff Mecca, decorative plumbing product manager at Western Nevada Supply Company. The precursors to under-mount sinks are self-rimming sinks. These are dropped into the sink hole from above, creating an above-counter lip.
Furniture-style sinks are popular too, as they offer storage. Picture a solid cabinet-like, wood-based piece of furniture with a flat top made of glass or ceramic, which showcases an under-mount or vessel sink. Numerous available styles include antique, country, traditional, and contemporary.
Console sinks also are a newer, desirable alternative. They’re similar to the furniture styles but resemble a console table more than a solid furniture piece; therefore, storage capability is less. The bases typically are made out of iron, metal, wood, or stone.
“Console and furniture pieces are what have been replacing the pedestals,” Mecca says.
Pedestal sinks are less common but still available. Finishes include classic white porcelain, fireclay in various colors, granite, marble, onyx, travertine, and limestone.
Regardless of style, all sinks come in various shapes—oval, round, rectangular, and square. Vessel sinks sometimes boast amorphous shapes. With so many options, giving your bathroom some added personality is only a matter of choice.
Doresa Banning is a Reno-based freelance writer. |
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