Small Kitchen Designing and Buying Guide
A Professional Interior Designers Guide
Sinks and Taps Guide
Sinks and taps get the highest level of damage and wear in your kitchen, so be careful to consider what you want them them to do, aswell as how stylish they need to be. Stainless steel is still the most popular choice for its wear characteristics. A popular coloured choice is quartz impregnated acrylic type sinks, that are hard wearing and built to last. Coloured sinks are prone to looking unsightly unless stains are actively removed with recommended cleaners. Ceramic sinks have a very hard surface but can be unsightly when scratched with saucepans and metallic objects, , so please read the options below, and check the company info on cleaning and maintenance of your sink choice.
Please click on company names to view their products
Sit-on sinks
Sit-on sinks as most people understand them are rarely used in up-to-date kitchens with so many options for inset sinks. Modern adaptations of this sink style are now being used in corner sink options in stainless or composite stone. There are also some workstation ideas being developed for modern kitchens, to update this old style.
Leisure Sinks . Rangemaster Sinks . Franke sinks
Recessed sinks
The most popular option with many hundreds of choices of size and shape. Franke are still hard to beat for choice and quality.
Franke Sinks . Blanco sinks . Carron sinks
Undermount sinks
These are made to be mounted under solid worktops and not laminate. Avalable in stainless steel , composite and ceramic options. Kholer is a range to look at for ceramic options.
Kholer sinks . Franke sinks . Blanco sinks
Composite sinks
Normally a mixture of acrylic, stone dust and quartz. Very hard, durable and available in a good choice of colours. Available as undermount, inset or sit-on corner. Can discolour and appear shabby unless cleaned regularly.
Carron sinks . Franke sinks . Blanco sinks
Stainless sinks
Stainless steel sinks are the back bone of most ranges. There has been a return from lower grade coloured plastic and acrylic sink options to stainless steel and it has taken a while for confidence to return to the coloured sink market. I find this option very popular in brushed stainless finish and will always actively sell because of its wear and cleaning characteristics.
Blanco sinks . Franke sinks . Leisure sinks
Ceramic sinks
Ceramic Sinks can be found in traditional Belfast style sinks or more contemporary inset or undermount sink options. Also available in gloss or matt in some sink ranges such as Kholer.
Kitchen sinks . Kholer sinks . Shaws and Rohl . Franke sinks
Enamel sinks
Probably more limited interest but still is a good hardwearing sink option in various colours.
Kholer Sinks
Corner type sinks
There are various ways that companies provide corner sinks by either being angled across the corner or bent round in an L shape
Blanco sinks . Carron sinks . Franke Sinks
Stone and concrete sinks
Real stone sinks are quite unusual and can be expensive. the uniqueness of each sink is what adds excitement to this option , but choice of design and styles are still limited. Another interesting option is coloured concrete which has developed into a viable sink option.
Stone sinks . Concrete sinks
Corian sinks
Corian sinks are made to be integrated into Corian worktops and are available in Corian colours. The seamless look is an elegant and more modern looking to my eye, even though Corian is often used in traditional schemes because of the practical advantages of its non-porous unbreakable, and easy clean surface compared to granite.
Corian sinks
Accessories
Accessories for sinks are available individually or as kits. Chopping boards, cutlery inserts and plate racks are typical, in various materials, to sit into or on sink bowls.
Accessories . Carron Accessories
Whats new?
There are developements with sink design in the use of glass for instance and with work stations. I will keep you updated with whatever I discover.
Blanco Sinks . Franke Sinks
Taps
I have procided links to some tap ranges that I feel are good quality, made to last and are compatable with the sink ranges above.
Franke Taps . Perrin and Rowe Taps . Grohe Taps . Blanco Taps . Carron taps . Astracast taps. Hansgrohe taps
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