Bathroom Sinks

Bathroom Sinks : Your Choice

A choice in bathroom sinks may seem essentially a practical matter. You need to think about what will fit in the space you have in your bathroom, what material is appropriate, what the essential requirements are for a sink for the people who will use it. But more and more these days a sink is a means of stamping your personal taste on your bathroom.

Granted, whatever you choose needs to fit with the overall “look” of your bathroom and whether it is traditional or modern, minimalist or decorative but you can also use your sink as a starting point for your bathroom theme if you like.

If you fall in love with a bathroom sink that is like something out of a space ship, then it’s an ultra modern bathroom look for you. If you find a bathroom vanity that reflects the Edwardian era then a period bathroom look is the order of the day.

contemporary bathroom sink

contemporary bathroom sink

Although most bathroom sinks will not fit so firmly into a theme you should get an idea from them whether they are leaning more towards a traditional or modern bathroom or whether you are going for a very clean, minimalist look or a look which will stand more bottles, jars and ornaments on display.

Remember that the other fixtures in your bathroom should be at least in the same theme as your sink even if they are not bought from the same range. Sink, bath tub and toilet from the same manufacturer is the easiest choice but it’s not always possible if you need specialist items. For example the last time we remodeled our bathroom we could only fit in a bath tub which was angled at one end and this meant choosing bathroom fittings from different ranges.

As white is almost the only color to choose from these days when it comes to most bathroom fittings you can generally find something to suit provided you have not chosen a very distinctive shape from the bathroom sinks available to purchase.

If you are only replacing the sink in your bathroom and not the whole bathroom suite then you are a bit more limited. In that case you have to start with what you have and perhaps buy an updated version of your old sink from the current range of bathroom sinks.

If you’re just replacing your sink and would like something completely different however look at the new vessel sinks. As these bathroom sinks are available in all kinds of materials and shapes both traditional and modern you can get a new look without replacing your whole bathroom.

Types of Bathroom Sinks

When you are looking at bathroom sinks you will find that they come in many sizes, materials and styles but they all fall into onto one of the following general types of sink

1. Pedestal sinks

Pedestal sinks come in all kinds of shapes and sizes but they usually stand 34 to 36″ high. If you would like a taller sink then that’s not a problem as you can stand the sink on a purpose-built platform but there’s no way of making the sink smaller. These are the traditional types of sink so they are great if you want a retro or period look in your bathroom. Pedestals provide support for the sink though both sink and pedestal may be fixed to the wall for further stability. Plumbing elements are hidden inside the pedestal for a neat look.

2. Console Sinks

A console sinks is a sink which is fitted into a small table top supported by legs and brackets. This type of arrangement is generally quite ornamental and suited to period homes for the most part although you may get modern versions. (These days in modern bathrooms vessel sinks are more common with a table top arrangement) They do give the bathroom an open feel as below the sink is not enclosed yet they are practical due to the counter top areas on each side of the sink. You do need other storage however for items you don’t want placed on display.

Traditional Sink in a Vanity Unit

Traditional Sink in a Vanity Unit

3. Vanity Sinks

This is where a sink is embedded in a counter top with enclosed storage cabinets underneath – a whole vanity unit. They are very practical in terms of giving you both counter top space and storage to hide away bathroom essentials.

4. Vessel Sinks

Vessel sinks look as though they are just a large bowl resting on a counter or table top. Plumbing is hidden under the counter and behind wall panels. Because they can be made of many different materials manufacturers have made many appealing designs and they have become very popular for contemporary bathrooms. They are the easiest type of sink to replace when you want to change your sink in future.

5. Wall Mounted or Wall Hung Sinks

A wall mounted sink is simply attached to the wall at a height to suit you. They do need a solid wall and solid fixings to take the weight of the sink when full of water however (and potentially someone partly leaning on it too). Wall Mounted sinks are useful because they can be placed where there is an obstruction for a pedestal for example or in a corner (special corner wall mounted sinks are available which make the most of the space in the smallest room) The plumbing needs to be neatly fitted under the sink as it is visible.

When you are looking at bathroom sinks you will find that manufacturers of bathroom fittings nearly all offer each of these types of sink and often in different sizes so you should not have a problem matching the style of your bathtub and other bathroom fixtures whatever type you choose.