I'm not sure if I mentioned this before but this ENTIRE kitchen renovation actually started because of a sink.
I wanted a new one. Specifically, I wanted this apron front sink from Ikea.
I liked that it wasn't an undermount sink. Because in the olden days (when people got scurvy and rickets) sinks would not have been undermount. They would have sat on the counter like a regular sink. So that's how I like an apron front/farmhouse sink to sit now.
It was cheery and big and had an apron. Like Mrs. Butterworth. Or Mrs. Garrett.
The only problem was it was cheery and too big and had an apron. It didn't fit my non-standard depth counters.
Which got me to thinking about new counters. But, just getting new counters wouldn't work because they'd stick out 6" from my non-standard depth cupboards.
The only solution was to forget about it and realize I should just appreciate everything I already had.
Let's see ... I had a life that was falling apart, an 11 year old relationship that ran away from home, a grunge filled countertop and a fridge that was so volatile I'd nicknamed it Kanye.
57 seconds later it was decided. I was getting a new kitchen.
And it would allll revolve around the apron sink I've wanted for years. A big, farmhouse sink.
Big sink. Farmhouse. Apron. Crap.
As it turns out apron sinks take up a lot of space underneath the counter. If under the sink happens to be where you keep your kitchen garbage, you'll have to either rethink where you keep the garbage or rethink how big your garbage can is. I have 2 large garbage bins under the sink. One for compostable items and one for regular old, can't do anything with it, can't be recycled, can't be turned into a baby mobile garbage.
And with my small kitchen with limited cupboards there really wasn't anywhere else to put the garbage.
So the sink that started it all ... was out.
Funny how things like that happen.
After doing a bit of research and listening to my kitchen designer Carol Reed I went with a simple sink and faucet combo.
The faucet actually came first because it was generously provided to me by the fine folks at Brizo. I never knew I had a dream faucet, but as it turns out I did, and this was it.
It's a touch faucet, which means to turn it on or off all you have to do is tap the faucet with any part of your hand or arm. No more salmonella scares! Plus since I don't have a utility sink in this whole house, at any given time I could be washing just about anything off of my hands. Things that really shouldn't come into contact with anything but a biohazard suit.
The other thing I LOVE, love, love about this faucet is it's white. WHITE. Plus I was drawn to the general design of it immediately. Something about it says, "Hey! Karen! You're doing a Scandinavian Farmhouse kitchen? Tap this!"
And I thought that before I actually went to their webpage and read the caption that described it as sleek, stylish and ... Scandinavian.
I knew I also wanted a white sink, so Jean, the designer that Home Depot assigned to me (yes, I had two designers working on my kitchen, 3 if you count my sister with the pink tool belt and 4 if you include me) picked out this white, cast iron Kohler sink. Nice, plain, pretty. Perfect.
I now officially have every SINGLE thing for my kitchen sitting in my house. The new fridge, range, sink, cabinets .... everything.
The only thing I don't have? Anywhere to sit down.
I've been standing for a week and a half now. Good thing I don't have rickets.
Great faucet and sink! They will look awesome in your new kitchen!!
Well, I love the comment from you about someone thinking you would not have a ...what was it a jigsaw. Sounds like my Landlord. I live in a completely refurbished, and very nicely done I might add, two family home in an historic village in Cincinnati. My landlord is/was a homebuilder in one of the most affluent areas of this city at one time. He is now 85 years of age. If you, or anyone, could see the look on his face when he learns that I have my own toolbox, two to be exact and a myriad of power tools, you would think that I had broken an Unspoken Rule that "WOMEN CANNOT POSSIBLY POSESS THE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO OPERATE SUCH TOOLS MUCH LESS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE MEANT TO BE USED FOR!
Wow, it is like stepping into some really perverse time zone and wondering if I am still alive. I own and operate many, many power tools, hand tools and even have created and designed my own out of nothing, when necessary. Hats off to can and will promise to learn how to immediately. We Rule. It is as simple as that.
My husband and I renovated our kitchen a few years back all by ourselvses (and yes, we're still married).
That is THE sink I wanted... the Ikea Domsjo (pretend there are two little dots above the last o).
And I got it. That sucker is heavy and huge...but I LOVE it!!
p.s. if more men realized that women want utility sinks it could take over from roses for Valentine's Day!
I thought I was the only woman who yearned for a utility sink!! But now I have one. It only took 3 different men and 30 years but I finally found the right guy and he finished the laundry room, complete with utility sink. Actually it is pretty special... I had a lid made for it that slides on and off and flops down against the wall when the sink is in use (piano hinge and sliders - very tricky and cool)... then flips back up and slides over the sink to provide more counter space when it's not in use. I'd send a photo but I'm not sure how. : )
Wow Shauna, my curiosity is piqued! Would love to see photos of what you've done there! Hoping that there's someone around who can assist you in posting a photo!
cheers!
:)
Karen....will you be doing a post about your range hood selection?? I still have not bought a range hood for my 8 month old kitchen ugh!(ok, so thank God at least for now, I have a good ceiling fan overhead!) I am looking for a non venting unit with a slim profile, I do have a pet peeve about big honking range hoods that hit me in the forehead and blind me with light when I am cooking at the stove LOL!!
I probably will be doing a post on the range hood, but I can tell you one thing. My range hood is not what you'd call ... slim. :) I assume you're getting non vented because your range isn't on an exterior wall? ~ karen!
Yes, Karen!....you guessed it, mine is on the interior wall, with a 30 inch cab above it, as well. Always wanted a restaurant style hood that extended to the ceiling...aint gonna happen !
Would you be in my Poll??>> If you had black base cabs, and a black range......but off white upper cabs...>>>would you put in a black or white range hood??? I say white is my choice, to blend in with upper cabs! thnx !
In the situation you describe, white or sure. I wouldn't always pick one that matched the cabinets, but since you're going to have to get a low profile, ventless one and it won't be a focal point of the room/range then go for something that'll blend. :) ~ karen!
If I had a nickel for every "I have to have this" thing that nothing but a clipping in an old file now! But no regrets about my extra deep, single, ss, rounded corners sink. We roast a lot of veggies with big pans and the ss pans fit in for a soak with room to spare. In the porcelain sinks, I had to be too careful of I'd scratch the sink, so that beauty went out with the other clippings!
I can't live without my pull out for recycling and trash...and if there had been a way to make a cut out on counter to push the compost into....I'd have done that.....but the silestone installers were....difficult.
Gorgeous! You'll hardly miss the dream sink in the end. That faucet and sink with that super cool pendant light and white brick wall will be so amazing together. I can't wait to see it all fall into place, and by "fall" I mean heave, kick, scream, lift, swear, cram, fudge, ease, pray, beg, sweat, grunt ... so I'm hoping for video.