Functionality matters when choosing a sink

Think before plunking down money on that sexy number in the showroom

Canwest News Service. November 22, 2008.
By Karen Turner

You see the sexy number sparkling in the bathroom showroom and immediately fall in love with the shapely curves and slick metallic sheen.

It's exactly the signature piece you've been looking for to dress up the guest bathroom...

..."Don't fall in love with something and then be disappointed," says the co-owner of the bathroom and kitchen showroom in Ottawa. "It's good to look pretty, but it has to be functional."

Functionality, easy maintenance and good looks are all important factors to choosing the perfect bathroom sink.

To help narrow your options, we asked various experts to provide a five handy tips

- Splish splash: The height and location of the faucet will impact where the water stream hits the sink. The shallower the basin, the bigger the splash, says Georgitsos.

- Easy clean: Maintenance should be a key consideration. For vessels sinks, make sure there is enough space between the underside of the bowl and the countertop to fit your hand for thorough cleaning all around the sink, says Caroline Mitchell, manager of the new Mondeau Innovation Centre in Kanata, Ont.

The boxy trough sinks with the square corners are prone to scum buildup and are a

little trickier to clean than the ones with rounded, concave sides. They also take longer to drain.

- Glass act: "Are you a fussy person?" asks interior decorator Carol Gunn. If the answer is yes, then a glass sink isn't for you. "Glass will show everything -- from water spots to blobs of toothpaste," she says.

If you're prepared to buff and polish the basin fervently, the transparent glass looks beautiful paired with mottled granite or rich marble counters.

- Counter height: Since vessel sinks rise up from the counter, the vanity, base cabinet or converted washstand you mount it on will have to be lower to keep the sink at a comfortable height, says Hugh Trueman, director of operations and development for Mondeau Bathroom & Kitchen, the retail division of Boone Plumbing.

- Faucet options: There are three ways to mount the sink taps: on the wall, on the counter and directly to the lip of the basin.

In a small space, a wall-mounted faucet is a good option because "it doesn't clutter up the work surface," says Trueman, adding it is also easier to keep clean because "there's no grunge" building up around the taps.

Chrome and stainless steel remain the most popular finishes, he says, as well as easy-to-use single-lever faucets.

© Times Colonist (Victoria) 2008