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What's New in Kitchen Sinks?

A look at trends in sinks, faucets, and accessories

Most folks look for simple, elegant design and low maintenance. They want to make a design statement. Small house people are a little different: They place their emphasis on multi-purpose functionality. When you have less space, getting the most from it becomes a priority. That said, no one is going to give up aesthetics if they don't have to.

Now that we are into the 2010s, there are several design trends that show up regularly.

Ikea tends to be a good source of very small, but functional sinks that are both attractive and inexpensive with a modern aesthetic that is very appealing.

Faucets and other sink accessories

The most common configuration today is still a double sink with a pull out faucet. New features that are being requested more and more often are a dedicated water filtration system, hot water dispenser, and ... unsurprisingly ... a soap dispenser.

Faucet sets run from the very low end rental-unit style that hasn't changed in decades to state-of-the-art commercial kitchen faucets. Wall-mounted units are convenient and easier to keep clean than deck-mounted faucets. Many are decorative and come in a variety of finishes including brass, polished chrome, and brushed nickel.

Practical considerations in my small kitchen

For a small house with a highly functioning tiny kitchen, minimal size and maximum efficiency is the name of the game. I'm happy with my repurposed Craigslist find: a double wide, deep, stainless steel sink that functions as kitchen prep center and utility sink.

For the sake of easy use and low maintenance, I've opted for a pull-out faucet (all the better to rinse the corgi) with no fancy stuff and ditching the accessories altogether. My hot water kettle is good enough for generating water for tea and coffee and dishsoap can be kept in a small squeeze bottle on the window sill.

More on sinks


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