The Bold Look of Vessel Sinks

Upscale public restrooms and restaurants inspire many bathroom trends. This is particularly true when it comes to bathroom sinks. One of the hottest trends to hit residential bathrooms is the vessel sink, which sits above the bathroom countertop and can be made from almost any material. Unlike most traditional sink designs, vessel sinks offer unlimited style and design possibilities.

So if you're looking to create a modern, traditional, fun, elegant or cutting-edge look in your new bathroom, you'll want to check out the latest fleet of vessel sinks. Most major bathroom manufacturers make vessel sinks out of traditional cast iron, glass, natural stone, decorated vitreous china and even some metals, like stainless steel. They also offer a variety of shapes, sizes and depths so you can compliment any architectural style.

Before choosing your material and shape, think about the daily usage of the bathroom you plan on placing it in.

Things to consider when choosing a vessel-style sink:

• It's a good idea to decide whether you want a vessel sink before you start planning the plumbing in your new bathroom. The type of sink you install will impact the placement of your pipes.
• Vessel sinks require a different counter height than most traditional bathroom sinks, simply because they sit on top of the counter. A conventional sink is usually 32 to 36 inches above the floor, a comfortable height for brushing your teeth and washing hands.
• Another installation option is to mount your vessel sink on the wall with a bracket or install it on a piece of furniture designed expressly for a vessel sink.
• You can put a vessel sink on almost any type of countertop material including wood planks, concrete, tile, mosaic, marble or granite slabs.

It is important to choose the right faucet so the water flows to the bottom of the sink and that there's enough space between the faucet and the sink to wash your hands or brush your teeth. A great option is to choose a faucet with a long neck or a wall-mount faucet. No matter what faucet you choose, make sure the neck is long enough to reach the center of the sink.