In contemporary bathroom design, vessel sinks have become increasingly popular over the past few years, combining warm visual appeal with modern design concepts. Bathroom vessel sinks add a significant level of style and elegance to any home, eliminating the drab feel of standard bathroom sinks and replacing it with one of graceful purity.
Most vessel sinks resemble works of pottery, giving the illusion of a bowl sitting atop your bathroom counter. Unlike traditional pottery, however, manufacturers can design these elegant sinks from a wide variety of sturdy yet eye appealing materials. Materials such as marble or granite require a certain level of care and maintenance, and others such as glass or copper may only fit in with a specific motif. Being that vessel sinks evoke a specific design style, the construction material should be kept in mind to keep with the general character of the bathroom in which the sink will be situated.
Plumbing and faucets are often issues to consider when installing vessel sinks in your bathroom. With vessel sinks, there are two appropriate types of faucets – wall-mounted or counter-top mounted. In either design choice, faucet height and water pressure will need to be adressed, since too great a height or too high of water pressure will create significant water splash. If placement is too low, you risk not having room to use the sink for its intended purpose.
Both choices have their own plumbing issues. Wall-mounted requires the plumbing to come through the wall and counter-top mounted will have the plumbing come up through the cabinetry. A wall-mounted faucet has the advantage of allowing for placement at any height, whereas a counter-top faucet is easily switched out as the owner sees fit. Glass sinks or others made of translucent materials require that the sink sit atop the counter rather being recessed. If a glass bowl were used for a recessed sink, the plumbing would be clearly visible in the cabinet below.
As with any home improvement, the aesthetic advantages must always be weighed against the practical implications. With the right planning and care, bathroom vessel sinks provide a beautiful improvement to any home.