Sinkronize your Design.

John Kirkland. Remodel Portland Magazine 2005, page 20 (Published in cooperation with the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland & Strategy Custom Publishing LLC)

Choosing a sink for your bathroom? How about a blown glass model, with flecks of gold and swirls of every color in the rainbow, lit from underneath to show off all the details?

Or something more Zen-like: rectangular and shallow, filled by a faucet mounted into the wall that pours a stream that cascades over tiers of stone like a garden waterfall before it reaches the basin.

For home owners who love choices and love to shop for every element going into their remodel — and especially for those who want to show off their individuality — sinks are the ultimate plaything. Major manufacturers and niche artisans have given us every conceivable shape, color and material of sinks, from your basic functional basin to masterpieces that you’d think twice about exposing to toothpaste. Any homeowner today who can’t find the right sink is more a victim of overload than anything that could remotely be called lack of choice.

The daunting task of choosing a sink can be eased by knowing a little bit about sink types and the trends that are guiding the home market.

Which Type of Sink?

Although sinks come in all shapes, sizes and materials, they all fall into six basic categories. The type you choose will depend on the room and the design theme you’re looking for.

Undermount. As the name implies, an undermount sink is mounted under the surface of your countertop. Where the thickness of the countertop ends, the sink begins. This type of sink is used with solid-surface countertops such as slab stone or composites; your installer can cut a hole in the material to perfectly match the dimensions of your sink, and he can finish off that opening nice and smooth. You can’t do that with tile counters.

For function, undermount sinks can’t be beat, according to Judie Eaton, showroom manager for The Fixture Gallery in Tigard. With an undermount kitchen sink you can quickly and easily wipe food scraps and water into the sink without having to clean around the rim. Cleanup is easy in the bathroom too.

For aesthetics, undermount sinks take a back seat simply because they’re the least visible kind of sink you can own. Not to say you can’t invest in a fancy undermount with all kinds of expensive details, but people won’t see it as much as they will your counters and your faucet hardware. Designers say the countertop and hardware become the focal points with an undermount application.

Self Rimming. Also called an “overmount” or “drop in” sink, the self rimming models have rim that sits on top of your countertop. This is the perfect choice for tile or any other kind of countertop where the opening will be rough; the self rimming sink by its very design will cover up those imperfections. For this reason, the self rimming sink can be a great choice if you’re doing the work yourself – the process is much more forgiving than trying to install an undermount where the countertop opening has to be perfect.

Unlike undermount sinks, cleaning the surrounding surfaces is a little more difficult. But what you give up in function you make up for in aesthetics. Self rimming sinks are much more visible than undermounts, so you have to pay more attention to color and detailing. The rim is usually smooth, but you can buy models with textural details. Use a self rimming sink when you want the sink to claim a little more attention away from your counters and hardware. They’re great for both kitchens and bathrooms.

Vessel. Emerging in the 1990s and maintaining their popularity ever since, vessel sinks are essentially bowls that are mounted on top of your countertop. Vessels are in a class by themselves because they are works of art that grab the spotlight. All dimensions of the vessel are visible, so homeowners can have a field day picking from an unlimited array of shapes, colors and materials. Vessel sinks have been made of hollowed-out granite boulders, blown glass, pounded copper, multicolored mosaics — you name it. With a vessel sink, everything around it fades into the background. Designers will tell you not to use fancy hardware for exactly that reason.

As if the shape and placement of the vessel sink wasn’t enough of a grabber, some homeowners install lights underneath the sink to make it glow – a stunning look that works best if the vessel is “half mounted”, meaning that it sits farther down into the countertop. Obviously, it only works if the vessel material is translucent.

Vessels are most popular in powder rooms – they’re showy and more high-maintenance than other types of sinks, so work best in areas that don’t get constant use. However, designers say owners of many higher-end homes use vessels in the master bath, especially if they are aiming for an arty, contemporary look. They are not a practical choice for kitchens.

Wall mounted. Here you’re getting a sink with no countertops or cabinetry. Just a sink. They work great in small spaces, such as powder rooms, or in larger bathrooms where you’re going for a minimalist look. Some models can be nothing more than a slab of glass with a depression in the middle. Styles can vary tremendously, but one common denominator is that wall mounted sinks require you to think about the plumbing you’ll have underneath. Because the piping will be visible, select decorative plumbing — essentially pipes with finishes that are meant to be seen.

Pedestal. This is an idea similar to a wall mounted sink, except that the sink is part of a pedestal that hides the plumbing. Pedestal sinks are often seen in bathrooms with traditional decor— a ’30s style, for example, in a bathroom with small hexagonal tiles. But that is in areas where you want cleaning to be as easy as possible. Even more understated than the undermount sinks, seamless models draw the eye to the plumbing hardware rather than the sink itself.

Variations in the Mix
Color and materials are among the biggest variations in sinks. In the bathroom, porcelain in off-white colors such as biscuit and linen are the most common choices, according to Eaton. They have the most universal appeal, and they pick up the colors of the surrounding decor better than just about anything. But bathrooms — because they are not immediately visible from the rest of the house — are also places where you can go a little wild.

Some examples:

• Portland company Eleek makes aluminum sinks powder-coated to brilliant colors such as a fire engine red.
• Bronze and copper are being used for several types of sinks. They are warm and earthy and show off their natural patinas with age and use. You can apply special finishes that will stabilize the color, however.
• Looking for the ultimate in a natural Northwest look? You can get a vessel sink made entirely of clear-finished hardwood. “It’s the same idea as having a teak boat,” says Dave Bloom of George Morlan Plumbing Supply in Northeast Portland. It carries a 10-year finish guarantee, so use all the water you want.