5 traits of the perfect kitchen sink

Tips & Tricks

Jun 28, 2022

Kitchen design with a double bowl kitchen sink - Beautiful Homes

All you need to know about the Kitchen sink, to help you choose the one that suits your preferences and needs

The kitchen sink is where all your stuff is washed - cooking ingredients, vegetables, and if you don’t possess and use a dishwasher, even your dishes, utensils, and your cutlery. The kitchen is also one of those ubiquitous appliances in the kitchen - you can’t really get rid of it because it is so useful and utilitarian. This would also mean that you will not change or replace the sink in your kitchen ever so often, which is why it is imperative that you do it right the first time. If you are not sure what matters when choosing or building or renovating a sink in your modular kitchen, we have a handy guide put together here. Read on!

1. Sink Size

Sinks can be made available with or without the drainboard. A sink with drainboard may also have one or two bowls depending on the space available in your kitchen. The depth of the bowl, the size of your drainboard, and the overall size of your kitchen sink matter a lot as per the principles of kitchen sink design.

When considering your kitchen sink design, it's important to also take into account how it fits into the overall aesthetic of your kitchen design. Oh, and when it comes to the depth of the bowl of your kitchen sink design, there is an ideal depth. The magic number is 8, as in 8 inches. The bowl can be of any shape - rectangular, oval, round, etc. You can pick and choose the shape and depth of the bowl and whether your sink is a single-bowl appliance or a double-bowl appliance based on your usage.

Let’s look at some of those in detail.

a. Single Bowl Sink

Single bowl sinks are the most popular sink option in the world. Single bowl kitchen sinks are very compact and functional. These options may also be very versatile as they could be coupled with a dishwasher if you are opting for that too. Single bowl kitchen sinks are essential when it comes to a compact kitchen sink design.

b. Double Bowl Sink

If you have the space for it, you can opt for a double bowl sink. Now, these bowls can both be the same size or of different sizes. Let’s look into those possibilities in detail. If you opt for a double sink kitchen with both bowls of the same size, this would be useful when you have to scrub utensils and wash them at the same time. The option of the double bowl sink with one bowl larger than the other could be useful in a way that you use the bigger bowl for washing up and the small one for food preparation. The double sink kitchen is a sight to behold.

Double bowl kitchen sink design for your kitchen - Beautiful Homes

Modern kitchen sink design with drainboard - Beautiful Homes

2. Drainboard

The drainboard does exactly what it says - it is a board that is used to drain utensils that have already been washed. If you have washed up your utensils and/or your vegetables, and you want them to dry off, especially for them to drip dry, then the drainboard is that part of the sink that comes in handy. Most drainboards are designed with an incline, in order to ensure that the dripping water seeps back into the sink, so as to maintain the kitchen counter as dry. You can choose to have a sink with drainboard with both single and double bowl sink options. If you are left-handed, you can also get the drainboard installed to the left of the bowl(s). A sink with a drainboard is a beauty.

If you have the space for it, you can also have 2 drainboards, one on each side. Some drainboards also come with a set of grooves. You can also have detachable or removable drainboards that fit on top of your sink bowl, but then can be removed when you intend to use the sink. A drainboard is an amazing and utilitarian feature when it comes to modern kitchen sink design and is a must-have. However, please bear in mind that having a drainboard may not be the best idea if you have a small modular kitchen.

3. Mounting Styles

A mount is essentially the way a sink is installed, or ‘mounted’ onto the kitchen countertop. It effectively means where the rim of the sink can be seen. If the rim is fitted over the countertop, it is called a top-mounted sink, and if it is below the level of the countertop, then it is called an under-mount sink. Let’s have a look at both possibilities in detail.

a. Top-mounted Sink (self-rim Sinks)

These varieties of sinks are very easy to install and are hence cheaper than the other types. To mount this, the countertop is cut in the desired shape of the outline of the sink and then the sink is mounted on top of it. This may hide any cutting imperfections as the sink is mounted on top of the boundary, and the rim curves out covering the imperfect cuts if any. Edges of the rim can either be sealed with a sealant or be curved further in to mount the sink tightly.

b. Undermount Sinks

Undermount sinks are the ones fitted below the kitchen counter. These types of kitchen sinks do not have a rim or a lip visible or cured above the counter level. These installations look far more elegant than the top-mounted sinks as they give a sense of continuity to the kitchen countertop.

The installation of an undermount sink needs precision and hence should be done by professional exports, as the cutting of the kitchen countertop needs to be extremely precise. Once the sink is fitted, the finishing is done via epoxy. The process is called epoxy grouting, and it should be followed as usual by a silicone sealant.

4. Material Matters

The most popular material to choose for kitchen basin sinks in India is stainless steel. However, there are various options available to choose from if you want to go with something different. There obviously are advantages and disadvantages to every material that you choose when it comes to a kitchen basin sink. Let’s have a look at all such materials in detail.

a. Stainless Steel

Steel is one of the most durable materials to be used for any appliance in your kitchen. Stainless steel is resistant to heat and cold and because of its anti-corrosive nature is very easy to clean and maintain. All you need for cleaning a steel sink is a bit of soap and some water, and you are good to go ahead and clean the entire stainless steel kitchen sink. While choosing a material for your steel sink go for a higher gauge of steel so you get a thicker variant that will not dent easily.

Stainless steel kitchen design design on w wooden kitchen countertop - Beautiful Homes

Quartz for the kitchen sink design material - Beautiful Homes

b. Quartz

Quartz sinks, as the name suggests are made up of quartz. However, most of them are not made up of pure quartz but a combination of quartz crystals and acrylic resin. The cool part is that unlike stainless steel kitchen sinks, these types of sinks are available in a variety of colours and styles.
Quartz is not a material that gets scratched easily (unlike a steel kitchen sink) and hence can withstand the usual wear and tear. Quartz coupled with acrylic makes it very non-porous and hence is very durable for usage as a kitchen sink material.

c. Corian

If you are working on a tight budget, Corian is a pretty popular material used to create a perfect Kitchen countertop design. Corian can be extremely seamlessly molded into a sink and hence is one of the most popular material choices when it comes to undermounted sinks. It has a very durable nature and can be cleaned easily as well. The best and the original Corian is manufactured and marketed by a company called DuPont™.

d. Stone

Stone, just like Corian, is the popular choice for undermount sinks. If you are using stone as the material for your kitchen countertop, then you can mold it into an integrated sink. This installation is rather expensive as it needs professionals to cut and mold the countertop into a sink - seamless edges and a flow of continuity between the countertop and the sink. Marble kitchen sinks or granite would look absolutely phenomenal and can be customized to ensure that it fits your needs.

Kitchen sink design with marble countertop - Beautiful Homes

Modern kitchen sink design with a curved faucet - Beautiful Homes

5. Ergonomics Matter

The user experience of using the sink in your kitchen needs to be amazing. It is one of the most important considerations to take while designing your sink. Your kitchen sink design should be optimized for maximum comfort and optimal productivity. The perfect kitchen sink will not let you feel like it is going to be a tedious job using it. We have compiled some points to keep in mind when choosing or designing your kitchen sink. These will help you choose the best kitchen sinks for your needs. Read on!

If you want to build a sink, build one with straight edges
instead of curved ones. This would leave more room for your dishes.

If you do not like straight edges and are okay with the pitfalls
that come with rounded edges, rejoice in the fact that rounded edges are easier to clean.

Choose a faucet with an extendable arm. Enough said!

Check to see if the bowl of the sink creates splashes when the faucet is turned on. Don’t let that happen.

For you to operate your kitchen sink in the most comfortable manner, there should be a gap of 6 inches between you elbow and the countertop when you stand in front of it.

The height of the sink from the ground should be about 3 feet. You can get it customized as it suits your height.

The kitchen sink bowl should have a depth of 8 to 10 inches.

At Asian Paints Beautiful Homes, we understand how significant it is to build each corner of your home. You simply need to let us know about the sort of interior design you are looking for, and we will assist you in transforming your vision into reality by fine-tuning your ideas. Whether you want to create more aesthetic appeal or align the vibe of your space with existing structures or play with colour combinations - we will be able to meet your needs well. We also help with specific furnishings such as kitchen sinks and can guide you through the whole process of selecting or renewing one. We happen to be experts in simple modern kitchen sink design and have designed scores of modular kitchen sinks and kitchen sink fittings.

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5 traits of the perfect kitchen sink