Homeowners are Personalizing Their Bathrooms with Unique, Colorful SinksMaking a Splash

It’s all about “the splash” in the bathroom, says Perry Quick of Metzler Remodeling in Kansas City, Mo. “Everyone wants to make one, wants to be different, so there is no standard on anything anymore.” And there is no better way, Quick notes, for people to express themselves than through their sink choices. “The sink has a new life,” he says.

In an effort to make an impact in the bathroom, consumers are requesting a wider range of sink materials, and companies are creatively responding. Kohler, for example, introduced the Iron/Tones cast-iron lavatory collection featuring sinks made from 93 percent reclaimed and recycled iron. The company buys scrap iron, including pieces of old radiators and car parts, and melts it down to create a one-piece sink.

In addition to iron, other natural sink materials are emerging as “the push for sustainability and green products by consumers is greater than ever before,” according to Michael Zimber, founder of Stone Forest.

Nevertheless, pros are struggling to keep up with this fast-growing and somewhat vaguely defined trend. “People are trying to go green but don’t fully understand green,” said Ahmed Porter, founder and president of Washington, D.C.-based remodeling firm Elite Constructions, who says he often suggests conventional materials to customers because he knows them better. “Everyone is hearing about green materials for the sink, but few know how to use them. I’m working on becoming well-versed in the area.”

Some homeowners who want a unique lav may not be ready to start brushing their teeth over a wood basin. To meet these consumer needs, traditional acrylic sinks are being complemented with stone and wood countertops and synthetic material basins are emerging. Meanwhile, Julien released stainless steel sinks and Kohler has new distinctive glass lavs.

Color Remedy

Besides being crafted out of green materials, sinks also are green in color—and blue, brown, orange, and every other hue. Vibrant sinks are being used to help furniture fit in the bathroom much like it does in the living room, says Gray Uhl, American Standard’s director of design, by tying all design aspects together with a tone theme, whether earthy, bright or dark.

Consumers are turning to color for self expression and are using it to create warmth, he notes.

In addition, the emergence of new basin and countertop materials coincides with the continued use of stone, which is “becoming almost expected where it once was a luxury,” says Mike Terrill, senior product manager for Kohler. “With increased use of stone we see increased use of color,” he adds. “Colored sinks often complement stone better than stark white sinks, and people want to make stone choices more personalized as they are becoming so popular.”

Nevertheless, no one sink color is more popular than another because they are “dependent on personalities,” says Quick, who recently put a cobalt blue glass bowl with tile accents in a guest bath. “It looks gorgeous,” he says, “It’s a Japanese look with a blue Silestone [quartz] countertop, and the bowl is translucent and iridescent blue.”

Modern Design

As material and color statements are personifying the bathroom sink, design is becoming less extravagant. Manufacturers are embracing sleek, minimalist motifs and creating modern patterns that focus on simple shapes rather than ornate ones.