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vp_78

Bathroom sink faucets and vanity top advice wanted!

vp_78
12 years ago

Can someone offer any insight as to good brands or where to go for reviews? We're looking for either a center spread or a widespread (haven't quite decided yet), chrome faucet that will withstand the "test of time". I had one plumber say to only look at moen or kohler, another one recommended grohe. I've never even heard of Grohe! We'd like to keep it under $200. Any advice on where to start looking will be most appreciated!

Also, we're still debating a vanity top, and have determined we need something white (floors are dark slate, vanity is light maple). Our choice currently is narrowed to either going inexpensive with the American Standard Astra sink, which is just a basic cultured marble, or spending a bit more at SignatureHardware.com and getting a white crystallized glass stone vanity top. We want to purchase a durable, low maintenance top since it's for the kids bathroom, but we don't want to kill any resale (although resale is far, far, far down the line. We're talking 5-10 years at least, so resale isn't the most pressing issue). Once again, any input from those that have BTDT is MOST appreciated!!!

Comments (11)

  • cat_mom
    12 years ago

    We are very happy with our Cifial faucets (Techno and Techno 25's in our contemporary bathrooms, but of course, they have other styles as well). Our salesperson (Sean @ Hardware-Design in Fairfield, NJ) steered us toward Cifial for our guest bathroom, which was the first one we reno'd. He really dissuaded us from buying a "spendy" faucet for "a basement bathroom" (ground floor of our house), and touted Cifial's quality, in addition to being decently priced. He told us to save the "fancier"/pricier faucets for the bathrooms we used day-in, day-out

    We were so impressed with that first faucet (construction, feel, finish....), that we chose the new (at the time) Techno 25 for our other two bathrooms. We did look at and consider some "cooler" higher-end faucets, but decided they really wouldn't be worth the added expense to us. Also, given the small vanity/sinktop size in those bathrooms, the small profile Techno 25 was a great choice.

    IMO, it's worth check them out (Cifial USA).

  • vp_78
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hm, Cifial is a little pricier than we were originally looking to spend, but do you need to spend like that to get a good faucet that won't leak in a couple of years? What about Chicago faucet? Anyone have experience with them?

  • EngineerChic
    12 years ago

    Kohler has some nice stuff and Home Depot has a good bit on sale until 4/11.

  • positano
    12 years ago

    I just installed the Kohler Kelston widespread in chrome and I love the way it looks. Haven't really used it yet, so can't comment on that. It does look like it will stand the test of time though. It's a nice solid faucet.

    I think it was $180

  • aa62579
    12 years ago

    We went with the Delta Orleans line. We picked them out at the plumbing supply place with the contractor, but then I went online and found them cheaper. (Used Faucet Depot.) We got them in brushed nickel, but the chrome versions would be even cheaper. (Note that you do have to buy the handles separately.)

    In the guest bath they went with fixtures from Home Depot or Lowes. I do feel the difference between the two as the delta set is metal and then guest bath set is probably not. The guest set is by Moen - either the Banberry or Brantford. For all of them, we wanted one with a higher arc.

    They went with cultured marble tops with the integrated sinks. They did them at the current house over 15 years ago and aside from an accident with a candle, they look about the same as when they were installed. This was in the bathroom that my sister and I shared. We each had our own vanity and each morning we would sit on the vanity, with our feet in the sink, to apply our makeup. So, they survived lots of makeup spills, curling irons, etc. with no problems. We didn't have pure white, but it is white with grey streaks.

    This was dirty and the plastic was still on the counter and a cell phone shot that does horrible things to the way the cabinets look, but this is there guest bath vanity.

    I don't have a good picture of the master vanity, but here is a similar horrible shot showing one sink.

    Like the above poster, they haven't been in the new house long enough to say how they will withstand the test of time, but so far they feel very solid and we are very pleased.

    In chrome, the Delta Orleans is around $100 from Faucet Depot. This is the smaller centerset one. The wide set ones are going to be more, no matter which brand you go with.

  • badgergal
    12 years ago

    I have Kohler's Forte faucets on my tub deck and the single handle version on my vanity. I think it is a great looking, great quality faucet and you can find it in the 100 to 150 price range. Here is the wide spread version
    {{gwi:1429596}}
    And here is a picture of my single handle in vibrant bronze. I prefer single handle faucets. You can mount it without the escutcheon plate if you prefer.
    {{gwi:1429597}}

  • vp_78
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks for the suggestions. I really like that Kohler forte. Now I need to figure out if it will work with the pre-drilled 4" holes. And aa, I really like the vanities you chose. That's exactly the look I want in a top. Can I ask where you got the vanities and the tops?

  • badgergal
    12 years ago

    The single handle with the escutcheon plate will cover the 4 inch per drilled holes. I know that because we mistakenly had holes drilled 4 inch on center instead of 8. We didn't want the the 4 inch spread so we went with the single handle instead and used the plate to cover the extra holes. The plate was included with the faucet. Forte does come in a two handle 4 inch spread version too. IMO the single handle or the wide spread look better than the 4 inch.

  • aa62579
    12 years ago

    nika107 - We have a local place that makes them. They do cultured marble and some kind of cultured granite. Just a small showroom where you pick your style of sink and the basic color. If yours has a color mixed in, you can tell them if you want it subtle or if you want it bold. There's has just a tiny bit of color in it, but is mostly whitish. We took a floor tile, stain example, and large paint swatch with us as there were several different whites to choose from. Very affordable. Also did the window ledge in the bathrooms and the kitchen in it just for a bit of added protection - did those in a pure white which matched the trim. We had the vanity blue prints from the cabinet maker with us so they knew where to place the sinks. I am not sure if they went from that alone or if they contacted the cabinet maker or the builder any. My mother is very fond of the integrated back splash with no seams.

    I also really like the rectangular sinks. We did have to have the sinks picked out prior so we could tell them how many holes and the spread.

  • Renée Soronen
    12 years ago

    I love my Grohe Arden! It works so smoothly and the water coming out is so silky! I never thought it would be so cool, but other people here on gardenweb recommended it to me. I'm a grohe fan for life now. :)

  • alex79
    10 years ago

    For bathroom vanity tops you can use the quartz one of Caesarstone, they are great!

    Here is a link that might be useful: bathroom vanity tops caesarstone