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jgirl_2007

Vessel sink owners - do you love them?

jgirl_2007
16 years ago

Two years ago I would have said I would never put a sink like that in one of my baths. So I have to admit they have really grown on me and I am now considering one in the guest bath for the new build.

We plan on staying in this house forever so I should do what I want, right? Problem is DH hates them. Do I care? No. It will be the guest bath, not any of the others. The current layout calls for a 48" vanity with the sink being on the right side, drawers on the left. Will it look funny not being centered? The style of the cabinets is pretty traditional.

But the real question is do you love yours? Do you wish you hadn't done it and would go back to undermount?

Comments (33)

  • pirula
    16 years ago

    Okay, I love mine. It's in the powder room. Don't think I'd love it for washing face, brushing teeth etc, but for washing hands it's great. The bro and the GF were here this weekend (and for reasons mysterious to me, they chose to use the powder room vice the guest bathroom. Whatever) and they thought it was very comfortable.

    Mine is even off center! Check it out! When we had our housewarming, the powder room got the second most raves after the master bathroom. I wasn't expecting that!

    Ivette

    Here is a link that might be useful: Vessel

  • jgirl_2007
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks Ivette, that was just what I was looking for. I love the faucet too and the floor tiles. Very nice!

  • sis3
    16 years ago

    I loved mine until yesterday!! There have been many comments on this site and others about the 'splashing' problem with vessel sinks. I must admit I secretly thought that the problem was probably the way the sinks had been installed - e.g wrong distance between faucet and bowl.

    We have vessel sinks in the master and guest baths with no sign of splashing....until yesterday!! The electricians were back for trim out. The portable toilet had been removed weeks ago, thank goodness, but the electricians needed a bathroom, so used our guest bath. Floods of water everywhere! I went in twice to find a huge puddle standing on the wood vanity top and dripping on to the floor, yet I had left two wash cloths there 'just in case'!

    So, yes, I still love my vessel sinks. But be aware that anyone who chooses not to take care can make a big mess! (This could be true with any sink to a certain extent I suppose).

    This is the guest bath that the electricians were using.

  • dainaadele
    16 years ago

    Mine is glass. That was a mistake. We have a water softener and the water leaves a white residue that would require the bowl to be wiped dry after each use. Someday I will probably replace it for a white basin, but still in the vessel style.

  • pharaoh
    16 years ago

    dainaadele, we too started with a glass vessel and it was impossible to keep clean! so we switched to an onyx vessel and it looks and works great.
    depending on the guest, we do get drip. after they leave, i always clean the entire bathroom anyway...

  • biondanonima
    16 years ago

    I love the look and have been considering one but since it's our only bath and gets a lot of use, I think I'm going to stay away. When I have a house with more than one bath though, I will go for it for sure!

  • pirula
    16 years ago

    Yikes! I was considering a glass vessel sink for the one remaining bathroom that needs remodeling. Won't do it now. That would drive me bonkers.

    Thanks guys,
    Ivette

  • akbudke
    16 years ago

    So is the general consensus that the vessel sinks tend to splash more, leaving more of a mess? I was considering using 2 vessel sinks in the master bath. Although it is usually only DH and I using, that's still enough to create quite a mess. I was also wondering about washing my face in it. Awkward?

  • monicakm_gw
    16 years ago

    I wanted one but finally decided against it because of my height (5'1")
    Concerning the glass sinks that are hard to maintain. Are they smooth glass? I have one (not installed yet) but I'm thinking because of the nature of the design it won't be a problem.
    Monica

  • dainaadele
    16 years ago

    My problem is a combination of things: Hard water, water softener salt, and glass. It might not be so bad if it was regular water. My sink is mostly clear tempered glass (greenish tinge). I have a pattern cut into it, but only around the top. If yours goes all over it may be okay. As to the splashing/use issues. I am not sure what the deal is. You can put the sink at any height you want and it splashes no more than any other rounded bowl sink would. Some of the splash may be due to the type of faucet. A vessel sink is nothing more than a sink, whose vanity that normally surrounds it, has been lowered. Just for grins, here is mine:

  • jgirl_2007
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Good point about the glass as that is what I was leaning toward - greenish tint. I also see there are several styles of these sinks and for me I prefer the one that is inset into the counter about half the height of the sink instead of just the ones that sit atop the counter. Are they made to sit a certain way or is it just how it's installed?

  • monicakm_gw
    16 years ago

    You can install them at any depth jgirl.
    My Oceana glass sink has an all over design. This one isn't mine, but it's the exact style and color I ordered.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Oceana Glass Undermount

  • modernmama
    16 years ago

    We remodeled two baths, one with an undermount sink and one with a glass vessel sink.
    I heard about the splashing issue and the water spot issue and the toothpaste dregs issue but the glass vessel sink has been in for a couple of months now and we've seen none of these problems. It's really easy to clean with Glassex too. (There have been no problems with the undermount either but it doesn't have the WOW factor).

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • remodeling
    16 years ago

    Just finished our half bath with custom counter and vessel. Have not had many guests over yet but so far not too much splashing, valves are barely opened and the faucet gives out a nice "soft" stream.

  • karencon
    16 years ago

    Remodeling, love your look. We just put in an inset copper vessel......
    {{gwi:1447736}}
    The water is not hooked up yet, but in my kitchen I get splashing. Jgirl, I think the splash factor has a lot to do with the distance between the faucet spout and sink rim. There are guidelines about that distance, the minimum being about three inches, in my kitchen 9 inches with splashing if the water is almost on full.

    Here is a link that might be useful: How to pick...

  • sis3
    16 years ago

    The mystery of the splashing in my guest bath is solved! DH says that the electricians were using the vessel sink faucet to fill their drinks coolers. They must have had to really tilt the containers at an angle to fill them due to the shallow sink, they would then certainly overflow on to the vanity and window ledge.

    If they had just used the tub faucet...!!!!!!

    remodeling - I had been thinking that we should turn down the flow on the sink somewhat - the water comes blasting out at the moment - and yet we had not had any splashing...until the electricians that is!

  • cynandjon
    16 years ago

    esssh men, you would think the workers would have had the couresty to wipe up. I could just see one for hubby, the floor would prob always be wet.
    they are lovely, thanks for sharing the pics.

  • mitchdesj
    16 years ago

    I agree that the splashing is not worse with vessels than undermounts, whever uses the sink and is a splasher, will do it no matter what. Some people shake their hands over the sink after washing them, men having bigger hands and range will splash more.........

  • jgirl_2007
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Karencon - thank you for providing that link. It provides very helpful info and mentions things I hadn't thought of.

    When I mentioned to DH the other night I wanted this kind of sink, the response I got was "YUK". So now I'm on a mission - to show him otherwise.

    Thanks to all you!

  • cactuscatie
    16 years ago

    jgirl, this is a great thread. We are also thinking about getting a vessel sink in our master bath renovation.

    I was also wondering about cleaning the vessels. I have been reading that they are a nightmare to clean and I can't understand why.

    Also, another option is to have the vessel semi-recessed. Anybody do this with their vessel?

  • karencon
    16 years ago

    Cactuscatie, This is recessed about 2.5 to 3 inches.

    {{gwi:1447738}}

  • cactuscatie
    16 years ago

    Wow karencon, the sink still looks great being recessed. I might consider this option. By the way, love your vanity, especially the top.

  • oruboris
    16 years ago

    Love the look, I just don't want to have to clean between the sink and counter: looks like it could be kind of a pain, especially towards the back...

  • cactuscatie
    16 years ago

    So vessel sink owners, how hard is your sink to keep clean, especially outside part of sink.

  • karencon
    16 years ago

    Because the faucet can be located in so many places, and depending on how big your sink is,there can be plenty of room to clean. I can easily get around the whole sink. I am going to seal around the base with a clear silicone. If you are considering this option, do templates with paper and watch the heights and comparisons of faucet to sink. It took me three tries to find the right combination. I found it difficult to find a one hole faucet with a more traditional style and the right height, esp. for a reasonable price. We opted not to put the faucet in the wall, my favorite, because it is an outside wall. The sink recess, although I love it, was necessary because of the faucet height.
    Karen

  • houseful
    16 years ago

    My vessel sits on the metal ring that came with it. I clean underneath the sink with a moist towel sort of like the way they shine shoes -- holding the ends in each hand and working it back or forth. I do have the wall mount faucet which I love and would have in every bathroom (and kitchen) if I could.

    Get what you really want. Bottom line is bathrooms get dirty and water splashes no matter what you have.

  • flyinghigh
    16 years ago

    We have two teak wood vessel sinks in our master bath, a hand blown glass vessel sink in a powder room and a onyx stone vessel sinks in yet another bath. We love the look and have had no cleaning or splashing issues. The wood and stone vessels are soap and water cleanup with no more than annual sealing (easy enough). We use a glass cleaner on the glass sink.

    I have put a link to a site where we got a lot of info before buying these sinks. The folks at this site are incredibly helpful and the things you will find there are very unique - more so than any other "etailer" we dealt with.

    Good luck!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sink articles and vessel installion tips

  • sis3
    16 years ago

    Mine are dead easy to keep clean. Just like regular ceramic sinks. They are not recessed so there is plenty of space around the base. They have now survived 15 months of total remodel (roof off, floors up, walls down) and sparkle like new.

  • redhead23
    16 years ago

    karencon, I love your countertop - what kind is it?

  • Lynne Reno
    16 years ago

    Ivette, thanks for posting the pic of your sink. We are struggling with placement of ours on an antique chinese cabinet, off-setting it would make it easier to install in the cabinet, but we had never seen one before and I was concerned it wouldn't look good-yours provided me with some reassurance

  • karencon
    16 years ago

    Redhead, my countertop is Rainforest Green, although the piece I picked has lots of Gold in it. After lots of questions and feedback here, it seems to concensus is that it is not granite bur more likely a serpentine, which has more of the benefits of granite and not the etching of marble.
    Karen

  • galinphilly
    16 years ago

    I am hoping that I will love my vessel sink. It is rectangular with the faucet mounted on the sink itself, not the counter.

    My job starts in 10 days. Here is my sink. I will be using a different faucet.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Lacava Aquaplane

  • gwiz
    16 years ago

    We love ours! We set ours down about 3 inches, instead of having them sit flat on the counter.