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trailgirl_gw

How much 'bling' do you have around your sink?

trailgirl
13 years ago

Hi folks,

it's time to narrow down how many "dental instruments" to have decorating my sink. We are going with a pulldown Grohe faucet (no side spray). DH wants a hot water/filtered water faucet. GC is suggesting a soap dispenser. Apparently our Meile dishwasher has it's own airgap/overflow system so we don't need an airgap - do Meile dishwasher people agree? So we are at 3 holes in the granite so far. Do we also do an air button for the disposal? That makes 4 holes.

So show me your sink displays, how you prioritized, suggestions, what you did or didn't do, regrets, etc.

Comments (34)

  • igloochic
    13 years ago

    You should be sure the air gap thing isn't a code issue. It was for me, despite being able to show miele does not require an exposed one. So what I did was put in an air gap soap dispenser for inspection, then I swapped that out for a never m t dispenser when inspection cleared us.

    I have a single faucet with a sprayer attached. A garbage disposal air switch (I would never be without one now) and the soap dispenser.

  • ellaf
    13 years ago

    We are going with one hole, faucet with built in sprayer. I thought about a soap dispenser, we have one now and like it, but since I keep hand soap and sometimes lotion handy I still have stuff out, so I decided against it.

    We don't have the hot water thing and we keep a britta pitcher in the fridge for filtered water, but that's completely personal preference.

  • Buehl
    13 years ago

    Here's my main/cleanup sink (faucet is a pull down):


    What's around (& in) it:


    Prep Sink (same soap dispenser, Kohler Fairfax pullout faucet):

  • michiganrachel
    13 years ago

    I have a lot. Hot/cold water spout, faucet, faucet on/off switch, air switch for disposal, and soap. Looking back, I might have selected a faucet that needed just one hole. However, I have the Delta touch faucet adn I really wanted that. I also really wanted everything else that is there, so I will live with a crowd!

    While I have a lot of stuff, we put just the hot cold water spout to the left of the faucet and everything else to the right. So, the left side looks nice and clean. No pictures yet.

  • advertguy2
    13 years ago

    I will have nothing. Faucet will be wall mounted (Karbon). No soap, hot water or disposal. Nice and easy to clean.

  • johnnyl53
    13 years ago

    One Krause single hole faucet on the left...we have a d-shaped sink and a instant hot faucet on the right. No soap dispenser (never saw much use for one). An air switch would be nice but I don't mind reaching for the switch on the wall. A nice and clean set-up.

  • kateskouros
    13 years ago

    here's my prep sink. the main sink is the same -except the soap dispenser on this sink (prep) will be switched to a mountain plumbing instant hot.

    so, two holes for the bridge faucet, a soap dispenser and a side spray. the fifth hole in the center is for my pop up drain. yep, there's a LOT of holes here!

    {{gwi:1585001}}

  • warmfridge
    13 years ago

    Two holes. A pullout faucet and a soap dispenser. This is my first soap dispenser and I LOVE it. Two pieces of bling are plenty to clean around.

  • kitchenaddict
    13 years ago

    Hi trailgirl..

    I have 4 holes...soap disp...air gap (Calif. law)..faucet..and garbage disposal.

    I put the soap dispenser on the large side of the sink for when I need to do dishes. ( I filled it with dish soap.) The garbage disp. button is on the right side of the sink which is the side with the disposal. I wish I put it a little farther to the right..but no big deal.

  • doonie
    13 years ago

    My prep sink (large single bowl) and clean up sink (double bowl) are both Blanco Cafe Brown with the same Grohe ORB Bridgeford pullout, an airswitch for the GD, and a handsoap dispenser. I'm happy with the set up.

    Here's the prep sink from above:
    {{gwi:1585003}}

  • Pipdog
    13 years ago

    Three holes - one for faucet (KWC Eve with pulldown), Air Gap (I'm in CA), and garbage disposal.

  • sadiebrooklyn
    13 years ago

    I have the stages sink (45") and will have soap dispensor, dornbracht tara ultra single level mixer and spray set (total 3 holes centered over the main basin) and then will have the tara ultra hot/cold water mixer (1 hole) but that will be to the side centered over the ledge part of the stages sink. So that's 4 holes total. I'm hoping that everything goes ok with locating all the wholes - I still haven't seen the sink (it is in storage until the kitchen is ready to install which it isn't)

  • tomalyse
    13 years ago

    We have a Miele dishwasher and it does NOT need the air thing (running over two years now just perfectly). Our code required one, however. Our contractor installed it, we did the inspection, our contractor removed it and replaced it with a soap dispenser. We have 2 holes - one for the grohe faucet and one for the soap dispenser. Fabulous.

  • countryboyok1
    13 years ago

    OK... so my granite guys say I hold the record (for what that's worth!!!)

    7 (yeah that's right), SEVEN holes:

    RO Water (Instant Hot and Colt)
    Delta Victorian Sink (3 Holes)
    Faucet Sprayer
    Soap Dispenser
    Air Switch

    Should be interesting....... :)

  • mudworm
    13 years ago

    countryboyok1, can you tell me what "RO Water (Instant Hot and Cold) " system you got? We saw two undersink filtration system at Home Depot, and I don't know how you get the filtered water instantly hot. Can it be as hot as something you'll use to make tea?

  • countryboyok1
    13 years ago

    mudworm, we have an RO system (6 stages) under our stairway which supplies RO water to our kitchen sink (the small faucet, not the big one), and our refrigerator. Under the kitchen sink we have a Quick & Hot Instant Water Heater that heats the water to 190F. In other words, it's two separate systems. BTW, the faucet is a Waterstone. Hope this helps.

  • countryboyok1
    13 years ago

    I should have also stated the my RO system supplies water to our Instant Water Heater. So, both my 190F water tap and my cold tap on my RO faucet is RO water. Does that make sense!?!?!?!

  • mudworm
    13 years ago

    countryboyok1, thanks for the quick reply. I never knew about IWH until this thread and will definitely look into that -- I like to drink tea at home. I hope we can get all the stuff in our 33" sink base. Luckily, we don't have garbage disposal since we are on septic.

  • demifloyd
    13 years ago

    One hole only--single faucet with temperature control, faucet can be pulled away from base as sprayer.

    I have a Miele Dishwasher.

  • kateskouros
    13 years ago

    sorry to barge, but why do some think they need an air switch with a miele dw? and tell me again, what the heck is an air switch?? tx

  • boxerpups
    13 years ago

    No bling, one simple faucet that can be a sprayer.
    My dish soap, sponges and hand soap are tidy in the tip
    out drawers. Sometimes I have a cute hand soap dispenser
    out for seasonal times but overall it is simple.
    Stainless, jet mist counters and white cabinetry.
    I would take a quick pic but I just baked cupcakes
    and am avoiding doing the dishes right now.

    I have a bosch like the Miele no exta hole needed.

  • rosie
    13 years ago

    Absolutely none, Trailgirl. Unless you count the view out the window. :)

    Truthfully, in spite of all the well-deserved attention to making this area as functional as possible, I've never seen a sink or its accoutrements I personally felt were attractive enough draw attention to. It also always and forever collects mess, of course, so for cleanup also I kept it as simple as possible. Two holes for a specifically low-profile one-handle faucet with undercounter soap dispenser alongside, no air gap, everything else tucked away. Nice, even though I didn't get it down to one hole.

  • shelayne
    13 years ago

    My main/clean-up sink has three things: a pullout faucet, a soap dispenser, and an airswitch for the garbage disposer.

    (right after granite installed)

    My secondary sink has all the "bling". It has a pullout faucet, soap dispenser, airswitch, and a drinking faucet.
    I suppose it looks like dental instruments to some, but it doesn't bother us, and we use every last "instrument" there. We weren't going to have a GD on there at first, so that was a last minute decision. We are glad we put one in.

  • mailfox7
    13 years ago

    No record set here, but I do have 6 at main cleanup sink.

    Rohl bridge faucet with sprayer
    Soap dispenser
    Ca air gap

    At the prep sink (narrow counter run) with one hole Rohl kitchen faucet

  • dianalo
    13 years ago

    We will have a wall mount faucet so the only things around the sink will be a dispenser faucet for filtered water and possibly a soap dispenser.

  • Circus Peanut
    13 years ago

    Kate, an air gap is a device that's required in California and a few other places; it's to provide an overflow so that your dishwasher doesn't suck water from the sewer, or some such thing (that's entirely wrong but it's some similar plumbing dynamic that's too tedious for me to google right now).
    Most regions just allow you to loop your dishwasher hose up high next to the appliance (usually under the sink), which apparently provides for the same function. The ones who don't will sometimes make exceptions for European brands like Miele and Bosch - guess it depends on your local inspector.

    An air switch is that cool little gidget that activates an electrical switch via a whoosh of air, so you can use it with wet soapy hands and not give yourself a perm.

    --
    My copper bling, for what it's worth: Moen Aberdeen faucet, faucet handle, air switch for disposal (really great since I have no real wall on that wall), and filtered drinking water faucet. To gross out those of you without pets (remodeling is thirsty work!):

  • kateskouros
    13 years ago

    thanks, circuspeanut!

  • trailgirl
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Wow, thanks everyone. I put this question out this morning and just got on-line a few minutes ago. It's going to take me awhile to look carefully at everyone's pictures. I have my work cut out for me tonight. I am in CA too, so perhaps we can put the airgap in and then replace it with something we really want.

    All I've ever had before is a faucet with a side spray so once again I am entering the "another decision" zone. Love the kitty picture, and Pip's kitchen always makes me sigh.

  • User
    13 years ago

    Nothing . Wall mount faucets...no sprays no dispensers. Simple and clean lines. c

    sunroom soapstone sink w/ Chicago faucet:

    kitchen soapstone sink ( has a cool original soapdish built in ) w/ Chicago faucet :

  • sadiebrooklyn
    13 years ago

    I had never heard of the airgap thingy. guessing nyc apartments don't require them????

  • Circus Peanut
    13 years ago

    I was chastised by a plumber and probably shouldn't have been too flip about the air gap -- they really do serve a valuable purpose, plumbing-safety-wise, so be sure to have your alternate method -- the high dishwasher hose loop -- in place before dispensing with an air gap.

  • trailgirl
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you everyone for posting your choices and photos. It seems the range so far is from 0 to 7, so I guess there is no hard and fast rule. I've enjoyed peeking into everyone's fantastic kitchens.

  • marcydc
    13 years ago

    I'm in CA and the inspector did not require an air gap with my Miele DW. I was prepared to swap the soap dispenser for cheapy 3 dollar one if he did, but he was ok with it.

  • artemis78
    13 years ago

    We're also in California and our city waives the air gap requirement when the dishwasher installation instructions note that there is a built-in air gap and do not specify one (as with the Miele---one reason we chose it). The inspector basically said "appliances change faster than codes," so they always defer to the manufacturer's instructions. This does vary by city (and even by inspector), though, so YMMV. We have also not cleared final inspection yet, so things can always change!

    Oh, and we have a whopping zero, with a wall-mount faucet. ;)