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lynninnewmexico

Too Much Stuff Around My Sink! Before & After Pics

lynninnewmexico
16 years ago

I've mentioned this before here, my frustration with my former sink and all the "stuff" around it. I had a regular faucet w separate hot & cold knobs, air gap, InstaHot faucet (far right, below), R/O filtered water faucet and sprayer. This just goes to show you how ~ sometimes~ a lot of singularly great features, together can just add up to one big mess ;^P

I mentioned it again in the "Things I Wouldn't Recommend" thread and Mominthedubc asked me how I got around all that in our new kitchen. Well, here is the answer . . . I just did without! This is our old (main) sink. The InstaHot died a week after it's one year warranty expired. Our plumber told us to just keep getting new ones as they don't last out that long. We didn't and I cleaned around it's dead carcass for another 14 years. We live in the mountains and are on a community well, so we all have filtered water for drinking. That added another faucet to the mess. Anyhoo, this was one tough sink to clean around !!

{{!gwi}}">

. . . and I was determined to make the new one as simple as possible in the new kitchen. One simple faucet with pull-down sprayer and no bottom plate and a filtered water faucet. The (tiny) airgap went in at the last minute to appease our plumber. I didn't want it but, if nothing else, it does balance things a bit. I love the simplicity of this new sink . . . ahhhhh!

{{!gwi}}">

Comments (18)

  • morton5
    16 years ago

    That is nice, and gives me something to think about as I plan. Looks like you moved your sink off the island, too. Thanks for posting!

  • redroze
    16 years ago

    Much better! Just curious, where do you keep your soap dispenser?

  • eandhl
    16 years ago

    What is the name of your faucet? Very nice.

  • adkhkr
    16 years ago

    Looks great...I am going to do a corner sink as well, do you have any more pics of the sink area zoomed out?

    Thanks.

    Brad

  • mominthedubc
    16 years ago

    Lynneinnewmexico,

    Great looking sink and faucet. Looks like you moved your sink in the corner where your beautiful windows are. Love your faucet, what is it? With your filtered water, can't you have a cold and hot water dispenser that would take up the same amount of room? I don't know how hot the water gets. I am looking for a hot water that would get water as hot as putting it in the MW.

  • davewg
    16 years ago

    The faucet is the Kohler Vinnata.

    We're planning the same one (will be installed in the next few weeks (if all continues to go well). We'll have a similarly simple install.

    Air switch, faucet and soap dispenser.

  • talley_sue_nyc
    16 years ago

    here's what you need:
    an air-gap soap-dispenser combo

  • melmazz
    16 years ago

    Wow, the new setup looks great. We are about to redo our kitchen and I have been seriously considering the Vinnata, how are you liking it? Does it seem really huge in front of your low window (mine would be in front of a window where the sill is about at 9.25" above the counter top)? Also, what is the make/model of the second/smaller faucet? I need a second faucet for filtered water (I think?) and I like what you've paired here. Thanks much! Melissa

  • lynninnewmexico
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks for your thoughts. I just figured some people might want to see what can happen when you give in to every bell & whistle ;^) Let me answer the questions:

    Morton5: yes, if you look at the Before pic, you can see just how narrow a space we had there to sit and eat. The sink was constantly splashing the people there. We did away with the island completely in the end, though, and love the new layout.

    Redroze: I just keep it in this olive oil dispenser. The other dispenser there is for hand soap. I found the brush at Bed Bath & Beyond. It's specifically made to wash crystal glasses with, but I use it for my everyday glasses, too. After all the stuff I had drilled into my last counter/sink area, I tried to avoid drilling holes in this new one. Holes are so permanent, you know?
    {{!gwi}}">

    Eandhl: It's Kohler's Vinnata in the brushed nickel and we love it.

    Brad, here's a couple, plus one of the KA's plan for that area:

    {{gwi:1596009}}">
    This was taken as we were moving back in, so it's a mess.
    {{!gwi}}">

    {{!gwi}}">
    Mominthedubc: The filtered water faucet is meant to work on R/O's (Reverse Osmosis filtration systems), which is what we have here. It's not meant to be used with a hot water system. Anyhoo, it's Kohler's Wellspring in the brushed nickel to coordinate with theiir Vinnata. BTW, it's made wonderfully, compared to all the other beverage faucets we've had in the past.

    Davewg: you're going to love the Vinnata! I can't wait to see your finished kitchen. Hang in there!

    Talley Sue: that's fantastic! I had no idea those things existed. I've already copied the info to show DH. Thanks!

  • lynninnewmexico
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I just measured for you: my windowsill is 12 3/8" above the counter. The top of the Vinnata faucet is 17" above my counter; the Wellspring is 7 3/4" from the counter. I've also marked where 8 1/2" is on the Vinnata, so that you can see about where you sill would come. I love both of these faucets and am very impressed with their quality and durability. The Wellspring's water flow is so much better than the previous beverage faucets we had before in our old kitchen. The others also wiggled back and forth where they attached to the counters. This one is so much nicer.
    {{!gwi}}">

  • ravmd
    16 years ago

    lynninnewmexico,

    Was it just that your seating at the island was too close to the sink or you didn't like the sink in general in the island. Our design includes the sink in the island and I am not sure whether to keep it that way or not:



  • astridh
    16 years ago

    I see that you are happy with your current setup, but I wanted to let everyone else know that it IS possible to have a RO filter hook up to an instant hot water dispenser, and have both the cool filtered and hot come out of the same faucet. That is what I'm planning to do. You can't do it with every manufacturer's products, though. Everhot will not work. Waterstone is the company that I am going with. They also make an airgap that fits right underneath the faucet in the same hole. They also make a "double" airgap that will fit the air gap needed for the RO and the air gap needed for the dishwasher. I plan to have 3 holes: one soap dispenser(I don't mind also washing my hands with dishwashing soap), one regular faucet, and one RO filtered/instant hot faucet (with little air gap thing below). I only use the filtered for drinking and cooking. This is on my prep sink. The main sink will have a soap dispenser, regular faucet and air gap. I am avoiding a switch on the wall or air switch for the disposal by having a batch feed.

  • lynninnewmexico
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Ravmd, I don't think I would have minded having a sink on the island if there had been more room between it and the eating area. I do have to tell you, though, that I'm loving having a large unbroken eating area on our new peninsula. Never had one before, but this space is great for setting out buffet foods, working on projects, as well as eating at.
    Astridh: thanks for bringing that up. I wasn't aware of that this was possible. Perhaps it was the hardware I'd chosen. It's good for people to know that it is an option with the right combination, though.

  • davewg
    16 years ago

    Thanks, Lynne, for the wishes.

    We got ours in brushed nickel too. Looks great (in the box).
    Looking forward to using it soon.

    Cabinets are in the garage. Drywall is done.
    They are here today leveling the existing kitchen floor, so maybe cabinets will start later this week or Monday (wheee!!)

  • redbazel
    16 years ago

    I liked your closeups of faucet/sink area, Lynn. I looked at so many faucets when I was doing our small kitchen redo in Spring '06, that my family thought we would never finalize that decision. But the day the contractor came to actually bid on our makeover, one thing he said really galvanized me to change the way I was looking at faucets. He said that I could do anything I wanted, but the fewer holes in the granite, the less chance of cracking and the better to keep clean. That's when I went back to the Kohler Vinnata. It's operation is smooth and the spray is great. I also love the on/off button that lets you lock the spray. We did ours in the simple chrome finish, but I like all the Vinatta finishes now, even the Brazen bronze that I thought was too 'off' when I was looking for ORB.

    What granite did you get? It all looks so neat.

    Red

  • eandhl
    16 years ago

    Thanks for info. Since we have a cab above the sink the top of neck would be about 1 inch below and I don't think that would look good. I can't find a crook neck, one handle in BN that is smaller. Did anyone else see any shorter similar functioning and finish faucets?

  • sue_ct
    16 years ago

    The biggest, most important change was your faucet. Look at how much room the old one took up compared to the new one. That is one of the most important reasons the pull downs are so great. Even with your other options, it would have been a big improvement loosing that AND the sprayer, for just the Vinnata.

    Sue

  • astridh
    16 years ago

    I made an error with my earlier post. You CAN use the everpure everhot hot/cold dispenser with a reverse osmosis filter. With either Everpure or Mountain Plumbing you will also have to have an airgap. Mountain Plumbing's airgap can sit right underneath the faucet in the main hole. That may also be the case with Everhot, but I am not sure.