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The Monet: Designing with the Sink in Mind

Jan 2017

In 2017, kitchen renovations are all about contemporary design, grays and whites, and opening the room up. Earlier this month, Houzz released a report called the “2017 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study” which asked Houzz users (who were planning a kitchen redesign) what was important to them in their new kitchens. Many people mentioned wanting more space, durable materials, modern and farmhouse styles, new countertops, and more. For the highlights of the report, check out our blog post from last week.

In the spirit of helping visualize the kitchen that is outlined in this Houzz study, Sinkology has pulled together some ideas and placed the Monet copper farmhouse sink at the center. Countertops, backsplashes, sinks, and faucets are the top 4 major features being replaced in kitchens in 2017 – notice that 3 out of 4 of these revolve around the kitchen sink. So, we thought the kitchen sink was the best place to start.

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The Monet farmhouse copper kitchen sink  from Sinkology is a throwback that harnesses old-world craftsmanship to produce unmatched beauty and robustness. This sink is handmade with 16-gauge copper by our team of coppersmiths who meticulously forged this classic fixture to give your kitchen a distinctive focal point. The large single-bowl design offers plenty of space to perform prep work or clean dishes.

Now, according to the Houzz study, the top reason that people wanted to renovate their kitchens was to open it up to the other rooms or increase the size. With this in mind, we planned kitchen design elements that help a kitchen feel bigger. For example, the Monet copper farmhouse sink is a smaller sink with a single bowl that still has a striking apron front. While this sink is smaller, it allows for more counter space and still has the wow-factor that comes with a copper farmhouse sink. Also, light wood flooring, white cabinets, and under-cabinet lighting help a room feel more expansive by allowing more light to reflect within the space.

Top styles for the kitchen of 2017 include contemporary and transitional styles. But among millennials, the modern and farmhouse kitchens were the top picks. The design elements that we chose provide a mix of contemporary and farmhouse: from modern white subway tiling to the rustic rough-spun linens and farmhouse sink; this mix of kitchen design items can be at home in almost any style of kitchen.

Gray walls were preferred by 26% of respondents to the Houzz study. Depending on how bright you want your kitchen to feel, we have selected two different shades of gray. A light gray will open up the room, while a darker gray can help your cabinets and countertops really pop against the darker canvas. It really comes down to what you prefer in your kitchen. If you are like the 42% of Houzz respondents who preferred white cabinets in their upcoming kitchen renovations, then you may want to go with a darker gray which will really make the stark whiteness of the cabinets stand out.

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Under-cabinet lighting is another feature that people are considering for their 2017 kitchen. 71% of respondents plan to install this feature. If you have cabinets already installed, it can be difficult to wire these in, and we recommend working with a professional. But, if you are looking for a quick-fix to this problem, you can find battery-operated LED lights that simply stick on the bottoms of your cabinets. This creates the same glow without the installation hassle. But, remember, going this route means you have to manually click on and off each light – which can more than outweigh the hassle of a proper electrical installation.

As far as the countertops go, a resounding 95% of people planned on replacing them within their kitchen renovation, and 41% of them preferred granite (up 4% from last year’s study). A third of those replacing their countertops preferred a multi-colored countertop. In this room design, Sinkology is recommending two different granite countertop options. The darker one will go great with the white cabinets, white subway tile and light gray paint. A dark countertop can really add balance to an all-white room. While the lighter colored countertop can really help the room feel more open and bright.

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The big thing to remember when renovating your kitchen is “why.” Why are doing it? What are you trying to achieve? You really need to set a few goals and make sure that every decision you make works towards those goals. If you set the right kinds of goals, then your kitchen design will come together perfectly and improve your life while it’s at it. Too often people strive to create a “farmhouse kitchen” or a more “modern space.” Those are great ideas and great styles to consider, but a kitchen redesign should start with a goal that improves your life. Think about goals like: creating a space for more family time, a place to do more entertaining, opening the kitchen to feel less separated from others when you are cooking, etc. If you keep goals in mind that improve your life, your kitchen redesign will be even more rewarding.


If you are planning a kitchen renovation this year, check out the Sinkology Houzz page for a full listing of available copper sinks, products, tips, inspiration, and ideas. From now until February 5th, 2017, Sinkology is offering 10% off all of our kitchen copper sinks at Houzz. So, if you’re planning on renovating your kitchen, now’s the time to get that copper sink!

For more Designing with the Sink in mind inspiration, check out the rest of our blog. Make sure to follow us on FacebookHouzzTwitterPinterest, or Instagram for more of our inspirational ideas and design posts. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!