With an apron sink, you can keep much of this mess at bay. If any water, suds, or spills make their way over the front lip, they'll avoid your counter and cabinets, landing on the floor instead. This is because the sink itself sticks out beyond the depth of your cabinets.
Unlike recessed sinks, the apron sink sports a front that juts out slightly from the supporting cabinetry. Again, this was a practical design that helped prevent cabinet damage. Any water or suds that dripped over the lip would fall to the floor rather than puddle on cabinet countertop wood.
One of the drawbacks of choosing a farmhouse sink is the installation process. Depending on how your kitchen is set up, you may have to alter the size and design of your countertops before the farmhouse sink installation. Farmhouse sinks are much deeper and wider than classic kitchen sinks.
If a large, deep sink basin works best for your cooking and dishwashing style, an apron-front sink could be the most practical choice for you, no matter your home decor style. Consider all of the material options below to find one that matches your home's aesthetic.
Both types of sinks are huge, large, and quite deep. However, the apron sink's front area is exposed and visible- which is why they are called apron sinks. These are versatile and modern houses prefer apron sinks. But on the other side, farmhouse sinks look adjacent as well as covered by the kitchen cabinets.
2. Farmhouse sinks (+26 percent) Porcelain, apron-front sinks are a splurge kitchen choice for sure—but apparently they pay you back big-time in the long run.
It may be a little unfair to call them trendy though. After all, they're the original modern sink design dating back about 400 years. Nevertheless, they still, arguably, outperform most other sinks available to this day. We took a look at the best designs from the best brands, more modern, farmhouse kitchen sinks.
But what actually makes a sink considered “farmhouse” style? The TLDR definition of a farmhouse sink is “a deep sink that has an exposed front-facing side.” Thesaurus may also refer to it as an “apron front” sink – which, in our opinion, is the best description as it literally acts like an apron as you wash.
To make space for the extra-large sink, you'll need an 'apron-skirt' cabinet design. A farmhouse sink can't fit into the usual drop-in sink space and extends over the top quarter of the lower cabinet.
Kitchen Design
Rectangular sinks with sharper edges contribute to a minimalist or modern kitchen design. Rounded edges are better for traditional kitchens. If your kitchen has a trendy style, opt for D-shaped sinks, which offer more space than similarly sized rectangular sinks.
Yes, absolutely. A garbage disposal can be installed to any farmhouse sink be it a single bowl or a double bowl. In most cases, you can use the stainless steel drain attachments that come with the garbage disposal unit.
Fireclay Sinks
These sinks are extremely popular these days and understandably so. Fireclay is made when clay and glaze are fused together at extremely high temperatures. This creates a highly durable material that is hard and resistant to chips and cracks.
The primary benefit of a grid for new farmhouse sinks is to protect the brand new finish. Fresh copper and even hardened fireclay scratch more easily than you might realize. The metal bottom of pots, the metal tines of forks, and even the scrape of ceramic plate edges might cause a small flaw in the finish.
A farmhouse sink is not just for the farmhouse design style. It also works well in other design styles, including country, modern, boho, and more.
All four designers concur that, if you have the room, a second sink is always advisable. The biggest reason cited was that food prep and cleanup can be assigned their own designated areas.
The main draw is that the sections allow you to easily use the different sides for separate purposes. With a double bowl sink, you can: Use one side for food prep and one side for washing dishes as you go or for stashing dirty dishes until you can get to them. Soak dishes in one side while you wash in the other side.
Apron sinks are deep cut, like farmhouse sinks. The only difference is, an apron sink's front is exposed. That's why they're also called "apron front" sinks. Modern kitchens use apron sinks as highlight pieces, and for good reason.
Build a support frame
To install the sink properly, you'll need to build a frame out of 2x4s to support the weight. To retain as much usable cabinet space as possible, we built the frame by screwing 2x4s right to the sides of the base cabinet. This kept the framing from eating into the storage space below the sink.
Even so, having said all that, there are plenty of reasons farmhouse sinks will never go out of style. As George pointed out, “they are extremely versatile” and as long as you're careful and “you keep on top of cleaning, your sink will remain in good quality for years to come.”
Compared to other ceramic-style sinks, fireclay is incredibly durable and resistant. It's hard to break or nick a fireclay sink. The downside is that the fireclay material can show surface scratches, especially if an object creates a hard impact.
Many farmhouse kitchen sinks are a yard wide, and some are as wide as two normal sinks. While all of this space allows versatility in functionality, it promotes more water wastage, especially if you fill up the sink to anywhere near capacity.
Timeless: Think farmhouse sinks in porcelain, soapstone sinks (integrated into the counter, or not), and surprisingly, concrete (subtle colors akin to soapstone or slate). Copper is a timeless material for pantries and bars.
Material Options
If you're considering buying one, it's worth looking into this investigation of different sink materials. They are generally more expensive than their traditional counterparts, although prices and maintenance vary a great deal, from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand.