Apron Front Sinks Are In

Symbols Of Classic Home Design

The apron-front, or farmhouse style sink, is fast becoming one of the most popular symbols of classic home and hearth in today’s design markets. If you are considering a remodel in your kitchen, you may ponder this classic and how it can help you have a return to simple clean functionality in the kitchen.

Particularly popular in vintage homes, from Victorians to bungalows to French country cottages, they are typically large and substantial, with a deep basin fronted by a broad apron. These iconic sinks radiate a sense of stability and timelessness, that truly hearken back to a pre-appliance era when a prominent basin was the center of the kitchen. This mindset is a traditional theme with millions of households returning to the kitchen as the focal point of the home. Apron front sinks have always served as the primary workspace for canning, cleaning dishes and large pots, every stage of food preparation–even washing dogs and small children. It just doesn’t get any better than this.

While apron-front sinks remain an iconic element in traditional-style kitchens, they’re becoming increasingly popular in contemporary spaces as well, thanks to fresh twists on neutral and bright colors, textured materials and easier installation options.

Keeping Pace With Demand

Here at Action Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning and Electric, Inc., we believe that the appeal of apron-front sinks has evolved along with the kitchen, thanks in large part to their good looks. Apron-front sinks are like beautiful but oh-so-functional sculptures, and they provide a strong, dramatic focal point in a kitchen. We really like using these sinks from an aesthetic standpoint, especially the way these sinks can break up a run of base cabinets. It makes for a unique look that is up front and personal when it comes to ease of use.

One of the major design aesthetics about this sink is its winning shape. This classic clean line is as easy to appreciate for its functionality as for its pleasing looks. On the more practical side, if you cook with large stock pots or bake on cookie sheets, having a wide and deep single- or double-bowl apron-front sink makes cleaning up a pleasure. If you have a large family, this is a real need. No more fumbling trying to hold an awkward kitchen appliance either.

Besides being large enough to accommodate oversize pots and pans, apron-front sinks are also ergonomically friendly. Often oriented farther forward than drop-in or under-mount sinks, they let you get closer and work with less stress and strain. Vitally important for the family who does spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

Another big plus about this apron sink is the classic deep basin. This means less splashing while you work, for easier cleanup and fewer puddles on surrounding surfaces, floors and walls. Good to know you can keep the soap and water where it belongs.

Everything Old Is New Again

Along with the kitchen, the iconic sink has undergone some notable evolutionary changes of its own, and is now more versatile than ever. New interpretations of the venerated style include fresh shapes, new colors, and decorative designs, from depictions of nature scenes to intricate geometrics. Classic kitchens have never been more beautiful in design and functionality.

Enameled cast iron and fireclay are the most popular material choices, not merely for their beauty, strength and durability, but also due to the expanded range of color, pattern and shape options. They offer options not usually found in designer kitchens. Many of these design variations allow the apron-front sink to more easily align with an unprecedented array of styles. Moroccan meets Craftsman? Industrial urban loft meets Mid-century Modern? Yes on both counts–and more.

If you notice in several of the photos on this page, these new materials have also begun to inhabit the classic form, including stainless steel, for a look that cleverly straddles traditional and contemporary design. Texture and the introduction of a clean design element in the surfaces lend themselves to continuing patterns found elsewhere in the kitchen as well.

Another important facet of the wonderful sinks, is they are so much easier to install. Traditionally, apron-front sinks have required the support of custom-built cabinetry, but thanks to Kohler, they have gone beyond and have just unveiled a line of self-trimming apron-front sinks that are easy to install in an existing kitchen without the need to replace cabinetry. This is great news if you have already done the cabinets but wanted this style sink. This key innovation makes the iconic apron front more accessible to homeowners than ever before. If you have questions about your existing cabinets supporting this versatile new sink, please give us a call.

The Universal Appeal Is Awesome

The idea of including a farmhouse sink in a modern space may seem to you not consistent with good design. But it works, because the element that unites the venerable apron-front sink and contemporary design sensibility is a sincere desire for simplicity. Clean lines and classic forms bridge the two styles perfectly, making these sinks versatile enough to work beautifully in both traditional and contemporary kitchens. Hands down, it’s an awesome trade-off from the sinks of old. The best of both worlds is now available to every style home and in a variety of texture, colors and materials.

In a testament to that versatility, you may want to review the photos we have added to this article to examine specified apron-front sinks in three completely different kitchen remodels. A classic colonial, an 1880 Queen Anne Victorian, and an ocean-side contemporary home that reinterprets Prairie-style architecture all have a unique design ethic. Action Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning and Electric, Inc. can help you continue the classic style of your home with selecting a new apron sink that will put you at ease with its new design tastes.

In each home’s kitchen, the clean outlines of the apron-front sink are a natural, perfect fit. And in each setting, they contribute greatly to the beauty of the kitchen’s design. In contrast to many kitchen sinks designed to be more discreet by integration into countertops, apron-front sinks have an unabashed presence, which makes them a great centerpiece in the kitchen.

An apron-front sink deserves to be the star of your new kitchen, so you shouldn’t have a supporting cast–other appliances, fixtures and design elements–drawing too much focus away from it. Simple contentment in something so elegant makes perfect sense. We agree, and think it’s a new wave of clean classic design adding both form and function to a necessary room in your home.

Water is a fundamental element of the kitchen. And apron-front sinks celebrate its presentation in much the same way that a central fountain in a park provides a serene axis for the busy life that revolves around it. Apron-front sinks communicate a sense of permanence and quiet grace–an attractive quality in an increasingly accelerated world. Consider this new clever art form as a clear-cut addition to your home today.

Get action now by clicking here to schedule service online now!