A kitchen question - sinks, specifically...

[table4three]

We moved into our new house this week and are in the process of changing a few things that are REALLY annoying. The kitchen needs a few things. Here is the situation - It is a largish kitchen, which I love, and the house was built in 1992. Things haven't been updated, but are in good shape. So, we have oak cabinets with aged brass pulls. Counter tops are a beige color. Backsplash is a tan tile with white grout. Floor is ceramic tile - mostly white with some tan. Those things will all stay for now. Our current goal is to just change a few things to make it comfortable and more pleasant until we do a major kitchen remodel in 3-5 years. We replaced the appliances (they will be delivered next Sat). We didn't go with stainless because the entire house has brass fixtures, etc, including door knobs, etc. So we got black. The sink needs to go. Currently it is a rather shallow, cheap stainless. We are going to get a much deeper double bowl sink. We aren't going to special order anything expensive because we are only making this kitchen comfortable for the next few years. It looks like our current options are stainless or a white acrylic or white cast iron.


So, long story short...
Is it a bad look to have a white sink in a kitchen with black appliances? The grout between the tiles in the back spash is white and the floor is mostly white tile.
OR
is it a worse look to have a stainless sink in a kitchen/house of no stainless and all brass/aged brass/etc?


Sorry for the book. We were going to go pick up the sink today (we had decided on white acrylic or cast iron) but I'm having second thoughts.

And if anyone knows - what is the deal with acrylic sinks anyhow? What are the drawbacks?

Thanks!
http://lilypie.com/baby1/060325/3/15/5/-6/.png

[Drag0nflygirl]

Acrylic can scratch and discolor. The coating on cast iron can chip if you drop a heavy pan on it. That being said I'd rather have cast iron if I were to pick from the two. It just seems cleaner to me. We're redoing our kitchen right now so I've just looked into all this stuff.
I would go with the white sink. I think with the floors and the grout it will look just fine.

[almostamom]

Here's a pic of our kitchen - black appliances w/ white sink. Hopefully it will give you an idea as to whether or not you like it/can live with it.

~Linda~
DS 11/9/04

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33104.jpg

[bostonsmama]

Linda, you have such a beautiful kitchen! Love the granite and drawer pulls.

OP, I'll confess that I'm really starting to hate my white-enameled cast iron sink, and not because all my appliances (save for the d/w) are stainless. It just scratches way too easily. I have very heavy pots and pans (Calphalon) which can't go in the d/w, so you can imagine all the grey and black marks and gashes I have on the sides of my sink. Truth be told I probably should have gotten one of those enameled grates that go in the bottom and a rubber hugger for the center divide, but I just hate picking up spoons that drop between the grates and washing food particles from around it. Anyways, if my countertops didn't look so pretty with the white sink, I would not have gotten one. I'd go with the stainless in a heartbeat! Home Depot and Lowes DO have some nice stainless (thick) options.

I have the Kohler Hartland self-rimming sink, FWIW. It was soooo pretty for the first couple of years. Sigh.

Larissa

We're doing it! IVF orientation & consult scheduled for May 2nd!
Saline Sonogram--May 5th

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my brother and SIL on 3/06
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32719.jpg

[alexsmommy]

Every time you post pics of your kitchen I am green with envy.
Alaina
Alex 2-4-03

[almostamom]

Alaina, thank you, you're very sweet, but if you remember the pics of my kitchen, I think that means I've posted it too often!
~Linda~
DS 11/9/04

[almostamom]

Larissa,
I, too, have Calphalon pots which leave marks on the sink, but they come right off with Comet. My sink is 3 years old and I haven't had any permanent marks yet - something to look forward to?
~Linda~
DS 11/9/04

[almostamom]

I had a stainless sink in my first home. I hated it. I was constantly "windexing" it to get rid of the water spots. Perhaps the one I had wasn't a terribly good one and there are ones manufactured now that don't have that problem. FWIW, we do have very hard water here. I'm sure that didn't help any. BTW, I just love your BBB id! Wish I had been that creative when I joined. :)

~Linda~
DS 11/9/04

[bostonsmama]

I'm going to try that. My mom had convinced me not to try b/c she said they "reformulated" Comet not to be as abraisive as it used to be, and so (she claimed) it didn't work as well. But it sounds like you have contradictory evidence! :) Does it also buff out the scratches the knives make where spagetti sauce stains set in and turn it bright orange? ;)

Thanks.
Larissa

We're doing it! IVF orientation & consult scheduled for May 2nd!
Saline Sonogram--May 5th

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, born to my brother and SIL on 3/06
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/32719.jpg

[table4three]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

MIL and FIL watched DS today so DH and I did a big shopping trip. We got a Kohler cast iron in white. DH and I really like the look of stainless in the under counter mount, but don't care for it above the counter mount, particularly when we have no SS anywhere else. He hasn't installed the new sink yet, but I'm really excited. I still need to get the accessories to protect it that were mentioned here (grate for the bottom, etc).

We also went to The Great Indoors and got light fixtures for the kitchen, dining room and entry way and also got prices for new carpet. The painter comes tomorrow to give us an estimate. In a few weeks, this will finally feel like home! :)

Thanks for the advice and for sharing your experiences! :)

http://lilypie.com/baby1/060325/3/15/5/-6/.png