The standard layout of an apartment building is unlikely to imply a corner sink, but most modern owners have long realized for themselves that the standard is often the worst that can be. The unusual shape and arrangement of the sink in practice usually turn out to be not only more attractive in aesthetic terms, but also provide owners with additional convenience, making it possible to arrange furniture and appliances more practical.
At the same time, many have only heard about corner sinks in their lives, which means that it’s worth understanding what it is and how to deal with them.
Features, pros and cons
To begin with, it is worth clarifying what an angular sink for the kitchen is. For functional purposes, this is an ordinary sink for washing dishes and other household needs, which is radically different from most sinks in shape - from above it looks like a triangle that fits perfectly into the corner.
The corner sink is usually installed in the kitchen, where the layout of the working area resembles the letter “G”, because this is practically the only way to effectively use the space sandwiched in the corner.
Speaking about the advantages of such a layout, the following potential advantages should be highlighted.
- Efficient use of space. The problem of any room is the productive filling of the corner, because it can be difficult to choose the right size furniture. In the kitchen, this is especially true, because in a relatively small quadrature should be placed a lot of furniture and pieces of equipment.The corner sink is able to take a few decimeters remaining along the wall with the main part of the headset, and smoothly "flow" to the adjacent wall. Without it, you would most likely simply have left the corner empty, and under the sink you would have to select another area.
- Convenience of access. Corner kitchens are in demand for the reason that they provide the proper level of comfort. You do not need to take a step to the side in order to get to other parts of the headset - just reach out to interact with neighboring areas of the working area. Nearby you can arrange a refrigerator, stove or worktop - what you consider more necessary.
- Spacious drawers. Due to the triangular shape, the corner sink can occupy even more space than its “ordinary colleague” would do, but this has its advantages. Directly below the sink is usually a usable space where most hosts store garbage. In recent years, waste sorting has become an increasingly relevant trend, allowing it to be processed more efficiently, and if you consider yourself a conscious citizen, then the ability to install several bins at once will not hurt you.
- Easy to fit into the interior. Although for most consumers this design decision is still a curiosity, manufacturers have long recognized the trend of popularizing such atypical solutions, so they released a variety of models that can fit into any popular design style. This means that such a wash does not limit the flight of your imagination.
- Presentability and originality. Instead of coming up with a way to shove a classic rectangular sink into a tight corner, it’s better to choose the corner model - this is the output that the logic itself prompts. The product will look appropriate in its place, and due to its originality, and will claim the title of one of the “highlights” of the interior.
Of course, certain disadvantages of such a layout are also present, therefore, when choosing a particular model, you should consider how it will fit into the overall concept of the kitchen. For example, washing sinks that are too large (both the sinks themselves and the cabinets under them) are usually inappropriate, because the large frame makes access to the corner more difficult, which means it will be problematic to put things in order there.
In addition, there is quite a lot of space inside the cabinet with a bowl, but its doors are usually quite cramped, and in case of any breakdowns this can be a problem for the plumber who was called in to fix the problem.
Materials of manufacture
When deciding on the choice of a specific corner sink, you need to focus not only on the appearance and cost, but also on the material of manufacture - in harsh kitchen conditions, this factor often determines how durable the design will be. No wonder there are different options in terms of material - each of them has its own pros and cons.
- Stainless steel is probably the most obvious choice. Metal products are largely popular due to their low cost, but they have other advantages - for example, a simple and universal design that goes well with any stylistic trends. In addition, stainless steel got exactly that name due to its ability to effectively resist corrosion, and the bowl is also available in a matte and glossy version.
You can even mount the product yourself, which is also a plus, but the only minus is the noise - the sound of pouring water will be heard throughout the apartment.
- Ceramic corner sinks are good for their presentability - they look beautiful and neat, while you should not perceive them as purely white products, because now they are produced in color.However, such products are even not so much appreciated for their external characteristics as for their stability - neither moisture nor chemicals can do anything with this material. Unfortunately, there were some drawbacks: the sink weighs quite a lot, which creates difficulties in delivery and installation, and the material is also prone to the formation of ugly chips after impacts.
- Artificial and natural stone as a material for the manufacture of sinks - This is a choice for those who do not even think about saving. Of course, a stone sink will cost more if natural raw materials were used in its manufacture, but even imitation will cost a tidy sum, while a real granite bowl is considered to be of higher quality and durable.
In any case, the product looks very stylish, has a high durability, is not afraid of moisture, chemistry, or even high temperature, and is also able to muffle the sound of water flowing into the bowl. Moreover, the design has even more impressive weight than the ceramic counterpart, and the cost has already been said.
Sizes and shapes
Contrary to popular belief, a corner sink does not have to be triangular at all - such a requirement is put forward, rather, to its cabinet, while the bowl itself can have absolutely any geometry. Moreover, actually triangular shells are rare, since space in sharp corners can hardly be used effectively. The shape of the sink is usually divided into three main types, although individual designers can go far beyond the standards.
- A round sink in its very form demonstrates its readiness to fit into any style - it does not contradict anything and looks harmonious. Having no corners, such a bowl is quite compact, and experts usually advise installing just such plumbing in small and cramped kitchens of apartment buildings. The same lack of angles has a positive effect on the hygiene of the product - microbes and dirt simply have nowhere to accumulate, since the structure has no hard-to-reach spots.
Usually the round version is sold immediately in the headset, which is very convenient.
- Square shape It is considered classic for kitchen sinks, it is almost as appropriate as round, and most importantly - it allows you to place larger angular objects that simply would not fit into a roundish product of a similar diameter. Due to the fact that this design does not have elongated sides, it is also considered economical in terms of efficient use of space.
Square sinks are often equipped with an additional wing for laying out dishes, but this element can still not be called mandatory.
- Rectangular models to date are considered the most popular because they are easier to fit into a tight corner.
Separately, it should be noted that in recent times sinks with 2 bowls have become increasingly popular. The owners of these new-fangled models note that it is practical if you have a lot of really dirty work - for example, you often clean fish, wash the grill, and so on. In this case, one sink stands out for the most dirty tasks, while the second is fundamentally cleaner, it is never dirty with grease and the like.
At the same time, a significant part of consumers say that they have chosen the original model in vain - they don’t see much convenience in it, but it predictably takes up more space.
A separate topic is the choice of sink size. First of all, you will have to build on what your kitchen allows, so first you need to measure how much free space you can allocate under the sink. Keep in mind that a sink cannot occupy absolutely all the space, so you need to leave a small margin of a couple of centimeters, so that the same set fits into place.
In general, this rule is relevant even for those cases when the product is sold already built into the frame.
The sink is a three-dimensional design, all of its parameters matter. So, even with a constant abundance of dirty dishes, you can get by with a bowl relatively small in length and width, if the depth allows you to load everything you need. If you do not use a sink for washing dishes, since you have deliberately acquired a dishwasher, you can neglect the size of the sink, preferring a small one, but in the opposite case, you should compare the size of the future bowl with the typical dimensions of your dishes.
If there are usually no problems with choosing the length and width of the bowl, then the rules of depth selection for many are a mystery. Experts say that the optimal solution is a depth within 16-20 cm, because with such indicators, the water falling from the tap will not be sprayed outside the sink.
Here you need to understand that then you should also consider the removal of the tap from the bottom of the sink - if it is located high, then the depth inadvertently increases, and the spray will fly further. At the same time, if the sink is mounted high enough and is located above 85 cm, a sink depth of more than 20 cm is contraindicated - a person of medium height will be uncomfortable to constantly lean so low as to reach the bottom with his hands.
At the same time, a depth of 20 cm or more is relevant if you regularly wash not only plates, but also large pots or pans.
Installation methods
Installation of sinks in our time is done in one of two ways, depending on which class your model belongs to - mortise or surface sinks.
Mounted sinks are the easiest to install - along the edges they are equipped with special sides that are designed to support the structure above the hole in the headset, which usually turns out to be relatively small. This combination is easy to disassemble and reassemble, since the sink is not attached to furniture at all - it is pressed against it only by its own weight under the influence of gravity.
It is these models of sinks that are usually equipped with side “wings” for dishes, most often they are made of light stainless steel so as not to overload the frame.
Mortise models built directly into the countertop represent a more complex design, which is not so easy to divide into components. This method is not just preferred, but necessary if you purchased a sink made of heavy ceramic or even heavier stone. The inset of the bowl provides design variation, since the sink itself can be raised or drowned in the countertop at the request of the owner.
Such a holistic design is characterized by increased aesthetics, but self-installation in most cases is impossible or extremely complicated.
Color schemes
The choice of the color of the sink for many owners seems to be secondary, but not if you have clearly thought out what style of decoration your kitchen needs and are afraid that the sink may not fit.
Actually, if you made a choice in favor of stainless steel, then the color of the product is most likely predetermined - it will be metallic gray. In this case, you can choose only the shade, as well as whether the gray is matte or glossy. Often preference is given to glossy surfaces, from which it is easier to remove various impurities, but the smallest scratch for gloss is a sentence, while a matte surface is able to survive such a tragedy.
Contrary to fears, a standard “steel” color sink usually looks good in any design, since gray refers to achromatic colors and can be combined with all other tones. In the same time the most organically the product will look in hi-tech style - there its shade will completely merge with the environment.
The gray and black gamma as a whole is also characteristic of stone models, but here the brilliance will be somewhat different, therefore certain requirements are put forward to the interior. So, the use of natural raw materials (or even high-quality imitation) suggests that the entire design of the room as a whole is aimed at using natural materials.
For this reason, typical stone tones, which can usually also be considered achromatic, are often combined with brown wooden trim and bright textile additions, imitating classic chic or accentuated rustic style.
As for ceramic sinks, they are available in a wide palette of available shades, and this is good news for everyone who wants even a sink bowl to echo other interior items. As a rule, such products have a slightly muted tone, without excessively bright shades, but even in such a performance the plumbing will not seem like a completely alien body.
When deciding on the choice of the color of the sink, you should give preference to that model that fits into the overall color scheme of the room and will resonate with something or become an organic part of the headset of the same color.
How to choose?
To make the selected sink as practical and convenient as possible, pay attention to additional factors that distinguish a model that is suitable in color and size from all others.
For example, the presence of side “wings”, on which it is convenient to lay out dishes that have already been washed or waiting in line, is perceived by most housewives rather as an advantage, and you should refuse such a component only if the model simply does not fit in the highlighted for her corner or you have to cut the area of the cutting countertops.
The complete set of a sink directly affects its cost, but when choosing in favor of an objectively better model, you will not think about replacing for a long time, so sometimes it makes sense to overpay once. For instance, in recent years it has become popular to equip a sink with a waste grinder - This is very practical if you often work with cutting vegetables and fish and are afraid that small, but at the same time not too small pieces will fall into the pipe and cause it to become clogged.
In addition, manufacturers, finally, responded to the mass trend of installing additional taps for drinking water, where the liquid enters separately, after passing through the filter - some sinks are already specifically designed for the presence of excess spout.
Some leading companies have gone even further - they produce sinks complete with cutting boards. This option definitely deserves to be studied, because the purchase of a kit is always cheaper than the purchase of two components separately, and the kits are also advantageous in that they look holistically and make the owners worry less about the uniformity of the interior being created.
If you want your sink not only to be practical and beautiful, but to cause real delight, Consider installing an LED strip in the cabinet. Recently, such a design move has gained unprecedented popularity, because it is able to revive even the freshest kitchen, but at the same time it is necessary to carefully monitor compliance with waterproofing, because the contact of electrical wiring with water is fraught with serious negative consequences.
Having decided on the model you like, you should check with the seller for all the necessary documents and certificates that prove that harmful materials were not used in the manufacturing process, and also give you the right to warranty service.
Sellers in the market in response to such questions often only shrug their hands, because specialists always try to purchase plumbing only in specialized stores so as not to risk quality.
Finally, substantively study exactly the instance that you plan to buy - it should not have any chips, cracks and dents. Do not listen to the arguments of the seller, who insists that this is the inside of the bowl and the damage will not be visible from the outside - this is already a damage to the integrity, a potential weak point of the product, which means its durability raises serious doubts. If you purchase a sink immediately complete with a headset, do it as well.
Location options
For the majority of consumers, installation of the corner sink is possible only in the corner, but in fact it can also be installed in some other places. The angular location of such a product in practice is not always justified if the owners are not tall (due to the potential occurrence of a “dead zone” in the corner, which cannot be reached) or often cook together (they cannot use the same sink at the same time).
The original version of the location of the corner sink is on the island, which is located in the middle of the room completely separate from the main headset and the working area. If the length and width of such a functional island allows you to mount furniture and appliances in two rows, it makes sense to put a corner sink on the corner - now, on the contrary, it will open up convenient access from both sides at once, which simplifies cooking for one person and helps to work productively two at once.
In addition, this is a very interesting option for decorating the kitchen from an aesthetic point of view.
In a multi-storey building, you are unlikely to have such an opportunity, but in a private house you can implement a layout that has recently become very popular in Europe. The corner sink, as it should be, is located in the corner, but not in the blind, as one might have expected, but where windows adjoin it on both sides.
For our region, this is simply fresh and original, which is what the owners try to achieve in most cases, but it is also very useful for convenience, because the abundance of natural light allows you to more efficiently wash away dirt and food and dishes.
About the corner connection of the sink in the kitchen, see the video below.