Unsellable Houses Shows Us A Showstopping Way To Give Any Kitchen A Pop Of Color
More and more people are embracing color in their homes. The once-popular all-white kitchens are now seeing more pops of color. And in a fun twist, many designers and homeowners are adding a pop of color in more unexpected ways. Painted cabinets were a go-to style to add color to the kitchen. But Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis from HGTV's "Unsellable Houses" have a new vessel to bring color into the kitchen: the sink. "Then, my personal favorite, we added a light blue sink for a pop of color!" Lyndsay Lamb writes on the Lamb & Co. blog. The detail is fun, interesting, and unexpected, which makes it the perfect way to add a statement feature in the kitchen.
Most kitchen sinks are stainless steel, which tend to blend in with the kitchen design. Choosing a colored sink makes this often looked-over detail a feature in the room. In order to get the full effect of this statement, it's best to choose a farmhouse or an apron-style sink, which allows the front of the sink to be visible between a break in the cabinets and countertop. Or, for a more subtle hint of color, you can opt for a colored under-mount sink. Against a traditionally neutral countertop, a colored sink is sure to stand out.
Statement sinks
Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb from HGTV's "Unsellable Houses" are no strangers to adding a statement color in the kitchens they design. While they usually go with painted cabinets or vibrant backsplash tile, they're not afraid to step outside the box and choose an interesting feature like a colored sink. In one design, the pair add a pop of navy blue using the Elkay Quartz Luxe single bowl farmhouse sink in the color Jubilee. The sink retails for about $2,258 and can be purchased at a variety of kitchen and bath showrooms and distributors. Elkay also has a variety of under-mount, double-bowl, and bar sinks that are also available in the Jubilee finish. The brand Bocchi has a similar dark blue finish named Sapphire Blue that is available in single and double-basin farmhouse sinks.
For those with a lighter aesthetic, navy isn't your option for a blue sink. Davis and Lamb have also designed a kitchen with a light blue sink. The brand Nantucket Sinks has a powder blue finish called Shabby Sugar on an apron sink that could recreate this look. This sink is light-medium blue with some darker blue distressing to create that shabby-chic look. The same brand also has a Shabby Green finish, both costing $1,799.99. For a mint-tinged blue, Houzer has an under-mount enamel sink for $412.45, which would provide a more subtle pop of color.
Something blue
A blue kitchen sink is definitely a statement. Designing around this unexpected feature may seem like a challenge. However, you can treat it like most statement pieces. Consider the color of the cabinets, countertops, and backsplash finish in the kitchen as well. Leslie Davis and Lyndsay Lamb tend to choose mostly neutrals when it comes to these other kitchen features. When designing around the navy kitchen sink, the pair opted for white cabinets, black counters with white veining, and white marble subway tile for the backsplash. The white cabinets allow the navy blue farmhouse sink to stand out, and the darker counters blend in with the dark sink finish. They flip the colors of the features in the kitchen with the lighter blue sink. Davis and Lamb opt for black cabinets and white quartz counters. The lighter blue pops against the sleek black cabinets and the white countertops.
While Davis and Lamb opt for neutral tones in the kitchens they designed with blue sinks, you don't have to stick to black or white features. Blue is an easy color to pair and can act as a neutral. Create a complementary color scheme and pair blue with orange or yellow. Or opt for an analogous color scheme and pair it with greens or purples. Or choose a monochromatic color scheme and use multiple shades of blue. Because a blue kitchen sink is an unexpected detail, no matter what other colors you choose, the sink will still be a feature.