In The Design Studio: One of the Best Inventions Second to the Kitchen Stove is the Kitchen Sink

This is a sponsored post by Anna Gibson, owner of AKG Design Studio and an award-winning, certified kitchen and bathroom designer. AKG Design Studio is a boutique design firm specializing in kitchen, bathroom designs and cabinetry sales. Contact Anna at 571-989-2541 or [email protected], and follow her work on Houzz; Pinterest; Facebook and Twitter.

One of the best inventions second to the kitchen stove is the kitchen sink.

At one time, kitchen sinks were stand-alone features of a kitchen that looked like a trough.

Today, we call them farmhouse sinks and they connect to countertops and cabinets, not only are they no longer just sinks — they are a part of the cooking center.

Cooking Centers are fantastic for small and large kitchens. They add counter space for small kitchens because homeowners can turn their sink into a counter by placing a board over the sink.

Some of the smaller sinks come with counters that have strainers in them, so they can strain things directly into the sink, without touching the bottom of the sink.

In larger kitchens cooking spaces consolidate all the work to one area by adding a bar to create a super large area where two cooks can work at the same time. Those come with lots of accessories, from cutting boards to veggie wash bin to drain mats and even knife blocks.

So, what else has changed since kitchen sinks first came on the scene? First off colors! You no longer need to stick to stainless steel, black or white — this year color is everywhere.

Elkay and Kruea present sinks with colors from aqua to hot red!

You can’t change colors without changing materials. Companies are creating options for those who no longer want stainless steel- we are now looking at copper, cast iron, stone composite sinks, bamboo and fireclay — giving homeowners the ability to pick the one fits your style needs.

If you do love a stainless steel sink, but just want it to have a more modern design, Thompson Traders Hammered Stainless Steel. They are super beautiful! If a farm sink is not your idea of breathtaking, they have it in also in a farm sink style.

Another way sinks have changed, it’s cool not to have rims.

Since a lot of people love the look of a rimless integrated sink, Topzero is changing the rules, and those sinks are fab! The rim of the sink comes up to the edge of the counter, so it’s no longer under counter that needs to be sealed and collects germs and such.

Kohler, of course, is always living up to its tagline and takes the cake with their fantastic new farm sink! Created initially as a utility sink, it is making its crossover into the kitchen for the perfect farm style look.