If you're doing a complete bathroom remodel, a faucet seems almost unimportant in the grand scheme of things. But you should put the same thought into choosing your new faucet as you do that marble countertop or vessel sink, including understanding how your sink choices affect your faucet options. If you just want to perk up a tired old bathroom, a new faucet is a great — and functional — way to do it. You may sputter a bit at the price of some faucets, but paying for quality now can save you searching for a plumber — or new faucet — later. Look for solid-brass construction instead of plated metal, and check the warranty. If you need to pinch pennies, consider a different finish. Polished chrome is one of the most popular finishes because of its timeless color and least expensive price tag. Bathroom sink faucets come in four basic varieties, based on the configuration of the sink on which they're mounted: 8 inches, also called widespread; The first three can be mounted on the sink deck.

If your sink has holes for a faucet, measure the span between the centers of the two outermost holes to determine which kind of faucet you need. If you have an undermounted or a vessel sink, you can choose a wall-mount faucet or put a deck-mounted faucet in the vanity countertop.Boxerdoodle Puppies For Sale In Pa If you're remodeling or just adding zing to an old bathroom, you can avoid busting the budget by keeping the same type of sink or by choosing one that can use the same kind of faucet. Under Cabinet Paper Towel Holder Home DepotThis will keep down your plumbing labor costs.House For Sale Campbells Creek Wv Most of the 8-inch or widespread faucets have three pieces, the tap and the hot and cold handles, which means some 8-inch faucets can fit holes not exactly 8 inches apart.

If the span is 4 inches, a 4-inch faucet is what you need. These usually have a base and come in one solid piece. Another option is a 4-inch mini-widespread — a seeming contradiction in terms — that comes in three pieces, like an 8-inch widespread, but it will fit a smaller sink with a shorter spread. Again, some of the mini-widespread models can be used with less-than-standard measurements. Single-hole faucets have one stem and may have a single lever to control the water flow and temperature, or they may have two handles attached to a single spout. Either way, it needs only one hole for installation. For a vessel sink, you can choose either a wall mount or a deck mount, and drill the appropriate holes in either the wall or the counter, respectively. Stephanie Jones, a designer with Casa Bella Design Center in Naperville, Ill., advises following the manufacturer's guidelines but remaining flexible when it comes to vessel sinks and their faucets. "Each one is a little different.

I installed double vessel sinks with wall-mounted faucets for a 6-foot, 8-inch man and his wife. We followed the manufacturer's guidelines, but the faucet ended up being too low for him." However, some general rules for a wall-mount faucet do apply. It should have a long enough tap to reach over the sink — ideally with the spout above the center of the bowl — and the tap should have a minimum of 1-inch clearance above the sink rim. Configuration isn't the only faucet decision you'll need to consider. Design variations abound with today's bathroom sink faucets, providing a great opportunity for coordinating with your other choices. Is your bathroom contemporary, rustic or traditional? As you can see, manufacturers offer products in all of these styles. Your faucet should match or complement the tub faucet as well as other hardware in your bathroom, such as towel racks, hooks and the toilet paper holder. Choosing from a manufacturer's design series can take away the guesswork when making your decisions, Stephanie says.

"I don't think I've ever done a bathroom with faucets of different brands, although I have used shower heads from a different company when I couldn't get what I needed, like a body spray," Stephanie says. In those situations, she did, however, match the faucet finishes. So even if you don't opt for exact matches between all your plumbing fixtures, stick with the same finish or color. And that brings you to an array of choices, from the ubiquitous — for a reason — chrome, to polished or brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, brass, copper or even colors. Whichever you choose, consider how it will look with all your other design choices and pay close attention to the manufacturer's warranty. And, finally, like any other remodeling choice, you'll be living with your bathroom faucet for a long time. So pick one you love. Vessel Sinks: Bathroom Style to Spare Bathroom Ideas & Planning How to Shop Bathroom Products Based on the centuries-old design of Chinese washbasins used in the days before running water, vessel sinks are a contemporary, traditional, fun, elegant, and even cutting-edge choice for your home.

Today, you can find a vessel sink – essentially a free-standing sink that sits directly on the countertop or furniture on which it is mounted -- made of cast iron, glass, natural stone such as marble, decorated vitreous china and even in select materials such as stainless steel and bronze. Here’s how to make the most of this distinctive style. Choosing a vessel sink can impact the placement of pipes, so make sure to take that into account when you plan your plumbing. Vessel sinks also require a different counter height than most traditional bathroom sinks. Conventional recessed-bowl sinks sit at counter height, usually 32 to 36 inches above the floor, which is a comfortable height for brushing teeth and washing hands. Consider a lower counter height to accommodate if your sink sits on top of the counter. Other installation options: mount your vessel sink on the wall with a bracket or install it on a piece of furniture designed expressly for a vessel sink. You want your vessel sink to coordinate with the other fixtures in the room, certainly, but you don’t need to match them.

“If you’ve got a standard toilet and a standard tub, you can do anything with a vessel sink,” says Seattle-based interior designer Barbara Kalis. “The trend is for it not to match.” For example, if you have a white toilet and a white tub, says Kalis, you could choose a white vessel sink, “or you could do metal, you could do glass, patterns—almost anything you want." And you can use a wide variety of countertop materials, according to Kalis. “I’ve seen vessel sinks on wood planks, on concrete, on tile, including mosaic; I’ve seen them on granite or marble slabs.” Keep in mind that the vessel is likely to draw more attention than the countertop it sits on. “They tend to be the focal point of the bathroom because they’re so beautiful, so it’s best to make the countertop secondary,” Kalis says. When choosing faucets, vessels require a few special considerations. If the water flow hits the side of the sink, it can cause splashing; you’ll want it to flow to the bottom.

Make sure there is enough room between the faucet and the sink for users to wash their hands or brush their teeth. Because vessel sinks sit above the countertop, they require a counter-based faucet with a long neck that can reach up over the side of the basin and allow adequate clearance in the basin. Another option for a vessel sink is a wall-mount faucet, which Kalis says makes the most practical sense. “Most wall-mounted faucets have a bigger throw–or reach–from the back of the wall to the middle of the sink,” Kalis says. The shape of things to come Another reason to love vessel sinks is the variety and uniqueness of their shapes. “Vitreous china sinks are like black-and-white photos, where you focus on the shape of the sink,” says Kalis. Striking shapes include the Vox® round style and the square Bateau®. Some vessel styles, like the Conical Bell® Vessels, have deep bowls, while others, like DemiLav® Wading Pool®, are shallower. Distinctive as they are, vessel sinks styles are classic and therefore not in much danger of becoming outdated over time, according to Kalis.