A kitchen makeover that doesn’t have lots of dust and demolition is usually something I’m suspicious of. But we pulled it off. It turned out extra awesome. Here’s how we did it. Video and blog below.
Note: Elkay has provided me with the product used in this project. I was also compensated for my time and this blog post. All opinions and positions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of Elkay. For more information about kitchen projects, please check out Elkay online.
For this project, we focused our attention on the place in the kitchen we—and I think many, if not most people—spend our time: At the sink.
We went off-trend, as they say. The trend is deeper, bigger vessels. I get it. However, we chose a shallow vessel instead and I’ll tell you how much we love it in a minute (can’t wait; we really love it). The sink is Elkay’s Quartz Classic undermount sink in greystone. It is also ADA compliant.
The faucet—Elkay’s Explore Three Hole Bridge Faucet—is an oil-rubbed bronze work of plumbing art. Sure, you can buy a typical oil-rubbed bronze faucet for your kitchen makeover but you’re just getting any ole faucet. From installation to the subtle beauty of every day use this faucet is demonstrably sensational. Oh, and pull-down spray? Love, love, triple love!
I’m not sure this sink was ever easy to clean. I’m not sure it ever really sparkled. I’m not sure it ever truly complimented the counter. It was inexpensive and held water but there was never much of a love affair here for me. And I am not making up the the sponge cage. Fully 50% of the time I walk up to the sink it’s like that.
Two things. This counter is part of what makes this kitchen makeover possible. It is solid surface counter we installed when we did the kitchen. I don’t know why every counter in America isn’t made with this stuff. It’s a paper composite called Richlite. It’s great. It’s super durable but not cold and unforgiving like stone. And if you want to add a new sink, in many cases you can because it works with regular woodworking tools. It does need to be maintained from time to time, but so does everything.
In this case, I sanded the counter (120, 180, 320-grits with Diablo SandNet sanding discs…Deluxe) and fixed this seam. It’s like a brand new counter. Try that with something else.
Old house and old plumbing can be a challenge. Copper is soft metal so use good wrenches and go easy. (Aside: I really like these Husky beam wrenches.)
Beautifully designed inside and out, Elkay’s Explore is a thing of beauty from the installation—flexible, quick-connect supply lines, how much do I love you?!—to the every day use of an effortless, gliding turn of the handles. And because we’re like that, we zip-tied the excess hose so it sat nice and flat against the back of the cabinet.
The shallow vessel may not be for everybody, but we like it. Dishes don’t linger and there’s no leaning in to reach stuff. It’s all right there. The shallow vessel also created space in the cabinet below which was much needed in our kitchen. The color is the perfect offset to the newly sanded and sealed counter surface. Those scratches have given way to an obsidian depth that’s a joy to experience each day.
Add the dark shimmer of the oil-rubbed bronze and the center of the room is now a place of comfort and ease where we can get our work done and keep the kitchen clean much, much easier than before.
For the rest of this kitchen makeover—like to see how we cut the counter to accept the new Elkay sink—check out the video.
