Kitchen Essential

Not long ago, sinks and taps were the most boring things in the kitchen. Now they are among the most colourful.

Sinks and taps can add a touch of glamour and good looks to every kitchen. Indeed, the variety of styles and finishes now available calls for careful selection.

Sinks

Finance and space, for most people, are unalterable influences on the choice but, working within those parameters, you should also consider how you will use the sink.

Probably the most important factor is whether or not you have a dishwasher. If you do not, the prime purpose of the sink should be to make the task of washing up as easy as possible. Ideally, you should have twin bowls and double draining boards: this allows a natural work flow of stacking dirty dishes, washing, rinsing and draining. If space limits you to a oneand-a-half bowl style, take into account whether you like to work from left to right or the other way round. The larger bowl should be convenient for washing, and should be a minimum of about 17.5 cm deep and wide enough to take your biggest baking dish, the grill pan, oven shelves or anything else that may need long soaking.

It is best to avoid round sinks — it’s surprising how many kitchen items don’t fit into them — and any without an integral draining board, as you will inevitably end up with small puddles of water lying on the worktop.

If you do have a dishwasher, or if space is very limited, you can look at the more compact styles, with smaller bowls and one or no draining board. The more sophisticated models make up for their lack in size in ingenuity: accessories that can be brought out as required include chopping boards, cutlery holders and plate racks that fit over the bowl, and separate draining boards. Other space- saving designs are corner sinks, which have the draining boards and bowls at right angles. They make good use of often ‘dead’ areas without encroaching on precious work surfaces. Well worth considering, whether or not you have limited space, is an allowance for a waste disposer.

A good setting

Virtually all compact designs and some larger sinks are designed to be set into the worktop. This allows flexibility as far as positioning goes: the hole can be cut anywhere along the worktop as long as there is sufficient room underneath for the sink bowls. Sit-on designs, supported by a unit of the same length, have the same depth as the worktop. Check that there is a watertight seal between the edge of the sink and the adjacent worktops.

Material matters

As far as material goes, stainless steel still holds the number one position for durability and ease of cleaning. Enamelled and china sinks give you the opportunity of introducing colour but, although they have improved over the years, they are not a wise choice if you wash up by hand as they can chip. Brass looks charming in a traditional setting; it is durable and fairly easy to clean with a cream cleaner or brass polish.

Over the last decade or so, several manufacturers have developed composites which offer, at a price, considerable advantages. Not only are they extremely tough, resisting scratches, knocks, stains and heat, they are also much quieter, greatly reducing the clatter of pots and pans. They are available in a number of styles and different colours.

Tap lines

Like sinks, taps have danced their way into the nineties. Those immovable spouts fitted with coloured rubber nozzles are, thank goodness, things of the past. So too, are dripping taps. Improved technology - a ceramic disc instead of a washer - has put an end to drips for good. Because the discs are much longer lasting than washers, that tedious task of changing washers is destined to become a distant memory.

And there are other follow- on advantages: it’s goodbye to ugly and immovable mineral stains on sinks and, of course, to a colossal waste of water. Quite apart from the environmental considerations, a dripping tap could cost you dear in areas where water use is metered. The new discs mean that a quarter turn of the handle is all that is needed to stop the flow, but tap designers have worked out ways to make water control even easier. Ergonomic single-lever designs mean that even the stickiest hands have no difficulty at all in turning the water on and off, or adjusting the temperature.

The two-handle, single- spout mixer-tap design is still appropriate in a traditional kitchen setting, but the single- lever designs win hands down for ease of use. They are operated by the lightest touch - even the nudge of an elbow if your hands are full or filthy - a fact that is appreciated by the elderly and disabled.

It’s not just performance that has changed. Some taps have such sleek lines that they almost enter the art category; others are available in a positive rainbow of colours to complement or brighten any decorative scheme. Finishes available include numerous coloured epoxies, chrome, brass and gold. The last sounds like the ultimate extravagance and, of course, it is very expensive but it is gradually gaining preference over brass because it is less likely to corrode.

At the other end of the price range, it is possible to change the handles on many of the less expensive tap designs: an old- fashioned tap that still functions well can be given a more modern look or a splash of colour with a very simple do-it-yourself project. You don’t even have to turn the water off,at the mains!

Whatever style you choose, it should be compatible with the sink in terms of finish, colour and function. The spout should swivel easily and be high enough for you fill a tall vase without tilting it. Don’t be wooed by an aesthetically beautiful tap if the handles are hard to control. Gimmicks are best avoided but extras that have proved their worth are brush and spray attachments and detergent dispensers. Along with the dozens of styles and colours there is, of course, an equal range of prices. Good taps are not cheap. If you are renovating your kitchen, don’t treat taps as an afterthought. Choose the type you want and make allowances when you plan your budget. Buy the best you can afford - you will never regret investing in a good quality tap - but check, especially if it is an imported model, that it complies with your local waterboard regulations. New taps don’t always suit old plumbing systems either. If in doubt, ask the advice of a plumber.

Don’t treat taps as an afterthought. Choose the type you want and make allowances when you plan your budget. Buy the best you can afford — you will never regret it.

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