The photos already show you what there is to love about this Avado Integrated Worksurface Sink  from Elkay, but that won’t stop us from pointing them out. 

1. The crisp, modern geometry and great scale clearly reflect a contemporary style.
2. Incorporating embossed steel adds an industrial touch. On a factory floor, these patterns provide strength without extra weight, but here it’s just a really cool detail.
3. The undermount design leaves the upscale stone countertop clean and unbroken.
4. It minimizes extra clutter with its built-in workspace.

You can just picture all the ways that worksurface would come in handy—air drying your favorite mug after you’ve enjoyed your morning tea (or holding the wet teabag while you sip). It’s the perfect spot for that gooey spatula as you whip up some treats—and for balancing the still-warm pan while you cut the brownies for a hungry crowd. You could stage summer vegetables to be washed and chopped for your world-renown gazpacho. It goes on and on.

Certainly, one of the most common reasons we’ve seen for choosing a double-bowl sink is to provide space for drying dishes. This integrated worksurface handles that challenge in an unexpected yet really smart way.

Of course, not everybody has the same prep-and-clean style, so this sink includes lots of extra bells and whistles—like made-to-fit rinsing baskets, cutting boards and bottom grids—to make just about anyone smile.

Paired with a sleek, bold faucet, this isn’t just a sink. It’s a statement.

You know “contemporary” when you see it, but what distinguishes this style from others? Definitely clean lines and minimal fuss. Without added detail, strong shapes and colors stand out. Often, you’ll see the influence of commercial design in a contemporary kitchen, with beefy appliances, an industrial-inspired faucet and a sleek, geometric sink.

Contemporary color schemes can range from the bold palettes making their debut this spring to layers of timeless neutrals. And when it comes to materials, the more the better. Mixing concrete, glass, wood, stone and stainless steel has a distinctly modern feel.

The contemporary kitchen is sophisticated without being stark, and provides tremendous leeway for expressing yourself. You can even incorporate collections, vintage pieces, you name it.

So what’s your style? If you’re drawn to Helvetica, Dwell and symmetry, stick around. We’ll be talking about contemporary kitchens all month. Traditional and transitional fans, don’t worry. You’ll get a turn.

But even though harvest gold, avocado and other 70s-kitchen hues are showing up on fashion runways,  you may be hesitant to trade in your stainless steel fridge, sink and range for something so trendy. If you’re too young to remember that copper-brown oven taking center stage, ask your mom. It wasn’t pretty.

So how can you incorporate a trend you love without going overboard or regretting it later? Take another cue from smart fashion stylists. Invest in timeless pieces that will last for years, and supplement with on-trend accessories. Think of your sink, appliances and countertops as your LBD or Chanel suit, and accessorize with bold paint, textiles, serveware and even small appliances. Go wild with backsplash tile. And mix colors in unexpected ways to really amp up the energy.

The great news is, stainless steel has proven itself to be as versatile as black or white when it comes to complementing any color scheme or design style. Whether you’re calmly easing into the day with nearly translucent Sheer Bliss,  or waking everyone up to Solar Power, your stainless steel sink will fit right in.

Remember, a quality sink will last a lifetime. Tangerine? Maybe only a year or two longer than the actual fruit.

Sink.com: What’s sparking this trend toward outdoor kitchens?

Mark: The average American home size peaked in 2005, and it’s been falling ever since. While people aren’t downsizing kitchens and bathrooms, they are looking for creative ways to entertain and relax. Turning backyards and patios into more functional spaces makes sense. If you can prep, cook and do some of the cleanup outside, you don’t heat up the house, and you don’t have to miss out on the party.

Sink.com: Can I use any sink outdoors?

Mark: If you put a standard indoor residential sink into an outdoor setting, it may not stand up to the elements. You might wind up replacing it sooner than necessary. If you’re investing in an outdoor kitchen, including running plumbing and fuel lines, you’ll want to ensure that your grill, any other appliances, and the sink and countertops are up to the task. I wouldn’t want to spend that kind of money and have the result look less than amazing.

Sink.com: What sink would you recommend?

Mark: Our Elkay Pursuit sinks use type 316 stainless steel, rather than the 304 stainless steel that’s ideal for indoor use. Type 316 includes a greater proportion of nickel, which better resists the effects of exposure to the elements. Even in a mild climate, if your kitchen is installed near a pool or the ocean, you want a steel grade that resists pitting caused by chlorine or salt spray.

Elkay outdoor Pursuit sinks also use stainless steel mounting channels which resist corrosion and failure caused by the elements. This is especially important if you live in a place that experiences a great deal of rain, snow and wide temperature fluctuations.

Finally, our outdoor sinks all use our best, most enduring Lustrous Satin finish, which is easy to clean and resistant to scratches and abuse.

Sink.com: Anything else we should consider?

Mark: Just like an indoor sink, think about how you’ll cook and clean outdoors. For example, you may want to go extra deep for rinsing off grill tools.

Remember the sustainability mantra: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. A well-made stainless steel sink can contribute to a more environmentally friendly home on all three fronts.

Reduce. Choosing a sink that will last a lifetime reduces your impact on the environment. Because you won’t need to replace it in a few years, you cut down on additional materials and energy needed for creating a new sink, as well as packaging and fuel for shipping. Quality stainless steel is incredibly durable. It won’t chip, dent or stain, so it will look as good decades from now as the day you install it.

Reuse. Stainless steel sinks are often made from recycled materials. We know that Elkay, the leading manufacturer of stainless steel sinks, incorporates recycled content whenever possible. Even their packaging uses 50% recycled materials (and is completely recyclable).

Recycle. Should you ever decide to replace your stainless steel sink, it’s 100% recyclable. In fact, steel is the most recycled material in the world. It can come back again and again and again as another sink, a file cabinet or a Frank Gehry-designed building.

What’s more, companies such as U.S.-based Elkay are focused on minimizing waste and maximizing efficiency. They’ve designed manufacturing facilities that support the triple bottom line, valuing people and the planet as much as profitability.

There you go—your own positive contribution to the planet, just in time for Earth Day.

But many take it even further. Shopping for locally manufactured products keeps people employed close to home while minimizing the cost and environmental impact of shipping items from overseas. In fact, when calculating LEED^® certification for new buildings, the U.S. Green Building Council awards credits for using regionally sourced materials.

One way you can get on board is to choose products from American companies. Elkay, for example, has been headquartered about a half-hour outside Chicago for more than 90 years. The majority of Elkay sinks are made in the United States, in facilities in Illinois, North Carolina and Utah. In total, the company has six plumbing products manufacturing facilities and eight cabinet facilities throughout the U.S.

We think there are many very real benefits to shopping locally—besides the economic and environmental impacts. You can be confident that an established, U.S.-based company will adhere to industry guidelines for product quality, manufacturing practices and workplace standards. And you know who to call if you ever need to make good on your warranty.

Let’s assume you already have a sink in mind. What should you think about as you seek a mate for it? You won’t be surprised to find out that we have a few opinions on that.

Is this the main sink? Where will it be?

Your primary sink space has to work pretty hard. Make sure you can do the things you need to do often—fill pots, scour dishesand easily operate the faucet handle. We’ve said it before, function comes first.

You’ll also want to look at the space available. If it’s in a small space in front of a window, for example, you may elect to chose a lower-profile faucet (and you won’t want something that gets in the way of a casement window’s swing). If you’ve got a vast expanse of island, knock yourself out.

What spout works best for you?

You can choose just about any height, shape and spray feature that suits your cooking and clean-up style. Pull-down? Pull-out? Separate side spray? Again, it’s all about how you’ll use it.

How about handles?

In a traditional kitchen, you may be drawn toward those gorgeous faucets with separate hot and cold handles. Let’s run a what-if by you, though. What if, say, you just finished rolling up a giant batch of turkey meatballs and now you need to wash your hands? We’re going on the record to state that a single-handle faucet that controls the flow rate and temperature with one touch is often best for the main kitchen sink.

Got a favorite finish?

If the sink is your little black dress, the faucet is your chance to accessorize. Showcase your style and complement your appliances, decorative hardware or lighting. You may think that since it’s attached to (or near) the sink, the faucet and sink finishes should match. Not so fast. Often, you see the faucet from another vantage point entirely—in concert with the countertop, cabinets and other finishes. So matching is fine, but matchy-matchy may be unnecessary.

Really, there are no wrong answers. And sure, peanut butter is great without jelly—and Brad is just fine without Angie. But some things are just better together.

Ann Rottinghaus, marketing communication director for Elkay recently addressed the importance of utility in an interview with a professional builder publication. “By some estimates, you’re likely to spend 70 percent of your time in the kitchen standing in front of the sink,” explained Ann. “This area needs to be extremely hard working and complement the homeowner’s personal sense of style. It’s simply not enough to satisfy one or the other need today.”  

But what about creating a dream kitchen around your own aesthetic? Fortunately, she continues, “achieving personalization is painless with so many fabulous choices in the marketplace.”

What other trends might impact a buyer’s decision?

• Smaller homes. Ann suggests that while “homes are shrinking overall…the space devoted to the kitchen typically is not. (This) requires valuable square footage to work even harder.”
• Aging homeowners. In addition, there is growing demand for ADA-compliant sinks and faucets, which Ann attributes to awareness of the aging population and an eye toward resale. Sinks with a maximum depth of 6.5″ and faucets that can be operated with one hand fill the bill.
• Being green. Finally, homeowners are becoming more interested in environmentally friendly features, making low-flow faucets and recyclable stainless steel sinks more appealing choices.

Bottom line? Look around and it’ll be easy to find a sink you love that suits the way you live—today and in the future.

You might be surprised that one of the easier jobs you can do yourself is installing a new sink and faucet. Upgrade to a sleek new stainless steel sink and voilà. The whole kitchen feels renewed.

Some things to keep in mind…

• Don’t be intimidated. Replacing a top mount sink in an existing countertop is pretty simple. In fact, Elkay, a leading manufacturer of stainless steel sinks, has created a U-channel mounting system that makes it easy to securely fasten the sink at any point along the rim. Because you can move the screw clips to wherever it’s convenient, you don’t have to worry about working around cabinet corners or posts that might get in the way of other attachment systems. Talk about making the process painless.
• Stainless goes with everything. While a new sink may have you eyeing all your appliances for upgrades, don’t worry about matching. Stainless steel complements any color cabinetry and appliances, as well as any kitchen style from traditional to contemporary.
• Read and watch everything first. The sink instructions. The drain instructions. The faucet instructions. The disposer instructions. Then manufacturers’ YouTube channel. You can head off a lot of surprises—and trips to the hardware store—this way.
• Match your faucet and sink holes. This may seem obvious, but if you choose a faucet with a separate sprayer and handles, and you bring home a sink with one faucet hole, you’re in trouble.
• Let someone else install your undermount sink. Elkay recommends having those installed by an experienced professional. Still, you can do all of the planning and choosing, and much of the remaining work, so it’s still a DIY win.

Oh yeah—one more tip: Measure twice. Cut once. That’s good advice for any renovation project.

If your renovation budget is $50,000 (just a nice, round number), keep your renovation plans to about $40,000 or $45,000. That sets aside 10 or 20 percent for surprises—like old wiring behind the walls or accidentally putting a drill through the wrong spot on a new cabinet door. Yes, we’ve seen this happen.

Source: National Kitchen and Bath Association

Now, based on that $40K working budget and the averages from the NKBA Kitchen Planner, you could expect to pay up to about $7,000 for labor, $12,000 for cabinets, $5,500 for new appliances, and roughly $1,600 for a sink, faucet and other plumbing expenses. If you’re not putting in new windows or flooring, or paying for other items on the list, you add a bit more to each of the other categories.

As an added bonus, having that extra five or ten grand of wiggle room means that if you haven’t hit any snags, you can put more money into the things you’re going to use the most—like an amazing, heavy-gauge stainless steel sink (or even a second, smaller sink) that suits your cooking and entertaining style.

Knowing what you’ve got to spend and what you’re likely to spend for certain line items will help you reach the end of your project with a beautiful new kitchen—and no regrets.