When it comes to choosing a faucet, you have an abundance of choices.  Why go with a normal one when you can get a faucet that stands out and becomes a conversation piece?  A vessel sink faucet is great for anyone wanting to add a special touch to their kitchen.  Here is a guide to the different types of vessel sink faucets that you can buy.  They come in a variety of styles, and can be made out of a few different materials.

What is a Vessel Sink Faucet?

Vessel sink faucets are designed to be used with vessel sinks.  Vessel sinks are those round sinks commonly used in bathrooms.  They are most often made out of glass, clay, or a stone like granite.  This type of faucet looks good with vessel sinks, hence its name.  Some vessel sink faucets are called “waterfall faucets” because the water spreads out and pours from them like a waterfall.

Can you use a Vessel Sink Faucet on a Normal Sink?

Sure.  While this type of faucet is normally associated with vessel sinks, it is perfectly fine to use them on normal sinks as well.  They add a special touch to any sink.  One thing to remember is that faucets for vessel sinks normally have only one hole, so you need to be sure your sink is set up for it.  If your sink is pre-drilled with 3 holes, you will end up with 2 empty holes in it, but you can purchase sink hole covers that fit right over these holes.  Vessel sinks and faucets can be installed either on bathroom vanities or on pedestal sinks.  If your bathroom has room for it, a vanity works great.  If you have a tiny bathroom, you can use a space saving pedestal type sink.

Kitchen Vessel Sink Faucets

Vessel faucets are normally used in bathrooms, because that is where vessel sinks are located.  Bathroom sink faucets don’t normally work in the kitchen for a few reasons.  First, they are too small and low to accomplish what most kitchen faucets need to do.  Second, they are stationary, and kitchen sink faucets really need to be able to move around.  That said, there are a few that are designed for use in the kitchen.  Their design is a little different, and they are able to swing around.

Bathroom Vessel Sink Faucets

There are many different types of faucets made for bathroom vessel sinks.  They have a unique look with a tall neck with water pouring out of the spout like a small waterfall.  Some models have an open top that truly looks like a waterfall.  Others have the water coming out of a tube.  One of the most popular styles is shaped to look like a piece of bamboo.  Depending on your budget, there are models that will please anyone.  Cheap vessel sink faucets can be bought for just over $30, while those made by designer manufacturers can cost hundreds of dollars.  Prices of a faucet for vessel sinks will depend somewhat on the material it is made from.  Chrome will be the cheapest, and stainless steel or bronze will cost a bit more usually.  That said, it is possible to find great deals on faucets made from any of these materials.

Wall Mount Vessel Sink Faucets

Wall mount versions are available as well, but I personally don’t think they look as good as their sink-mount counterparts.  The reason is that the wall mount faucets need to come out of the wall horizontally, which loses the tall waterfall look.

Waterfall Vessel Sink Faucets

One very great looking type of vessel faucet is the waterfall style.  Water comes out of the neck and is released onto a glass disk, which makes the water spread out and flow into the sink like a waterfall.  These faucets are used in conjunction with vessel sinks in many high class hotels and restaurants around the world, and people are now realizing that they can install them easily in their own homes.

Tags: Bathrooms, Faucets, Sinks by Jeffrey
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Although there are many different types of kitchen carts and islands available, one of them really stands out as something different.  The butcher block kitchen cart has a unique look all its own and can give your kitchen style and functionality.  While most kitchen carts and islands tend to be large and bulky, butcher block carts are normally small.  In addition, they often feature and open layout as opposed to an enclosed cabinet layout like many other kitchen carts and islands. There are a few different styles of these butcher block kitchen carts, so let’s take a look at some of them a little more closely.

Square Butcher Block Kitchen Carts

What gives these carts their name is the heavy duty wooden top that is placed on them.  Wile other carts have a thin wooden, stainless steel, or composite top, butcher block carts have a really thick top that is meant to be used as a cutting board.  Most of them are at least 1 ½ inches thick, and are built strong enough to stand up to lots of chopping and pounding.
Home Styles makes a nice square kitchen cart with butcher block top.  It is nearly square (19 X 20 ¾ inches) and has wheels on the bottom.  Underneath the thick top, there is a single shelf, an open space for storage, and then a small cabinet on the bottom.  The sides also feature hooks for convenient hanging of items like kitchen spoons and strainers.

Round Butcher Block Kitchen Carts

The same company, Home Styles also has a very unique look round butcher block cart.  It has a solid chopping block on top, and the bottom has lots of little nooks and crannies for storing kitchen items that you need on hand. It features a single small drawer on top, a wine rack on the bottom that that can hold up to 9 bottles and side shelves that will also hold open wine bottles or other things.  This little cart looks like it would be perfect for use on the patio or deck next to the barbecue.  It has rubber wheels for easy moving around, although you need to be careful if you have wine bottles in the rack that they don’t fall out.

If you are looking for something with a bold wooden look, take a look at the Proteak end grain rectangular butcher block cart.  It is constructed of the finest teak wood available and has super-thick 5 inch top on it.  It really has a rustic appearance, and is built strong enough to stand up to heavy chopping.  The teak top is also resistant to to knife marks. take a look at it here.

Tags: Carts and Islands by Jeffrey
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It is no secret that stainless steel is one of the best materials to use when cleanliness is important.  For this reason, many people choose to use a stainless steel kitchen cart.  Although some people use them in their homes, these carts are also commonly used for commercial kitchens.  Many home kitchens have kitchen carts, but they are commonly constructed out of wood, which matches kitchen cabinets.  Commercial kitchens on the other hand usually have lots of stainless steel equipment in them, and a kitchen cart made out of this material fits in well and serves its purpose.

Stainless Steel Kitchen Carts for Home Kitchens

The majority of carts that are intended for home use are only partially made of stainless steel.  A stainless steel top kitchen cart is usually made out of wood and has a stainless top that works great as extra counter space.  You can get them in a variety of styles, so it shouldn’t be much of a problem to match your cabinets and other kitchen furniture.  Whether you are looking for a natural wood finish like oak or cherry, or a color like black or white, they are easy to find.  Unlike kitchen carts, which usually come with tops already on them, kitchen islands normally don’t have a top on them when you purchase them.  You can get a nice kitchen island, and then have a stainless steel top placed on top of it.

Home Styles Stainless Steel Top Kitchen Cart

One of the biggest producers of this type of kitchen cart is Home Styles.  They make many different styles of the kitchen cart with stainless steel top.  Nearly all of them have wooden bases and have wheels on the bottom allowing them to roll.  Their carts come in many different layouts as well.  Some have 2 drawers on top and an open bottom.  Others are fully enclosed with drawers and shelves.  This company produces some very versatile carts that incorporate many functions.

Commercial Stainless Steel Kitchen Island Cart

Unlike those meant for the home, commercial models are usually completely made out of stainless steel.  Commercial kitchens demand cleanliness and sanitary conditions, and stainless steel can be sprayed with water and cleaned off easily in a way that wooden carts can’t.  Commercial stainless steel carts also usually have an open layout as opposed to an enclosed drawer and cabinet structure.  Finally, carts and islands meant for use in industrial settings are built tough enough to handle the harsh conditions of commercial kitchens.

Tags: Carts and Islands by Jeffrey
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A great way to increase storage and counter space in your kitchen is with a cart or island.  There are many, many of these carts available, but nearly all of them come with natural wood finishes.  These days many people are choosing to incorporate different colors into their kitchens, and black is a great color to use.   For this reason, the black kitchen cart is gaining popularity.   Here is a guide to some of the most popular black kitchen carts available.

Dolly Madison Black Kitchen Cart

One of the most common styles that you can find is the Dolly Madison kitchen cart.  These carts nearly always have wheels for easy mobility.  You can get one that is solid black, but they also can have a black base with a wooden top.  Many people like the contrast between natural wood and a color like black. 

Black Kitchen Islands

Though the names are often interchangeable, kitchen islands are a bit different than kitchen carts.  The main difference is that they tend to be bigger.  Kitchen islands are often quite large and can take up a good portion of the open space in a kitchen.  In addition, a black kitchen island cart will come without a top installed on it sometimes.  You can either buy one finished with a countertop already installed, or you can put your own one on once you get it.  Many people like to match the island to their counters, so they use the same materials for both of these.  

There are many kitchen carts and islands that have a top that is different than the base.  You can get a black kitchen cart with a wooden top, a stainless steel top, or a composite counter top.  One style that looks great if you want everything to be the same color is to get a black kitchen cart and have a granite counter installed on it.  This way you will have a solid and durable countertop that matches its base.

Tags: Carts and Islands by Jeffrey
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If you are thinking of purchasing a kitchen faucet, you have lots of choices. They generally fall into one of these two main categories:  Sink mounted faucets or wall mount kitchen faucets.  For this article, I’m going to focus on the wall mounted faucet because the majority of information covers the other type.  A wall mount kitchen faucet is definitely a bit more challenging to install, but not too bad if you are handy with plumbing.  If not, it is best to leave the job to a professional.  If your home already has a wall mounted kitchen faucet however, it should be a relatively easy task.

Types of Wall Mounted Kitchen Faucets

Most of these faucets differ by these factors:  The type of material used to make them, the design of the neck, and the overall style.  The most common type available is silver and shiny, and is made out of either stainless steel or chrome.  While sink mounted faucets usually have high necks, a wall mounted kitchen faucet usually sticks fairly straight out from the wall because it is already at a high enough level to begin with.  There are those that do curve upwards, and some of them even hang downwards, since they are designed to be mounted higher up on the wall.

Wall Mount Gooseneck Kitchen Faucet

One model that really stands out is the gooseneck American Standard wall mount kitchen faucet.  It mouts onto the wall directly over the sink, and the gooseneck has a nice high curve.   This faucet is made of brass with a chrome finish that has a lifetime guarantee against tarnishing or scratching.  In addition, it has ceramic disk valves that prevent dripping.

Cheap Wall Mount Kitchen Faucet

Many people are just looking for a simple, cheap wall mount kitchen sink faucet.  Though many of these faucets cost well over $100, there are definitely cheaper options.  Price Pfister, LDR, and Kingston all have wall mount faucets in the $30 – $60 range with simple designs.  The cheaper faucets usually have a chrome finish, and bronze or stainless steel cost a bit more.

Wall Mount Kitchen Faucet with Spray

While it is easy to find a sink mount kitchen faucet that has a sprayer attached, wall mount versions are a little harder to come by.  Danze makes a pull down wall mount kitchen faucet.  The end of the faucet detaches and becomes a sprayer, which works the same way as a separate kitchen sprayer.  This is one of the few models that have a sprayer.  Many wall mount faucets do however come with a soap dish that rests directly above the handles and the neck.

Tags: Faucets by Jeffrey
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