Farmhouse Sinks: The Pros & Cons

As one of the most important components of the kitchen, the sink is more than just a basin you use to clean your dishes, it’s often a focal point of the room itself. And being a focal point of the “heart of your home,” it’s always a good idea to choose a sink that complements your unique style and decor of your home.

To help you find the best sink for your kitchen, we wanted to discuss the pros and cons of one of the oldest, yet forever trendy, styles of sinks available to homeowners - The Farmhouse Sink. Let's take a closer look at this charming and vintage sink, so you can decide whether it's the right choice for your kitchen.

What Is a Farmhouse Sink?

Also known as an apron sink, a farmhouse-style sink features a deep basin and an exposed front that sits flush with your cabinets and countertops. With a touch of country charm, this type of sink offers a number of functional benefits that make it a great choice for many kitchens. 

Despite a history that dates back centuries, this type of sink is starting to make a comeback in recent years. If you’re looking to remodel your kitchen, or just looking to add a bit of rustic flair, this may be a great option.

Stylish, Strong & Durable Build

Perhaps its due of their dated history or just the recent surge in popularity, but you can find farmhouse kitchen sinks available in a wide variety of materials.

Each material will have their own set of pros and cons, but they all serve the same general purpose. The best farmhouse sink for your home will largely come down to what works best for your budget and overall look you’re going for.

Common Materials Include:

A copper farmhouse sink is one of the most popular options. However, if you want to stay true to tradition, then you may want to stick with fireclay or porcelain.  

The Vintage Functionality of Farm Sinks

Generally, apron sinks are much wider and deeper than other styles of kitchen sinks. These defining characteristics go far beyond just satisfying a rustic appearance; they make every day use much more convenient.

With an old-fashioned design, the large basin of a farmhouse sink is a throwback of a time when the sink in the kitchen served many household purposes. From washing clothes to bathing the kids, the sink was commonly used for much more than simply washing dirty dishes. And, it’s not hard to see how the deep basin of an apron sink could accomplish all these tasks with ease.

Traditionally, farmhouse sinks consist of a single basin. But, with their modern-day surge in popularity, it’s not hard to find a double farmhouse sink designed to have multiple basins to add even more functionality to your kitchen.

Despite its vintage design, modern farmhouse sinks still give you the option to install a garbage disposal to help eliminate food waste. The installation process may vary, but it’s a simple upgrade that is absolutely available.

Is a Farmhouse Sink Right For Your Kitchen?

As you're considering whether to choose a farmhouse sink for your kitchen, it's important to understand all the advantages and challenges of this design. While it is a style that has been around for decades, it may not be the best choice for every kitchen.

Let’s take a look at some of the pros and cons of this type of sink.

The Pros:

Here are some of the most prevelant benefits you can expect from a farm style sink.

Extra Capacity:

The additional width and depth of these sinks allows plenty of room for soaking dishes, large pots and pans, and other hard-to-clean items, such as grill grates, stock pots, and baking sheets. Because apron sinks are located in a forward orientation relative to the countertops and cabinets, it's also easier to lift heavier items in and out of the sink.

More Versatility:

Typically, a farmhouse sink won’t include pre-drilled holes for a faucet. While this may seem like a bad thing on the surface, this actually provides homeowners with a bit more flexibility in choosing the best faucet for their needs.

In most cases, the faucet will be installed on the countertop directly behind the sink, but this gives you the option to install the faucet wherever works best for your kitchen. Or, perhaps you love the faucet you currently own, and just want to upgrade the sink. 

Alluring Appearance:

Let’s be honest here. The ”look” of a farmhouse sink is probably one of the driving factors as to why you’re interested in owning one. The extra capacity is just an added convenience. But, there’s no denying that it creates a natural focal point in an area of your home where you spent quite a bit of time.  

Lots of Options to Choose From:

As you can see from the list above, farmhouse sinks are available in a wide variety of materials, colors and finishes. This makes it incredibly easy to find one that complements the style of your kitchen, and blend right into the cabinetry and other appliances in this space.

The Cons:

Like anything that you buy for your home, farmhouse sinks do have their own set of disadvantages and challenges. It’s important to take these into consideration, as you look to upgrade your sink or remodel your kitchen.

They Take Up A Lot of Space:

The downside of the extra capacity, is that farmhouse sinks tend to eat up a lot of space. Because they are wider and deeper than other types of sinks, installing this type of sink may take away some of that precious real estate in your kitchen

The amount of countertop space is the obvious loss that most homeowners think about. What they often overlook is the extra depth of an apron sink, and the amount of under-sink storage that they may lose out on. This is especially true if you have a garbage disposal, as well.

Heavier Build May Complicate Install

Due to their durable build, you’ll find that most farm sinks will be much heavier than other types of kitchen sinks. While it’s not always the case, and depends on the material of the sink itself, it’s certainly possible that you may need to make some modifications to your existing cabinetry to support the extra weight

This probably won’t pose much of an issue if you’re building a new kitchen or undergoing a major renovation. However, the extra weight may present an unexpected challenge if you are looking to swap out an apron sink in place of a more common style.