In addition to choosing the best material, mounting type , number of bowls and bowl depth for your kitchen sink, you also have a range of sink size options. An extra-wide kitchen sink will obviously give you more space for food prep and cleanup, and you might prefer it over the confines of a smaller sink, but bigger sinks typically cost more and can take up valuable space in a small kitchen.

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry. Here are tips to help you figure out the perfect sink size for your cooking and cleaning needs.

Size to Your Kitchen

It may seem obvious, but if your kitchen is on the smaller side, consider installing a smaller-width sink. An oversize, triple-bowl model would overwhelm a compact kitchen. A more modest-size, yet still deep, single-bowl apron-front sink is large enough to accommodate most kitchen tasks, but it isn’t a space hog. Countertop and base cabinet storage areas are likely to be at a premium in a smaller kitchen, so a smaller-width sink will improve overall function too.

Size to the Window Above It

Homeowners often install a kitchen sink beneath a window, preferably a window with a nice view. But some homeowners overlook how these two elements work together. That’s not to say your sink and window need to match widths exactly, but it can look odd to have a super-wide sink set below a skinny window and vice versa.

Size to Be a Focal Point

If you choose to go with an extra-wide sink, you’re going to have a difficult time disguising it. Therefore, take the opposite approach and make your wide sink a focal point. Repurpose an interesting salvaged sink or consider an unusual material, like copper.

Size to Your Budget

This might also be obvious, but it’s all too easy to fall in love with a huge, gorgeous, apron-front sink only to find that it’s priced well above what your budget will allow.

Installing all top-of-the-line materials, fixtures and appliances in a kitchen doesn’t make sense for everyone, so it’s helpful to strategize on where you’re going to spend money and where you can save.

It might be better to splurge on the countertops or kitchen floor rather than the sink. After all, you can get a perfectly good 20-inch-wide stainless steel undermount sink for less than $200.

Size Based on Your Needs

If you’re an avid cook who prefers hand-washing dishes to running the dishwasher, a large divided-bowl sink with an integrated drainboard is a great option. The wider sink allows multiple people to work at the sink without getting in each other’s way, and that built-in drainboard makes the business of draining and air drying dishes less of a wet mess.

This size sink will require an extra-wide sink cabinet and will take up quite a bit of space, so it’s best for a generous-size kitchen.

If you need a hand with prepping meals or cleaning up, consider installing two single-bowl sinks instead of one extra-large sink. A configuration like this allows two cooks to work together, and because these sinks are set apart, traffic jams are less likely.

If you have the space and budget for it, a three-sink setup is nice for a multicook household that does a lot of entertaining. The separate sinks allow several people to work in the kitchen simultaneously. None of the sinks needs to be exceptionally large. One main sink can handle bigger tasks and the others can be sized much smaller. Of course, this configuration has the potential to be costly due to the duplicate plumbing fixtures and installation fees.

Consider Fun-Size Sinks

Linear sinks are difficult to wash dishes in but, they work just fine for fetching a glass of water or dumping out abandoned drinks when the party’s over. You can also fill one with ice and stash cold drinks in it, a nice alternative to keeping an unsightly cooler in the kitchen or having guests rummage through your refrigerator for a cold one. And it doesn’t take up much space on the countertop.

If you’re looking for a high-impact and relatively easy upgrade for your kitchen, you may want to consider updating your kitchen countertops. Classic wooden countertops are a great choice for kitchens. Not only do they add warmth to the space, but wooden counters look timeless and are often more cost-effective than other countertop materials, such as stone or engineered surfaces. If you’re thinking about switching to wood, it’s worth seeking out sustainable sources.

Here are four key things to think about when choosing, installing and maintaining new wooden work surfaces in your kitchen.

Consider Colour

When it comes to choosing a wood type for your countertop, colour is a key consideration. If you assumed that the blonde tones of white oak, golden hues of pine or rich browns of tropical hardwoods were the only options, you’ll be surprised to learn that there’s quite a range of colours, and finishes. 

Cool tones add a modern industrial look to a kitchen and pair it with sleek cabinets and your kitchen will feel edgy and utterly sharp. If you’re eager for a cosy, warm feel, opt for rich redness or the intense darkness of brown hardwood surfaces.

Match the Style With Your Space

In addition to the many colours of wood, there are plenty of countertop styles to choose from to complement the design of your kitchen. For example, if you like a modern country feel, showcase a rustic edge. Alternatively, if a streamlined contemporary look is more your style, straight edges will convey that sleek vibe.

There’s also the construction of the countertops to consider. You could save on cost and go for a standard butt-joint style, which combines two pieces with finger joints, or you could upgrade this look with a top made from full-length lamellas with side lamination and no joints. With wide wood planks joined just along the long edges, you get a harmonious look for your counter. Or you could opt for a butcher block style with an upward-facing end grain that features a chessboard-like pattern. This type of surface is more durable than a lengthwise wood top.

Add Complementary Elements

Want to create a showstopping kitchen island? Consider extending the wood surfaces on either end to create a waterfall effect. Use thinner panels of wood for different elements such as ends, shelving and even windowsills to create a cohesive look.

Instead of adding wall units, for example, consider installing open shelves on either side of the range hood in the same wood as your countertops. You’ll create a sense of space, as well as the perfect display spot for houseplants, glassware and ceramics. Conversely, if you have a kitchen wall cabinet or an island with open shelves, consider lining the shelves with thin panels of wood for a balanced effect.

Ensure That They Last

Acacia is known for its robust, hard-wearing qualities, making it a solid choice for kitchen countertops. It’s also often touted as a sustainable wood. To ensure that the wood you’re purchasing is indeed grown and harvested sustainably, look for wood with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification, which means it comes from a sustainable plantation.

To be extra sure your wooden surfaces retain their good looks for longer, use a conditioning oil, such as Hardwax Oil, to provide long-lasting protection and enhance the beauty of the grain.

Bonus: Hardwax Oil is certified climate- and carbon-neutral and is tested and approved for contact with food. Plus, with zero VOC (volatile organic compounds), its nontoxic properties make it safe to use the surfaces as soon as they’ve dried.

When remodeling a kitchen that’s small or moderately sized, it’s important to make every square inch count. For a kitchen makeovers refacing cabinets, introducing lighter color palettes and boosting storage to create spaces that are updated, brighter and more user-friendly .

Check out the before-and-after photos of these three kitchen makeovers that are 185 square feet or less, then let us know which one you think saw the biggest gains.

Refacing Cabinets

If you like your kitchen layout, but feel the finishes need updating and want to give the kitchen a fresh look, refacing the cabinets rather than doing a full renovation maybe the way to go. Along with new countertops, flooring, backsplash and a new fridge and dishwasher can transform your kitchen.

To be good candidates for refacing, cabinets should have solid wood boxes in good condition. If the existing boxes are made of birch, then the wood grain won’t show through paint so they can just be painted. But if they are made of oak or another wood that paint won’t hide the wood grain, you will have to do some prep work, like sanding them, before painting. 

If the cabinet boxes are in good shape, remove the doors and drawer fronts and pick the style you prefer. Paint the box frames and exposed sides to match the new cabinet doors.

Refacing is much more cost-effective. Yet, you still get all the benefits of a new kitchen without a huge renovation. 

Create a more cook-friendly layout with new appliances and a fresh color palette.

A single small window over the sink doesn’t let in much sunshine increasing light always helps to brighten and expand a space. 

A u-shaped counter can divide a space, creating a narrow kitchen and a tight dining area. By eliminating a u-shaped counter a kitchen can be extended by adding cabinetry and countertop space along the wall, increasing the size of the existing kitchen.

Putting in an island with the ability to eat on, can help increase the feeling of space while doing double duty - more cabinet and work space.

Modern bathroom design is often all about going minimalist with clean finishes for a spa-like feel. But sometimes the look ends up feeling clinical. To make sure your space feels just as inviting as the rest of your home, try some favorite bathroom design tips to create a sense of warmth and personality while achieving spot-on style.

Pattern

Bathrooms often are devoid of interesting patterns, which is a shame, because energetic patterns can add life to any room. Consider adding a patterned window shade or playful towels, or simply hang a colourful print or wallpaper sample in a frame as artwork. These low-commitment ideas allow you to keep a classic colour scheme for the fixed elements while dabbling in colour trends as the mood strikes.

A horizontally striped shower curtain is a foolproof way to add some pattern and excitement in a bathroom of any size, style or budget. Try a gray-and-white stripe to match any palette.

Anchor With Colour

Having lighter colours at the eyeline will help a bathroom feel clean and airy, but try balancing them with a deep colour lower to the ground. This adds a sense of richness that helps keep the space from feeling too stark, without making it overwhelmingly dark. Plus, it beautifully sets off classic white fixtures.

If your bathroom has a large amount of wall space eaten up by tile, windows or mirror, try a dark colour on the remaining plain walls. This helps the more interesting features to advance and the plain walls to recede, for a more dynamic look and lots of rich character.

Detailed Mirror

A plain slab mirror can be beautifully functional in a modern bathroom, but if you’re looking to add some personality, a statement mirror frame is a great place to start.

Hanging Mirror

Go a step more dramatic with your mirror and hang one with a chunky strap from an equally substantial hook. You can also layer this look by hanging a bold frame at eye level over a flat rectangular mirror slab as a quick upgrade to an existing mirror. Have nowhere to attach the frame because tile or glass is in the way? Ask your contractor if a mirror or frame could be hung from your ceiling instead.

Étagère

A free-standing open shelving unit adds essential storage and some personality for a more lived-in look than built-in shelves which some people find have a drier vibe, but ultimately it all comes down to preference.

Natural Materials

Bathrooms usually feature a lot of crisp materials that, while waterproof, are sometimes a little visually cold. Natural materials reintroduce some warmth and a sense of human touch, so look for places to add wood, organically shaped stone or woven baskets.

Animal-inspired prints also bring in a sense of life, as do shades of natural green and blackened bronze.

Tip: Towels with a fringe add a sense of personality and fit well with the traditional-meets-modern elements of a wood vanity.

Vessel Sink

An eye-catching vessel sink makes a space feel more enticing. Switching away from the typical porcelain makes an evocative statement. Consider natural materials and imperfect shapes, like a carved wood, stone or blown-glass sink.

If you do prefer the look of crisp white porcelain, consider a vessel sink with a mounted faucet behind it, especially in a finish like bronze or brass.

Also consider a trendy yet classic farmhouse-style sink, with a raised back to frame a faucet or two. This eclectic look has a homey yet sophisticated appeal.

Tile

Want to get really creative? For a unique bathroom look with plenty of personality, mix different-color tiles together to create a mosaic design on an accent wall. This takes some planning and usually costs extra to have installed, but you can achieve a dramatic with very few tiles.

Try this especially with plain porcelain subway tiles, throwing in a few leftover or retired sample tiles scooped up at a showroom at a bargain price to add personality and a look unique to you.

Hardware

Just as in the kitchen, cabinet hardware often goes overlooked as a detail worth upgrading. Fun or quirky knobs and pulls add an interesting personal detail that you can always change inexpensively down the road.

Dramatic Ceiling

If you can’t find the right spot to add drama, try looking up. A single roll of wallpaper is often enough to make over a bathroom ceiling, and since bathrooms are often taller than they are wide, adding a little interest overhead will only help make the room feel intimate and more well-proportioned.