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Bar sinks: Defining new zone in kitchens
September 20, 2024
Entertainment sinks are traditionally secondary sinks in a kitchen. Today, they are gaining the spotlight and are soon on their way to defining a new zone within the kitchen area.
Bar or entertainment sinks are small, secondary sinks in the kitchen. For years, bar sinks were basically small stainless-steel sinks tucked away in a corner of the kitchen, or even installed out of sight in many basement bar areas. While bar sinks were originally quite small, their purpose has recently been pushed beyond just fruit and veggie preparation.
Cast-iron bar sinks can also be filled with ice cubes to make a long-lasting ‘insulating’ ice bucket for chilling wine bottles or staging beverages. Photo Courtesy: Simona Sergi on Unsplash
Marking a new zone
With the new trend of sinks as entertainment hub complete with high-end kitchen islands, the role of bar sinks have now transformed and with kitchens taking centre stage so are these bar sinks. Today, the kitchen area has also become an area where family and friends regularly hang out or even host dinner parties. Bar sinks serve as accessories that instantly catch the eyes of the guests. Many people are calling these fancy bar sinks ‘prep sinks’ or ‘entertainment sinks’. The area directly in front of the bar sink is perfect for preparing a salad, or for setting a serving platter of hors d’oeuvres with a plethora of chilled drinks in the sink. An extra sink, no matter what its size or shape helps define a new zone in the kitchen; whether it be for preparation, or just for the joy of entertaining guests.
A lot of people today consider including an entertainment sink as a feature in their kitchens as they instantly bring a very luxurious and sophisticated feel to the kitchen. They are available in attractive shapes and look particularly great on the large island or peninsula countertops.
The bar or entertainment sink’s basic function is to serve as a complementary sink wherein one can perform lighter tasks such as wash fruits and vegetables or rinsing glasses before serving something in them. However, a lot of times, the bar sinks are filled with ice cubes and are used to store champagne, beer, other drinks or desserts right before or during a party. There is no doubt they act as a visual treat!
While buying a bar sink, the material needs to be practical as well as visually appealing. Photo Courtesy: Beazy on Unsplash
Style and Material
Typically a bar sink is much smaller and lacks depth in comparison to a regular sink. Also, the depth of the sink depends on the space available beneath the sink for plumbing. Typical sizes range between 9 1/2 to 18 inches and may be round, rectangular or square of any other shape.
Bar sinks are available with one or two bowls and are either top mount or under mount styles. A top-mount bar sink is also referred to as self-rimming or drop-in. They are set into a cut-out countertop and have a rim that prevents the sink from dropping inside the opening. These are easy to install and the rim provides a close seal to prevent leakage. With an undermount sink, the sink sits just beneath the countertop, and the edges of the counter where it is cut out to fit the sink are finished. These types of bar sinks are contemporary and offer a sleek look. They also come with covers that transform them into counter space when not in use.
Bar sinks serve as accessories that instantly catch the eyes of the guests. Many people are calling these fancy bar sinks ‘prep sinks’ or ‘entertainment sinks’. Photo Courtesy: Callum Hill on Unsplash
While buying a bar sink, the material needs to be practical as well as visually appealing. Porcelain is long-lasting, scratch-resistant and comes in a wide range of colours. Acrylic is a common sink material that is also stain-resistant and durable, but bronze or copper can add an aged beauty to an entertainment sink as they develop a patina with age. Stainless steel is lightweight, economical and impact and stain resistant, but granite or other stone has a natural look. Stone sinks are heavy like cast iron, but they’re more durable than stainless steel and resist scratches. Stone sinks require frequent cleaning due to their porosity.
However, because of its versatility, durability and vibrant colour options, enamelled cast iron is fast becoming the material of choice for many of today's high-end bar sinks. Cast-iron bar sinks can also be filled with ice cubes to make a long-lasting ‘insulating’ ice bucket for chilling wine bottles or staging beverages.
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