THE TEAM

FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
Matt Plaskoff

GENERAL MANAGER
Michael Cook

PRODUCTION MANAGER
Keith Cook

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
Monte Vajnar

PROJECT MANAGERS
Philip Boscarino
Robert Brighton
Don Wood
Bruce Holden

SUPERINTENDENT
David James

CUSTOMER SERVICE
MANAGER
Ray Lopez

DESIGN BUILD
COORDINATORMatt Armato

LABOR SUPERVISOR
Rafael Castellanos

ESTIMATING
Clint Whitman

CONTROLLER
George Khoury

ADMINISTRATION
Teddi Best

ARCHITECT
John Himes

DIRECTOR OF DESIGN
Pegi Miller

CARPENTER TEAM
Miquel Lagos
Jose Alcala

PAINTING TEAM
Ramon Ramirez
Luis Rivas
Manuel Ramirez

WASTE MANAGEMENT
Efrain Guevara

Vessel Sinks Add Artistic Design Element
To Dress Up Any Bathroom
by Eric Olson

Sitting on top of a bathroom counter like the humble washbasins of yesteryear, vessel sinks have been around since time immemorial. However, it’s only within the last five years or so that they’ve been enjoying a modern resurgence, offering a new twist on home bathroom design. You may have begun to notice them more and more in magazines, on television home design programs, or perhaps at a friend’s house.

“They are extremely popular,” says Angela Giorgio, department supervisor of the bath showroom at the Expo Design Center in Westwood. “The demand has definitely increased over the past three years and is growing more all the time.”

Because a vessel sink sits on top of the counter, it is totally on display, becoming a unique, functional work of art that can add beauty and interest to your bathroom. A vessel commands attention. When you walk in, it’s the first thing you see and is quite unique compared to the standard, inset porcelain sinks everyone is used to. It’s part of the whole idea of transforming your bathroom into a sumptuous, at-home spa.

“People are really starting to want to make their bathrooms more creative, putting a lot more thought and time into them, and vessels are a great way to have a showy piece that looks really nice and is functional,” says Michelle McIntire, marketing coordinator for Native Trails, a San Luis Obispo based manufacturer of handcrafted copper vessels and accessories.

Vessel sinks come in a wide range of materials such as glass, stainless steel, copper, porcelain, mosaic, and stone. Glass and steel designs impart a very modern look; while the warm, rich character of copper is more traditional looking; and the earthy, sensual character of stone evokes a natural, restful feeling, which is ideal for creating Asian inspired bathrooms.

“There’s a big trend in the Asian influence, kind of that tranquil, Zen look,” says Susan Hugo, designer/owner of Terra Acqua, a small manufacturer of handcrafted stone vessels based in Santa Barbara. “There’s also a trend towards square designs and lower profile vessels. Our biggest seller is the Fuera sink, an elegant Asian influenced, low profile stone vessel available in green, honey and white onyx. Onyx is a particularly beautiful choice of stone, because it’s translucent and can be under-lit.”

Handcrafted copper vessels are also really starting to take off in popularity, offering their own unique character as sink-as-art-object. “The demand has been growing so much that we just started expanding on the different shapes we offer,” says McIntire. “They are made out of thick, heavy gauge copper, with a special tempered finish, achieved through a special heating and cooling process throughout the hammering of the sink. Each bowl has its own unique variations, because they are hand crafted.”

One nice advantage of vessel sinks is that they give you some flexibility to retrofit a special cabinet you might find into a vanity, lending some real character to your bathroom. Vessels are also convenient for taller people. Having the bowl sit on top of the counter makes it a little easier to reach the water without having to bend over so much. The only disadvantage is in the initial installation, which is a little more customized, and may require the plumbing to come out from the wall, instead of out from the surface of your countertop.

As more and more people become interested in transforming their bathrooms from places of pure function to sanctuaries of escape, rest and rejuvenation, vessel sinks provide one more design option to get creative with.

“They’re being used in all different kinds of bathrooms,” says Pegi Miller, director of design at Plaskoff Construction in Tarzana. “Often people will go a little more crazy in designing a powder room in order to make them more dramatic, however, vessels are being used in master bathrooms as well,” she says. “They’re being used in really contemporary design; they’re being used in more of an Asian or Zen design; and they’re also used in old-world looks, like Tuscan or French Provencal.”

Hugo concurs, noting that in the beginning, vessel sinks were used more for smaller guest bathrooms, but are now being used for the master bath. “I think when vessels first started appearing, people thought maybe it was trendy and wasn’t going to stick,” she says. “I don’t think people feel that way anymore. They’re realizing that vessel sinks are a timeless and important design element.”

Whether you’re looking to create your dream bathroom or to simply add a little more drama and interest to an existing bathroom, vessel sinks are a great way to go. Whatever your design aspirations, with a little searching, you’re sure to find the perfect vessel sink that will reflect your sense of style and beauty and make your bathroom unique.

Resources Mentioned In This Article

Susan Hugo
Designer/Owner
Terra Acqua (Santa Barbara)
www.terracqua.net

Michelle McIntire
Marketing Coordinator
Native Trails (San Luis Obispo)
www.nativetrails.net

Pegi Miller
Director of Design
Plaskoff Construction (Tarzana)
www.plaskoff.com

Angela Giorgio
Department Supervisor of Bath Showroom
Expo Design Center (Westwood)
www.expo.com