Where to begin?... Plumbing!

The list of selections when starting a big project is a long one and often times clients aren’t sure where to start. For new builds or large renovations, I recommend starting with two of the big ones: plumbing & appliances. The kitchen is the heart of the home and finishes and style can really set the tone for your home. Plumbing fixtures and appliances can also greatly impact the budget and can set you over so getting a start here and knowing where you stand early on can help to keep you on track.

Once our floor plan was finalized and demo began, we went straight to our local plumbing store, Moluf’s. We went through the floor plan room by room, discussing every sink, shower valve and faucet to be sure we had covered all of our options. We want our home to feel traditional and timeless so my selections reflect that. We chose unlacquered brass fixtures for our kitchen and master bath. I love that brass is a living finish and ages over time so while I realize it will require a little extra cleaning and polishing, the wow-factor it gives makes it worth it to me. Our powder room was also an area I wanted to make a statement and dress up so we went with a console sink with unlacquered brass legs and a brass cross handle faucet. You may notice I used a couple of the faucets multiple times throughout our home. I’m a big believer if you know what you love, go for it. When it comes to traditional design, there is no reason to complicate things. While the faucets might be the same in a couple spaces I knew I could have some fun with tile, lighting & mirrors to really set the spaces apart.

Sink bowl size, style and finish is important to pick early on as it dictates your cabinet and vanity designs. Apron front, single, double vs. triple bowl, stainless steel, under mount, oval vs. rectangular… the sink options can seem endless! For our kitchen we chose one large fireclay apron front sink. I personally like the option to bathe the dog or a baby and have the extra space in a single bowl. For our smaller bath vanities we chose smaller sinks to allow for adequate counter space and in our master bath where we had plenty of space we went for larger rectangular bowls to catch the extra splatter.

When it comes to plumbing selections think simultaneously about style and function.

A few things to ask yourself…

Do you want warm or cool tones in your kitchen and bath? Are you open to mixing metals in your spaces? What finish will your light fixtures, appliances and cabinet hardware be? Clients ask me often about mixing metals and I’m a big fan - when it’s done right. As long as each finish has a buddy or match somewhere else in that space it works. (For example: stainless appliances with a stainless steel sink or faucet + brass cabinet hardware with brass light fixtures as shown in the kitchen below). Ideally you want only two metals mixed but if you have to, three can work! When it comes to design, there are always exceptions to the “rules”.

Are you a cross handle or lever lover? I love a classic cross handle but it’s a lot easier to turn on the water with a lever when your hands are messy from cooking. Think about how you cook, how your family functions, and if patina and aging is something that you’ll grow to love or will drive you crazy. While we were willing to splurge in the kitchen and master bath, we wanted to save in the additional bathrooms knowing that these areas will get a lot of use from kids and guests so we chose a chrome finish.

By starting with the plumbing fixtures early on, you will be able to map out a plan when it comes to selecting lighting, cabinet & door hardware, tile, counter tops, and even paint colors. Think of plumbing as a solid foundation for your overall aesthetic and jumping off point. Once the framing is complete rough ins begin and having every valve, faucet, drain, shower head, disposal (and more!) selected is key in making sure it’s done right from the start.

I’ll be sharing tips for perfecting the placement of rough ins in the next post!

In the meantime, below is a peek at a few of our plumbing choices for #CliffwoodComestoLife.

xx, Molly