Jess here! So my friend recently bought her first home and needs to do some renovating (she will laugh at the “some” part of that sentence). It’s a bit of a fixer-upper but it’s going to be so wonderful once it’s all done. Soon we will get back those nights where we stay up waaay too late drinking wine/talking and I “have to” sleepover. The gamechanger? I get my own room now! Ok enough about me and back to my friend’s house. She had mentioned she had been perusing our site for design advice and told me how helpful this post was for deciding what kind of bathroom fixtures she wanted. This got me thinking maybe she wasn’t the only one needing some sink/faucet advice since renovations are slowly starting back up again. So if you are confused about sinks and faucets, read through Emily’s thought process for what and why she wanted a certain combo for the mountain house.
I am THIS CLOSE to showing you the final master bathroom plan (UPDATE: Here’s the reveal) but I have to get everything ordered asap (the plumbing and fixtures won’t change, just all the tile and finishes – depending on your vote). Right when I was about to sign off on the product order I had this terrifying thought – Is a wall mount faucet with an undermount sink TOTALLY WEIRD??? Why don’t people do it? All you see is wall mount with vessel sinks? Is there a reason why? To me it’s super clean and simple and if you get the height right it won’t splash too much. So I tasked my team to find some wall mount sinks that did not use a vessel (like above) to make a case pro the “wall/under” combo and calm my nerves.
First, let’s chat about vessel sinks. For many a year (25 years ago) the vessel sink was super popular – those super decorative glass bowls were BIG and fell fast. But a few years ago there was a revival and simpler square or circle ones became the rage.
I even used this one on top of my vintage dresser in our old guest bathroom. It was modern and simple and made that dresser easy to convert to a vanity. Great.
What I am super into right now is wall mount faucets and on our design plan with Kohler I have wall mount fixtures in 3 of the 5 bathrooms, but I have them paired with undermount sinks. And once you plumb for wall mount and tile over it, there is no going back.
So before I hit “send” on my product spreadsheet I wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing something totally weird.
When you google “wall mount faucet” it’s ALWAYS a vessel sink. WHY? What am I missing? Where is that red flag?
All of these look lovely but do you need a vessel?
Are the pros of a vessel that it looks fancier and kinda has another architectural element? I don’t think functionally they are better in fact often if you get a thick one it can take up more counter space…
But it doesn’t keep your undersides clean if you want to do something like the above and below. An undermount sink would be more visible.
The rectangle vessel is also enjoyed by many bathrooms and if we were to use a vessel in the house then we’d likely lean in that direction.
Great. Lovely. Two thumbs (and two vessels) up.
I like them WAY more when they are more shallow and the height doesn’t come too far off the countertop, but then are they not very functional??
There is the option of a vessel that is more in a “bowl” shape meaning that it is more narrow on the bottom then widens as it comes up.
These can lean more traditional but can certainly be very pretty, and all of these examples are showcasing them so well.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not anti-vessel, I just wasn’t planning on having them. And now I’m questioning myself. So we did a ton of pinning and found many beautiful shots of bathrooms with wall mount faucets and undermount sinks.
I’m feeling much better.
The next question is: what do these bathrooms have in common (if anything) that makes that particular look work, or is there anything to avoid?
While our mountain house has many handmade and warm finishes the plumbing fixtures are all super modern. So while stylistically these bathrooms don’t represent the mountain house, the faucets are pretty modern like some of these that you see here.
Our house is more like these photos, stylistically.
And here are a few more beautiful examples just to really hit it home.
See? The wall mount/under mount combination is beautiful and minimal and simple, no?
Hilariously enough I was panicking so I texted my friend, Nate (Berkus) about it. I was like If anyone is going to give me expert advice, it’s this guy. He said basically yes.
But of course, I’d love you guys to weigh in.
Please tell me if A.) you think this is weird and therefore too risky. or B.) you love it. Or C.) if you have a vessel sink how do you feel about it? Do you wish it were an undermount?
Basically I’d just love a conversation about the pros and cons of vessel sinks or wall mount faucets for that matter … I love the clean look, but am I making a mistake or doing something that will feel super dated in a few years? Weigh in below.
Update: Check out all of The Mountain House REVEALS here: The Kitchen | The Kitchen Organization | The Kitchen Appliances | The Powder Bath | The Living Room | The Downstairs Guest Suite | The Loft | The Kids’ Room | The Upstairs Guest Bath | The Dining Room | The Family Room | The Master Bedroom | The Master Bathroom
Opening Image Credits: Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: The Final Mountain House Reveal (for Now): All the Details of My Master Bathroom
Love the under mount sink with a wall mount combo!!
Vessel sinks look oh so lovely and are so not practical. I mounted one on an antique dresser as vanity at our cottage. Even in a second home still not practical and dresser is damaged and extra hard for kiddos to reach. I guess a large and low vessel would be best for these issues but then it is shallow and lots of splashing. Love the look of the wall mount/undermount combo and can’t wait to see your bath!!
Ditto that! Your vessels are cool/inspiring me to make some home edits. My current house came with one of those bowl-style vessels that consumes the countertop-still looks cool, kinda messy and super hard for toddlers to use. Wall mounted faucet + undermount sink sounds awesome in your hands + maybe easier to clean??
Hmm, I disagree. I recently renovated two bathrooms with very modern, cylindrical vessel sinks. I love that nothing rolls off the counter into the sink. They are like a bowl and they do not splash. The modern, wall mounted faucets are at the proper height. One of them sits on a gorgeous and colorful cement tile vanity top.
I think it really depends on the faucet and the vessel! I’ve seen beautiful ones. xx
I love what you are going for. I really love functional, clean, and more minimal interiors so your combo seems like the best of those worlds. Easy to clean and won’t look like a cluttered countertop. I love the wall mount fixtures in particular but I just don’t see them much in our area, sadly. I always think of them as being in more vintage/older homes. Like with those big gorgeous white kitchen sinks with the drain boards all integrated together. Does that make sense? Maybe looking in older historical homes you will get more examples.
While I don’t love the wall mounted tap/undermount sink combo, I’d definitely go for that instead of the vessel sink. I’ve had both types of sinks and while they might look lovely, vessel sinks are not as practical. When it comes to cleaning up it is so much easier when you wiping down the bench with an undermount- you can just grab a sponge and wipe any mess/makeup/excess water straight into the sink. Also I found with the vessel sink (especially with children) that there would always be splashes all over the bench which was very annoying. I would never get another vessel sink/over mount again.
I like the wall mount faucet with the undermount sink. I had no opinion about vessel sinks until we bought our house a year ago and they’re in our master bath. I hate them so so much and can’t wait until it’s in our budget to take them out! Mostly because they’re glass so it’s impossible to keep them looking clean. But I also find it more Time consuming to clean around them and it means our countertops aren’t as high as I’d like.
I was also thinking about the countertops not being as high. So, would you only go with a vessel because a) you like the look? or b) to gain height if you found the perfect, but short, piece for the vanity?
We’re going with a semi-recessed vessel sink for that exact reason. The teak dresser we’re converting into a vanity is a bit too short but with the 3″ of height above the countertop (6.7″ total for the sink – 3.7″ below the counter) it brings the vanity up to “proper” height
I hate vessel sinks. Either I wash my hands wrong or every vessel sink I’ve ever used is positioned wrong. When I encounter a vessel sink it’s seems like all I do is splash water out of the sink because the faucet is too close to the edge. Team under mount all the way!
I’m with Emily R, and have to use the word “hate” when it comes to vessel sinks!
Ditto, vessels are splashy and it is somehow impossible to keep the exterior clean if you have kids. The undermount/wall faucets look great, almost like an old farmhouse kitchen sink (the real steel and porcelain ones, not the trendy soapstone repros).
Same here! I HATE vessel sinks. On top of the practical issues with them, they always take up so much visual space.
I hate vessel sinks, too. I had one for 6 months and then ripped it out. (Then again, maybe it was installed improperly (which, I guess, would require having a pipe to let air out that was above the level of the sink itself), because it never drained quickly and always looked messy.)
So, yes, go for the undermount sink!
Agreed! I think the undermount sink with the wall-mounted faucets looks cool. Plus, then Emily can be one of the first designers to try it out. Anyway, what I really wanted to say is that I *hate* vessel sinks as well. Every time I’ve tried to wash my face in one, I feel like I’m going to crack my forehead on the sink… must be a depth perception thing. I also don’t think they look that great except for maybe the shallow rectangular ones.
I also do not like vessel sinks for that reason, I hit (or almost hit) my head when I try to wash my face. I also find it awkward to wash my hands.
I hate vessel sinks too. They remind me of urinals.
I’m with the folks above. I have a visceral negative reaction to vessel sinks. Yeah, I “hate” vessel sinks.
ha. I don’t hate, but i’m like ‘why do we use them?’ this whole post is an exercise of asking ‘why’.
I’ll be using a semi-recessed vessel sink so that the teak dresser I’m converting into a vanity is at “proper” height. Without the 3″ above the countertop (plus 1″ of quartz counters) my dream vanity would be too short.
I do however really dislike when the vessel sink scale is disproportionate to the vanity/bathroom. I prefer low rimmed vessel sinks. However when it’s shallow splashing can definitely be and issue. That’s why I went with a semi-recessed version from Kraus.
Agree, I hate vessel sinks! Do the undermount.
wall mount faucet, no vessel sink. These examples are lovely. We have a vessel in 1/2 bath it is fine for occasional hand washing but would be very annoying for face washing, etc. Can’t wait for the reveal!
Vessel bowls, NO. The shallow vessels are ok and seem perfectly functional for a bathroom; you’re not doing dishes, right? I do fear how well they drain-staring at toothpaste spit…shudder. I love the wall/under combo. Can’t wait to see your choices!
Not a fan of the vessel sink. I think an undermount is timeless and the wall mounted faucet amazing. Love the blue tiled bathroom with the white round mirror and undermount sink. Sigh!
I think I like the wall mount tap/undermount sink combo? It’s tricky because like you say you don’t see that combination a lot and I think it looks a bit weird but I’m fairly sure it’s only because I’m not used to it!
I love wall-mounted faucets, but I find that vessel sinks aren’t that practical in a full bathroom (though the above examples are certainly lovely). Go with your gut on this one! Go undermount!!
I recently fell.hard for wall mount faucets — about 4 mos too late — so couldn’t use them in our new build. But hands down I would do wall faucet, undermount sink. I hate vessels for all practical purposes stated in comments above, but think with an undermount it’ll be beautiful AND practical.
Ps- I tend to like it best when it’s in a backsplash. It grounds it and gives it a sense of belonging to the sink and not to the wall.
Exactly my thought!! Love the faucet mounted on marble backsplash.
Agree!
met too and now i’m worried its not our plan! Welp. We’ll see …. maybe that plan can change …
I was liking the last ones you had with the marble coming up at the back so it looks like a modern take of a vintage sink. Still love the vessel sinks but I prefer the low rectangular ones. Don’t know if it’s too kitschy but I’d love a boulder vessel sink in a powder room. 😉
Plus one for mounting the faucet to the backsplash. That’s what we have in our bathroom (like these pics) and kitchen (where the backsplash is part of an integrated soapstone farmhouse sink).
I think people pair wall mounted faucets with vessels BECAUSE they want a vessel sink, not the other way around. I wouldn’t put a vessel anywhere but a powder room – for the reasons mentioned above, but also because it’s hard to clean between the vessel and the wall. Gross. Wall mount + undermount = easiest cleaning ever.
Amber – I was just coming here to say the exact same thing. The cleaning! Oh how I wish I had thought harder about that with my bathroom remodels last year. I thought about it with the toilet (yes, wallmount FTW), but didn’t consider the various configurations and pros/cons with the sinks and faucets.
I am LOVING this wallmount/undermount idea. Next trend.
No to the vessel sink. The water splashes on the surrounds and needs constant mopping up.
They are fine if you are trying to recreate a Victorian look but for a Scandi feel would avoid vessel sinks.
No vessel is my vote !
Well it would b easier to clean around the sink with the wall mounted. I think your eye goes right to the dark ones…not sure faucets and handles are the most attractive from the wall.. I also think they are used in more commercial applications. I did like the ones were the marble was on the back of the sinks . Vessel sinks are great for a hardly used powder room. We had one in the hotel we just stayed in and it was bit of a mess after I washed (splashed water on) my face.
I love the wall mount faucet and under mount sink combo. I’m about to do that combo in my hall bath reno in a few months. Personally, I’m NOT A FAN of vessel sinks at all. I think they look like an afterthought…like the vanity wasn’t designed correctly and someone just plopped a sink on top because there wasn’t enough room to under mount it. Plus, as others have mentioned, they’re messy and a bitch to clean.
Agree! And I always mentally try to put it away. I love a cleared off counter top–I constantly clear my kitchen counter tops of anything extra!!–and to me a vessel feels like a bowl that needs to be put back into the cupboard. And then I’m like, “oh wait! I’m in a bathroom. There’s no kitchen cupboard to put this giant salad bowl into…right, it’s my sink. Uh…now what? Oh, I’m so confused…” I think I would have daily mental circus if I had a vessel sink in my bathroom, but that’s just me.
ha. yes! even though i’m a ‘stylist’ I want NOTHING on my surfaces. so why add a bowl that i can never move?
EVERYTHING gets dated after so much time. Just make a beautiful bathroom and age won’t matter.
Some of the bathrooms in my house are original to its 1929 build. Crazy combos of wacky colored tile and I LOVE IT. The bathrooms are like (doing math in head) almost 90 years old and are still beloved.
Go forth and wall mount or undermount, then put some crazy pants on it, you’ll love it!!! Go Emily!
ah thank you. and I want to see your house 🙂
All of the examples are really lovely, and I 100% understand why you want to stay away from vessel, they just aren’t as functional. The trend I see in the shots I love is the faucet is backed by marble or tile. Excited to see the variations in the bathrooms and the mountain house come together!
I prefer the look of a vessel sink a lot more, the wall faucet/undermount sink; it reads a little public bathroom to me, but agree that they’re a pain to wash your hands in. And as a momma to 5, some times you gotta be practical and when you tell your kids to wash their hands a million times a day, this might be one of those times!
This is basically how I feel. To my eye, wall-mounted faucets and under-mount sinks are fine as long as they don’t lean too far towards a school / airport / public bathroom vibe. Basically, going fancy (doing it with a marble or decorative tile surround, or even just an unconventional tile layout) seems fine in the above photos, but going with a solid, plain tile veers into locker room territory for me. As far as vessel sinks, I like them as long as they’re relatively chunky and have straight sides and walls of a reasonable height to avoid me splashing all over the counter. Anything that looks more tapered and thin makes me think that my clumsy self is going to chip them accidentally.
I personally say no to the vessel sink, but I’m more of of classics Girl 🙂 BTW, I always love to see that vintage dog painting of yours. I saw a couple of vintage paint by number dogs on eBay and they made me think of yours.
Love it! Wish I had thought to do this in my master bath! I don’t know where my head was at that point in our renovation. I have a vessel with a wall mount faucet in the powder room. It was a necessity to make the carved French lard chest the right height and there was no depth for the faucet. The undermount sinks are def easier to keep clean, so I think they are better for bathrooms that get a ton of use (toothpaste 🙂 Also, you won’t lose any counter space in a high use bathroom. Can’t wait to see the whole plan!
Hi! So I just bought my very first condo (yay!) and am looking to redo the bathrooms but the BIGGEST issue for me, one that I have to fix right away, is the vessel sink in the master bathroom. It’s the bowl one (that’s tapered at the base) and while I guess it looks pretty (though really doesn’t match the rest of the exposed brick/industrial vibe of the condo) it poses a huge problem for me. I am 4’11” and I barely reach up to that vessel sink (!!) which means every time I wash my face, I end up with a bib of water on my shirt. Not cute. I think having kids would be difficult for them to reach up to it too. Undermount sinks for the win! Functional for everyone and beautiful! Also all your budget design posts are giving me life!!! Please keep them coming!
Undermounts look more high end, seamless and intentional. My issue is with proportions. The height of wall mount fixture is what catches my eye. Also the length of the spout “sticking out” so to speak from the wall, the depth of hard surface/stone material behind the bowl and in front of it. Non issue if the sink is a one piece integrated bowl. As far as the placement of the drain goes, I think I can live with the spout not reaching it, but in ideal world they would line up. Overall mini “heart attacks” worth the overall DEEZAYNAH look in my opinion. Good luck!
I love what you want to do, without the vessel sink. I think it will look clean, minimal and slightly edgy. Go for it!
I hate vessel sinks. I hate some of the ones you pictured less than others, but practically they make no sense to me. I think the wall mount faucet / under mount sink combo will look totally fine and not weird at all. Plus it probably will be easier to clean around the sink with a wall mount faucet. I’d go for it!
Funnily enough this is exactly the combo we are putting in our master bath. It was first planned that way two years ago (2! Years!). I just had to have the Kohler wall mount faucet you put in your last house. And I hate vessel sinks so we went with an undermount. If you get the height right what’s the difference? I wish I could say it was all installed and finished and looking and working beautifully but the first year of the build was held up with vanity issues and the second year now because of stone issues. I live in an area where marble is not popular (it’s still granite all day long here) so waiting for a remnant to become available has been ridiculous. It’s a small countertop! We do all of the work ourselves too so it’s been a long long process.
Do it! You will probably be done way before me and can llet me know how it’s working out for you.
I did a wall mount faucet and undermount sink in my last house. The bathroom was narrow and small, and it just made more sense. It was also our only bathroom, so a vessel sink was out of the questions since we needed to bathe a baby in it! 😉 I LOVED it. It gave us extra room that basically didn’t exist beforehand. It looked great and the function was perfect for us.
You guys are making me feel MUCH BETTEr. YAY
I REALLY don’t like the look of vessel sinks, although some of the more modern styles are less offensive to me. lol! Something to consider with wall mounted faucets is they will be really hard for small kids to reach by themselves. I would love to install one in one of our bathrooms but won’t because we have small children. Too much of a hassle!
Exciting! I’ve never liked vessels, and always loved wall-mounted faucets, and not had the chance to combine them yet. You’re living the dream. Go for it!
Er. Never had the chance to combine wall-mounted with under-cabinet I mean. That is the ideal.
Whatever you do will be awesome. At 42, I’m not sure how I missed the ugly vessel sink craze of 25 years ago, but glad I did b/c we installed two in our new home and love them both. White – one is rectangular and the other is egg-shaped and tapered. The first is in our bathroom which kids don’t use, looks beautiful, great not to put makeup in wet spot on counter, higher counter and higher sink which my tall husband LOVES. The other is in the basement near the guest room/rec. room. There is a stool under it for when small children use it. Again, we have had no trouble with the counter (both wood) being destroyed and the sinks look great and contain water splashes. I really don’t understand the “not practical” comments b/c that is the opposite of our experience. I guess I am glad I didn’t hear the initial negativity b/c I never would have done them. But under-mounts are so sleek. You cannot go wrong!
Totally agree with you. My experience is that our large rectangle vessel sink is way easier to clean than any of my other undermount sinks. I have 4 boys, it’s the most used and yet is always the cleanest sink in the house. The water doesn’t splash out at all. So I’m just as puzzled as you.
I love wall mounted faucets; we have a small powder bath where I would like to mount one in the future. I have never used a fruit bowl shaped vessel sink where it either A) didn’t overflow or B) had enough space to wash both hands at once; I would avoid those completely. The under mount sinks look great so hopefully scoping out a vessel sink won’t be necessary. I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
I always use wall mounted faucets when I can (we’ve moved a fair amount) because I love the simplicity and the cleanliness. I’ve used them with vessels in powder rooms, but for baths that get regular use I like under mount sinks, especially with kids. As long as you get the faucet height and extension into the bowl right for your sink, it should be great. I think of the vessels as a little gimmicky, and use sparingly…but I way overthink all of this stuff, so understand your hesitation. Good luck!
I really like it and after you posted about wall mount fixtures I was on board and thinking it was genius. A lot easier to clean. I think it looks great without the vessel sink too.
Wall-mount faucet with under-mount sink is the way to go. Vessel sinks are not functional—they are so awkward!
That last photo is beautiful—it’s modern but warm and soothing.
We use wall-mounted faucets with undermount sinks for client projects ALL THE TIME. I have never heard a complaint about it being difficult to use. Personally, I find vessel sinks really distracting and super awkward to use so I steer clear of them. But I think the wall-mount faucet and undermount sink combo is so classic and beautiful. Go for it!
I love it!!
I love the wall mount/under mount combo. In the under mount examples, my eye is drawn more to the faucet and materials (tile, countertop, cabinet), whereas in the vessel examples I’m more focused on the sink. Having worked on a home with vessel sinks already installed (that the owner still really likes despite the following), a few issues to consider: it can be a tight space to wash your face especially when the faucet protrudes too far into the sink “airspace”, either the vanity will be lower or the sink edge will be higher and both have potential comfort issues, the scale of accessories can be impacted (soap dispenser height becomes more of a consideration, trays need to be sized more carefully since there’s already a horizontal mass on the countertop, etc). In a powder room these issues are less important. With under mount you have more versatility in styling and function, and you’re showcasing the faucet (the jewelry of the room).
I have a wall mount faucet with an undermount sink and love it! I love the look of vessel sinks but my experience with actually using them is a different story… undermount is so much easier to live with clean (and for kids to reach and use!) but still beautiful. Different can be good, go with your gut!
Hi! Just did a total remodel on a house and used wall mounted faucets/undermount sinks and us a disaster! Messy, can’t wash hands, certainly can’t wash your face, without making a HUGE mess! I think instead of an undermount sink or vessel, what about an overmount sink? Kind of an in between that gives you a little height but not too much. I might be replacing mine one day with them!
Julie Hoots – we’re using a semi-recessed vessel sink (by Kraus) with our wall mounted faucet which might work for your situation. It sits 3″ above the countertop and 3.7″ below. You get the best of both worlds. A sleek, minimal looking vessel sink and a deeper bowl for less splashing etc.
I’m not a fan of vessel sinks, although it’s just a gut reaction and not actually based on anything. They’re pretty, I just wouldn’t want them myself (I think?). And whether to wall mount or not…. I strangely don’t have an opinion at all :D.
Wall mount with undermount all the way!
So many vessel sink haters! I LOVED my vessel sinks we put in our old house. They were square porcelain and moderately deep. I never had a single issue with splashing or them being hard to clean.
More to the point, I love wall-mounted faucets in either combination! I can’t wait to see it
Oh man, my first thought with that combination is that it looks like a commercial bathroom. You know, like when you go to the mall or Target and use their bathrooms–they often have wall mounted faucets and regular sinks. It looks very industrial to me…I’m not sure I would like it in a home setting. I guess it would depend so much on the finishes and that’s certainly where you excel, so I have faith that I am wrong and it will look great!
The first time I saw a vessel sink, in Munich in 2002, I thought it was so cool! But they are so very annoying to use, and most appear dated to me now (especially the glass bowl ones). Wall-mount faucets + undermount sink = excellent idea. Go for it!
I love the wall/undermount combo. It looks, clean, chic and seems much more functional. Not a fan of the vessel sinks as they seem impractical and also may look dated in a few years.
I love the look of an under mount sink with wall mounted faucet. And I absolutely HATE vessel sinks. Water gets everywhere and the countertops below get flooded. Also, I think they look too try-hard and maybe even a little outdated now.
yes. ‘try hard’ is what brian said. it just seems unecessary but a lot of things are unnecessary in design – its why we label them ‘decorative’ so you have to balance the two (kinda… unless you are a total minimalist).
Yes to wall mount/undermount combination. I think the vessel sink is going to feel more dated later than an undermount would. I’ve also read on other blogs that vessel sink can be very annoying to clean and also difficult for shorter people. I love all the pics you posted of the wall mount faucets and undermount sinks. I agree that it looks very simple and modern.
Strongly prefer the way the under-mounted sinks look with the wall-mounted taps. Any time I’ve used a vessel sink at a hotel or friend’s house to wash my face, it’s been a nightmare of splashing. I do like the way the shallower, wider rectangular vessel sinks look, but given that you have small kids, sink accessibility and splashing are big concerns. I think the under-mount looks cleaner and more intentional.
agreed 🙂
we have double wall mount faucets w undercount sinks in our master bath. the backsplash is marble with 2 ogee-esque shapes above the sink where the faucets are mounted. I absolutely love it and hope to do it again in our next house. go for it.
awesome. please send pics 🙂
I’ve used vessel sinks before and I’m not a fan, they are high maintenance and messy, hard to keep clean and I have had to mop up water every time I turn on the water, this isn’t practical – no one has time for that nonsense. I love the look of the under-mount sink with the wall mounted faucet. Its clean and modern and it looks easy to maintain… I say go for it. If it was me that would be the route I would take… Good Luck! Looking forward to seeing the mountain home bathrooms all decked out!
I think the undermount sink sink with wall mounted faucet is totally practical as long as it’s well thought out in terms of placement. It helps to keep the surface very clean and uncluttered while also looking very modern and relevant. Go for it! I’m sure you will make it look AMAZING!
I for one think you are on exactly the right track. An undermount sink with a wall mounted faucet is perfect to me – modern, timeless, clean, cool. It’s my favorite possible combo. I don’t know if there’s any logistical/practical reason for all the wall mount + vessel sink combo size you see out there, but I’m sure it’s nothing TOO important….. 🙂
HATE vessels, even though this new round of simple ones look lovely. Cannot stand looking at toothpaste and have no desire to wipe down the actual bowl every time you use it. Children can’t use effectively, even struggle with a tall stool. And my husband hates the shallow ones because he has large hands and makes a huge mess just washing his hands unless he really works at not splashing and who has the energy for that all the time.
Undermounts look lovely and clean and let you have the trend of the wall mount faucets (although small children also can’t reach unless you go really narrow with your counter).
Wall mount faucet with undermount sink is the best combo, in my opinion. (And at end of your first paragraph I think you meant to write “wall mount faucet” not “wall mount sink,” which confused me at first.)
The images you posted are all stunning and make the case for either camp in terms of aesthetic. However, I much prefer under mount sinks. Before I built my house, I thought a lot about it and ultimately realized that most vessel sinks I encounter just feel unnatural when using them for hand or face washing. I have to be very deliberate about hand and face placement.
As to the splashing… I think it’s less about the vessel and more about where the faucet drops water within the sink. I made our builder replace a counter because the sink hole was cut such that the wall mounted faucet hit too near the back of the sink, and hand washing got water all over the counter. After they moved the sink back, the problem was solved. I see in most of the images that the wall mounted faucets are in the back splash and not the wall above the splash, thus adding length to the faucet reach. This was our approach in another bathroom with under/wall mount and there’s no splashing. No regrets on our wall mount faucets and under mount sinks… they look AMAZING!
I love your idea! I don’t like vessel sinks much, but I love the under mount sink with wall mount faucet!
We just redid our upstairs bathroom and used a wall mount sink (from Kohler actually) with an undermount sink. I love how it looks. I think that the later photos you posted here are gorgeous.
I am not a fan of vessel sinks for master bathrooms, unless the sink has a very wide and shallow basin. I think that they are a pain to keep clean and find that water often splashes everywhere when you’re washing your face etc. I know you used a vessel sink in your old bathroom, so maybe you don’t mind them!
I must be in the minority because I LOVE my vessel sink. Ours is the lower rectangle profile kind and it is super easy to clean and I’m obsessed with it. Water rarely gets on the counter. So I’m wondering if it’s the bowl kind that everyone doesn’t like? That being said, I love the undermount options you show just please make sure the faucet comes out far enough from the wall. I’ve used enough of those type of sinks where they don’t stick far enough out and water gets everywhere when you wash your face. Those last 3 pictures you showed are absolutely stunning, I feel some of the others look a little public bathroom-ish.
It looks great, not weird at all. I tend to avoid vessel sinks in favor of a single unit sink/countertop piece because they are easier to keep clean.
We did a wall mount brass faucet over a Lacava sink/counter and custom made vanity cabinet. The sink top is a high end resin/cement material that made sense for a kid’s bath. Heath tile on walls.
Very sleek. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/4362930867826737/
Love the undermount sink with the wall mounted faucet. I don‘t like vessels. I think they are not very functional and the countertop looks kind of crowded.
I think the wall mounted faucet/ normal sink combo was quite common in old houses around Europe (at least what I remember).
I could go either way. I like a well done vessel sink but i don’t think there’s anything wrong with under mount. If your weren’t invisioning a vessel, then skip it. I would just caution that some of the examples with wall mount faucet and under mount sink seem SO stark. Almost lacking any visual interest and warmth but i know you can style it accordingly
Vessel sinks can look great, but I absolutely hate using them. I say go with your original plan of wall faucet and undermount sink – it will look great and be more functional.
I feel like it’s more that vessel sinks are better off with the wall mount faucet, rather than that wall mount faucets require a vessel… Anyways, beautiful inspiration pics as always, and I vote yes for undermount sink and wall mount faucet!
Yes, I too think that that is the reason you see so many pictures of that combo: vessel sinks would look weird with a countertop faucet. I personally have an issue with many wall mount faucets though in that they remind me of a piece of male anatomy…
Agree.
Another ‘no’ to the vessel sink! How do you wash your face–there is not enough space to get your hands in and out of the vessel with the faucet in the way!!
Under mount sink all the way. Trust. Your. Gut.
I don’t personally prefer wall mount because I always hit my head on them when I bend over to wash my face. Maybe I need a deeper vanity/sink though 🙂
I do have a post idea for you, though. My dream is to buy a fixer upper and slowly renovate it into something beautiful. I say slowly because I assume I will have to do it bit by bit because of my budget. I would love to read a post in which you break your process for renovating into steps. I imagine you are doing multiple steps at once, but how would you recommend someone approach a fixer upper who has more time (or must stretch their renovation out longer for budget purposes)?
I have a gorge marble countertop with an under mount sink and black wall mount faucets and it is so sexy!! It’s clean and crisp. I personally find vessels way to clunky. To take it further I’m also pro integrated sink!!
I like the look of the wall mount + undermount, especially when the countertop is beefy and thick and makes a statement. I agree that a matching backsplash helps make that beefy statement. It seems to ground the combo. I also like that the wall mounted faucet would stay clean since water would just drop off rather than settling around the base! My one concern as a mom is that with the wall mount faucet that toddlers/preschoolers need an extra high stool to be able to reach the handle and achieve the holy grail of “do it myself”. Since you lived with a wall mounted faucet in the past did you find this to be a problem? Or did Charlie not use that bathroom?
Hopefully not too weird or dated because I’m doing this exact thing in our Master remodel! I’m a little worried about splashing/ functionality, but hoping that it works as good as it seems to look ?
Usually try to be Ms Positivity, but it warms my cockles to see so much vessel sink hate! Thought I was alone in my distaste since they’re everywhere in renovated ‘fancy’ flats, but I loathe both the look and the use; way to trap dirt and dust and mouldy water splashes around the edges! Fugly. Viva la undermount!
I love the undermount combo, very sleek and tidy! The vessel sink looks fashionable but definitely just as good as undermount if not better as it has the practical element with it.
I’m into it. Also seems easier to clean since water wouldn’t be able to pool around the handles. I don’t really like vessel sinks. It looks like you plopped a mixing bowl on your counter and just went with it.
I for one love the clean and simple look of a modern wall mounted faucet paired with a rectangular undermount sink. But I think what you said about the faucet not being mounted too high is key. The splashing would just be too annoying otherwise.
I’m no design expert but in a lot of the pics, the scale seems off with the size of the faucets and rest of the design. I guess what I like best is narrow mirrors with the wall mount faucets.
Love it! I love the simplicity the undermount sink provides coupled with the wall mounted faucet.
I have never been a fan of vessel sinks. Sorry! But they just don’t do it for me and never have, especially in almost every context they are used in. I cannot speak from a practical standpoint but I think the under mount with wall mount is striking.
Maybe reach out to Jenny Komenda of LGN? I think she has done both and I feel as though she is very knowledgable about this sort of thing 🙂
I have a vessel sink in my master and LOVE it. Here’s the link, if you’re interested:
https://www.amazon.com/Kohler-K-2660-1-0-Rectangle-Vessel-Faucet/dp/B004LGKGH6/ref=sr_1_3?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1521734733&sr=1-3&keywords=kohler+k-2660&dpID=31OYhpwJXXL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
(I realize that particular one won’t work, since it is requires a faucet mounted to the sink. But the shape and size is crazy intuitive. We love it.)
CAUTION: take the height of the vessel into account when you’re planning the height of the cabinet, as a vessel sink essentially raises the height.
I like the wall-mounted faucets, but I think I understand why they are often paired with vessel sinks: with an undercount sink, the wall-mounted faucet hardware doesn’t seem anchored visually. It just floats on the wall (visually speaking).
Hi! I not only love your blog, but I like a lot of the commenters (especially after you have your new policy against trolls). I don’t usually read comments, but I do on your blog because I think you have attracted a really smart group of followers. It’s only 9:30 am and there have been so many vessel sink haters! Wow!
But–this wall mounted faucet, undermount sink thing will become a trend now thanks to your blog. So far, no one can think of any reason why it can’t and won’t work, it just hasn’t been common. I think it will look really nice with clean beautiful lines.
All of the beautiful bathrooms you posted were design porn for me. I love it!
Ditto Lisa! I never read comments but I get great ideas in here often.
I don’t like the look of vessel sinks and always end up splashing water all over myself when I use them. The examples you chose are very nice, though!
Wall mounted faucets and under mounted sinks are my actual dream pairing. As far as I’m concerned, it’s not just a clean aesthetic, it’s cleaner period. No gunk to fight in the crevices between a regular faucet or vessel sink and the counter! My husband is a rabid vessel sink hater, so I’ll never have one on purpose anyway.
Seems like you have an almost unanimous opinion- but thought I’d add my 2 cents just to reinforce- def go with wall mount/under. I wish now we would have done wall mount because cleaning around even the most simple of faucets with the cleanest lines are so hard to keep clean. Trust yourself- and don’t worry too much about timelessness (trust me, I obsessed over that too) but in the end I realized if you just create something you love and you will probably love it for a long time!
Our firm uses wall-mount faucets exclusively with undermount sinks, but only because we all LOATHE cleaning around vessels. They look pretty but I really hate living with them. We use the wall/under combo in lots of residences, and it always works flawlessly. No tricks.
HOWEVER! We also learned the hard way that it’s best to install a wall-mount faucet only on a wall where you could break through to fix a leak from the back side. We had a client use gorgeous slab marble on the wall with a wall-mount faucet (before my time!), and a year later it leaked, and she had to rip out the entire slab just to fix it. Tile is better than slab, but not by much. With a deck-mount, the damage happens inside a vanity and you just pop underneath to fix it – far less expensive, far less threat to the structure of the house. Now we avoid wall-mounts on inaccessible walls, but don’t hesitate if the wall in question is just sheetrock on the other side, since that’s easy to bust open and patch later.
Oh that’s really a good point (about access). Maybe time to reconsider …
Also consider if it’s on an outside wall in a colder climate that you could have issues with pipes freezing which can also possibly cause leaks. Hopefully your mountain fixer is new enough to have good insulation.
Great point about access. I’ve been stressing out a bit about installing the faucet and having something go wrong. We have our master bedroom on the other side of that wall and now I don’t have to stress as much since we could just repair the drywall if needed! Not sure why I didn’t think of it before.
I’m not a fan of vessel sinks. Yes they look arty and modern in pictures, but they’re anti-ergonomic — if the counter’s at a comfortable height, the rim of the sink will feel too high. Relatedly they suck for kids. Also I kind of expect the edge to get knocked around and chipped over time.
Thumbs up to a mounted faucet and normal sink bed.
I love the wall mount/undermount look. I think vessel sinks are for looks, not living, and to me that equals bad design. In the homes and restaurants where I’ve encountered them, they’ve always been messy and surrounded by water.
We put in the wall mounted faucets with under mount sinks in our last bathroom simply to save space on the counter (it was a very narrow area we were working with) …. and I LOVED IT!! So much easier to keep clean and it looked so fresh! My husband had a heck of a time getting them plumbed… but man, it was the best decision for function AND looks.
So, I say go for it and I’m telling you… it will look good!!!
This made me rethink my plans to use a vessel sink with wall mount in my powder room. After reading the comments, I’m still going forward since it will be used primarily for hand washing. Also no height issues (my kids are grown ups, husband is tall). Not planning to use glass which I think looks dated. Considering the Kohler Vox series. Anyone have experience with these?
I was going to buy the Kholer Vox square sink for our bathroom remodel since a couple people I follow on Instagram used them and I really liked the look. At the last minute I ended up buying the Kraus Modern Elavo Ceramic Square Semi-Recessed Bathroom Sink with overflow instead.
The look is almost identical but the price was cheaper and it already included a pop up drain which would have been purchased separately with the VOX (saved about $150 Canadian per sink). Both sinks arrived a couple weeks ago and I’m really happy with the the look and quality of the Kraus.
I love the both the Kholer and Kraus versions have a low lip above the countertop (2.5-3″) but are semi-recessed so you get a deeper bowl for less splashing.
I love the under mount sink and wall combo, it is super clean. Also, as a child during the first time around with vessel sinks, I can’t tell you how difficult they were to use, and how much of a mess I made every time we visited someone with one of those sinks. I specifically remember this one house with a lot of mirrors in the bathroom, I am sure we left the bathroom looking like we tried to wash their cat.
Love Love Love a wall mount faucet + undermount sink. I think it’s fresh and clean and I’m doing it in my powder room. Plus Nate Berkus is never wrong!
I like the look of the wall mounted faucet with an under mounted sink. It creates visual space that makes the counter look so much cleaner (I also imagine it is easier to clean than either a counter mount faucet or a vessel sink).
Personally I hate vessel sinks. Maybe it’s just because I’m short, but I find them harder to use (can’t imagine they’re easy for kids to reach into either). They also tend to look more dated more quickly than an under mount.
I think the wall mount faucet combined with an undermount sink will create the ideal cleaning scenario. No weird gap between the faucet and wall that can never really get clean, no trying to maneuver around the vessel sink to clean the counter, no cleaning the outside AND inside of the sink. Functional win!
Vessel sinks can look beautiful and interesting, but I am convinced they seriously reduce the function of a bathroom. I am only 5’4″, and clearing the rim of a vessel sink just feels awkward. As a mother, I can only imagine it would be much, much harder for kiddos to use. They’re a cool feature in commercial spaces or less-used powder rooms, but I would hate for that to be my only option day-to-day.
I agree with you Emily, that the under mount sink with wall mounted fixtures looks clean and modern. I say go for it!
I have a wall mounted faucet and undercount sink and think it’s the perfect combination. I don’t have to clean around an awkward vessel and seldom have to clean the faucet because the water doesn’t drip down around the base. Love it!
LOve.
I definitely think B – go for it! If either a wall-mount faucet or a vessel sink were to look dated in a few years, I definitely think it would be the vessel sink. Plus, they are always too splashy and I don’t like them nearly as much as an undermount. I think you made the right choice!
Industrial designer here with a lifelong history of working on kitchen and bath plumbing products. Here’s my advice/knowledge.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a wall mount (or “on wall”) faucet (or “lav” if you are into bath industry jargon) with whichever kind of sink you please. Wall mount lavs, while they look awesome, generally aren’t seen as commonly as deck mount lavs because you have to tear into the wall to install them. This means you’re more likely to see them in A) full remodels as opposed to a bath ‘refresh’ and B) bathroom remodels with healthier budgets. While vessel sinks don’t always cost more, I believe there is some correlation between the type of customer who will go out of their way to put in a wall mount lav, and the type of customer who wants a vessel sink.
Because you can mount the on-wall lav at whatever height is best for your sink, so there’s really no functional reason to pair it with any specific type of sink. Personally, I would not install a vessel sink, even a shallow one, in a full bath, for cleanability reasons (more areas for gunk to gunk up, more crevices to clean around, more areas for water to hang out unseen) – AND you lose valuable countertop space. Undermount sinks are hands down the easiest to clean. However, a half bath/powder room, can be a good place for a vessel style sink if you are into it.
Interesting. I would argue that with a vessel sink you gain countertop space, especially if you’re using one that is graduated like Emily mentioned. You certainly don’t lose it – the sink rim dimensions would be the same regardless if it was an undermount or not.
Love love love. It’s different, clean, and beautiful. You won’t regret it. Like I tell all my clients “it’s your house” go with whatever makes you happy!
I love the undermount with wall mount fixtures but ONLY when it’s not affixed to drywall but rather a backsplash of some sort.
I have a wall mount faucet and under mount sink in my bathroom. I love the look and easy maintenance. When you have hard water, wall mount faucets are the way to go. Jessica Helgerson frequently uses this combo in her bathrooms. That’s who I originally got the idea from.?Check out her portfolio for more examples. Can’t wait to see your bathroom plans!
YES. Love it. Do it. Besides being quite lovely it seems really practical too (especially for kiddos and their bathroom messes)! And I love that you can just hit up Nate Berkus via text. 🙂
I do not like vessel sinks in a master bath because they are tricky to use and wash your face without making a huge mess. just my two cents. they always annoy me. I *love* the under mount with wall fixtures. I say go for it! it looks super chic.
B!
I’m a lover of under-mounted sinks for their practicality (I also, conveniently, like the way they look), and I’ve been thinking a wall-mounted faucet would be great for the same reason. Just wipe the flat counter and you’re done! Since I don’t have much experience with wall-mounted faucets, I have also been wondering if there’s a downside.
So I’m excited that you’ll try it out for me, before we start our master bath remodel 🙂 Do it!
I have a vessel sink in our bathroom and like it for the fact that you never knock things into it; I’m also doing wall-mount faucets with undermount sinks in a client’s bathroom right now. Not weird at all! Why would it be?
B!!!! Love it! So much so, in fact, that I’m now considering a wall-mounted faucet + under-mount sink in my master en suite refresh. Great inspo thank you!
We had a vessel sink and it was a pain to clean around. And shallow, so splashy. Wall-mounted faucet with under mount sink sounds like a cleaning/clean lines dream. One I will be implementing when I get to my master bath renovation. Good luck, I hope your gut instinct wins and you go with your first inclination!
My humble opinion says that the undermount makes the bathroom very clean and MINIMAL. The last couple of examples bring in a bit more historic elements and its not as severe. That’s a strong word–don’t get me wrong I love the look. And I also have a 2(!) vessel sinks from the 90s(?) and dislike them strongly. Took me months to learn how to NOT splash water everywhere (very dependent on the distance from the bottom of the faucet head to the bowl, FYI. Lower is better). I don’ know if all vessels don’t function as well as the undermount like mine, but I’m guessing its very dependent on the specific faucet/vessel set up.
I have a vessel sink…….. and I love it! No issues with splashing, plenty of room to wash my face. There must be a lot of vessel sinks out there that are installed incorrectly or aren’t paired with a faucet that is the right size/shape. Maybe there is a problem with finding people who know how to work with them so they aren’t practical in that way.
Wall mount with under mount combo! No vessel! They look pretty in some pictures, but I’m not really a fan of vessels in general. I don’t know if it’s true, but I feel like a wall mounted faucet would be easier to keep clean, since there isn’t water always splashing about it and resting on it from the sink.
I love the look of the wall mount faucet with the under mounted sink. Under mounted sinks are much easier to clean. I’m not a fan of vessel sinks, but that may be because I’m vertically challenged and don’t find vessel sinks all that practical.
Personally I would go for an undermount sink with wall faucet. Vessel sinks are pretty but not very functional. Ever try to wash your face in one. Water seems to splash everywhere.
We redid our master bath 2 years ago and put wall mount faucets with undermount sinks. We LOVE it. I always hate the way the water gets around the faucet in the bathroom when I would wash my face no matter how hard I tried not to splatter. The wall mount make it so much easier. If I do happen to splatter, it is quick swipe of a towel. I find the undermount sinks much less splash prone. One note about wall mount faucets my contractor brought up…we live where it gets cold (below 32F) and our plumbing is on an outside wall, so we had to put extra insulation in the wall around the faucet pipes, so they wouldn’t freeze.
Vote no on the vessel sink. One time I nearly knocked myself unconscious trying to wash my face with a vessel sink. I like your approach.
I love the square vessel sink, but I think you’ve sold me on the undermount. For one, it’s easier to clean and doesn’t take up counter space. On the other hand, it does take up more cabinet space which can be crucial depending on the bathroom you have. The ones you’ve shown with the undermount are more timeless and better for a family. Go with it!
I vote for undermount sink with wall-mount faucet! I think the only reason we have seen so many vessel sink / wall mount faucet combos is just because they became a trend around the same time. I used to have a vessel sink in my master bath and HATED it. It was way too flat and took forever to drain.
I have never experienced a vessel sink that didn’t splash all over the place. I really dislike them for that reason. Go under mount sink with a wall mount faucet & never look back.
I’m very happy with a wall mount faucet and under mount sink I put in a vacation rental in Palm Springs. That bathroom gets the most positive feedback of any I’ve done though it is a very different style than yours. I just posted an instagram photo.
@jojosweiven
I love wall mounted faucets! I usually agree about the vessel sinks being messy–especially the round ones. However, our new place has a beautiful rectangular vessel sink that I absolutely love. No splashes (I’m like a kid, haha), and super easy clean up. It’s called a “Decolav.” I just looked it up and I think it’s similar to the “Breanna” style. The pics online aren’t that great, but it’s beautiful in person, and I get so many compliments. Also, maybe since this is the master bathroom, the kids’ splashes won’t be too much of a concern? Can’t wait to see what you choose! Either sink will be beautiful with a wall mounted faucet!
We just finished a new construction home and did this in the master bath and powder room with matte black faucets that are very similar to the one in the first picture. I think it looks great. It never even occurred to me that it might be weird.
Wall mount faucet and under mount sink ALL THE WAY! looks so elegant, modern, and streamlined. Plus, easy to clean.
Not to mention, vessel sinks are AWFUL to use. Form should follow function, and all that!!!
Wall mounted + under mount sink is a win win in my opinion. Undermount sinks are easier to use and more importantly, much easier to keep clean!
Everytime I’ve used a vessel sink to wash my hands, I’ve hated it. They splash. They sit up too high. They’re just impractical. They look like a nightmare to keep clean.
I LOVE the wall-mounted faucet with undermount sink idea — and the pins you’ve got of it. It’s gorgeous! It’s so clean and simple. Go for it!
Hi Emily. Either vessel or under mount look fine with wall mount tap ware, but, most of these pictures have the spout way too high in comparison to the basin. The splash would go everywhere.
My mum has the vessel/wall mount combination in both her bathrooms, and I find the water behind the vessel when turning the tap off is annoying. I have a vessel sink in my recently renovated bathroom, in so far as it sits above the vanity top. It is however square and sits back against the splash back behind the vanity and has the tap ware mounted onto the plinth that forms the back of the basin. I love this set up as it is clean and neat. I also have it set quite high as this suits me as I am quite tall.
We have gone the same combo – wall mounted taps and undermounted sinks (currently building too!). I like the clean lines it provides, there is no messy difficult spots to reach behind when cleaning, and it allows you to have usable bench space even in a smaller bathroom. I had agonised over the choices made (much like you Emily) and cannot wait to see how it comes together both on my build and on your blog / insta for you ! As my husband keeps saying to me – trust your gut !!
I despise most vessel sinks. I can’t think of any reason you can’t use wall mounted hardware with an undermount sink.
I LOVE wall mount / under mount! For me a vessel sink is a nuisance and hurts because I’m constantly banging my hand on it. Maybe I just wash my face and hands weird but I don’t work well with a vessel.
Clean freak here with a vessel sink. They are a nightmare to keep clean. I have to get a toothbrush and tooth pick to clean the “gunk” that accumulates where the sink meets the counter top. Caulking that crevice is not a solution either — I’ve already contemplated and looked into that.
With a vacation home (likely to accumulate more dust that sits), I assume gunk will be a more prevalent problem. Also, if listed on AirBnB and cleaned by a housekeeping service, I doubt they will tediously clean with a tooth pick.
Lastly, I am loving the wall mounted faucet. (Because I have currently have to toothpick the gunk around my counter mount faucet too. Oy vey!)
I LOVE IT!!!! Looks so clean and beautiful. Go for it.
Please choose the undermount sink. They are so much nicer to use and easier to keep clean.
I HATE vessel sinks. No matter how beautiful the design is around them, the sink itself reminds of something I’d see in a bad TV show about house flippers. I love the look you’re going for and especially like it when you try something new or something that hasn’t been done to death.
I think wall mount taps + undermount sinks look great! I will say that this is a repeating theme in most all the images you showed (vessel and undermount) of a strong horizontal line to the vanity area, generally a rectangular floating console situation. I’d say that the wall mount taps lean to a more modern look on the whole, and the example I like least of the ones you showed is the one from Lauren Liess’s spread Domino article, which is also the most traditional look of the bunch.
Beautiful pics. I am anti-vessel. Whenever I see one it always seems too messy/cruddy on the counter around/under them and the caulking is icky. I agree that they splash a lot as well. I think they look dated but maybe they are having a moment again…? The height thing is another issue – does the counter need to be lower so the vessel doesn’t sit so high? Sounds like some extra bending would be required when you’re not at the sink. Is there such a thing as a vessel sink that sets part way into the counter? 🙂 I second the idea of the wall mount faucet being set into some type of backsplash. I’m Team Undermount sink/Wallmount faucet/Integrated backsplash!
I’m in the middle of two bathroom renos myself: one that my boys share and one in the master. My two cents: vessels not my thing and why does anyone need a really big bathroom sink? And vessels look like space hogs for me in my small, need to be efficient bathrooms. I’m undermount all the way. Faucets: wall mount- please put tile, marble, shiplap, whatever behind the wall mount…don’t wall mount onto a painted wall- over time, the connection between the fixture and the wall, after wiping it down, cleaning scrubbing: not gonna look good. I’ve seen this in pretty photos, and makes me cringe. that said, I think the look of a wall mount feels different for a home bathroom and very fresh, even though it’s been around a jillion years.
Our new master has two undermounted rectangular sinks with cross handle Purist wall mounted faucets. Ridiculously easy to keep clean and so good looking. I’m doing this in any house going forward. Just get your faucet height right (not toooooo high)
I love undermount sinks AND wall mount. So practical and beautiful. My husband, who works for a commercial plumbing company, won’t let me get wall mount faucets because of the trouble and cost to repair or replace them should they leak or worse. Also, wall mount doesn’t allow for that little pull/push tab to plug the sink. So if you foresee soaking anything in your sinks, you’ll need a special drain assembly.
Duh. …AND wall mount …faucets.
The undermount sink is a great choice! It’s clean, straightforward, and had a timeless aesthetic. Vessel sinks make me think about drippy elbows and water splashing outside the confines of the vessel. They’re not kid-friendly.
We moved into a relatively new house and the master has two bowl shaped vessel sinks. I hate them. They are too high and it’s really awkward to wash my face. Plus, cleaning under and behind them is a hassle. I hate to replace something that’s only a few years old, but I really want to get new counters and undermount sinks.
the only prob could be that the spout doesn’t come out far enough based on the width (depth?) of the sink & you end up leaning way over to get your hands under the faucet. that is annoying!! i love the clean lines of wall mounted faucets & under-mount sinks! i don’t get the vessel on top, at all. looks like extra clean-up to me.
I’m 5 feet tall and vessel sinks are awkward and the worst.
Vessel sinks are just so… dated. They had their moment and I feel like they create visual clutter. Almost all the photos with vessel sinks would look better and more timeless (and more now) with an under mount. Literally doing this I’m my powder room bath right now and I couldn’t be happier. … but do I install into wall or marble? Now THAT is my dilemma!!!
I prefer a semi inset sink with wall mount, like this: http://www.kyalandkara.com/journal/long-jetty-renovation-ensuite-reveal. Still streamlined but not clinical.
I’d also love to hear your thought on skylights vs windows in bathrooms – we’re just finalising our plans and want to avoid any expensive mistakes!
Good luck & have fun
Yes!! Love this version of the wall/sink, it’s perfect! We just bought some semi-recessed sinks and wall mount faucets for this exact look on a teak credenza.
I generally find most vessel sinks are too tall and look out of proportion to the vanity/bathroom. The lower upper rim looks in proportion and prevents the space from looking too commercial bathroom as you might with an undermount sink. Plus this avoids any splashing and height problem a lot of comments seem to have with reaching the sink.
I am completely perplexed by all the vessel sink hatred! I love them. I have two in my master bath and it feels like the high walls of the design actually prevent splashing and protect my countertop. I wash my hands and face no problem and they are very easy to keep clean, no more difficult than my undermount sinks. I also love the vintage look of them, they remind me of those beautiful Victorian wash basins.
I chose the vessel sinks because of look, price and storage. The bathroom is small, with no linen closet, so I needed to optimize the space under the sinks. I was able to convert an antique dresser: all 9 drawers of the dresser are still fully functional! It really matches the character of our older home, and the whole vanity cost me less than $200 to build, sinks included…. so I had budget left to splurge on a claw foot soaking tub. Vessel sink all the way!
I am not a fan of vessel sinks. Impractical for little ones and for cleaning, plus I would rather have a streamlined flat surface for other bathroomy things. I do like the look of wall mount faucets, but wonder what happens when they have parts that need to be replaced? Do you have to go into the wall? As someone living with a vintage pink tiled bathroom that has needed repairs beneath the surface, I worry.
How is Emily liking her prefab vanity in her master bathroom? I have a major Reno coming up and am considering that exact one!
I don’t love vessel sinks in form or in function. I think the undermount with wall fixture is going to look clean and minimal in the best way possible.
I think it’ll be great! I don’t think vessels are terribly practical for a master bath, better suited to powder rooms. Unless you wash your face 😉
oops, I meant unless you *don’t wash your face.
not weird. beautiful. just logistically more difficult…. the beauty of a vessel sink is that they cut the drain hole on site when the put it in – so they can literally place the sink under the faucet then drill the hole.
the hole for an undermount sink is cut and polished in the granite shop meaning a whole lot more maths, and crossed fingers, and generally a reduced vanity depth because undermount sinks with 6″ of granite at the front edge can look weird. so… obviously it can be done, it just requires more planning and thought which you are totally capable of!!!
I just came here to say that I don’t care for vessel sinks. ?
I really like the wall mounted tap and undermount inspo pics! The only thing I would worry about is if the tap extended too far into the sink basin making it hard to wash your face or on the other hand, if it did not extend far enough and splashed behind the sink. Just some things to consider! Good luck!
I tend to be anti vessel sink as well but do love the look of a wall mount faucet. I wanted to do one in my recent master bath renovation (they seem so much easier to clean, no?), but our plumber warned against them saying they are impossible to fix if they break because there is no way to access the pipes without ripping up the walls. Not sure if this is just his experience or not, but worth considering.
I really hate vessel sinks; I can’t imagine how I’d fit my hands (which are normal-sized) between the faucet and the sink and not splash water everywhere. I actually assumed an undermount sink when I saw your Instagram story mentioning wall-mounted faucets this afternoon!
B) Love it. Wall-mount + undermount = smart.
HATE vessel sinks. Fad. Hard to clean. Annoying. Splashy.
Undermount all the way.
Wall mount faucet totally.
With those modern (practical, forward thinking) features + your warm + clean Scandi taste, you are right on the money. But you knew that. That’s why we follow YOU!
Dislike vessel sinks sooooo much!! Team under mount for sure!!
I have a wall mounted faucet and an under mount sink and I love it!
I have a shallow vessel sink and I love it for its sculptural qualities. But the wall mount faucets (taps for us Australians) with an undermount looks great too. I think vessel sinks are having a moment and the vanity mounted spouts feel so 90’s. Hence they are almost aways shown with wall mounts. Different cause/effect and nothing to second guess yourself about- go for it!
my bestie just remodeled and has wall mount with a long trough sink. very cool and contemporary.
I imagine you and Nate hanging out at target together. ?
Love the wall mount with the undermount, because it would be so easy to clean (versus either the vessel or the countertop faucet) and it looks cool. Especially like the ones in the taller backsplash.
I love the undermount/Wall mount combo! It is strange that it’s not more common, I do not like the look of a vessel. It just feels like something is cluttering up the counter and the water gets everywhere. So your idea looks clean and minimal while being super functional. Can’t wait to see it finished!
I loathe vessel sinks. I’m converting a chest into a vanity and the fabricator kept trying to convince me to do a vessel because the counterspace is limited. We don’t want to replumb or we’d do a wall mount faucet to allow us more space. In the end, I stuck to my guns and they’re making it work. Vessels are a fad that I’d like to see disappear!
Team under mount with wall faucets all the way!
The under mount sink lets the faucet shine and be the star. I didn’t think that I would like it but after seeing the pictures I actually love it! We recently installed vessel sinks in the master bath and I love how they look. I was looking for something dramatic and I got it.
Nothing she’s faster than vessel sinks. Not a fan. YASSSSS to wall faucet and undermount sink!!!
We gutted and renovated a 1950’s bungalow 2 years ago. WHen we were designing the bathrooms we were in love with wall mount faucets but I have a total hate-on for vessel sinks. So we chose under mount. Our master has 2 Wall mount kohler faucets and a 4’ wide undermount sink. The other bathroom has a small single sink. We LOVE THE COMBO!!
I don’t like vessel sinks at all- I associate them with restaurants that are trying too hard to be edgy, which I guess is the only place I used them. I like wall-mounted faucets, and asked our contractor about them since we just did a bathroom renovation. They told us it would be way more work to install them, and would drive the price of the renovation way way up. Plus to consider the fact that the wall would need to torn down if we had some plumbing problems. But I do like the look of them- we needed a very narrow vanity, had to gave it custom made, and wall-mounted faucets would have made it look bigger.
Ugh! We had two vessel sinks in our last home…at first we thought they were funky and cool, but after a year of looking at them, we said “enough is enough” and removed them for the traditional bathroom sinks, where harmony and balance ensued. Absolutely do not see any pros to the vessel sink/wall mount faucet, but you might have sold me on the last 4 photo designs.
Would putting the faucets on the wall make them too far a reach for toddlers?
Would a wall-mounted faucet get in the way when you are leaning over the sink to wash your face?
Would the greater height of the faucet over the sink cause more splashing?
Is there any way you can find someone with a wall-mounted faucet over an under-mount sink & then have each of your family members try it out as you monitor their user experience?
Love it.
I’ve never had a vessel sink nor do I want one. Wall mounted faucets look great w/ vintage sinks w/ drain boards. But I wonder what happens if you need to replace the faucet? I assume the wall has to be opened up. Tragic if you have a marble or tile back splash.
I think an under mount sink is a much better option, functionally-speaking. As a shorter than average woman (5’3”) I dislike the feeling of having to get my hands up over the edge of the vessel and then down into the sink. I usually end up with water dripping down my elbows. Good choice!
Aesthetically I would go either way. Wall mount/under mount combo doesn’t seem weird at all! Probably the biggest factor is how high the faucet is mounted – Does anyone know how to determine that?? Is there a rule of thumb?
Functionality wise, I can’t comment because I don’t have much experience with vessels. BUT there was a very similar conversation about vessel sinks on Chris Loves Julia recently! I think the majority had similar comments about water splashing and difficulty cleaning them.
Yes!! So interesting! There is a lack of images out there with wall mounted faucets and under mount sinks now that you say it. We designed our bathroom with both and after five years of real life living, we love how easy it is to clean and the amount of counter space in a relatively small space. Home feature below to see images of wall mount faucets with under mount sink:) Hope this helps and can’t wait to see what you put together!
http://beckiowens.com/dream-home-an-all-american-modern-farmhouse/
My parents did this (wall mount, undermount sink) in their bathroom and it’s a disaster. I think if their bathroom designer had been more thoughtful, it could have worked, but the faucets came out too far and it was basically impossible to wash your face (you’d either smack your face on the faucet or splash water out of the sink) and the vanity ended up being an awkward height. Anyway, my advice is to mock up the proportions of the vanity/sink/faucet and mimic washing your face before you install.
YES! Thank you! Exactly my concern (see 6 comments before yours)! I hope that Emily reads them even though we commented a day after she posted this.
Almost everyone is commenting on the cons of a vessel sink, but I think that the wall-mount faucet with any kind of bathroom sink, including an under-mounted one, could be problematic!
Utilitarian and reminds me of school bathrooms. Gorgeous finishes and interesting taps are key to elevating this look. Im sure you’ll do it justice
I’m a tad late to the conversation but we are planning to convert a teak MCM dresser into a vanity with a vessel and wall mounter faucet. The vessel however is a semi-recessed (Kraus KCR-281-CH Modern Elavo Ceramic Square Semi-Recessed Bathroom Sink) sink, so that it only sits above the countertop by 2.5-3″ but the total depth of the sink is 6.7″ so splashing will be minimal. We went with the vessel since we needed a bit of extra height to make the typical vanity height in the bathroom (dresser is a smidge too short)
I think that wall mounted faucets will look great with an undermount sink.
I’m a bit nervous to have the faucets installed since as you mentioned there’s no going back once it’s in the wall. So what is the typical height a wall mounter faucet should be above a sink? (is it measured from the bottom of the sink, from the top of a sink, from the countertop?)
Wall mount faucets are easier to keep clean around and better with guests and kids both of who will not be as careful as you. I love them!
Vessel sinks are pretty but many people come to hate them as the water splashes out alot and your counter is then wet.
Also, it’s hard to get your face in there, and the basin is often small/awkward so you can’t use it to hand wash things. Finally, it’s hard to clean around them. And if you have a wet counter you can’t just sweep the water into the sink.
Love, love, love your blog. Using your great ideas for my daughter’s new apartment. Thank you!!
Wall mounted with and under mounted sink is the way to go! It’s clean visually and literally easier to clean. The shallow vessel sinks look better but splash water EVERYWHERE. It’s a hot mess.
Vessels can be pretty, but they’re tricky. We stayed at a gorgeous modern hotel with an extremely shallow rectangular vessel sink. It was STUNNING – and the most annoyingly impractical thing ever. The combination of faucet and sink sent water everywhere if you actually tried to use that beautiful sink. When I washed my hands, there was so much water all over that it looked like I peed my pants!
I love, love, love the wall mount faucet/undermount sink idea. Just remodeled my bathroom and really wish I had done that. Such a clean look and so much easier to keep clean.
Vessel sinks are not accessible to people who use wheelchairs, so they are a no in my home because my daughter uses a wheelchair. I seem to recall that you plan to rent out the Mountain House, so that may be a consideration for you.
I’ve always wondered if vessel sinks work with young children. Question answered, loudly and clearly, in these comments. Thank you.
I think the under mount sink and wall mounted faucets look fine. I’m confident that they will looking smashing in your designs.
Our vessel sink was horrible with kids! We replaced it (& thus had to replace the countertop, too) & after only 2 years. Wall mount fixtures & undercount sink look great!
Totally anti-vessel. Keep it under mount!
This is a topic I’d literally never given any thought to before, but now I’ll never be able to see a wall-mount faucet and an under-mount sink without thinking of this post. Here’s another! The NoMad Los Angeles https://pmcwwd.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/corner-suite-3.jpg?w=1024&h=683
Love the undermount sink. Beautiful, modern, yet timeless.
Yes to the wall mount/under mount combo.
I actually love the undermount with wall faucet combo, but I have to say that I’m a passionate fan of vessel sinks! They are great for tall people (less stooping), and look very elegant. I also think that vessel sinks HAVE to be large enough to be functional though – if they are too much like a basin, rather than a sink, they lose the appeal to me.
Finally, no matter the type of sink, just don’t get one of those free flowing faucets where the water pours out like a waterfall, rather than like a spigot. Water pressure cannot be undervalued, my friends!
I think they are BEAUTIFUL and totally agree that the wall mount faucet and undermount sink is a great look. Coming from someone who has a similar set up in my home, I didn’t expect the faucet to project out over the sink so much. It makes it more challenging to wash your face because the faucet actually is in the way. I still love the look and it seems way more high style but I am considering going back to the vanity mounted variety on my next bathroom renovation. Can’t wait to see what you choose!
We had vessel sinks in the home we just sold and being of short stature, water ran down my arms every time I washed my face because I couldn’t lean over the sink. It drove me crazy! I felt like I needed to stand on a step stool every time I washed up. I definitely won’t put them in our new home.
As far as having wall mount faucets with a vessel sink, I have not had any experience with it.
Vessel all the way.
Ha! Just saw your vessel v under mount instastories poll result and how you reopened the discussion here. You must really want a vessel sink! But quite honestly they are a pain all around (clumsy, hard to clean, messy) and the look is more clutter than streamlined.
We just renovated our bathroom and put in a vessel sink and I’m so happy with it. It’s easy to clean and water doesn’t splash everywhere (not even when the kids use it). It’s white porcelain and really pops against the backsplash of green zellige tiles.
I don’t think it’s weird or risky AT ALL.
I can’t wait to see more!
Not. A. Fan. … There’s enough to clean in a bathroom without dealing with the perimeter of a vessel sink! I put a wall-mounted faucet with a wall-mounted Duravit sink in our guest bath, and it is AMAZING. Literally and figuratively clean, simple, easy, looks cool … all around awesome. I kick myself every day for not doing a wall-mounted faucet in the master, too … Lesson learned!
I personally like easy and beautiful and practical, so I would not put in a vessel sink. A friend did so recently and she is now warning people not to lean on it as the the drain/vessel juncture can crack.
Too much monitoring of guests is not fun for me. Guess the wall mounted faucet can be pleasing……..but, when having tons of people visiting and staying with you in your house as I often do, you need to be strategic in how you design and decorate. In my case, where many children visit, I outfit the bedroom(s) as I would hotel rooms. I anticipate who will be there, what activities will go on in there without parents around and decorate accordingly. So, I have comforters that are not fussy and towels in dark colors. The sink, shower and toilet are easily understood by whomever is visiting and there aren’t too many mishaps…think sick children in the night or even the daytime, managing themselves if parents are looking after other children or there’s a lot of socializing going on. Everything is “plain vanilla” when it comes to fixtures.
People are active in my house. They do their thing. They cook and act as if it’s home. I find that I have few to no disasters because my “stuff is designed for the masses while still being very attractive and comfortable.
Emily, you will feel as if you are running a B&B some weekends. Make easy on yourself and have design features that almost are like the ones you find in a public building, because when you have many people to accommodate, that’s what works. Take it from someone who’s been there for many years…and this is our permanent home but we live in a resort-like locale where everyone wants to com and visit!
We recently renovated our bathroom and I chose a wall mounted faucet and undermount sink. I honestly never even thought that it was an odd combination!! And I’m very happy with it. I also have two young kids and it’s super easy to keep clean. Do it! 🙂
just bought a new house that has vessel sink/wall mount combo in bathroom. Our sinks are square with a flat bottom so i don’t feel they drain well- and you have to use that pop up stopper which requires you to reach into the stopped sink and pop it up to drain which is not ideal. Second problem is that the wall mount comes out so far that i have trouble leaning over to wash my face while keeping it over the sink and avoiding the spout. Obviously both can be fixed with a better sink/faucet combo. Just wanted to point it out as i have never had that before and it is sort of driving me nuts now that i am using it. Practicality aside, it does look great. Somehow it walks the line of modern and vintage perfectly.
It might be too late… but I’d think twice before doing an undermount sink. We moved into a new condo that has them everywhere (all square, all undermounted) and I find them *really* hard to keep clean. Stains and mould build up on the caulking below, there are cracks I can’t clean…. and i really miss the simplicity of an exposed sink I can wipe all clean.It’s been 7 years and I hate them every day, and can finally think about justifying a sink reno in at least one room.
If you’ve already done it and are NOT having this problem, do you have any tips/ I suspect the installation is at fault but can’ t imagine how you get around the caulking problem. THANKS!
PS_- love the wall faucet and the whole look you have planned there!
Love under mount sink + wall mount. I do agree as far as vessel sinks, I prefer when they are long and rectangular, and that does tend to lead to low sink walls, but I will say I have one that I use frequently like that and it doesn’t bother me at all. I think because its a decent size that makes up for the depth.
Bottom line…I think I would be happy with either combo!
I love a very modern and easy to clean bathroom. I also think that vessels sink are beautiful but not so practical. Water goes everywhere and when needed to be cleaned, I always need paper towels and so many other materials. I hate it. And, the worst it that all the snot, gross stuff gets stuck on the rectangular shaped vessels and NEVER GO DOWN. Is it only me? Anyways, I can’t think of anything more practical (and beautiful) than wall mounted faucets and a regular under mount sinks. Beautiful and practical! Love it!
I agree that if you went with a rectangular sink, but with low sides, it’s the best option for a vessel. Wall mounted faucets are always interesting and look beautiful, and you shouldn’t feel like you have to go with a vessel to use them.
I look at these photos and mostly think that form follows function- if you are trying to maximize storage in a small space/ vanity, a vessel sink with wall mounts is the best solution. i recently converted a Danish mid- century modern buffet into a gorgeous marble topped bathroom vanity. The original plan was for two undermount sinks but the plumber nixed that plan when he showed me how much space we would condemn if we did that. Basically I would have had two drawers. Vessel sinks meant keeping all three drawers and most of the space behind the doors at each end. The first question is how much storage do you actually need in a vacation home bathroom ( the answer is next to none). I think what people want to see from you is how you solve these function problems with a beautiful and useful solution rather than just forcing Pinterest ideas on it. If you have small children who can’t reach into a vessel sink then vessel sinks are not for this house, no matter how beautiful or pin worthy they are, right?
I am ardently pro wall mount faucets. Vessel sinks I can take or leave. My theory is that people use them to mimic the vintage wall mount sinks when they want that reference point but aren’t willing to give up a vanity. Love the wall mount/undermount examples!
I find vessel sinks gimmicky, dated and distracting in a someone was trying too hard kind of way.
We have a vessel sink in our vacation rental and it is the bowl shape. It is hard to clean the counter near where the bowl sits on the counter because there isn’t really enough room to get a sponge in between where the bowl curves down to the countertop, and it seems like water collects there. Love the look, but not the functionality. I think it would be more functional in the square shape where the outside edge of the sink hits the counter at closer to a 90 degree angle. But then would it be too shallow and splash? Love the look of the wall mounted faucet with the undermount sink, too!
I only like vessel sinks in powder rooms, for hand washing. If you wash your face at one, water splashes all over the counter. Not practical for a master or kids bath.
The only reference I have for wall-mount faucets is super vintage kitchens or super high end bathrooms. No practical experience with either. I wonder—do you get lots of storage space in the vanity because all the plumbing is in the wall? That’s a plus. Minus is it could be inconvenient for the next owner to replace or repair an unusual faucet setup.
Overall I like your combo. But I also think it’s more eco-friendly to use a single lever faucet where you’re not adjusting the hot and cold water taps separately, meanwhile the water is running before you get it to the right temperature.
The vessel looks really nice but it’s less confortable for washing hands than the other. And it usually (at least the ones I’ve tried) spills a lot. Maybe the under mount sink looks more “laundry room” and that’s why its not used more? Anyway, I vote for under mount!
I’d humbly suggest you are way overthinking this.
I’ve never liked washing my face in a vessel sink. It reminds me of throwing up when I was a kid. Ugh.
I find vessel bowls visually appealing, but awkward to use.
I love the wall mount faucet!
My vote: under mount sink and wall mount faucet.
However, I am remodeling my Master bath with faucets you can turn left and right. I experienced this faucet in a hotel in Dresden, Germany. Often, you spit after brushing teeth and it inevitably hits the faucet. I know, TMI!
We just renovated our home and put in a master bath with two vessel sinks and wall mounted faucets and a powder room with an offset shallow sink/countertop combination with wall mounted faucet. We love them both! Because of the size of the mirror we wanted, I had to get used to how low the vanity and sink were (I am 5’6) but now I love it!
I love a wall mounted faucet with an under mount sink! Convinced my mom that’s what she needed in her recent master bath reno and it’s one of her favorite features. I was so surprised to not find many photos of this when trying to convince her. It’s definitely my preference and am please to see so many examples now.
We remodeled our master bathroom last year. It has wall mount faucets AND undermount sinks. We love them!!! So functional, so easy to clean. It’s awesome!
Nearly 20 years ago, we toured a model home and it had clear glass vessel sinks. You brush your teeth and you have to polish the sink. I am not that tidy. I expect a quick rinse to do it. Any spot would show.
I adore vessel sinks and wall mounted faucets. I think it provides an artistic look that is complimentary to almost any design style. I am a renter but if I could renovate my bathroom. I would do a vessel/wall mount faucet combination. Love the photos provided.
I have a couple observations: you clearly must pay someone else to clean your bathrooms. Though the above mount rectangle sink looks really interesting, picture washing dirty hands or spitting toothpaste into that gigantic sink. You have to run tons of water and rinse out the whole space every time you make any mess in the sink. Next, it is much much more expensive to put in the necessary plumbing (behind the scene) for a wall mount faucet. I really wish you would show some designs for people who don’t have Southern California kind of money. Thanks