by Julia Ritzenthaler

Vessel sinks are quickly becoming one of the hottest bathroom trends on today’s market. In this style, the sink is slightly or dramatically raised from the surface of the countertop and they are available in just about every style, material, and finish imaginable. Small vessels are particularly nice for guest and powder rooms, and larger vessels are great for master and full bathrooms.

Once you have determined the style you are looking for—for instance a square vessel sink is great for a contemporary look—it’s time to decide on the type of vessel sink you want. The type you choose depends on if you plan to add just the sink and hardware to an existing vanity or if you are going to buy a complete piece. Some vanities are designed to accommodate partially raised vessel sinks, while others are more suited to completely raised sinks. You may also choose to purchase a vessel sink vanity which includes the sink, countertop, and cabinet. When planning the installation of your vessel sink, you need to decide where the bathroom the vanity is going to be placed. It’s just a good idea to determine the layout out of the room first. Be sure to closely read the manufacturer’s instruction included with the bathroom vanity or sink first; you are sure to find helpful point in there to make the vessel sink installation a bit easier.

Once the vanity is in place and you’ve read the instructions, give a good once-over to check for any pre-drilled holes for the faucet. If there are none, decide where you’d like the faucet to be in relation to the vessel sink. If you’re confident enough to start marking directly on the vanity, go ahead and indicate where you’d like to drill. If not, draw up a template and use it as a reference for the real thing. Remember the old saying, measure twice, cut once. You may also choose to mount your vessel faucet to the wall instead of the counter.

Use a jigsaw or a hole saw to make the cuts into the top of the vanity. A jigsaw is perfect for this kind of cutting because it gives you the range and flexibility to swivel as you cut. Pre-drilling the screw holes will make it easier to attach the faucet to the vanity. Once the cuts have are complete, carefully arrange the vessel sink and the faucet on the vanity surface to check that everything is lined up correctly. If it’s not exactly right, feel free to tweak and scrape until everything lines up just right.

If your vanity didn’t come with the mounting equipment and hardware for the vessel sink and faucet, you can find what you need at any hardware store. Your vanity might have specific instructions about how to fit a vessel sink and faucet. If so, be sure to stick to every word. Take the instructions to the hardware store with you so that you don’t forget anything. Simply put, attach the mounting ring; place the sink; and bolt the whole thing down. If your vessel sink is a particularly fragile material, such as glass, you might have to place some cushioning between the vanity surface and the sink. Silicone or rubber works well.

Now that it looks like a proper bathroom vanity, it’s time to get it working like one. Once the vessel sink and the faucet have been securely fixed onto the vanity, attach the water supply pipes to the vessel sink drain and the faucet or faucets. Check that all pipes and lines are firmly attached before testing it. Turn the water on and off. If it performs like it’s supposed to, then you are ready to enjoy your new vanity.

If you are unsure of any portion of the project, be sure to look into hiring a professional general contractor or a plumber.

This article has been provided by Julia Ritzenthaler, owner and founder of several online boutique home furnishing stores including http://www.UniqueVanities.com/ visit or call 1-866-526-1843 for more information.