The One Thing I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me Before I Bought a Farmhouse Sink

Erica George Dines Designed more than 115 years ago, this classic Shaws Original apron-front sink ( rohlhome.com) is simple without being boring, and it's extra deep for washing pots and pans.

We all love the farmhouse sink for its charming and versatile good looks. What kitchen doesn't deserve a 30-inch by 18-inch expanse of shiny white porcelain to break up the monotony of countertops and cabinetry? The 18-inch deep, single bowl has a straightforward simplicity that appeals to everyone and every style. If your kitchen is looking too new or too modern, a farmhouse sink (and a gooseneck bridge style faucet in polished nickel) is the quickest way to give your kitchen vintage character. Got a new baby to wash? You can easily do that in this sink. Got to cook an 18-pound turkey for Thanksgiving. All that rinsing and stuffing that needs to happen is a breeze with a sink this big and deep. Got a huge load of dishes to wash? You can soak your whole china cabinet in this BFG (the Big Friendly Giant) of a sink.

The Sink Problem

With so many upsides to these super charming farmhouse sinks, can there be any downsides? There is one big one that few people will tell you. With a porcelain or fireclay sink as deep and wide as the farmhouse sink; it's easy for dishes and glasses to break. If a tall crystal wine glass on a delicate stem topples over, that could be the end of that wine glass.

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The Sink Solution

But, don't worry, there's an easy remedy to the problem: get a farmhouse sink liner. They come in two varieties: A coated wire grid that rests in the bottom of the sink that provides a cushion for dishes and glasses with a hole for the drain like this $22.99 version. Or try a thin flat silicone mat that rests in the bottom of the sink like this one. A big farmhouse sink plus a sink protector means that you are in total good kitchen style now.