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In the grand scheme of kitchen design, the sink faucet seems like a blip on the radar. But as pro renovators Cathy and Garrett Poshusta recently learned, the minor detail can be the difference between ample countertop surface and very little prep space. The couple, who document their home improvements on their blog, The Grit and Polish, recently transformed the laundry room in their Washington State farmhouse into a butler’s pantry. When they decided to add a small sink to the area, they realized there was only one logical place they could hook up the faucet: on the side wall.
“We really wanted to maximize the countertop for baking, and we couldn’t find a faucet that would fit below the window—the ledge takes up too much room,” says Cathy. Sliding everything over and mounting the under-$200 brass fixture on the wall instantly freed things up. Because the area was already outfitted for a washer and dryer, plumbing was a nonissue (all they had to do was run the pipes further up the wall).
To make the placement look less odd, the couple made a last-minute decision to turn the arrangement into a focal point by adding a curved marble backsplash. The sliver of stone happened to be sitting in their backyard scrap pile, so Garrett cut and honed the piece himself.
While Cathy admits she probably wouldn’t opt for this side-wall setup for the main kitchen sink (it would feel cramped after a while), the placement works great in a secondary space. “I’ve been surprised by how much we use it for rinsing off produce, cooking, and handwashing,” says Cathy. “It’s definitely one of the most used faucets in the house.”
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