It’s a well known fact that the kitchen faucet is, by far, the most tireless hero in the household. During its lifespan it will be called to duty well more than a million times. Given that fact, when a homeowner embarks on their new kitchen remodel or design project it’s critical to spend some quality time doing some much needed research on the prospective kitchen faucet. Sure, it has to look good; and it has to have a style and finish that compliments the overall theme of the new Virginia kitchen; but there are other measures that have to be taken into consideration as well when making such an important choice. Remember, this is a fixture that will be central to the activity of the kitchen as well as being one of the three major focal points in the aesthetic criteria of this same space. Choose wisely!
Who will use this faucet?
One of the measures that must be entertained when selecting a new faucet for your newly remodeled kitchen is, ‘who will be using the kitchen faucet’? All too often, for example, a couple who possess one, or two, toddlers won’t think ahead enough to realize that in a few short years, their children will be using this faucet and their ultimate choice confirms that this couple didn’t think ahead. Choosing a faucet that is clearly adult featured may not be in the best interest of the household. The theory here is, of course, that a family desires to promote some degree of independence with their children along the way and the wrong faucet will somewhat deter such independence. There are some new motion sensor faucets that are quite chic and enable a parent to pre-set a temperature thereby reducing the chance that a child could get a surprise burn; and this is just one style and feature to consider when debating about user-friendliness.
Do I really need all these features?
As you begin to browse and research your kitchen faucet options for your new Virginia kitchen you’ll be absolutely amazed with what this industry has to offer in the realm of features, functions and styling. The separate spray gun feature, made popular in the 60’s, is now a bit passé in lieu of this same feature being afforded right within the main spout itself. The spout head pulls forward, having a flexible hose discreetly tucked within the spout, so the user can enable a spray feature without engaging a different feature on the sink. Some faucets, as mentioned earlier, have a motion sensor or ‘touch’ feature whereby the user only needs to pass their hands or object near the faucet (motion sensor) or simply ‘tap’ the spout (touch) to prompt the water to flow. Some faucets may even have an integrated dish soap dispenser within them, making dispensing the necessary dish soap or hand soap a clean and tidy access. With all these really neat features, however, the homeowner needs to examine their own lifestyle–what they are accustomed to using—and determine if all these features fit their needs or if they will simply be novelties or cutesy adds that they paid extra money for but never used.
So, what’s really important?
First and foremost, research the ‘guts’ of the fixture itself. Make sure that the make and model of the faucet you’re contemplating upon for your new Virginia kitchen will stand the test of time. At some point in your kitchen makeover project you’ll likely engage a reputable plumber; and these professionals will always give you there experienced opinion on the quality of a product—heed their experience! The other important detail, which may also be extracted from the plumber, is that of the longevity and maintenance challenge of the actual finish of the faucet. You want to be sure that, not only will the faucet continue to perform over time, but it will look good for just a long with minimal care.
