We may not consider how often we use a sink in day-to-day life. They’re for hand-washing, cleaning fresh vegetables just pulled from the garden, teaching a toddler the importance of brushing her teeth, and maybe even for filling up water balloons in hopes of a secret ambush. We gather at the sink to wash dishes after a festive meal. And we rely on sinks to quickly wash away dirt and distress. Most of us start our day at a sink, groggy-eyed and disheveled from sleep, preparing for what lies ahead. When our daily lives function so heavily around the use of sinks, why shouldn’t they be works of art?

Sinks have increasingly become anything but ordinary. Homeowners are opting for exciting designs and functional art instead of classic pedestals or standard undermount sinks. Today, basins or unique bowls are commonly set atop counters, as is the oyster shell sink by Maine ceramic artist Alison Evans seen in this section. Faucets these days are also getting creative updates; many can be seen protruding from the facing wall rather than the surrounding counter. Whether you choose a distinctive basin or faucet or both, the options to create a unique sink are ultimately endless.