Go Glamorous in the Kitchen or Bath with a Brushed Nickel Sink

Type “glamorous home” into Google Images, and you’ll be treated to a parade of sensational living spaces.  Most of which include a decorative bling,  often, a great big, glittering chandelier.

Now take note of the glamorous kitchens and baths. There may still be a chandelier, but you may also find that the most eye-catching kitchens and baths around the world include a brushed nickel sink. Some would say, the equivalent of the chandelier. A masterpiece of artisanship and light, the brushed nickel sink easily sets a luxe tone.
With their distinctive texture and sheen, and their proven durability, Native Trails’ brushed nickel sinks have become an industry favorite. Hammered into radiance, our nickel sinks catch and reflect light and beg to be touched. And because they’re one-of-a-kind and handcrafted by artisans through an impressive multi-step process, they double as works of art. Think it’s a stretch to call a sink a family heirloom? Read on to learn more about a sink you will treasure enough to write into your will.

Mixed, not Matched, Metals

Both timeless and on trend, the brushed nickel sink is riding high on today’s movement to mix metals in the kitchen and bath. People once wanted to match their stainless steel appliances to a stainless steel sink. However, now they’re finding that not coordinating metals adds interest and character, contributing to a layered and more stylish space. Likewise, the faucets selected to go with a brushed nickel sink don’t have to be brushed nickel. They can be polished nickel or even chrome.
“There was a time when we thought stainless steel appliances had to set the tone for all the metal finishes in the kitchen,” says designer Vicki Payne, based in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Not true … Some of the most spectacular kitchens today are a mix of metal finishes … Getting colors to work together is all about how one tone enhances another.”

The Warmth of a Brushed Nickel Sink

Speaking of colors and interior designers, there’s been much talk about how nickel finishes add warmth to a room, and provides a great balance to stainless steel and large appliances. But “warmth” doesn’t just speak to a mood, it speaks to the actual tone of this finish. Nickel is warmer than chrome or stainless finishes, and plenty of people prefer warm tones in the kitchen and bath.

A Fresh Take on an Old Favorite

Brushed nickel faucets, light fixtures and hardware have been beloved by homeowners and designers since the ’90s. However, they remain more of an anomaly in a world where stainless steel sinks are the norm. We debuted our first brushed nickel sinks back in 2004. The perfect hue, and most importantly, extremely durable and easy to care for nickel sinks are the results of our many years of experience. At face value, brushed nickel is more subtle than chrome or polished nickel, but we found that when we dipped hammered copper in nickel and then brushed it, the resulting texture further enhanced the beauty of this dynamic finish. Hand dipped and brushed over recycled copper, after many thousands of hammer strikes, brushed nickel—once a bit of a wallflower before it paired up with our hammered copper sinks—is suddenly party-ready.

Artisan-made and One-of-a-kind

Interior designer to the stars Kishani Perera, who has used our nickel Farmhouse sink more than once in her work, repeatedly sources Native Trails sinks in both antique finish and nickel finish because, she says, they “bring an artisanal quality to the completed spaces.” (Find a couple of Kishani’s delicious kitchens, one featuring a brushed nickel farm sink, in our inspiration gallery.) We’re happy to have received similar feedback from designers around the world. When they discover our brushed nickel sinks, their eyes light up. More interesting and artistic, these sinks are extra special—and are often just the thing needed to make a space sing.

Our sinks and bathtubs can be considered functional art because of the craftsmanship that goes into producing each one. This is especially true of our brushed nickel sinks. A solid copper core anchors each of our copper and brushed nickel sinks. Our artisans form them from wires and pipes they’ve recycled through a long, intensely hands-on process that includes melting the copper down, purifying it and transforming it into a hand-hammered basin. Making them even more special, our brushed nickel sinks take the process a few steps further, as they polish up, dip in nickel, and hand-brush until the desired finish is achieved.

Glamour that Stands the Test of Time

Besides the fact that it’s a feast for the eyes and the fingertips, brushed nickel finish holds up great under heavy use, so long as it’s really high-quality nickel and a high quality plating process. From a practicality standpoint, there could perhaps be no better finish to mask fingerprints, dents and scratches—especially when brushed nickel sheathes hammered metal. More polished finishes are notorious for needing frequent wipe-downs, but brushed nickel requires no polishing and easily maintains with just soap and water.

We could continue rhapsodizing about the benefits and beauty of brushed nickel, but it’s something best experienced in person. Find a showroom near you, or contact us with questions.