More Than a Hand Washing Station

We are a nation of hand washers.

In a standard secular home there would be a total of three sinks — one in the kitchen and one in each of the two bathrooms — and that would be it. But not for us. We have two or even three sinks in the kitchen. A WC with a sink inside isn't sufficient for most, which makes an additional sink outside every bathroom. Then there's the Pesach kitchen, which I almost forgot about, where the fortunate ones will have another one or two.

Because our Shabbos meals necessitate hand washing, it has become almost customary to have a separate נטילת ידים sink near the dining room. It's far more convenient than having guests traipse through the kitchen to wash.

So before you feel like you're sinking with all these sinks, here's some information to keep you afloat.

Where to put it

When planning a home, I optimally try to place one beautiful נטילת ידים area that doubles in function: a Shabbos washing station positioned close to the dining room, and near the guest bathroom, which usually works out close to the front of a home anyway.

Now that you understand the ideal placement, let's explore materials and styles.

Six ways to design one

Floating wall with recessed lighting. A striking area with a surface-mounted rectangular sink on a custom counter made from the same tile as the background. This one serves both the guest bathroom and Shabbos use, given its proximity to the dining room.

Small but loud. The small washing station is an opportunity to fully embrace design and create a wow factor. This compact combination was achieved with a fabulous wallpaper — I know it's deceiving — finished with an original turquoise sink and under-counter lighting.

Dark and sparkling. Another sink unit, effectively contrasted with a dark sparkling wallpaper.

Floor-to-ceiling stone. A corner unit accented with LED strip lighting, creating a space almost designed for the handcrafted sink made from the same stone. Note the tap comes from the wall.

A tap from the ceiling. Who said taps can't come from the ceiling? I planned this extravagant wall-clad area with a tap extending from above, suspended over a rounded base unit accented with brushed gold strips. Results that speak for themselves.

Matched to the dining room. A sink unit created to complement elegant dining room furniture. The striking gold strips in the eucalyptus wood, paired with a fluted glass sink, are truly a winner.

Which is your favourite?

Washed away by all those options? I'd love to hear which one you'd choose.