What's with the bathroom double sinks as a new standard of bath amenities?

[palomalou]

And good riddance to all 10 of those excessive features IMHO...glad we're all coming back down to earth.

I don't know--I will MISS the whirlpool tub when we finally move. Sigh.....But you may keep the double-bowl kitchen sink--
I've ripped them out of two houses and replaced with big singles.

 

[W2R]

We have double sinks, but......
.....we don't have granite counter tops!

Since we don't have kids and won't be able to sell the house, I guess we'll just have to burn it down.

I have no double sinks (and no room for any), and what's worse, I have carpeted floors. HGTV would be appalled. I do have granite counter tops. Guess we'll both survive.

 

[eridanus]

Granite doesn't look pretty to me, even though it's expected. There are other options out there (hammered copper sheets are nice ). Stainless steel is a nice look but it's not worth paying extra. Like haha's condo, my place will sell for its location.

 

[Meadbh]

Being single, I wouldn't know what to do with two sinks. But I do have two bathrooms!

But the real question is: what is Marg Delahunty going to do with two sinks? The answer may lie in that red costume.......

And if you have no idea what I'm talking about, you can't be Canadian, eh!

 

[PaddyMac]

A small master bath with one sink would be a deal breaker for us (I know, because we passed on our dream home many years ago because the master bath was too small). DH likes to shave at the sink the old-fashioned way, and I like to get ready at the same time.

In our current house we also have his & her walk-in closets. Now I'm totally spoiled...I don't know how I'll ever be able to move again!

 

[Walt34]

We have two sinks in the master bath. It's a "nice-to-have" but certainly not a necessity. What blew me away was that it has five light switches! I'd never seen a bathroom with more than two at most.

 

[rescueme]

When we built our "retirement home", we opted for the 2-sink arrangement for the "family bathroom" (not the one that DW/I use, in our bedroom suite).

The thinking is (from the builder) is that you have younger/multiple childern who need to do their "morning ritual" on a time constraint, and are willing to wash their face and brush their teeth together.

Being we never use it (I do rarely, if DW is getting ready to go out), we just had it built with the intent of resale if the situation arises.

4 bedrooms, four sinks, and two people who live in the home (plus two dogs - however we've been unable to train the dogs to brush their teeth at the sink).

Sometimes, it's good to have a "spare" (of anything)...

 

[TromboneAl]

I am convinced that we will never be able to sell our home after reading this thread. I guess we will have to die here and then one of our kids will have to move here.

Just make sure you have a double casket.

 

[Chuckanut]

Two sinks are very nice if one does not have an extra bathroom nearby.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Two sinks are very nice if one does not have an extra bathroom nearby.

I would rather have two toilets if I didn't have an extra bathroom nearby .

 

[Midpack]

Granite doesn't look pretty to me, even though it's expected.

I don't know why it's so fashionable now either. It certainly looks nice, but it stains easily and it's surprisingly easy to crack if you're not careful. If we replace our countertops (or in our next house), we're probably going with quartz. Much more durable, in most any look you want, and about the same cost. There are several alternatives to granite (soapstone, hi-end concrete, etc.) that make more sense IMO. YMMV

 

[Payin-the-Toll]

1 & 1/2 baths in this late 50's ranch, and they're both pretty small. Had the full bath redone in the 80's when 3 daughters were 7 & 8. Friend of a friend did the work; had a big counter and had it changed to double sinks. Wife and contractor both griped about the $ and extra work, but I held fast. Fast forward a couple of years--I'd do my stuff in the 1/2 bath---walk down the hall and look in the full bath---there'd be the wife and daughters--one at each sink, one on the pot, and one in the shower. Then I'd congratulate myself on doing it right.

 

[Major Tom]

This is an interesting topic. I had never heard of double sinks in the bathroom until this thread came along. My first reaction was that it seemed like needless excess, but on reading about two people needing to get ready (usually for work) at the same time, I can see that it makes sense. Thinking back to the days when I cohabited, there was a certain fun involved in doing the "bathroom 2-step" when we were both in a rush to get out at the same time.

I'm seeing a similarity of theme with the thread that MichaelB started about being able to schedule a tire replacement at 7:30pm.

We do have it really good in the US don't we?

 

[Midpack]

This is an interesting topic. I had never heard of double sinks in the bathroom until this thread came along. My first reaction was that it seemed like needless excess, but on reading about two people needing to get ready (usually for work) at the same time, I can see that it makes sense. Thinking back to the days when I cohabited, there was a certain fun involved in doing the "bathroom 2-step" when we were both in a rush to get out at the same time.

DW grew up in a very small 3 bedroom/1 bath home, her Mom still lives there, alone now. Mom & Dad and FIVE children. I can't conceive of how they managed their morning "bathroom 7-step" growing up with Dad going to work and 5 kids (3 girls ) in school. I'll never understand...

 

[GRambler]

Our Masterbath counter is 5' and we opted for the single sink in the middle even though the plans called for a double.
If a buyer turned down our house because it had a single, and that's the only thing they didn't like, they watch to many house buying shows for that alone to be a deal breaker.
As long as there's space a vanity top with two sinks is pretty simple to install.

On the list of things going away. About the only one I questioned was deleting the Whirlpool bath tub for a standard tub. If I'm installing a tub and a seperate shower in a Master bath the tub will be a whirlpool. A shower-tub combo wouldn't be though.
I couldn't see us ever using a standard tub.

 

[Sue J]

We have a house from 1955 and the bathrooms are small, but there are 2 of them. Both have a single sink and I'm fine with that. Personally I don't want anyone else in there while I'm using the bathroom. There is no room for a 2nd person and I'm in there for private time. The only time I share is if one of us is in the shower and the other one needs to pee and doesn't want to run upstairs.

Before DH retired we coordinated our bathroom time based on his time to leave for work and my need to do my stuff before taking the kids to school. With a little planning it was never a problem. The kids had their own full bathroom and I know they never used it at the same time.

I also watch all those HGTV and DIY shows and really enjoy them. Makes me glad I live where I live and own the house I'm in. It's not perfect but it's ours.

 

[W2R]

We have a house from 1955 and the bathrooms are small, but there are 2 of them. Both have a single sink and I'm fine with that. Personally I don't want anyone else in there while I'm using the bathroom. There is no room for a 2nd person and I'm in there for private time. The only time I share is if one of us is in the shower and the other one needs to pee and doesn't want to run upstairs.

Before DH retired we coordinated our bathroom time based on his time to leave for work and my need to do my stuff before taking the kids to school. With a little planning it was never a problem. The kids had their own full bathroom and I know they never used it at the same time.

I also watch all those HGTV and DIY shows and really enjoy them. Makes me glad I live where I live and own the house I'm in. It's not perfect but it's ours.

What a wonderful post. I especially like your last paragraph, and I feel the same way about my house, too, even though it is far from perfect. It is just right for me, though. I still watch the HGTV shows. It's amazing how much people pay for what they get.

 

[Sirka]

Double sink

Definitely one sink per person.

+1

 

[Mulligan]

I sure didnt realize how popular double sinks are now. If I had a do over I would have put it in. But me personally, I wish I had put a urinal in the bathroom more than double sinks. That way I wouldnt be yelled at by GF over lid placement in MY house.

 

[BigMoneyJim]

I would rather have two toilets if I didn't have an extra bathroom nearby .

 

[pixelville]

I use the bath after my husband, if I can't wait I use the spare. Am I the only one that thinks two sinks is an unneccessary element that uses up extra space?

DH uses Master Bathroom, I use Guest Bathroom - that way we have our own space and no toilet, tub, sink, sharing hassles. It was invaluable when we were both rushing to work in the morning around the same time. When we have guests I move my stuff to MB.
For me, sink/vanity outside the toilet/tub bathroom would be much more valuable if I was sharing the MB. No value of double sinks for me, I would rather use the space for something else.

 

[happy2bretired]

DH uses Master Bathroom, I use Guest Bathroom - that way we have our own space and no toilet, tub, sink, sharing hassles. It was invaluable when we were both rushing to work in the morning around the same time. When we have guests I move my stuff to MB.
For me, sink/vanity outside the toilet/tub bathroom would be much more valuable if I was sharing the MB. No value of double sinks for me, I would rather use the space for something else.

The house my husband and I owned before building this one, we did the same thing. My daughter and I shared the guest bathroom while my husband had the very small master bathroom. My husband and I also had different work schedules so that also helped. After moving to this house, with a single sink but much larger in size, we again shared the master bathroom. Didn't matter to either of us what the other was doing in the bathroom...hey we were married...nothing to hide.

 

[Sesq]

We have them in two of the bathrooms (the master they are two vanities, separated by the corner tub). They are nice to have, but the enthusiasm on HGTV for them is beyond me. The door to the throne in the master bath is much more useful to me.

We also have the jetted tub (used 2-4 times a year, not essential, not ignored) and something of a media room, but that is my hobby.

 

[meekie]

I'm fine with one sink in the master, but I don't understand why everyone is putting pedestal sinks in. The lack of storage is such a deal breaker for me.

 

[Sue J]

I'm fine with one sink in the master, but I don't understand why everyone is putting pedestal sinks in. The lack of storage is such a deal breaker for me.

Our original sink from 1955 was pink (with a matching tub and toilet) and had 2 metal legs for support. NO STORAGE! And on top of that the surface of the sink was rounded so you couldn't put anything on it. Just dumb. A cabinet vanity with a door (for the wastebasket and cleaning supplies) and 2 drawers for TP and "feminine supplies" was our first improvement.