It has been almost two years since we installed our black farmhouse sink. I thought an update post was long over due!
When we renovated our kitchen as part of the one room challenge in the spring of 2017. After dreaming of a white farmhouse sink, I made the bold decision to choose a black sink instead of white! I have had some questions asking if I am glad I made that choice, whether it is easy to clean, and if dreaded water spots are a problem
I am happy to report that I am still loving my sink. And, I am so happy I chose the black sink. It really is the focal point of the kitchen. I am especially happy that I choose this Ikon sink from Blanco. The granite composite material that it is made from, for our household, is so much better than porcelain. The sink we used to have was porcelain and I broke far too many glasses and plates putting them into that sink when I wasn’t being careful.
As far as cleaning the sink, I simply use the same dish soap I use for hand washing my dishes with soft cloth to wipe it clean, and then rinsing is super easy with the Diva faucet using the spray setting. A quick wipe dry with a tea towel and it is good to go.
With regard to water spots, I can’t say that they have been a problem. We do not have hard water, so if you do have hard water then if you don’t wipe it dry then I suppose that could be an issue. But, honestly even after several days of not getting to give the sink a good clean water spots are pretty much nonexistent.
So far I have not had any scratches to the surface and I am not easy on my sink! I make the majority of our meals at home and do a fair bit of baking, and usually just throw dishes and pans into the sink as I go.
In the almost two years that we have had it, a couple of times I felt the colour was looking a little bit dull, not quite as vibrant as it was brand new. I had seen a tip that mineral oil worked well to restore the luster and deepen the colour back to new. I didn’t have any mineral oil, but used a bit of olive oil on a clean paper towel and it worked like a charm.
I almost always leave the metal rack in place because it is the perfect spot to air dry a few dishes or to rinse fruit and vegetables. About once a week I will give it a wash with mild dish soap and put it back in place to air dry. It is sturdy and solid and the finish is just like new.
We are hoping to do replace our kitchen cabinets in the next year or two and will definitely be keeping our black farmhouse sink. The only thing I will do differently is to have a custom cabinet built for it. Since we were only doing a refresh of the kitchen last time, we did just modify the existing sink base cabinet to fit this sink. Since we will be updating all of the cabinets, it will just be much easier and more custom to have a cabinet made to fit.
If you are thinking about a black farmhouse sink and have any questions that I didn’t address here, please feel free to leave me a comment!
Until next time…..
erika says
what a gorgeous sink and it works soooo well with the wooden counters and lovely faucet. Great choices. i went with wood counters and a copper undermount sink. Let me tell you, there is a LOT of work having copper, but i still love it.
Sara says
I am leaning towards this Blanco Ikon in black for a kitchen reno with concrete counter tops. The other option I am considering is copper, but was surprised to read that option has been a lot of work for Erika, who commented above. Can either of you give me some insight? Many thanks!
Maureen says
Hi Sara! I can’t speak for the copper sink, other than perhaps keeping it clean is an issue. Personally I love my black Ikon sink! It is easy to keep clean with just a bit of whatever liquid dish soap you already use (we now use Seventh Generation). We are currently installing a white one in my daughters fixer upper! She went with navy blue cabinets so the white looks stunning against them! It is a bit tricky to install, as I think every apron front sink is, as the cabinet needs to be modified unless you have one custom made for the sink. We have diy’d both installations. Keep me posted on which one you decide!
Sara says
Thank you, Maureen! I will 😉
Genevieve says
I’m curious what kind of butcher block your counters are. What kind of wood are they made out of? Where did you purchase them? I love the high contrast of the lights and darks together and I’ve been looking around. Thank you!
Maureen says
I Genevieve! Thanks for stopping by! We purchased our Acacia wood butcher block counter top from Lumber Liquidators! It was very reasonably priced and we were lucky enough to hit a sale and paid around $200 for an 8 feet long!
Jenna Wilson says
Which Diva faucet is this? How do you like it? Is it holding up well?
Maureen says
Hi Jenna! Here is a link to the exact faucet. https://www.blanco-germany.com/en_ca/en_ca/faucets_en_ca/faucet_selector/product_detail.html?sid=BLANCO%20DIVA%20with%20Pull-out
I love this faucet, and am super impressed at the quality and durability! It is holding up very well. It is a very solid faucet, and the spray arm is so convenient!
Jessica says
How did you modify the cabinet pieces on the sides of the sink? I just got this sink and didn’t realize the base is slightly wider, so those pieces have to be cut at an angle!
Maureen says
Hi Jessica! My sink came with templates to cut the side pieces. If you aren’t able to get them from Blanco, I would be happy to scan them and email them to you!
Kalah Schu says
Hey! I just got my new black granite farm sink installed except I can’t seem to find that dish rack you have anywhere! Where did you get yours?
Maureen says
Hi Kalah! My sink came directly from Blanco with the rack included, but I would think that anywhere that sells the sinks could order it in for you. This is the “part number” for the floating grid that I have: Floating Grid 406536. Hope that helps!
Gina Thomas says
Hello, I absolutely love this Black sink with the Butcher Block , I wouldn’t have gone this bold until I seen a picture of it, Question about the Butcher Block I hear it is very hard to maintain, What do you do to keep it sealed??
Maureen says
Sorry for the late reply Gina. I do use Watco butcher block oil to seal my counters. I don’t find them hard to maintain, but I also enjoy a bit of patina from the occasional knick or such! You just have to be careful about letting water pool and sit on the countertops, especially can happen around the faucet and sink. Here is the link on how I seal my counters! https://www.redcottagechronicles.com/home-decor/sealing-butcher-block-countertops/
Kelly says
I’ve had a black Blanco sink (the one with the built in drain board) since 2011 and love it too! We are building a new home now and am considering the Ikon apron front for the new house as well, so I was thrilled to see your post about the new style. The Silgranit material is outstanding!
Lynne Bennett says
I love your style and I just purchased the same sink. I am using sage green and I love your butcher block counter tops. Can you give me any or all info about the wood and stain? Thank you!
Maureen says
Hi Lynne! Thank you so much! We purchased our countertops from Lumber Liquidators and they are açai wood. We left them natural and just treated them with Watco Butcher Block Oil & Finish purchased from Home Depot! Hope this helps 🙂