Thank you to Elkay® for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own.
Whenever I design a space, I start with one item that sparks the ideas for the rest of the space. In most rooms, I usually begin with wallpaper or drapes or a rug. In my newly renovated kitchen, it all began with a sink. To be more precise, a Mint Creme colorful sink!
my mint creme colorful sink
The sink in my kitchen is in the center of the room so when I heard that Elkay now has a Quartz Luxe color, Mint Creme, I knew that it’d be perfect! That was the first decision, then I selected appliances, cabinet color, and flooring.
How cool is it that Elkay has created a sink that’s pretty enough to design a kitchen around?!
I’ve used Elkay sinks in the past and have always loved their combination of beautiful design and quality. In my sister’s kitchen, we went with a Fireclay Farmhouse sink in white.
In my Utah kitchen, we switched out the stainless sink for a drop in gray quartz sink. It was a great project because I didn’t renovate the cabinets or countertops, I just replaced the sink and faucet. That completely modernized the space and brought it up to date. That project has been hugely popular because it solves the problem of wanting a nice kitchen without gutting it.
Obviously I am a huge Elkay fan. Both sinks that I’ve used are durable and high quality while still being beautiful.
benefits
Let me tell you more about the benefits of this Mint Creme sink-
Strength– The sink is made of quartz, which, if you don’t know, is the hardest component of granite. This makes them so durable. Sinks get a lot of wear and tear with doing dishes and kids throwing things in them (is my child the only one who likes to launch his dishes in the sink?!). But they’re impact resistant to stand up to all the toughest sink tasks.
Quiet– Noise might seem like a silly thing to talk about. But if a sink is loud, it’s totally noticeable and makes meal prep and cleanup unpleasant. Quartz is naturally sound-deadening so it minimizes sound and vibration while using it.
Hygiene Protection– Ok- here’s a cool benefit! The quartz particles are rounded and non porous which makes the surface ultra smooth on the sink. This means that it’s resistant to bacteria, dirt, food, and stains. Yes, please!
more benefits
Heat Safe– The sink is heat safe to 535°F. That’s good news when draining food after boiling. Another great side effect of it being heat safe: the mint color won’t fade.
Size– I love a single bowl sink! Why? It has uninterrupted space for washing dishes. The sink is extra deep, which means you can stack dishes in it and not see the dishes from across the room- lol. But really, that’s nice. Plus, you can fill big pots in the sink or wash large baking sheets without any issues.
Undermount Installation– This sink is installed underneath the countertop. This gives a really clean look since the countertop is flat and the sink is beneath it. Personally, I find it easier to keep the countertop clean with an undermount sink. With a drop-in sink, the edge of the sink can get dirty quickly.
Offset Drain– The drain is placed closer to the faucet. This placement provides more usable space in the cabinet below. I love this thoughtful design component!
Color– One of my favorite colors is mint. So having the sink in that color is so fun! It’s a fresh mint green with creamy undertones. The great thing about a mint sink is that it’s a beautiful neutral. And unless you’re looking straight into the sink, you just get a glimpse of the mint color across the room. It’s a fun surprise!
Care– To clean the sink, wash with damp cloth and soapy water.
colors it comes in
Besides the Mint Creme, the Elkay Quartz Luxe sink also comes in Charcoal, Cavalier, Parchment, Maraschino, Ricotta, Chestnut, and Silvermist. My color loving heart really appreciates all the fun options. There’s definitely an option for everyone!
accessories I suggest
If you end up getting this sink, here’s the three accessories I suggest ordering as well-
Sink Grid– I like having a grid (or sink rack) at the bottom. It serves as a drainer, a buffer from items hitting the bottom of the sink basin and a protector from knives or dishes scratching the sink.
Cutting Board– Elkay makes custom cutting boards for their sinks. This means that you can get one that fits over a portion of the sink, or like I have, the whole thing. This basically extends the prep space on the countertop while you’re chopping up veggies. It’s a great hack for a small kitchen! We also used it a lot when doing construction to make sure debris didn’t go down the drain.
Color Matched Drain– If there’s anything I love, it’s having matching things. Lol. And this sink has a matching drain! It’s beautiful! And functional for closing the drain or preventing food from going down it.
fitting our mint creme colorful sink
This sink is 24 5/8″ wide and technically, the minimum cabinet size for this sink is 30″. My husband and I decided to risk it and try to put it in a 24″ cabinet. The reasoning is that in our small kitchen, if we went for a 6″ smaller sink cabinet, we could do 6″ wider drawers to the left of it. This meant a TON more space for storage (which we really needed).
In Interior Design school, I did a ton of floor planning. I was always surprised that by shifting things over by 6″, it could make a huge difference in the flow and function of a room.
Since the sink didn’t quite fit in the smaller cabinet, my husband cut away just a little of the cabinet on each side of the sink. It now has a perfect fit and is securely supported. We’re really happy it worked out nicely while keeping the larger storage drawers in the next cabinet over.
TIPS FOR DECORATING WITH COLOR
Since this post revolves around decorating with a colorful sink, I thought I’d share my tips for decorating with color.
5 years ago I lived in a house with every wall painted grey (this was my kitchen then). All of the art and decor was black and white. There wasn’t much color in sight. Why? I was scared of color. Honestly, I was decorating my house for everyone but me.
I slowly have changed course and got more brave and tried things out. Now my home is filled with color. And I love it! But I do have some rules to make all that color work for me and steps I took to happily live in a colorful home.
Start Small
If you’re wondering if adding color to your house is right for you, start small. Choose something that’s easy to switch out- flowers, a vase, a pillow cover, or art. Anything that isn’t a big investment. Try one of these and slowly add more if you like it.
It should feel fun to try out a new color. You might just be finding your signature look!
This is how I started adding pink to my home. In the above image, you can see my first kitchen renovation. I used lots of neutrals, but you can see the pink art, candle and books. If I tired of any of these, it’d be so easy to phase them out since they aren’t permanent and budget friendly.
Look in your Closet
Another picture in my first kitchen remodel. You can see the pink rug and art. More easy to change items.
If you’re not sure what color to start with, open your closet and see what colors you gravitate to in clothing. These are what you’re comfortable with and will be a great place to start!
I wear pastel dresses all the time with soft floral patterns. My favorite colors to wear are pink, blue, and ivory. So now, when I have an accent wall with floral wallpaper and a pink painted door, it feels familiar and true to my style.
Have a Neutral Base
Experiment
Implement
Follow a Formula
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Love the sink! Do you follow Ariel at PMQ for Two? She just put in a mint creme sink in her wet bar. Hers isn’t an undermount, but it’s very similar to yours! I foresee mint creme sinks popping up all over in 2021 now that it has the blessing of two of my favorite bloggers!
Yes! I love Ariel! We’re afriends. I actually suggested she use that sink. I’m so glad it worked out! I loooove it with her Rifle Paper wallpaper. It looks amazing.