Utility Sink in the Bathroom?

Utility sinks have long been relegated to basements and garages. Not anymore.

After spotting Country Living's 2009 Bathroom of the Year, I've had utility sinks on the brain. As a homeowner who loves a good DIY project, a utility sink has always been a must for me. In my last home, we hid our utility sink in the garage, opting for a more feminine pedestal fixture in our guest bathroom. Why? I have no idea.

In my head, utility sinks were about function, not form. I couldn't imagine washing brushes and soaking delicates in my bathroom, so instead I ventured to the garage to do so in my handy dandy utility sink. Looking back, I see that I could have had a much more convenient process lined up had I realized just how good a utility sink can look in an everyday bathroom.

I mean, really, who says a utility sink has to be in a utility room, and who says it has to be used entirely for function? I'd love to brush my teeth and wash my face in a utility sink. Why not?

Form aside, I had originally thought it would be unsafe to cleanse my face in the same sink I wash my paintbrushes. Yet as long as you have proper ventilation in the bathroom to avoid unhealthy paint fumes, you're perfectly safe. Even better? The everyday chemicals you use in your bathroom sink are completely safe for utility sinks, too, and sometimes recommended over the harsher brands. Form and function, with a side of safety and convenience? I'm sold.

Let this be a lesson to us all to mix up our furnishings. Utility sinks in bathrooms, kitchen lighting in bedrooms and tiled backsplashes in living rooms. Why not?!

If you're as into utility sinks as I am, check out a few fantastic models:
Clarion Farmhouse Drainboard Sink, $1650, Remodelista
Kohler Brockway 3-Foot Long Wash Sink, $860, Remodelista

Proof that function can be just as beautiful as form.

For more bathroom inspiration, read on:
-Wallpaper in the Bathroom
-A Bathroom Beautiful Enough to Hang Out In