Gail*Design Ebay Items for Sale!Bathroom remodeling or decorating is one of the first things a homeowner does when he or she purchases a home.  And it's no wonder! Not only can your bathroom add to the value of your home, but bathrooms are increasingly becoming the 'getaway' rooms in the house with luxury spas, towel warmers and other personal touches.

And it's not just the homeowner's personal bathroom that is getting overhauled, guest baths are also getting a facelift, and for good reason.  The guest bath, whether it be a full bathroom or merely a powder room, makes a huge impression on visitors to your home.  A whole industry has sprung up around cute and clever items to put in your guest bathroom...froggy towel holders and soap dishes, paper guest towels (I kid you not!), the list goes on and on.  But one of the best ways to update your bathroom and make a statement about who you are and what you love is to install a designer bathroom sink that reflects your personal taste. 

Hand painted sinks are hugely popular today as are OOAK (one-of-a-kind) custom painted fixtures.  Many talented artists are producing porcelain works of art that you can incorporate into your bathroom decorating schemes with the help of a plumber, handiman, or  talented do-it-yourselfer.  In less than a day, you can replace the old, chipped fixture with a work of art that will last through several lifetimes.

Here are some important tips to think about when replacing your existing bathroom sink with a newer designer painted sink:

* Avoid sinks that have been decorated with decals!  Some unscrupulous sellers will apply decals to a sink with glue and then paint over the design with clear acryllic or polymer.  This might last for awhile but it is far from permanent and may wear with time.  Fortunately, these types of 'artwork' are easy to spot because it looks the pattern is repeated or it looks like the design has been stamped or pasted onto the porcelain.  Remember, a true china painter will never use decals.  Instead, the paint is applied directly to the porcelain and then fired in a kiln or high temperature oven.  This makes the design a permanent part of the vitreous china surface of the sink and it cannot be removed.

* Make sure the design you choose is consistent with the rest of your house.  A home with a country decor will look charming with a Chickadees design sink such as the one shown above, or one with roses or other florals, but a sink with a geometric or southwestern design could look out of place in a country home (unless it is in a log cabin, of course!).  You will easily be able to zoom in on your particular style by looking around at the rest of your home's decor.  Is your decor mostly traditional, with antique pieces?  Then a floral design or simple 'greek key' design would look awesome.  Do you have a lot of contemporary pieces?  Then select from one of the many beautiful and colorful geometric design sinks available.  Whichever theme or style of bathroom sink you choose make sure it reflects what you truly love and you can't go wrong. 

* The simpler the design, the better.  Instead of going with a design that has a lot of bright colors, for example, choose designs that have soft pastels instead, with colors like mauve or sage green.  This will make it easier to change the colors of your surrounding walls or accessories at a later date. The Magnolia Blossom design, below, is stunning, yet not overpowering. It is a classic design that wears well and looks good with many of the more subdued colors so popular in bathrooms today.

* When cleaning your designer sink, never use harsh detergents.  Even though the design is durable and permanent, harsh sink scrubbers or acid-based cleaners can dull any porcelain or china surface.  Stick to SoftScrub or some other bathroom cleaner that is recommended for tile and porcelain. Remember, this is a work of art.  Treat your designer sink just like you would any fine china or porcelain surface and it will last forever. 

The most fun thing about updating your bathroom by installing a hand painted designer bathroom sink is the fact that you will have something unique, something you don't see in everybody's bathroom. A designer sink can easilybecome the showpiece, and the conversation piece, of your home!

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