Vintage Style Cast Iron Farmhouse Sink

When I found this vintage style cast iron farmhouse sink I knew exactly where in my house it would go. Before the room was even being demoed I knew I had to have it. This downstairs bathroom (click for before pictures) is off of the screened in porch and connects the back pool area to the house. It has a shower, toilet and sink along with a hallway of storage. It’s the perfect spot for coming in from chores and dumping your muddy boots or hopping in the shower after swimming in the pool. This is also where I bring in my garden hauls and I needed a sink big enough that would hold all my tomatoes for scrubbing. I had dreams of carefully rinsing them in a large farmhouse sink their jeweled tone skin forcing the water droplets into tiny beads. Then off to the kitchen I would carry them for dinner prep.

Basically I needed a large cast iron farmhouse sink for chores right? Right. This sink was an investment considering that the house wasn’t even torn into yet but the mint on the basin matched perfectly to the tile that was already in the bathroom. We decided that we needed to remove the odd trim from the ceiling, hang my rifle wallpaper (sold out, similar here)  and paint the woodwork. The wood was damaged from sun and was a bright orange hued color. We had a painter come in and we need it to be finished but nobody can locate the paint can with the color! I’m thinking I need to research color matching because I’m not sure what else to do.

When this cast iron sink was delivered to the house it came on a freight trucked wrapped on a skid and took a forklift to haul into the garage for storage. Cast Iron is heavy and the wall needed reinforcement so we had a professional come and take care of business. I love a mixing in some vintage glam and I had this mirror in the back of my storage in the barn that was the perfect cold hue. I added these light sconces from Rejuvenation to add a touch of modern to the farmhouse sink. Rejuvenation has been my go to source lately for well made, durable fixtures and hardware as we remodel this old farmhouse. I bought the matching brass outlet covers to go with them as well.

This vintage inspired cast iron sink has a porcelain top and weighs 150lbs. I weighed the options of a fireclay sink vs a cast iron sink but I went with this cast iron sink for a few reasons.

1. Cast Iron comes with an enamel coating which gives it more options for unique colors like this mint green version.
2. Cast Iron is essentially that. Iron that is melted down and casted into a mold which makes it incredible strong and durable.
3. Cast Iron is typically less expensive than fireclay however, it is much much heavier and tends to require additional reinforcement.
4. Fireclay is much more durable in terms of scratching but again only comes in white typically.

Apron Sinks and Farmhouse sinks are typically used as descriptions interchangeably but I think the difference lies where the faucet and drain are located. In a typical apron sink the sink is mounted in the counter with the faucet separate. I like that this vintage style cast iron sink has that traditional farmhouse mount and meant to be more of a work station than a typical kitchen sink.

I am no the biggest fan on mixing metals but the brass faucet and light fixtures I was not wiling to give up on this sink. I think the brass against the deep ink walls and light blue basin are so striking. I love that our house is continually moving towards more moody dark colored vibes.

I would highly recommend this cast iron sink if you have the space for it but some of my other top contenders can be found here.

• The faucet on this minty sink is incredible 
• I love the all white crisp look of this farmhouse sink 
• This smaller option would be perfect for a she shed or garden house
• This large sink would be amazing in a Children’s bathroom
• I love this sink version has the work station attached. Would be perfect for canning. 

For more inspiration I love the following treasures I found on Pinterest

• This teal sink is adorable against the black and white tile floor
• I love the black basin of this sink against the white shiplap
• My pal Liz has the smaller version of this sink in her bathroom
• Gwens laundry room sink is perfection
• The wallpaper with the vintage blue tile is perfect
• The gold square mirror is amazing in this one 

Before we wrap up a few quick tips on how to keep your cast iron in tip top shop.

when caring for cast iron;

• make sure that you rinse the sink thoroughly after each use.
• avoid using harsh chemicals like nail polish remover etc, around the enamel
• do not let a leaky faucet go too long
• avoid abrasive cleaning tools like steel wool and wire brushes. Especially on the porcelain

This room is not finished nor is it perfect but it’s on it’s way. I have a few more pieces of art to hang, towel racks and more to go before I can say that it’s complete. This farmhouse cast iron sink was the most money i’ve ever spent on a single fixture but I think it is what the room needed to really come together. It’ a piece that will be in this house a long time.