The cast iron laundry room sinks by Kohler: Gorgeous. And I discovered 7 of them — available in a wide variety of colors and faucet configurations — to ogle. Yes: Laundry room porn. You could also use these sinks in your utility room, mudroom, potting area or craft room.
The chief difference between a kitchen sink and laundry room sink is that the latter is deeper — usually 12″, sometimes even more. I love these Kohler designs because they are cast iron, finished with porcelain enamel (like our kitchen sink favorite, the Kohler Delafield). The real, old fashioned deal. Among the seven designs, some have an early 20th century feel, like the Kohler Harborview sink, above. It’s a 48″ wide behemoth that comes in either a one- or two-faucet configuration.
Others cast iron sinks in the lineup have a more midcentury look, like the Kohler Bayview sink, above. You can also get this one with a faucet hole on top.
Yes, this one makes me wish I had a space for a floor sink. I guess I would use it to give Astro showers? The Kohler Oceanview sink is 48″ wide and 7″ deep. It can also be installed as a countertop sink. I love cast iron sinks.
This Kohler Park Falls sink might actually be the most practical for the space I have in mind for my crafting sink. It’s only 21″ front to back. This one is tile-in. The Park Falls also comes with a countertop drop-in design.
The Kohler River Falls is similarly sized. All these sinks seem to be available in a variety of colors and hole and mounting configurations. If you are truly interested, study and compare all the specifications and features carefully. ‘Til your eyes bug out.
The Glen Falls is about the same, compact size as well. Kohler also offers a few under-counter cast iron utility sinks.
The Kohler Tandem laundry sink is contemporary and cute as a button. It comes with a variety of accessories so that you can wash your delicates more easily.
Can these also be used as kitchen sinks? Be careful: My experience with very deep kitchen sinks is that they are back-breakers. It’s okay to have a deep utility sink — it gives you lots of depth to wash out buckets as well as all your other tools. But if you were to use a sink like this in the kitchen, you would sort of have to “bend down” to get to the bottom all the time. So, check the depth of the sink you are considering. Note: The Harborview (first sink shown) is “only 10” deep; that would be fine for a kitchen, I think.
I have heard of folks putting kitchen sinks in the bathroom — so they give the babies their baths. Hmmm…. Juust wash the baby in the kitchen sink — that’s what we did.
Finally, don’t flip out too much at the retail prices you see on the Kohler website. Just tapping around the www a bit, I see these marketed at 50% less at major online retailers. It pays to shop around — assuming you get the customer service required.
Elaine says
This is great! I put a cheap fiberglass utility sink in my garage just last month. It is one of those little square ones all one piece legs and all that just fits in the space available. A cast iron one the same size would make me feel a lot more secure. I am just waiting for one of the menfolk to drop a cement block or something in this one and bye-bye sink.
Elaine says
Oh, drat, the one with legs only comes 48″ wide. Oh, well, I am inspired to keep looking.
pam kueber says
Don’t forget Sandford: 42″ https://retrorenovation.com/2011/10/27/farmhouse-kitchen-sinks-two-sources-for-authentic-1900s-reproductions/
marta says
One thing I think is important to consider when installing a new or vintage porcelain enamel sink in a laundry area is that chlorine bleach WILL, over time, damage the finish, particularly if you use any kind of scouring powder more abrasive than plain baking soda. A vintage sink is likely to be much more susceptible to damage. If you normally use the laundry sink for soaking whites, etc., in a bleach solution, do so in a plastic bucket or tub and rinse the sink thoroughly after dumping the bleach solution down the drain.
sally says
While renovating my 1925 house my 1929 Crane ‘corwith” sink was STOLEN. All 300 lbs of it. I replaced it with a lovely cast iron wall sink made by Sanford that I found on signaturehardware.com. It was very exciting when the sink arrived in an unmarked wooden crate. I have photos here:
http://thisoldcoconutgrove.blogspot.com/2012/03/everything-and-kitchen-sink_07.html
pam kueber says
Yes, great sink, I spotlighted it here: https://retrorenovation.com/2011/10/27/farmhouse-kitchen-sinks-two-sources-for-authentic-1900s-reproductions/ after a reader used it in her kitchen!
sally says
Right after I posted my comment, I saw that. Her sink looks gorgeous with the skirt around it.
Kristin says
I die over that painted brick…and now I want a new sink!
Neva Warnock says
SO glad to see I’m not the only one around here who grew with cement “set tubs”! What didn’t we use those for — indestructible! My 20 yrs old washer spews more water than my pipes can handle, so I’m looking at a utility sink to handle the overflow end route. I *just barely* have space for a 24“ sink, I believe. Unless any of you have other solutions…. 🙂