How to Pick Pro-Quality Sinks and Faucets

Call it counter intuitive: To design a kitchen where you can cook like a pro, you select ovens, accessories and work surfaces that are as close to what the real chefs use as you can afford. You'd think the same would apply to clean up and pouring water, but restaurant kitchen-style sinks and faucets can actually undermine the professional look of your kitchen.

"The huge faucets and sprayers are 'in' with some kitchen designers, but they're really for chefs with several helpers standing in the background who must wash giant pots and pans with tremendous crusted on stuff every night," says interior designer Sue Adams of Andover, Mass. "They're too big and are only a positive if you're after a more industrial look."

If you won't be rinsing produce and filling pots to cook for 120-plus patrons every night — or be cleaning up afterwards — focus on selecting sinks and faucets with quality materials and ergonomic design to enhance your pro-style kitchen, says Adams. She and other top kitchen designers share these tips for picking long-lasting fixtures that won't overwhelm the kitchen design.