It’s been a while since I’ve sat down on my laptop and added a blog post, so a little catch up is well overdue. The kitchen extension is complete and I’m loving it, I wake up most mornings and can’t believe my dream kitchen is mine! It’s just how I imagined it would be, a beautiful and functional space.

When I designed the kitchen I thought a lot about how I used my old kitchen and how I wanted the new kitchen to be; I wanted it to be beautiful, somewhere I would want to spend hours cooking and entertaining. I also wanted it to be functional, a place where things were located within easy reach and jobs got done efficiently. In my old kitchen I struggled with a single, small sink for years, mealtimes and cooking was always stressful, as someone would want to use the sink at the most inconvenient times. With this in mind I knew from the outset I wanted two sinks in the new extension, one main sink overlooking the garden and a smaller one placed on the island.

Whilst looking for the perfect sink for the kitchen island, I discovered Olif Design who manufacture the most stunning sinks and taps in a variety of finishes. Their sinks are not only beautiful, they’re practical too and having seen quite a few posts on Instagram of people who had installed Olif sinks in their kitchens, I decided to take the plunge. This sink was intended to be in addition to the main kitchen sink and would be used for prepping ingredients, washing hands/plates or refilling glasses, things that would always frustrate me in my old kitchen when I was using the sink and everyone needed to use the sink too.

I set my heart on this gold Monarch sink with matching Alveus Leo Monarch Tap, as they matched the other hardware in my kitchen. Gold, brass and antique brass finishes have become increasingly popular choices for kitchen hardware, I really love the warmth they bring to a space unlike conventional chrome hardware which can make spaces feel cold. That said, my kitchen is very much a ‘mixed metal kitchen’ and has accents of gold, brass, stainless steel, chrome and even copper. It’s a bit of a pick ‘n’ mix and has a bit of everything but it all WORKS TOGETHER!

It’s been a few months since the sink and tap from Olif Design have been up and running and I can hand on heart say it was one of the best decisions I’ve made regarding the extension. The tap directs the water straight into the sink and doesn’t splatter everywhere, I also find it’s quicker to prep ingredients as I don’t need to traipse across the kitchen to the main sink to wash my ingredients when cooking. The clean up is super easy too, after I’ve used the sink I simply use a squirt of liquid on a sponge, lather the sides before rinsing and wiping down with a cellulose sponge, easy right? The sink itself is such a good size for a prep sink, not too big, not too small and has a perfect depth.

I know some people reading this might feel apprehensive about installing a sink with a gold finish in their kitchen but having used it for a few months now I can say it’s very durable and the finish, if taken care of properly, will last for years to come. If you’re contemplating installing a sink like this in your kitchen I would definitely recommend giving it some serious thought as I’m super happy with mine. I love beautiful things for my home but I want them to be practical too and this sink is both. Aesthetically, it’s so pleasing to look at and makes me smile when I come into the kitchen (who can say no to some kitchen bling?) and the fact it serves a purpose makes it even better!

Olif Design also offer a number of accessories which can be used with their sinks, like this foldmat in a contrasting anthracite colour (it does also come in gold). It’s great because it meant I didn’t have to opt for drainage grooves in my worktop on the island (over time these can become water stained) but means I can still drain dishes by the sink if I need to and fold the mat away when I’m done.

I would love to hear what you guys think of having an additional sink in the kitchen (space permitting) and whether you would consider going for gold like I did? The tap and sink were gifted to me as part of a collaboration with Olif Design  but the views expressed here are my own and entirely honest.