We’ve gotten so many questions about this IKEA farmhouse sink since we first installed it five years ago, so I thought it was time for an update!
Farmhouse sinks have been popular for awhile now and they’re still going strong. It makes sense – a farmhouse sink is really a classic look and it’s an especially great fit for a kitchen in an older, historical home. A lot of people have been really interested in the IKEA farmhouse sink that we installed a few years ago because of its incredible price point and the fact that it really does look pretty great in photos. It’s definitely one of those “could that cheapo sink really be as good as it looks?” type of situations.
The Search for the Perfect Farmhouse Sink
One of the things that was really obvious to me when we decided to do a little mini-makeover on our kitchen five years ago was that we needed to incorporate a farmhouse sink. We live in a farmhouse after all. If those sinks weren’t for us, than who were they for? When we started to look around at different options though, we saw that there were plenty of different types of farmhouse sinks in all different materials and at all different price points. I really wanted a classic, white porcelain sink, so that narrowed things down at least a little for us.
If you do a little research into white farmhouse sinks, you’ll find that they really do range in price – anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars, right up to a couple of thousand – and they really do all look pretty similar.
So of course the question then becomes “What’s the difference? Why are some so much more expensive?”. We thought that surely there must be a big difference in quality and durability, like most people probably do.
We decided to go with the IKEA sink at first for two reasons: 1) It’s IKEA. When has IKEA ever let you down? and 2) This wasn’t going to be a big, fancy renovation that was intended to last for years and years. It was more of a cheap ‘n cheerful solution so we thought we’d do an experiment and test this sink out, just to see.
The Verdict is in for the IKEA White Farmhouse Sink
This sink that we have is actually a discontinued model called the “Domsjo”. There’s a new version now that’s very similar called “Havsen”. The new version is a little more modern and clean-lined, and doesn’t have the back apron part that my sink has, but it’s super similar.
It’s now been almost exactly five years and the sink has definitely been put through its paces. I feel like I can give a pretty well-rounded assessment of what this sink can offer to a busy, messy family at this point. Because we are that busy, messy family. So messy. Ha!
Overall, I’d say I’m pretty happy with the way the sink has held up. There haven’t been any serious issues like leaking or cracking, which are obviously the main big concerns that people have with a sink like this.
One thing to add to the “con” list is that the sink doesn’t come with a sink grid for the bottom and there isn’t one available to purchase separately. I know that theoretically sink grids are supposed to protect glasses from breaking if you drop them, but I don’t love them because I feel like they just get in the way, don’t look the best, and are a bit hard to clean. So I’m happy without one. 🙂
The bottom of our sink is just a little bit scratched up around the drain area after five years, so it’s not in absolutely pristine condition, but I don’t think it’s that noticeable or problematic. It actually looked like this after a few months and then just kind of stayed the same, so I don’t think it’s going to get progressively worse.
You can read about how I clean my sink here: How to Clean a White Porcelain Sink
And you can read my original post about the sink here: Everything You Need to Know Before You Install an IKEA Farmhouse Sink
Other Honourable Mentions
I do have to talk about the faucet as well, while we’re here. We couldn’t decide on a faucet back when we installed our sink, so we went with an IKEA faucet as just a temporary solution. IKEA faucets are very affordable, and they have some fun, quirky designs, as well as more classic options. We were originally looking at more expensive faucet options because we wanted something really nice, but just couldn’t land on a style that we loved, so we did this one for fun.
Well, clearly it’s five years later and the faucet is still here. We’ve really had no reason to replace it so far. It functions beautifully and the shiny finish has held up really well. The only sign of wear is that there is a tiny ring of discolouration on the white handle right at the base. It’s not a big deal, but it’s almost enough to give me an excuse to replace the faucet with the new brass version of this same faucet that IKEA now has available.
So that’s our sink! Let me know if you have any other questions about it if you’re thinking of getting an IKEA sink and I’ll be happy to answer them as best as I can!
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Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.