Life with Copper – Food Blogger

Sinkology is proud to present Emily Schuermann, our food-loving guest blogger who runs Food for a Year. Emily is here to share some details about her copper apron front kitchen sink, and how life as a food blogger with a busy family keeps her sink one of the busiest places in her home.

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S: Tell us a little about yourself, Emily…

Hi, I’m Emily! I am a wife and mom of 4 school-aged kiddos. You may recognize me from my food blog Food for a Year. When I’m not herding kids and helping with school work, you’ll probably find me in the kitchen, teaching cooking classes or making a cake.

We also have three little dogs, two guinea pigs, and nine pet bunnies. We operate a small Rabbitry in our backyard called “Boomer Backyard Bunny Farm” where we raise and breed show-quality Holland Lops.

I love to work in my vegetable garden and hunt for vintage treasures at estate sales. When college football season starts, my eyes and heart are locked in on Sooner football.

I would say my favorite style is “Modern Farmhouse ((with a splash of vintage))”. Natural, knotty white oak wood floors, tall ceilings, stone fireplaces, big windows, shades of gray and walls of white.

S: Why did you decide to do a kitchen renovation?

Several years ago, we were in the process of building our home. It was the first time we’d ever done something like this and at first, it was pretty overwhelming. So many details and decisions — and most of them would never be visible (things like wiring and plumbing and foundation and heat and air). It was a grueling process.

Then one day, the rooms were framed out. Shortly after, the sheetrock was up. I think it was with that step I became excited. It was finally time to talk color and style and design. Would you believe, the first thing I picked out for my kitchen was the kitchen sink?!

S: Where did you start your search for design ideas / inspiration?

I started searching for inspiration online, in magazines and countless design shows on HGTV. But when I jumped into Pinterest, everything really started to come together. I made boards for lighting and colors and stairs and cabinetry – and of course kitchen details.

Pinterest helped me keep my thoughts organized, I could find something I liked, pin it and come back later and compare it with other possibilities. 

S: Why copper?

I began considering copper for three specific reasons :: chips, fading and scuff marks. At the time, all three were things I was dealing with in my current white enameled cast iron kitchen sink. My pots and pans and utensils and cookie sheets always left metal scuff marks in the sink, so after cleaning the dishes I’d have to polish the sink. Also, around the drain, the shiny surface of the sink had become faded and almost matte. Food, like chili or tomato sauce, would stain the area and again, I’d have to polish the sink. The last straw happened when one day, a heavy pot slipped out of my hands as I was cleaning it and chipped the edge of the sink.

As I was making plans for my new kitchen, I kept these issues in mind and started looking for alternatives. Copper caught my eye (because it’s gorgeous!) and I began researching. At first, the prices I found online were way out of my budget. But then I came across a beautiful oversized, single basin, apron front, farmhouse-style copper sink that fit nicely within my budget.

The realist in me knew there must be a hitch. This was the exact style and size I was hoping for – and it was affordable?? How could this be?! Ultimately, it was the reviews on Home Depot that convinced me to purchase the Adams Farmhouse Apron Front Cooper Sink. Reviewer after reviewer commented on it’s beauty and simple care needs. I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.

Going on 5 years later and I’m just as happy as I was the first time I used it. It’s exactly what I hoped for, beautiful, durable and so easy to maintain.

S: What do you like most about your copper sink?

I love how it looks in my kitchen, it’s an attention grabber. Equal to it’s beauty, this sink is crazy easy to maintain. Beautiful AND effortless is a rare combination when it comes to kitchen sinks!

 

S: Why did you choose Sinkology copper sinks over other brands? 

I chose Sinkology because of the reviews. The style was on point and price fit perfectly within my budget, but it was the reviews that sold me.

 

S: How did your design your space around your copper sink?

The beauty of building a house is that I can move something a little to the left, pencil in a drawer instead of cabinets or widen an opening and (in those early stages at least) it’s no problem. So the kitchen sink and appliances were the first things I picked, even before paint colors, countertops and tile!

Everything left was selected to compliment the copper sink.

 

S: How do you care for your sink? 

I rarely give my copper sink care a second thought. Mostly, I make sure any food bits are rinsed down the drain. Once a week or so, I wash the basin and sides with a sudsy, soft sponge. Occasionally, the kids or I will use Sinkology’s copper armor spray after rising out the sink. Every time I use the copper armor spray, I wonder why I don’t use it more often! It smells so good and leaves the sink sparkly. The bonus is that the next time the kids leave a glob of ketchup in the bottom of the sink, the copper armor helps minimize any marks from forming. But even if a mark does form, it disappears within a few days.

S: Would you recommend copper sinks to someone else remodeling their space?

Yes! I would absolutely recommend a copper sink to anyone building or remodeling their kitchen.

S: What was your biggest hurdle in designing your kitchen, and how did you get over it?

I think the biggest hurdle was the unknown. I’d never used a copper sink before and even though the reviews were stellar, my personal experience was fully unsure. Ultimately, I loved the look and potential ease enough to take the plunge. I’m glad I did!