A local Vermont client reached out to collaborate on a vanity for their late 1800's home, so I took the short trip over to see the washroom and discuss the project. Their home was filled with architectural details and furnishings to pull inspiration from, which for me, is an important part of the design process. If a site visit isn't possible, then photos of the space are the next best thing. We decided that the bold bones of the home demanded a hearty piece to pair, so we settled on exploring a design with a historical edge, a modern take on a primitive washstand. I have actually wanted to design and build a washstand of this type for some time, so I was excited and thankful for the opportunity to make it happen.
The sink to be used was a massive 48" Duravit Vero porcelain trough sink with two faucets. Perfect for the project, the sink is 5.5" thick and 18.5" deep.
Everything about the Duravit Vero sink is chunky, which dictated that every dimension in the design had to be relative to this. I sketched up a few options and forwarded them over for the clients review. They decided to go with a design that featured oversized doors.
On paper, it looks a little basic, almost featureless, and that was very much the goal. Primitive washstands were purely functional pieces in the home, so deviating too much from this would be heading off-course. I wanted the focus to be the hearty sink, and I wanted the depth to come from the oversized dimensions of the elements of the piece. The central drain allowed us to build in two full depth drawers with rubbed bronze T-pulls which make for an easy grab. Crafted entirely from solid wood, I love what was achieved.
