Aina Sink

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

Antique and vintage stone sinks bring a touch of nature to your home.

A stone sink can be used as a functional statement piece to complement your kitchen decor. In your bathroom, a stone sink can add a rustic flourish and will fit in nicely if the rest of your furniture is characterized by natural textures, unfinished lines and neutral colors. It can also present a nice contrast if your space is more city than country. Part of the appeal of these sinks is that no two are alike. The difference in the stone’s coloration, pitting and veining will ensure that each piece is unique.

Stone sinks are typically carved from a single solid slab, and they come in all kinds of materials, including marble, soapstone, travertine and more. It’s important to note that all types of stone sinks will stain, so you’ll want to be careful with colored liquids around your sink. Make a habit of wiping your stone sink with a soft cloth after every use to prevent mineral deposits from forming. (Your stone sink is a “no steel wool” zone.) For regular cleaning, you’ll want to use a mild dish soap instead of an abrasive cleaner to prevent scratching your sink.

Stone sinks are durable and versatile. They’re a sensible addition to your already stylish kitchen, they will pair well with the dark walnut cabinets at your bar and will be a natural fit in more ways than one for the serene oasis you’ve made of the upstairs bathroom.

Explore an extensive collection of vintage, new and antique stone sinks on 1stDibs.