There's an awesome secret perk to this hot kitchen sink trend

White, black, gray, and shiny metals might still be preferred décor directions for many homeowners and apartment dwellers, but brass is back in style—and along with it the warm aesthetic of copper.

Jenni Wilson, who dabbles in home renovation and decorating in Columbia, South Carolina, says a copper kitchen sink was her only consideration for the 1923 Tudor revival cottage she restored two years ago.

“Stainless would absolutely not have worked to convey the vintage historical vibe of this cottage,” she says. “It would feel too contemporary, and white porcelain would not be as sophisticated for what I wanted to achieve. There was really not another material for me but copper.”

Wilson looked at sinks on display in area showrooms, researched companies online, compared prices, and read plenty of reviews. She found a domestic online source for an undermount, double-well, hammered, hard-copper sink and says she could not be happier.

“The prices of sinks by some of the foreign companies were enticing, but I wanted to go with a U.S. company,” she adds. “And, I love my copper sink. It’s super easy to care for and it provides such character and depth of color and texture. I didn’t even know how much I would love it.”

What is copper anyway?

According to the Copper Development Association (CDA), a natural occurring solid material called ore is first mined, and then it is put through a series of refinement and purification processes to achieve copper.

The CDA informs: “The U.S. is the second largest producer of copper in the world. The largest copper mine is found in Utah (Bingham Canyon). Other major mines are found in Arizona, Michigan, New Mexico, and Montana. In South America, Chile, the world's largest producer, and Peru are both major producers of copper. Large copper deposits are also found in Canada, the Ural Mountains of Russia, and parts of Africa.”

Know what you’re getting

Orlando, Florida-based Rachiele Custom Sinks’ owner Dino Rachiele says consumers desire copper in home décor for various reasons, but during the more than two decades since he founded the custom-sink company, he has seen decorating trends ebb and flow based on the economy.

He says, “When the economy is good, contemporary looks are more prevalent; when it’s bad, people often revert back to traditional looks. Right now, our sales are around 40% copper and 60% stainless. Anyone interested in one of our copper sinks wants it because it’s beautiful, timeless, and presents value. When people walk into your home and see copper, they know you paid top dollar.”

Copper is sourced domestically for all of Rachiele’s custom-designed sinks. “There are two different types of pure copper out there–one is annealed copper, which is considered a ‘soft’ copper, and the other is cold-rolled copper, which is a very hard copper,” explains Rachiele. “In fact, cold-rolled is eight times harder than annealed copper. So, obviously, consumers desire the harder copper for their homes.”

Rachiele warns consumers that the “hoax perpetrated on the public” is that all recycled copper is quality–as well as all internationally sourced copper products are quality.

“The problem is,” he says, “is that imported copper and copper products are not tested for mercury, lead, or arsenic. A product could be made of a combination of pipes out of a house, parts from an air conditioner. … They are essentially taking small batches of scrap metal, melting it all down, and pouring it out to be used in a copper product. When we buy copper, it’s domestic, and we get an authentication certification for every batch. It’s 99.79% pure copper; the balance is silver. Nothing else in there.”

Rachiele adds, “We have a small group of artisans who make the sinks, which involve a tremendous amount of handwork.”

It takes time to make quality copper a centerpiece

Atlanta, Georgia decorator Shirlene Brooks says that while she has not noticed a significant client demand for copper sinks, tubs, and countertops, she has had some clients desire a copper farmhouse sink. To ensure quality, she found a source based in San Luis Obispo, California, called Native Trails. “Clients expect quality when they order copper products, and this company delivers,” she says.

Native Trails touts its copper sink and tub products as “artisan-crafted,” and the company conveys to potential clients that the process can “take several days and many thousands of hammer strikes to perfect, using age-old techniques passed down through generations.”

Native Trails shares, in detail, the process of making a copper sink or tub, starting with melting copper in an iron crucible, pouring the hot copper to form an ingot, or brick, and then pressing the copper into sheets, which eventually become the intended shape. More arduous steps ensue before the copper is ready to be hammered and/or finished.

“These varied steps often take days to complete a sink, and weeks for a bathtub,” offers Native Trails. “The end result is a one-of-a-kind functional work of art that embodies the unique style and skilled technique of the artisan who created it.”

While there are various treatments and finishes available to consumers seeking copper home products, Brooks says, “I find hammered copper sinks are more popular with my clients as they provide an interesting texture and warmth. An added plus is also that the finish is more forgiving. They bring a warm aesthetic and are unusual enough that they become a centerpiece.”

This spring, Brooks was on the lookout for a source to craft a hammered copper, 10-foot tabletop for her own recently renovated home in the Appalachian Mountains, an hour or so outside of Atlanta.

The look will serve as a bridge between the rustic architecture of her home’s blended wood, steel beams, and stone, and her repurposed and contemporary home furnishings and accessories. “I think copper for interior use is still underrated,” she says “I think it adds an unexpected touch to homes.”

Drains and hardware are visual considerations

Wilson said she focused so much attention on ordering her copper sink that she did not originally consider carefully drains and hardware. Her copper sink came with chrome drains, which did not match the copper patina, so the contractor painted them black; however, the black paint rubbed off.

“My contractor should have ordered an oil-rubbed bronze colored drain and disposal. Oil-rubbed bronze on stainless steel looks great with the copper,” Wilson says, adding that–in her opinion–only antiqued brass hardware compliments a copper sink.

Not only does copper look great, it kills germs, naturally

The CDA educates consumers about the antimicrobial properties of copper, noting that frequently touched copper surfaces will continuously kill bacteria that cause infections.

While the average consumer may not desire detailed scientific reasoning behind why bacteria fails to thrive on copper, further explanation is provided through research published by American Society for Microbiology and other sources.

As an avid cook, Rachiele lauds the antimicrobial properties of copper. “Workstation sinks made of copper,” he explains, “add to the practicality of the kitchen space. Since I’m a cook, I want a sink that looks great, but that also does the job.”