Choosing Plumbing Fixtures: Pre-Selection

BTW – This post is just 1 in a series of Home Design and Build posts. You can find them all right here: Positively Jane's Home Design and Build.

April 2023

I needed to get a rough idea of what I wanted in my kitchen and bathrooms so I could get an estimate of the cost. I always choose to shop before the final price comes from my builder. That way I know if I am over or under his/her proposed budget. You can read all about builder allowances HERE.

So, my daughter, Nicole, and I drove to Charlotte, NC to look at plumbing fixtures. I wanted a large showroom AND a very knowledgable person to help me. We went to Fergusons in Charlotte. Nicole was prepared for a very boring day! Little did she know how much fun it would be…and how many things there were to choose from.

We started in the kitchen.

And the 1st question was – do I choose gold fixtures or polished chrome (I am not a fan of nickel)? After back and forth conversations I came to the conclusion that the fixtures in the kitchen would be chrome. For 4 reasons:

1) I will have gold hardware on the cabinets and gold pendants over the island – so I thought gold fixtures might be too much.
2) What if gold went out of style…I would have to have to replace them.
3) Cost – Chrome is 1/2 the cost of gold.
4) Chromes all match each other – every manufacturer has a different idea of what gold should look like. Which meant that I could choose different manufactures and they would all match.

We then looked at pull down faucets, bridge faucets, 2 handle and so much more. I will have a sink in the island so I wanted the style to blend. I love the look of the Shaws bridge faucet and chose it. I had it in another house too. It's like the jewelry in the kitchen. I chose this faucet for the island.

I have had a Shaws farmhouse sink in my last 2 houses and, even though it is expensive, I knew that I wanted one again. I had room for a 33″ so I picked that.

Next up was the master bath.

Since I had just built a house 5 years ago I chose the shower fixtures that I had before. I loved them and they weren't ‘that expensive' compared to some others (I linked them for you but they come in parts:)

My husband and I had gone to a different Fergusons a few weeks ago so he could pick out his bathtub. He has back and hip issues and we needed to find a tub he could get in and out of. This is the one he chose.

The Laundry Room was next.

My laundry room is directly across from my bedroom. The sink is the first thing I see when I walk out of my room. And I wanted it to be beautiful. And it is. I fell in love with this sink and faucet from Rejuvenation.

Secondary baths were last. Normally I have the same in all the secondary baths – this time I wanted them all a tad different. I am still very undecided here. Do I want wall mounted faucets or deck mount? I am definitely choosing chrome. So far this is what I got…I love the wall mount faucet and the shower looks so vintage (and a great price too).

Nothing is final yet…but now I have a rough idea on the total cost for my plumbing fixtures. I can always go back and tweak or re-choose later.

What do you think? Do you like my choices? Would you go with gold or chrome?

xoxo