I just love copper, and this is all made from reclaimed copper, so, you know, its earth friendly.  Hammered copper just looks so beautiful, it’s classic, but it doesn’t necessarily have that “Selected by the Designer” feel. I like to make my own choices and I wanted something, oh, I don’t know; elegant, rustic, modern, old fashioned, cozy, chic, all rolled into one.

I have copper in the bathroom too, I have this great big free standing hammered copper tub, I just love to soak in it.  It’s a beautiful hand crafted copper free standing slipper tub with its ornate carrying rings, standing on the pale blue marble floor of the elegant bathroom. I have hammered copper tiles setting off the matching copper wash basin with its lapis lazuli surround. The piles of thick Egyptian cotton towels in every shade of azure blue.  My bathroom is far from rustic, it’s elegant and regal and my tub is the centerpiece of the room, it’s perfect…

The hammered copper range hood, by Copperhead Sinks, winked and glowed knowingly, reflecting the colors of the gold, orange and red blossoms that I held in my arms. I placed the wild flowers into my copper farmhouse sink while I grabbed a vase and started filling it with water.
Seated at the big fired copper table that I’d polished within an inch of its life earlier that day, a new friend experienced a first impression of my remodeled kitchen. I looked round. Yes, the kitchen was newly remodeled with all of my favorite things. My over sized range, the original cast iron beauty is now adorned with my custom made hammered copper range hood. I love the texture and warmth that I feel from the colors of my copper clad kitchen, the deep gleaming hand crafted copper farmhouse sink, the glowing wooden furniture with copper accents and the bright Mexican rugs on the floor just said “Welcome” every time I walked into the room, the heart of the house and my refuge from the world.
And now, my friend, with his unsettling good looks and a clear taste for the finer things in life, had walked into my kitchen too, bringing copper colored flowers smelling of an incense both sweet and wild. Had my new friend walked into my life, as well as my kitchen?

Tell us your story, we’d love to hear it.
Thanks,
Cindy
Copper Sinks Direct
Home of Copperhead Sinks

Copper sinks are gorgeous and stunning to look at just new out of the box, but what will they look like a few days, weeks or years down the road?  Well, let me tell you from my experience.  First off, copper should not be sealed, especially with a lacquer sealer as with time, lacquer can wear off or chip and that ends up looking like a bad nail job, with way worse consequences.  Copper sinks are made with, yes you guessed it, copper.  The “amount” of copper can vary.  Some manufacturers say they use 100% pure virgin copper.    By definition, this would be copper that has been freshly mined from the earth, melted down etc, etc.  Recycled copper, which certain manufacturers like to try to scare people about, is exactly that, copper pieces that have been melted down “scrap” that is then re-formed into ingots, sheet and disks that are used to create new copper creations, including copper sinks.  Recycled is not a bad thing…it’s a greener alternative to mining new virgin copper from the earth.  Copper can be recycled over and over again.

Our copper is made with 98% copper and the remaining amount is zinc.  Most copper manufactures are in this range.  Is there lead in the copper?  No, this is another scare tactic other companies use to try to convince you that their sinks are better and “safer” that others.  Mexican copper sinks are the true original.  Copper items have been created in parts of Mexico using copper for over 100 years.  The copper is melted down, impurities, if any, are then removed from the copper and a small amount of zinc is added to strengthen the copper.  It is then made into disks for the bar and bath copper sinks, or copper sheets for the creation of copper kitchen sinks.

Once the copper is created into the working product, it is then turned for round sinks, heated and hammered into molds to create ovals, or patterned out, like a sewing pattern to be hammered, welded up the sides and then fired to the rich dark patina.

Using a copper sink is what it is…use it, love it, embrace the changes that may occur.  Copper is a living finish, it is constantly changing, oxidizing (darkening), lightening with use of certain foods or abrasive cleaners, only to darken again through oxidation.

Some outlets stay that once they turn shiny, they never turn back.  Well copper naturally darkens with the oxidation process that occurs naturally.  Get it wet, let it dry, oxidation occurs.  Yes it will not happen overnight, but it will happen.  Changes are normal, spaghetti sauce spilled in the sink can cause it to turn from a salmon color to bright shiny depending on the length of time left on the surface.  Spots can happen…but they will go away.  I know this to be true, because I use a copper sink everyday.  Copper counter tops too.  The changes are not forever.  Don’t let the the possibility of changes be your determining factor in choosing copper.  Changes are part of copper beauty and charm.  It’s style and character.  Copper Sink beauty is timeless and ever changing.  Copper Sinks are forever:)

A kitchen can be many things. It can be a sanctuary, where you muse over a glass of wine and wind down after a hard day, in blissful solitude or with a friend. It can be a cradle of creation, where simmering pots of delicious food intoxicate the air with the promise of ambrosian food to come. Or it can be the warm and enclosing space where the family come together to make the whole place rock with laughter and happiness. Or it can sometimes even be a romantic place, where a lady meets her love.  With copper, your kitchen can become all these things and more.

Bring copper into your kitchen and it weaves its own special spell. Suddenly your kitchen becomes a vital, living space. Copper kitchen sinks, copper apron fronts, copper counter tops, copper hoods, copper tiles, all with their glorious natural colors; make the whole place glow with life. A dull, utilitarian space becomes one which is laden with possibilities; a place that you can make uniquely beautiful, uniquely your own.

And remember, it’s impossible to slave over a copper kitchen sink. Copper kitchen sinks are beautiful places where you are nothing less than a domestic god or goddess.

That’s because copper comes from the earth. It’s a natural, almost living material, and has an affinity with other natural materials; like fine wood, slate, granite and marble. Copper seems to carry a special inner light – it positively radiates beauty. In the hands of our skilled copper smiths  working in their tiny village in Mexico, the copper sinks and artifacts which they make for your kitchen become transformed into things which are almost…..magical.

I’ve reveled at the times in my life when I see something that is so complex and complete but its beauty is in its simplicity, its elegance. It’s more than a double-take. It’s staring. It’s trying to figure out exactly how it does what it does, because something that near perfection is worth looking into. After all, nature’s creation does that for us just about everywhere. Now that’s the kind of power you want in your home.

There is a duality about copper, just like all of us. My closet has a denim jacket and a tuxedo. Copper is old world and new sleek. It’s polished but imperfect, refined but rustic, charming and chic. It makes pennies but creates priceless looks. More than meets the eye, yet the eye is so drawn to the surface it’s hard to believe there’s more, but there is.

Hand-crafted copper sinks create a “Wow” factor while being warm and inviting. It’s the melding of high-end décor with a touch of shabby chic, a tribute to the origin of everything. You can put a copper sink hammered by a Mexican artisan in the American Southwest or Park Avenue; it is equally comfortable in each.

When I see a well-designed home with beautiful furnishings, I feel uplifted. When I see touches of nature like a hammered copper sink, I feel grounded, planted on terra firma. It is this graceful dance of form and function that copper radiates with its warm, unmistakable glow.

Copper sinks change as they age, for the better. As we evolve, they too follow our journey through life and look better as the years go. Naturally antibacterial and germicidal as well as being able to ‘heal’ itself from scratches or damage, an authentic hammered Mexican copper sink evokes a rich quality that will separate your home. There aren’t many things in life that can deliver form and function with such ease.

You can call Copperhead Sinks Old West styling with a modern sensibility. You can simply call them Mexican copper sinks.  At Hammermarc.com, we call them beautiful; not to mention healthier than every other kitchen surface. Enamel can chip and crack, even steel can grow germs in its nicks and scratches.  Copper sinks protect your family’s health just by being there; naturally killing germs on their surface.

Hammermarc.com provides an incredible variety and styles of copper sinks. From our copper kitchen single bowl sinks to our custom any size single, double or even triple bowl sinks, we have a copper sink for every home.  Our products don’t stop there however.  Bartenders and Chefs love the natural antimicrobial quality of copper.

Besides our basic hammered copper kitchen sinks, you’ll also discover our copper farmhouse apron front designs. If you’re unfamiliar with them, our copper farmer’s sinks are deeper than a traditional kitchen sink with a front panel that protrudes out from the front of your countertop. Our copper designs range from a simple, flat copper surface to an ornate, rounded design that looks like it should be displayed in a museum, rather than used to display your dirty dishes.

Every copper sink you’ll see here is hand hammered and produced by some of the finest artisans in Mexico. Our select artisans and craftsmen produce these authentic hammered copper designs and it shows in the beauty of each piece. Welcome to our world; enjoy your stay!

Recently I decided I needed a fresh perspective on the who, what, why and when of copper sinks, so I asked my friend Sue if she could give me a unique “story telling” perspective…well if you read her first installment, she did it up fresh alright…she’s got a romance in the making.  Well I love it, never expected what she had written, didn’t realize that telling people about copper could be so, interesting, compelling, so oh gosh, what will happen next.  Well, she is in the process of continuing the story, so I hope anyone interested, or just curious in general will check it out, give us feedback, comments etc and let’s see how it goes….thanks for reading…and thanks to Sue for writing.

Copper is the 3rd most widely used metal in the world and has been worked by metal smiths for centuries.  Copper is highly versatile and is used in many forms for many things.  Copper is an essential mineral necessary for all living things, is used as a germ and  fungicide for use in agriculture and is a great conductor of electricity.  Copper has been used to make jewelry, weapons, cookware, architectural adornments, plumbing and in our case, copper sinks.  Copper is traded on the NYMEX – New York Mercantile Exchange.  Copper prices fluctuate daily and effect the price for anything that requires the raw material to make their product.  While copper becomes more popular and the demand increase, the price becomes more volatile.

The reason for this information is pretty basic.  Copper is not stainless steel or other less expensive metals.  Remember when copper theft was in the news a few summers back, people were stealing copper down spouts, coils from air conditioners etc.  This was because the cost for recycled copper was at an all time high.  Copper is not cheap.  This is why copper electrical wiring is so expensive.  Copper in it’s purest form is expensive  and sought after.  Working with the best artisans that create with copper is expensive   Copper sinks that are “cheap”, well, the question is why are they so cheap?

I can find copper dealers showing copper farmhouse sink for $600 or less.  Again, why are they so cheap?  How much copper is in that copper sink?  If it’s 98% or more, I can tell you from my experience, it’s not going to be able to be sold for that price.

This goes back to that great commercial on TV with the woman who tells her neighbor she  read this or found this or even met her boyfriend on the internet, “the french model”.  That everything on the internet is true.  Remember that?  Sadly for the producer of that commercial, I do not know what it was for, but the statement that if it’s on the internet, it must be true really sticks with me.  Too many people believe that if they read it on a website, it must be true.  Or if I saw it on a commercial or a political ad, then it must be true.

I do not believe in scare tactics or misrepresentation and I hate to know that there are people, business and website on the internet that will scare, confuse and misrepresent things for their greater good.

In our case, a cheap copper sink is just that, a cheap copper sink.  According to IAPMO IGC 194-04a of the UPC- Universal Plumbing Code (which covers copper sinks and lavatories), copper can be called copper as long as it contains at least 58% copper.  This may explain how some manufacturers are able to sell copper sinks at such crazy low prices.  The less copper, the more alloy, the cheaper the cost of the raw material, the lower the price can be once it’s available to you the consumer.

Now with that said, I do on occasion have sinks listed in my sale section for lower than expected prices.  In the effort to make room for new products, I price them to move.  This does not mean that they are any less copper than anything else that I offer, this means I am prepared to sell them below cost to more them out of inventory.  Others have their regular inventory price below what I know my costs are, this is what prompted this post.

Natural Fire Patina Hammered Copper Tabletop

This photo was sent to use from one of our custom customers.  This is an over sized hammered copper dining room table.  Photos coming soon from this same customer will be there all copper kitchen.  Counter tops in hammered copper and copper accent tiles in the back splash.  They have also incorporated hammered copper strips into their cabinets.  We are looking forward to the photos….coming soon.