This Vintage Furniture Find Is a Clever Alternative to Kitchen Cabinets

As a design-conscious small-space dweller, I’m always eager to learn about creative storage methods that offer function without sacrificing style. While big-box consoles and freestanding cabinets can certainly come in handy if you’re in a pinch, I’m all for thinking beyond the basics — and, ideally, going the vintage route — when possible. 

That’s why the dry sink has caught my eye when antiquing and secondhand shopping lately. Once used for washing dishes, preparing food, and completing other household tasks before homes had running water, the dry sink isn’t totally obsolete for today’s homes. Read on to hear all about how you can make this vintage piece work in your place. 

Dry sinks can actually be woven into a contemporary home in so many different ways — you just have to get creative. For one, dry sinks can be retrofitted as bathroom vanities. But that’s certainly not your only option. If you’re looking to add some secondhand flair to a main living area, why not turn a dry sink into a chic bar cabinet, or place one in the front hallway in lieu of a standard entryway table? Or follow the lead of Amy Hughes, owner of Salvage Style and vintage furniture expert, and weave a dry sink into your kitchen by turning it into a storage spot for all kinds of essentials. 

Hughes purchased her dry sink, which is made of pine and dates back to the late 1800s, at a furniture auction in New Jersey, paying just $150. “It’s got an open trough on top and a double-door cabinet below with the cutest porcelain and cast iron latches,” she shares. Now, it’s the star in her kitchen setup.

The dry sink — which sits in Hughes’ combo kitchen and breakfast room — holds overflow appliances, cutting boards, and oversized mixing bowls and serveware as well as tall glass storage jars filled with kibble and dog treats. Extra pet food sits behind the closed doors, tucked out of sight.

Originally Hughes had considered having extra cabinetry installed in her space, but a dry sink “was an immediate DIY solution that was thriftier,” she says. “I love the look of a functional, freestanding antique,” she adds. “Dry sinks were made for working. They are a sturdy, stylish, and multifunctional way to break up the monotony of built-ins.”

Looking for a dry sink of your own? If you’re in the New York metro area, Hughes sells some every year at her store, Maplewood Mercantile, in Maplewood, New Jersey (watch her share the process of refurbishing a past piece!). You can also search for such pieces on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Etsy, and Chairish — there’s plenty of inventory for every style and budget. 

If you don’t feel as though you’d have room for a dry sink indoors, you can take advantage of one outside instead. Hughes likes the idea of turning a dry sink into a potting bench. “Store soil bags, hand tools, and vessels down below, and use the trough to corral the mess of seasonal planting,” she suggests. “Then sweep it out to display your leafy collection when you’re done!” I think these pieces are poised to become very popular next year, considering all they can do alongside the charm they bring to a space.