Last updated on July 1st, 2026 at 05:53 am
At Downing Designs, we fabricate and install custom glass countertops and bar tops throughout Florida, including Tampa, Naples, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Miami. One of the most common questions we receive from homeowners, designers, and commercial clients is: what is the best sink to buy for a glass countertop?
Beautiful sink options for your kitchen glass countertops:
Kohler Vault Apron-Front Sink
- Beautiful, well made, heavy gauge stainless steel, come in a variety of sizes, priced above $700
- Self-Trimming and very simple to install due to a flange in front…which many apron front sinks are NOT.
- Best sinks to protect the kitchen glass countertops against breakage or chipping along the front edge.
- Best sinks for contemporary and modern kitchen designs
Ruvati Top-Mounted Sink
- Beautiful, well made, heavy gauge stainless steel, come in a variety of sizes, and at $250 very reasonably priced
- Self-Trimming and very simple to install…which many apron front sinks are NOT.
- Top mount is best sink for kitchen glass countertops and galss bar tops to prevent chipping.
- Best sinks glass countertop bar sinks
Top-mounted and Apron-front sinks solve a tricky issue with glass countertops that under-mount sinks do not. They protect your glass from abuse!
Under-mounting sinks on glass counters leads to a very time-consuming installation process…which is why we typically do not to recommend under-mounted sinks for textured glass countertops.
A simple, elegant solution involves the use of Kohler Vault Apron Front Sink or Ruvati Top-Mounted Bar Sink
Kohler Vault Apron Front Sink
Installation of these sinks is easy and creates very clean lines. Kohler has great “how-to” videos on their site that walks you through the process. It takes less than 30 minutes to install, and can be done by anyone.
As you can see it eliminates the front countertop…this is SMART! Apron-front sinks also solve a much more critical issue: The front edge of most sinks is a thin countertop piece. Do the math…if a typical cabinet box is 24” deep, the countertop is normally 25.5” deep. If the sink is 20” deep, this leaves only 5″ of countertop…divided by two for front/rear leaves only a fragile 2.5” wide countertop piece in the front and rear of the sink. And the rear piece will be drilled for a 1.375″ faucet hole, and maybe air-switches, soap dispensers, etc. Not good. Cabinet fronts are usually nothing more than a non-structural decorative trim element. Disaster looms if you should press down too hard on the front countertop piece. The counter will crack and need to be replaced with a matching color/pattern. Apron sinks are also much better at taking the impact from pots/pans reducing the risk of chipping an exposed glass surface on the front.
We like these sinks so much I installed them in my own home, and suggest that they be given your highest consideration when shopping for sinks for your kitchen glass countertops.
When using LED’s along the backside of the glass, any sink is going to prevent the light from illuminating the front glass piece…creating a dark piece of glass. By using a Kohler Vault apron-front sink we eliminate that imperfect situation. We can also place an LED around the perimeter of these sinks to cast lighting outward, eliminating dark spots. In some island pieces, this may be the ONLY lighting option available, and is a simple, elegant solution.
For glass countertops with bar sinks the Ruvati Top-Mounted Bar Sink is perfect.
When using these sinks in the middle of our glass countertops, they allow us plenty of room to have structurally thick pieces fore and aft. This is critical to glass countertops in busy homes. We use a technique of adding an additional LED and controller to the front of the sink and adjust the lighting brightness so that it is very close to the brightness of the rear LED.
With our Bluetooth controlled LED strips, this is a very simple operation, and creates a visually seamless look where sinks must be integrated into the glass countertop. See below from 2 of our installations
FAQ
Can I customize the color or shape of a glass kitchen countertops in Florida?
Yes. Infinitely. We work with you and your designer to create the distinct flow for your space. This “flow” really defines the space and makes it come alive. See below:
What styles of custom glass countertops are available in Tampa, Naples, Miami, Boca Raton & West Palm Beach?
Our clients are very creative! We love input and have learned much about how to modify our textures to serve their individual styles and room dimensions. Our decades of experience has taught us much. Our earlier designs were wilder. We had one client insist upon a very suave texture, and since then, it has been one of our most popular textures for glass bar tops.
What is the cost to install a glass countertop in Florida?
Installing a thick glass countertop in Tampa, Miami, Naples, Boca Raton & Palm Beach is performed by Downing Designs own installers. From initial phone call, to design, fabrication, delivery, and installation, we are your only option for a 1-stop shopping experience for a glass fabricator in Florida. Your glass countertop cost will be dictated by:
Size and thickness of your Glass Countertop or Bar Top. We recommend 1.5″ thick, and is the predominant size you see on our Gallery pages. Adding LEDs adds to costs. We only use dot-less modern LEDs that do not distract from the visual experience.
Who do I trust to get the best Glass Countertops in my Florida home?
Downing Designs is a highly trusted manufacturer and installer as evidenced by the incredible 5-Star reviews on Houzz.
All cities in Florida are served directly by Downing Designs, including Tampa, Sarasota, Naples, Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Boca Raton & West Palm Beach. We also crate and ship anywhere. Often we fly to client homes to execute the installation professionally. Who else are you going to trust?
All pictures were taken by me, not pro photoghers. It is fair to say that our installs have to be executed well in order for our photos to reflect our professional installation execution.
Your kitchen and bath experience will be uplifted by Downing Designs custom glass countertops, bar tops, and vanity tops. The integrated LED lighting illuminates and expands each room it serves. If you ever resell your home, It will be a large factor in obtaining the best offer. Who ever thinks that an investment was made in a custom artistic glass countertop was the only luxury upgrademin that house?
Which cities in Florida are served directly by a glass countertop fabricator?
Downing Designs serves all cities in Florida, including Tampa, Miami, Naples, Boca Raton & West Palm Beach. Our glass fabrication facility is in Tampa, Florida and allows us to be 4 hours away from almost anywhere in Florida.
Are textured glass countertops the same as recycled glass countertops?
Textured glass countertops typically contain 25-30% of recycled glass. This is cullet from scraps and other recyclic efforts and saves a lot of energy in the process.
Call or Text me (813) 784-5211 or [email protected]
If I am in a hurry, do you offer fast shipping of glass countertops and glass bar tops?
Yes. Downing Designs offers quick shipping on in-stock glass tops that are ready to install…they just need cut to size and LEDs added before delivery. This saves weeks. We send you pictures to verify your selection before accepting your money. We typically quote glass bar tops in 20″ width by 1.5″ thick up to 125″ long all in low iron glass.
Jeff Downing (813) 784 5211 [email protected]
Jeff Downing
Founder, Lead Designer & Custom Glass Countertop Expert
Jeff Downing of Downing Designs, is a Tampa Florida–based design studio specializing in custom Glass Countertops, Glass Bar Tops, Glass Vanity tops and Glass Stair Treads. With decades of hands-on experience, Jeff is widely recognized for delivering textured glass surfaces integrated with LED lighting to create dazzling abstract statement pieces.
"Glass. Lights. Ambiance".