I LIKE these sinks.

Here's why:

Trough Sinks. My heart be still.  

Troughs are almost as old as time, having once served as functional feed troughs before finding their way into kitchens as dry sinks during the pre-plumbing era. They are currently on trend yes, but classically so...so put your fears to rest. Adding (splurging, actually) this piece as your bathroom's focal point will never look dated. 

Now, I know what you are asking..."But where do I rest my curling iron? My facial cream? My toothbrush?" And you are right to ask these questions. Admittedly, these sinks are completely impractical, but that's the price you pay for their magnificence.

The good news is you can always find gadgets to help you with the inconvenience of not having a counter to clutter, er, store stuff. 

Soap? No problem...use this magnetic soap holder...so cool and unique! 

or, you can use a rotating soap holder, a long time tradition in France! 

Of course you can build or buy a shelf or ledge to hang above the sink. This will give you a convenient place to rest your narrowed down necessities. You can also find mirrors with shelves attached like this one. (I just purchased two of these for our new carriage house we just built and I love them.)

There are also racks you can buy or make to rest over part of the sink, like these—

Love the look but still not convinced you could live with these because of your need for counter space? Why not put this statement piece in your guest bathroom/powder room where there is less need for storage? It will make quite an impact with your guests—and will allow you to enjoy its vintage aesthetic without any frustration!

Happy Rationalizing!

(PS. My absolute favorite trough sink is this one, and I plan on purchasing it someday.)