Is your Artic White tub in acrylic? If that's the case, nothing in vitreous china will match exactly. Two different materials. Here is a discussion on the Houzz forum. http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3655916/american-standard-white-vs-arctic-white

Great ideas....thanks. Sounds like stainless and composite made w/ granite are both very durable. Just not a fan of "any" sink which may cause extra care, or may be of inferior quality. As I research more and more, the selections and details of each sink, start to mimic each other. Just want to be sure of my choice, as this may be my final kitchen remodel, as I close in on 70 years!

I have a relatively small kitchen and have a 36" farmhouse sink in a 36" base cabinet. My sink is the so-called ledge type of style so that I have the sink accessories that fit into the ledge. I find the size to be extremely functional. I keep the sink grid/drainer on most of the time and so it is an extension of the counter. But it is more functional since when I prep or wash stuff or leave items to dry on it instead of the counter, all the mess and water goes directly into the sink. Since my drain is to the left and back I can stack dirty dishes to one side and still have a huge amount of sink and they are essentially hidden if I want under the grid accessory if I keep it up there. Because my sink cabinet is large I was able to fit both a garbage disposal AND a full size roll out trash container under the sink. Not having the garbage pail in my small galley kitchen is a great thing because previously wherever I placed a can, it blocked access to something. Aesthetically I think it looks fine since the sink (copper) is a focal point anyway. I don't think anyone has ever said their sink basin is too big :-). FWIW, my sink is next to the dishwasher - no issues in terms of installation. Aren't sinks generally next to dishwashers?

The textured metal does hide water spots and scratches, but the extra cleaning isn't worth it to me. Are you sure you have the right numbers? Rachiele has always been more expensive than Havens, but not by that much. You do know that Havens used to manufacture sinks for Rachiele, right? The quality is about the same. I went with Havens partly due to better pricing. The thing that turned me away from granite composite sinks is that they can crack sooner or later. It is always a risk you take with that material. In terms of copper versus stainless steel, copper does have some antibacterial properties that stainless steel doesn't, but copper can also be a reactive metal with other pots and pans you may leave in the sink, possibly corroding them. Also, copper is a softer metal than stainless steel, so if scratches bother you, you may end up with fewer deep scratches on the stainless steel, though both metals can definitely scratch. Some people cannot tolerate the multi-colored patina copper develops while others feel it fits perfectly with their aesthetic. Stainless steel is a lot easier to match in terms of other appliances, faucets, hardware pulls, and other accessory metal items. I purchased 2 Brizo articulating faucets for my Havens workstation sink and have been very happy with them. Ergonomics was a top priority in my kitchen remodel, and the articulating faucets are integral to that along with the apron front sink to reduce back strain.