In my opinion, yes, the only advantage of the widespread faucets is they are more attractive. But given that you have to look at the faucet every single day, I think a widespread would be worth it. And I too am generally a form follows function type person.

I assume you are getting a new sink and can get any hole spacing you want?

I think widespread facets are really ugly, and would personally prefer a single hole faucet with lever.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I’m partial to one hole one handle faucets. Some are very beautiful in a sculptural way. I think a lot depends on your house and decorating style. In a more traditional home a widespread might look better. Although, one can get a traditional “style” single.

I got a widespread faucet when I remodeled my bathroom precisely because of looks. Although I still prefer how it looks over a single hole, next time I'd get a single hole for function and ease of use.

I like being able to turn the water off/on with my elbow if needed. You can't do that with widespread. Plus who wants all those holes drilled in your counter?

I don't think I would want a widespread kitchen fixture but prefer that style in a bathroom. Both styles can be quite beautiful though.

I don't mind two handles in a bathroom. Maybe it's because I need to get my house repiped and I only use the HOT handle in the bathroom and if I'm lucky it gets slightly warmed before I'm done.

(Kitchen is different. I don't want to use any handles and use a foot pedal, although the faucet does have a single handle.)

I got a widespread faucet when I remodeled my bathroom precisely because of looks. Although I still prefer how it looks over a single hole, next time I'd get a single hole for function and ease of use.

Ditto.

Love the widespread in our bathroom addition, but am going with single hole in the 2nd bath remodel.

For a single hole faucet with lever, consider where the lever is located and who will be using the faucet.

I put a pretty single hole faucet in my powder room to save space. The lever is above. My DH and sons always drip water on the faucet, which leaves spots. Same thing in my son's bathroom. They never wipe the faucet or counter.

Lever on the side would probably be better, but there aren't too many traditional faucets with that design that I would consider pretty.

With a widespread, at least they don't get water all over the spout.

Widespread faucet? Sounds like a punk band.

I prefer single hole, stream-lined rectilinear. Water on the spout vs water on the counter. Potatoe-potatah.

You guys always give me interesting things to ponder...like why I did something or chose something...

My bathrooms have widespread. My kitchen has one. I can't think why I chose it that way, except I suppose that's how I think it should be. :)

I remember obsessing so much about faucets when I was doing my house, and when I saw this thread, I honestly couldn't remember if my faucets were widespread or single, LOL. I like the single ones b/c I find that if I have the widespread I'm often too lazy to turn on both taps and then I end up washing my hands in cold water.

This is for the new house, so I am picking faucets for kitchen and 3 baths.

I will definitely do 1 lever in the kitchen. I always use my elbow like someone above described.

For the bathrooms, I will probably do 1 lever. That's what we have today in our current master(and the lever is on the side)

The powder room gives me pause. I am doing a pedestal there. I need to find a faucet i love, i think Terrilynn's description of 'sculptural' has inspired me to look further.

Doesn't it depend on the style of the room, too? For me, widespread has a more old-fashioned look than a single...I have marble and subway tile in the bathroom so I think a single might not work in there.

My most important criteria is ease of cleaning and ease of use. I like the type of handles that can be turned on without having to actually grasp them - the right-angled kind - and smooth, spaced out surfaces without little nooks and crannies to collect gunk.

They style of the house leans modern, so one handled lever type is definitely appropriate.

I live alone so only have my own bad habits to blame, but I put in a wall mount faucet because I was sick of cleaning around the base of the faucets and water spots off of them. When my house was built, not by me, the widespread faucets were secured or sealed with clear caulk I think? I have well water, no chlorine and over time the caulk has grown dark, like mold growing under it. It's only a tiny thin line, but drives me crazy. I am so happy to have no water on the faucets or handles with the wall mount.

One other thing about the single hole faucets: When I was young and they first came on the scene (or I first remember being aware of them) it seemed they had an arrow on the handle that you point toward the H or C side of the faucet to get the right temp. Now, there is no indication which way you are supposed to point the lever, so I never know if I'm waiting for H or if I've got it pointed toward C. I think most times now, the lever is pointed toward the temp you want, and if you didn't grow up with it working the opposite way, there is probably no confusion. But they drive me crazy.

I love this ceramic Kohler faucet for a classic/modern-ish powder room. It’s pricey though.

Back when the earth cooled, I replaced single handled faucets with ones that had two handles. I preferred the single handle, but I had a cat that liked fresh water. He'd turn on the water, but wouldn't turn it off. Even with the two handles, I watched him try to turn on the water. He even knew which direction to turn it. He just couldn't get the correct angle to do it! He was the smartest cat, I've ever had.

Moxie, I would love to have seen that...

Like Olychick, I too have moments of temporary insanity where I turn the water on (like I have a gazillion times before) and then wonder if I've turned it the right way...

I do love that Kohler faucet above...

Come to think of it, I am the ultimate in impracticality. I own (bought,even!) several sinks that have two handles AND two taps. So like if you want warm water, you need to go back and forth and mix hot and cold yourself!

Yet I adore some of these old sinks. : ) One of them is really ridiculous, because it has very very old taps that are like IDK, less than 1/2" diameter. You get like no water out of them. But they go with this really cool old sink that is porcelain made to look like marble. Should find a pic.

Terrilynn- I have an opposite reaction to the faucet you posted. I suppose it is lovely, but it to me it is the antithesis of modern. It reminds me of having to pump water at the house I grew up in. We got our water from a springhouse and sometimes you would have to go clean up the spring and prime the pump and it was full or spiders and critters and very creepy. ICK !

Mtn - you crack me up. The color red is verboten but old timey sinks that dribble out water are A-OK.

Local lol. It wouldn’t go with my house either unless I changed the little powder room vanity. I can’t help but like it though : ) It is a conversation piece and would need just the right mix to work in modern. I think that’s what I find appealing. I do like unlikely objects reworked.

I am all about single handle. Takes way too long to get the right temperature with two handles. All the bathrooms at our lake place have pretty two handle jobs. I wouldn't think of replacing them because they are lovely. Kitchen sinks had dysfunctional single handle that I recently replaced with wonderful single handle Moen Arbor models (after you all counseled me that I wouldn't think they stick up too high and you were right).

I know, Local, I am the poster girl for form over function.

I would never even consider having a two handle faucet in the kitchen, much less in the bathroom. I can't imagine the PITA that would be trying to turn on two knobs to get the temp right. I have a one lever and a lot of times I'm even wishing it was something easier than that, like voice command or something...HA! "water on water off" wouldn't that be wonderful?

I agree that it depends on what you're doing. If you're trying to create bathrooms that look like they've been in a home since 1930, for instance, a single handle isn't the way to go. But in a modern house I'd probably do single handle for the convenience.

Arkansas girl, there are plenty of touchless faucets that have sensors for when your hands are held under them. Personally I consider them just one more electronics doodad potentially to go wrong, but they're out there if you like the idea. There are also kitchen faucets that you tap to turn on, or that old GW darling, the tapmaster, that lets you use your foot to activate any faucet.

ETA link to HD's bathroom sink selection of touchless faucets:

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Bath-Bathroom-Faucets-Bathroom-Sink-Faucets-Touchless-Bathroom-Sink-Faucets/N-5yc1vZbrgl

We have touchless faucets at work. They make a lot of sense in a public space, and I like them a lot for that, but all the ones I've used had no way to adjust the water temp. - it's preset.

That’s true for most of them, carolb , but there are a couple that have regular adjustments, but that part isn’t touchless, of course.

My friends have a touchless in their kitchen, they love it but I think it is just something to break. My elbow works fine.

I also read a blog post in which the person was straining chicken broth and the motion activated faucet turned on and diluted the broth. That would be me. No thank you.