I'm not sure, gin gin, whether it can be installed without a plate; that page (I think it may have been a Delta similar to my Moen) didn't have a lot of info but I can investigate further. Ellaf, thanks for the encouragement. I found several simple, large faucets, like the Moen Annabelle and Brantford with sidespray that I like, but really do love my traditional, slightly more diminutive, faucet. Husband worries about putting many holes in granite and then being committed to a certain style faucet forever, so wants to be sure we make the right choice.

michoumonster, doing "the filter on the cold line side with a one handle faucet" = YEs, "it is all filtred water and not a mix of unfiltered and filtered". So, no, "even if you choose to do cold only, it always comes out a little mixed", no, not true. If anyone wants to do replicable experiment, to test it out all by themselves, here is what they can do: unscrew the faucet's hot water hose, under the counter. First you will have to stop the flow of hot water, and this can be done if you have a valve at the hot water tank or at the point where the faucet's hot water hose connects to the hot water pipe. Then, your faucet will run with cold only. Now, what happens? Here is what happens. Every time you move the single handle away from the cold-only position, the mixer valve opens the hot water side (a little or a lot), and your pressurized cold water comes flowing out of the hot water hose under the counter. Put a pail under it, and a towel to catch splashes. As you play with the handle, you will see how much water is let through the opening and goes into the pail. In the cold-only position, you get a full flow of cold water and NO leakage of cold water onto the hot side of the mixer valve. Thus, using logic, you deduce that there cannot be any flow when the hot water is attached and "trying" to get through. I repeat this in other words: pressurized hot water is not allowed to mix with pressurized cold water, when the handle is in cold-only position. If you happen to reverse the hoses under the sink, you will see the mixer valves also separates hot water fully from the cold water stream, when the handle is over to the other side. Hth

I love chrome. But it requires more constant cleaning and wiping, as it shows every fingerprint and spot, vs more forgiving brushed finishes. I used chrome in all my bath finishes. Brushed in the kitchen. that said, if I'd found great chrome pulls for the kitchen, I'd have used them there. too.

I don't know but its a sleek look. So others can see without following links, here's a picture of a faucet in the Vibrant Titanium finish . . .