Admittedly, I’m a bit too nervous for meditation. Simply sitting still is rather difficult for me, mostly because my mind continues to turn somersaults. Instead of concentrating on my breathing, I end up wondering if I turned off the stove or telling myself I need to call the plumber. But in theory I find meditation relaxing, especially the cross-legged posture, which pleases me aesthetically: the position has nice balance. In Zen Buddhism, deep meditation while sitting with your legs crossed is known as Zazen, an apt name for a sink manufactured by Portland-based company Eleek.

Zazen. Manufactured by Eleek.

Footed Sink with Vessel or Topmount Options

Even if you didn’t know its meaning, the word Zazen depicts some of the pleasures of its namesake sink—the two evocative z’s get across harmony and the letter itself mimics the cross-legged nature of the pose. The Zazen sink further gets across a sense of balance, since it can be used as a vessel or topmount sink. Constructed of 90% recycled cast silicon bronze or 100% recycled cast aluminum (another duality), Zazen can be finished in a lovely matte bronze or silver hue (River Rock). Or you can choose an artist patina such as Masala Red or Golden Amber (available on the bronze only).

Of the two ways to handle Zazen, I prefer the vessel option—”up on its own four feet, displaying the subtle rustic details of its underbelly.” Despite the beauty of the belly, I am enchanted by Zazen’s feet: the graduated shape reminds me of an ancient Mayan molcajete. It also lends Zazen a spirit of embodiment, of animism (the same feeling is at work in Eleek’s Pod). Those feet differentiate Zazen from most vessel sinks, as does its material.

About the Manufacturer: Eleek Inc. began in 2000 when designer and patternmaker Eric Kaster joined forces with Sattie Clark. Headquartered in Portland, Eleek Inc. produces lighting, sinks, hardware, and tiles. As a former patternmaker, Eric Kaster knows how to work with wood and metal, since the technique involves using wooden forms (wood positives) to make metal castings. His old-world techniques are evident in all of Eleek’s pieces, which “sometimes feel old, like relics recovered from archeological ruins.” But Eleek also offers simpler, modern products.