When you think of a trough, you probably associate it with a farm or plumbing from the olden days. Gone are the days of the traditional trough sink. Today’s troughs are sleek, industrial and gaining popularity in residential bathrooms. If you are looking for a single focal-point sink that is big enough for multiple family members to share, consider a trough sink.

one: Beach side house, by BDR Executive Custom Homes. Photography by Jim Yochum.

two: Custom master bath vanity, by Susan Jay Design. Photography by Tom Bonner.

For our August Bath issue, we asked local kitchen and bath professionals if freestanding tubs are a classic or a craze. Here's what the professionals had to say:

Soak up the sunny summer weather in outdoor lounge furniture that is stylish and comfortable.

Millbrook chaise, available at Ethan Allen.

Beautiful, practical and easy to change positions as the sun moves across the sky, available at LuLu Belles Fabrics.

Luna lounger, by Gloster, available at KDR Designer Showrooms.

Dot your landscape with potted plants and flowers in beautiful planters. Colorful and decorative, planters add an extra touch of style to your yard.

one: Versatile wide opening planter, available at Greenscape Gardens and Gifts.

two: Colorful ceramic planter, available at SummerWinds Nursery.

three: Blue scalloped top planter, available at Sugar Creek Gardens.

Take one step inside the Gifted Gardener and you will be surrounded by inspiration for both your home and your garden. Jim Heeter, owner, will help you fall in love with your garden all over again with products and accessories to create a well-done space. From fountains and pots to garden adornments, the Gifted Gardener has everything you need to create the perfect outdoor oasis.

Brothers Milt and Brian Ciskowskis' trajectory toward their current calling has had as many twists and turns as one of their many manipulated trees. The two started their careers on their grandfather’s farm, where they raised cattle and helped in the florist shop he founded on Cass Avenue in 1910. They eventually moved the shop and greenhouse to North St. Louis, closing up and re-emerging as Cass Bonsai Gardens at 6145 Quercus Grove Road in rural Edwardsville, IL, in 1998.