Today's bathroom and kitchen sink faucets don't just bring water, they make a statement about the person who buys them.

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Need to know: What style will work best for your family, from young children to elderly parents. Levers instead of twist knobs might be advisable for the latter. Two-handle, center-set faucets (one handle for hot water, one for cold) typically are used for bathroom sinks. Single-handle faucets (handle position determines water temperature) once were mostly found in kitchens, but these days they're used in bathrooms too.•

Be sure to ask: "If I want to, can I replace my two-handle faucet with a single-handle unit?" Sink openings and faucet dimensions are standardized now, so you usually can. But there are exceptions (old-house owners, take note), so it's a good idea to check sizes first. Many single- and two-handle faucets in bathroom sinks are on four-inch centers (the distance between the centers of the hot and cold inlets or mounting bolts). Two-handle faucets with spreads of eight inches to 16 inches are available and feature flexible hookups.Kitchen changes depend on the number of holes in the sink. Most two-handle faucets mount through three or four holes, while one-handle faucets can be mounted through one hole or up to four. The industry standard for the distance between hot- and cold-valve connections for both single-handle and two-handle kitchen faucets is eight inches. Measure the distance between the connections on your old faucet before purchasing a new one.What will it cost? You can buy a faucet for $30, or you can buy one for $800, but price dictates quality.•

Looks matter: You'll definitely pay more for high style. Moen has just introduced a pewter finish, and Price Pfister has unveiled distressed "rustic bronze" and "rustic pewter" finishes designed to appear weathered with age. Another new trend is toward the "architecturally inspired" faucet, something that might have been in a Roman bath or a 19th-century farmyard.•

Word to the wise: Some finishes aren't easy to maintain. If you have neither the time nor the inclination to preserve a sheen or patina, consider a dull finish over one you have to spend time polishing.•

Stick your neck out: If you're remodeling your kitchen, one of the smartest moves you can make is to combine a tall gooseneck faucet with a deeper sink, so you can easily fill large pots with water, then have maneuverability to scrub them later. Gooseneck faucets are a good idea for the bathroom too, especially if you have a coffeemaker in your master suite.•

Good advice: Keep a copy of the installation instructions and parts list, as well as the warranty information for your new faucet. The more it cost, the more likely that a $3 to $15 part will fix a future problem.Alan Heavens can be e-mailed at aheavens@phillynews.com or write to him at The Inquirer, Box 8263, Philadelphia PA 19101.