Blowing hot and cold over the best bathroom taps to buy? Hand washing has never been so topical but basin taps are not just about hygiene. If you're looking for modern bathroom ideas, the right brassware can elevate your scheme and take it from simply stylish to sensational.
The choice in bathroom taps has grown considerably in recent years and as chrome and stainless steel have taken a back seat in the bathroom, we've seen bronze, brass and black taps come to the fore.
A FINE FINISH
An impressive choice of finishes and textured details gives the Spillo Tech tap collection an opportunity for personalisation that’s hard to beat. Choose from handles and bases in Vertical, Cross and Knurled effects, which can be supplied in 11 finishes including polished and hand- brushed chrome, 24-carat gold and nickel, plus matt black and matt white at C. P. Hart.
Spillo tech tap collection. Prices from £419 each, C.P. Hart, cphart.co.uk.
CIAO BELLA
If you consider the bathroom a sanctuary for all-out luxury, why stop short at your taps? The Portofino collection from West One Bathrooms features designs in five metallic finishes, many with elegant marble handles. We’d call that
the cherry on the, erm, tap.
Portofino 3-piece deck basin mixers, from £494.40 (westone bathrooms.com)
FEELING SHADY
The rise of the statement tap continues and Kohler’s Ombré basin mixer might just be one of the prettiest sink-side accessories we’ve seen. Choose from two glossy finishes, each graduating from Ombré rose gold to Polished Chrome or Vibrant Titanium
From £480 for a spout (kohler.co.uk)
INDUSTRIAL ACTION
We love the industrial style of the Astonian Index-3-hole basin mixer from Aston Matthews. Manufactured in England, it's solid brass and available in a chrome or brass finish.
Astonian Index 3-hole basin mixer, Aston Mattews
TOP BRASS
Warm brassware tones are showing no signs of slowing down in 2021. According to Yousef Mansuri, Head of Design at C. P. Hart, "We will continue to see bronze, brass and gold everywhere in bathrooms, with new finishes from Dornbracht and Gessi."
Gessi Anello basin mixer, £POA, cphart.co.uk
POLE POSITION
The Hoxton bathroom mixer in matt black from Britton Bathrooms makes a sleek and dramatic addition to a bathroom basin.
Hoxton basin mixer, matt black, £169, Britton Bathrooms
BARE ESSENTIALS
Crosswater has introduced a beautiful new finish to its timeless Belgravia collection. The new Un-lacquered Brass finish is specifically designed and manufactured to oxidise over time, resulting in a rich patina that offers a classic aesthetic with a nod to contemporary style.
Belgravia Un-lacquered Brass Basin 3 Hole Set, £399, Crosswater
HANDS FREE
A common experience in airport bathrooms, infra red sensor taps are now cropping up in interior schemes.
Grohe has seen a huge demand for its infra-red bathroom taps in the home. Not just since the onset of Covid-19, but due to water efficiency too, as the sensors can detect when you remove your hands and stop the water flow.
GROHE Eurocube E infra-red tap
ALL WHITE NOW
Black taps have been providing stand out style in chic bathrooms in recent years and now it's the turn of the white tap. Crosswater's new matt white finish looks particularly bold and beautiful in a monochrome scheme.
NEW LOOK
These matt black Allora deck mounted pillar taps combine traditional style with a distinctly modern finish for a fresh new look. Ideal for adding character to a contemporary space.
See our buying guide to the best black bathroom taps