Tapware tips – choosing the right tapware for your bathroom

What’s your bathroom style?

The first step in choosing tapware is to consider the design of your bathroom – is it contemporary or traditional? Quirky or formal? Make sure your tap of choice fits seamlessly with the rest of room to avoid a disjointed looking space.

If you have a more traditional style bathroom, rounded tapware works well thanks to its softer, more feminine edges. Contemporary and minimalist bathrooms are able to carry bolder fixtures and fittings like chunkier square shapes or more architecturally designed taps.

Nostalgia Lever Basin Set Shepherds Crook

If your bathroom is a balance between the two, a style that combines both is ideal. Square tap shapes with rounded edges or vice versa are a popular choice for those looking to create a more organic look and feel in their bathroom. At Phoenix we are seeing a real trend in a combination of distinctive angles with gentle and soft forms in tap styles.

 

Vivid Slimline Wall Mixer Set in Brushed Gold

What type of taps are available?

Basin Mixers

This outlet is connected to a single mixing lever handle and combines both hot and cold water, allowing you to create the perfect water temperature. Mixer taps are easy to use, with a simple one-handed operation making this a popular choice. They are generally installed centrally, just behind the basin bowl.

Vivid Slimline Oval Basin Mixer in Chrome

Vessel Mixers

A vessel mixer, also known as ‘extended basin mixers’, provides the perfect opportunity to create a sophisticated designer look in your bathroom as it allows you to get creative with tapware placement – usually the tap would be placed at the back of the basin, however, with a vessel mixer you can place it to the side to create a unique look. The extra height of vessel mixers, compared to standard basin mixers, means that they work perfectly with above counter basins.

Toi Vessel Mixer

Wall Mixers

Wall mixers offer a streamlined aesthetic and can also make a statement in the bathroom. They have the added benefit of freeing up countertop space, making them ideal if your bathroom is on the smaller side. Choose from having a seamless wall mixer set with one large backplate or consider an outlet and wall mixer with separate backplates.

Zimi Wall Basin Mixer Set

Tapware Sets

Tapware sets include a spout and hot and cold taps installed from within your vanity or wall. Offering a more traditional look, they are a popular choice for family and master bathrooms. The main advantage of these taps is the greater degree of control you get over water flow and temperature with two handles at your disposal. Tapware sets are available in the classic arrangement of having the outlet in between the hot and cold taps. For a modern twist, hostess sets are becoming popular with both taps situated to the same one side of the outlet.

Vivid Slimline Plus Basin Hostess Set

Hob sets

For another countertop mounted option, besides basin and vessel mixers, hob sets are a great alternative. Perfect for under counter basins, mixer and tapware hobs are both stylish and practical.

Vivid Slimline Hob Sink Outlet Gooseneck and Vivid Slimline Hob Mixer

How about finishes?

Gone are the days when tapware was only available in chrome or gold. While these finishes are still popular, there’s now a much wider choice of tapware finishes available, whether it be for a traditional, modern, rustic, industrial, provincial, or retro bathroom.

At Phoenix, we have created a guide to our myriad colour finishes ranging from matte black, to brushed nickel to blush pink and everything in between. But here’s a quick rundown of some of our most popular finishes.

Brushed Nickel

Soft and satin, our brushed nickel adds a toned-down, pared back look as part of our contemporary finish collection. It has a warm, soft metallic appearance with surface brushed lines, which suits white and light coloured granite or marble, as well as stainless steel sinks.

Axia Wall Basin/Bath Hostess Set in Matte Black

Matte black

Confident and stylish, matte black is a finish designed to make a statement. It complements bold, monochromatic environments but flourishes in bright and colourful surroundings too. If pairing with a lot of white, try using a touch of timber to tone down the styling.

Brushed gold

Flawlessly on-trend, our brushed gold is part of our contemporary range of finishes. Taking styling to a new level, it’s a warm tone with soft surface lines and a gentle metallic hue, providing for a truly modern take on traditional gold finishes for contemporary spaces styled with other soft metallic finishes.

What else do I need to consider?

The current set-up 

If you are replacing old tapware with a brand new design, you’ll need to choose the same set-up. So, basin mixer will need to be replaced with the same, for example. That is unless you are undertaking a major renovation along with plumbing works, which will give you more freedom in terms of the type of tapware you choose. However, you should consult your plumber to ensure you are selecting tapware that will fit in your bathroom before you make a purchase.

Nara Vessel Mixer

Size and height of the outlet

Tapware comes in different sizes to ensure that water lands in the correct position and angle. Be sure to choose the right size and height for your basin.  A seemingly obvious consideration which sometimes gets overlooked, is to allow enough room for a pair of large hands to comfortably wash underneath the outlet without hitting the side or edge of the basin.

The WELS rating

All basin taps and outlets are labelled with a WELS star rating, which stands for Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards. This rating tells you how water-efficient a tap is and ranges from one to six stars – the more stars the more water-efficient the product.

Every Phoenix basin outlet, basin mixer, wall basin mixer set, vessel mixer, kitchen sink mixer and shower have been awarded a WELS rating, tested for hydraulic strength, water tightness, torque of joints and components endurance and many of our products hold a 6 Star WELS rating. Choosing products registered and labelled with a water efficiency sticker means you will save more water and reduce your energy bills.

Need more inspiration? Take a look through our Gallery Page and check out our complete bathroom tap collection.