Tapping into the latest design trends
A change in tapware can make the world of difference to a bathroom or kitchen – without having to break the bank, writes Deb Tapp.
“People are realising that they don’t have to renovate their whole bathroom and gut it out to change it – you can pick one or two items, like tapware and a new vanity, and it will make a difference,” says Mico’s category manager Louise Cook.
“By just adding new tapware, or coloured tapware, it can change the whole look and feel of a space without the huge expense,” she says.
It’s a matter of educating the public, says Louise, but homeowners are beginning to cotton on to the fact they don’t have to undergo huge renovations to change a space.
“Introducing some pops of colour around the bathroom, for example, whether it be your bath spout, your shower mixers or your basin mixer, can really alter the look.”
In her own home Louise has just switched out her old kitchen tap for a new, chunkier model.
“The kitchen is in an open plan space, it really has changed the look as you walk in, all for a few hundred dollars!”
Whether tapware is destined for the kitchen or bathroom, homeowners are spoilt for choice these days.
And there’s something for every budget, says Louise.
Many homeowners opt for chrome fittings in their bathrooms, but there are plenty of other options that will look just as good.
“Black is definitely the strongest of our colours outside of chrome,” says Louise.
“If people are looking to do something a bit different, black has been growing for the last five years, it’s definitely ontrend nationally and we don’t see it going anywhere.”
Other finishes introduced into tapware are proving popular too, particularly brushed nickel and gun metal.
“If you were looking at the next colour wave for New Zealand in terms of sales, they are the two that stand out,” says Louise.
“If you are wanting a change from chrome but not too far out there, brushed nickel is a lovely option, it offers more of a nicer, softer look.
“Gun metal is another colour we’re seeing grow very strongly, very quickly – rather than going full black and potentially running the risk of your bathroom looking too dark, it’s a good option.”
The combination of matte black and rose gold is another way to add some colour.
“If you don’t want to go full black but you want to introduce a bit of colour, matte black/rose gold can make an amazing statement piece to a bathroom for not that much dollar-wise,” says Louise.
She suggests playing it safe with flooring and tiles in bathrooms and instead experiment with tapware.
“If you are choosing safe colours for flooring and tiles, and white for your showers and vanities, then coloured tapware is an awesome option, just to add a bit of flavour to your bathroom.
“It depends on how long you plan to be in your house, you might want to make a statement piece now and then maybe look to change it out later.
“That’s the beauty of tapware, it’s not going to cost an arm and a leg, and if you don’t like it you can easily change it out in a couple of years.”
When it comes to style, softer, squarer shapes and rounded tapware continue to dominate.
“You can play around with either look, the options are endless and it totally depends on personal preference,” says Louise.
The simple slide rail shower complemented by a rain shower, or dumper as it’s commonly known, emerging from the ceiling is a popular choice.
“We’ve seen a move to a combination of fixed shower heads and a slide shower, so that people can use one or the other, or both,” says Louise.
“It’s a very versatile system, especially when you’re in a household with multiple people using it, tall people, shorter people and kids.”
Bath spouts can be freestanding, include a built in mixer and there’s the option of having a handshower fitted as well.
“Most ranges of products will have a bath spout that matches the rest of the family of tapware you choose, but you don’t have to keep it all matchy matchy.”
Laundry tapware is more simple, homeowners opting to play it safe with chrome or stainless steel in an area that’s usually tucked away and out of sight.
In kitchens, homeowners are predominantly choosing chrome and stainless steel as well, followed by black tapware.
“Chrome is still the number one choice in kitchens, however people are starting to play around with colour,” says Louise.
“Homeowners are using black as a statement piece, or a mix of black and chrome.”
While colour and style are important, suppliers these days are creating kitchen tapware around functionality too, and most swivel to work across double bowls, says Louise.
“Functions include pull out spray for ease of use when preparing the vegetables to filling up that vase that won’t fit under the spout, and ergonomic handles for arthritic hands.
“Some tapware have push buttons so you don’t have to get greasy hands on your taps, you can use your elbow to push the button to start and stop the flow.”
Before buying kitchen tapware, homeowners must first ask themselves what they require it to do and style-wise how will it fit with the rest of the home.
“Think about how the style of tap will flow through to the kitchen cabinetry and the rest of the look and feel within the kitchen, then look at budget and it will be easy to match a tap to suit.”
Narrow down bathroom tapware choices by asking these questions first:
● Who is using the space
● How big is the space
● Am I future proofing for longevity or doing it now for now
● What is my budget “There is the perfect tap for every style, function and budget and the design of the bathroom/ kitchen/laundry will influence the style of tapware you choose,” says Louise.
Whatever the final decision, invest in quality tapware rather than cut corners.
“You don’t want to have to deal with leaks that could potentially cause a lot of problems and a lot of damage down the track – by purchasing quality tapware from the get-go you’re protecting yourself in the long run.