An arena previously dominated by cool stainless steel and chrome, kitchen and bathroom tapware has more recently taken a turn for the bold, with an abundance of black and brass styles now also available in the mix, ready to take your homes’ style to a whole new level!
But, how do we best use them?
As seen at the recent home shows, the approach to interior design on the whole is looking far more eclectic, with mixing materials now widely accepted. In this domain, black sits alongside brass in perfect harmony, giving us the bold-but-glam option we have been long awaiting.
A kiwi favourite; black, as we know, already goes with everything (including black…) and where we might have only dabbled in adding it to our rooms in small amounts previously, we now have the option to go the whole hog with entire suites available for those who really love a bit of drama.
There’s no real right or wrong way to introduce these new styles to your home- our only suggestion is that if you are building new and therefore have all options open, try and keep the look consistent throughout the house, rather than using a different colour in every room!
If you are just working on one room at a time, then in a similar way to how you might swap out door handles or change window treatments, updating your tapware can be a great, cost-effective way to alter the whole look of a room, without ripping everything else out!
Back in Black and feeling bold!
The dominance of black in interior trends of recent years has struck fear into the hearts of many; though we’re confident that the beautiful sleek black tapware at Elite should strike no such terror… Available in matte or satin finishes, this tapware is durable, modern and sophisticated and would add a bold, statement elegance to any contemporary space.
Oh, and an added bonus? The finish is more resistant to marks and scratches than highly polished metals such as chrome or stainless steel, so you can say bye-bye to fingerprints and ghastly watermarks! We like.
Wait… There’s a new (old?!) kid in town…
Most kitchen and bathroom taps are actually made of brass which is then plated, so really, this modern entrant is actually just taking us back to the OG in tapware design. Available again in a range of finishes, brass holds real versatility. Modern designs are sleek in brushed matte or satin and add warmth to a space without being shiny and overbearing.
The more traditional amongst us may prefer an aged brass. Preoxidised and waxed, they would suit villa renovations beside a claw-foot bath or above a butlers sink. New replicate designs eliminate the need for costly vintage restoration and give us the water efficiency we should all be aiming for.
So, are they just a fad or here to stay?
What might have initially felt like a ‘phase’, given that trends do tend to re-circle every 20 years or so, is now looking pretty solid as a design choice that will be sticking around.
Personally, we’re not fans of following trends, but rather prescribe to the ‘If you love it, do it’ way of thinking… black and/or brass? We love it. And we’ll definitely be doing it.