Designer Kitchen Taps are Within Your Reach

Working in your kitchen every day, your kitchen tap is one of your most-used household products. So it’s imperative you choose one which not only enhances your cooking experience and suits your style but is crafted with durability in mind.

Having said that, there are so many kitchen taps/mixers to choose from that it can be hard to know where to begin. Here, we’ve showcased four top brands which are ever popular with designers as well as ordinary consumers: Franke, Billi, Gareth Ashton and Ikon.

Are Designer Taps Expensive?

Contrary to what you may have thought, a designer kitchen tap/mixer doesn't actually have to be that expensive, meaning it’s possible to achieve that classy, designer look in your kitchen even if you’re on a budget.

There is a big variety of styles, finishes and features to choose from when considering your ideal kitchen tap/mixer. This hard-working household essential needs to have features that suit your particular kitchen needs while fitting into your household design aesthetic.

Tap Styles and Finishes

The style of tap will come down to choices about its shape, position, size and movement. The tap spout shape can be either U-shaped (common in traditional or country style kitchens) or F-shaped (the more modern aesthetic). Handles will also vary, from lever, cross-shaped or knob style.

The tap’s finish may be anything from chrome effect to brushed metallics (nickel and stainless steel) to matte black or white, which are very popular thanks to how they add drama against tiles or splashbacks.

Choices about the body of the tap will be determined by whether your kitchen sink has pre-drilled holes (one or two) for the tap or not. One tap hole gives you the option of having monobloc taps (a single spout with water flow controlled by one or two handles) or one handle (single lever taps, either top lever or side lever).

One Handle or Two?

One handle taps are good for smaller spaces as they are sleek and contemporary. You can also choose from taps with two handles or twin lever taps (lever, cross or knob-shaped), offering a quarter, half or full turn. These offer enhanced versatility.

If you have two tap holes, single or double spout options exist: you can get pillar taps (where one tap controls cold and the other the hot supply), which are especially good for a budget. You can also get deck taps (using two tap holes but one spout), or bridge mixer taps (the mixer section sits flush to the sink surface, with the spout raised above the surface, giving the bridging effect).

Other Tap Options

Other things to consider will include tap position (base spout or column spout?), and whether the movement of the water needs to be controlled with a swivel, spring neck or pull-out spout.

Many of the newer ranges of kitchen taps have clever new features which may be a selling point for you, such as water filtration tap systems offering instant chilled or boiling water.

And of course, eco-friendliness as well as water and energy efficiency will always remain important factors to consider. For taps that meet every need in your kitchen and help your busy household save time on day-to-day kitchen tasks, take a look at the following on-trend brands.

Franke

Franke is a brand which offers a range of options, from extravagant luxe to simple purist lines. Finishes range from satin nickel to polished chrome, and taps come in a variety of styles, including spray heads and flexible, pull-out and pull-down taps, as well as integrated water filtration (instant hot and cold filtered water from a single source).

Billi

Billi is a brand that prides itself on being not only a great choice for your home, but also for the planet, boasting eco-conscious design aspects that result in a smaller carbon footprint. The brand, created by Australian designers, also offers water and energy efficiency.

Another brand which suits a modern design aesthetic, Billi offers a range of water filtration systems as well as designer kitchen taps. Products come in a wide range of finishes, from classic chrome to modern matte black and white, and even two tone finishes.

Gareth Ashton

Another experienced player in the designer kitchen taps market is Gareth Ashton, a range made under the well-known Abey brand. Abey has 25 years of experience in the kitchen and bathroom industry and is known for reliable performance and modern aesthetics.

Gareth Ashton products suit stylised, minimalist décor and feature a balance of organic and angular shapes, and sleek lines and angles.

Ikon

Ikon is a company that’s been around for a few decades now, giving them a wealth of industrial knowledge and expertise. Their products are known for their state-of-the-art technology, functionality and their aesthetic appeal. Created by well-known European architectural designers, Ikon products come with a 15 year warranty and most items have a 5/6 WELS rating for water efficiency. (WELS is Australia’s water efficiency labelling scheme, requiring certain products to be registered and labelled with a water efficiency sticker as per the standard.).

Ikon products are also WaterMark certified which means they comply with the Plumbing Code of Australia and the relevant Australian Standards.
A designer kitchen tap adds the perfect finishing touch to your kitchen, so check out the taps and mixers from Ikon, Gareth Ashton, Billi and Franke, and much more, at Renovation Kingdom at Parramatta.