One small change you can make in the bathroom, which has a huge impact on the overall look of the room, is to replace your bath taps. Getting rid of dull, tired or scratched bath mixer taps and replacing them with gleaming, new faucets gives an immediate lift to the room. There is a larger selection of styles and finishes available today than ever, making it simple to find a new set that will work with your existing décor.
Look at your current room with a critical eye. Take note of wall colors and treatments, window treatments, vanity style, sink style and the style and color of your tub and commode. Decide whether your bathroom is traditional or contemporary, or in-between, which is called transitional. It may be a simple functional room, without any particular style. Some people just want a bathroom that is clean and utilitarian. That’s fine, too, but if you want to spiff up a bit, new bath shower taps can help.
Before thinking about style, remember to purchase a quality product. Look for brass fittings, with a ceramic disc cartridge. If you are putting new bath shower mixer taps on an existing sink, check to see how many holes your sink has, as some fixtures use one and some two or three. Installation is easier and smoother when the needed holes are the same in the old and new tap set.
If you have some idea of what style you are looking for, then you can begin shopping. If not, take a look on-line or at your local home store to view the astounding variety of wall mounted bath taps available. There are many styles which fall into the traditional category which come in either one- or two-handle models. Many people prefer a one-handle mixer style for one-handed operation, but this is a personal decision. These basic bath and basin taps are usually chrome, although they also come in other finishes. The mixing is usually done in the deck, which requires a two-hole sink or tub. These taps are usually reasonably priced, from $35-$85 depending on the manufacturer, and the store where you are shopping.
Traditional style also includes designs which are considered classic, such as a white porcelain model with double handles. These are often seen in the gorgeous black and white marble bathrooms in old apartments and hotels from the early part of the century.
Contemporary styles come in a multitude of shapes and finishes. Sleek, streamlined faucets which rise high in the air come in curved, straight, “cane” styled and rectangular, and are sold in both one- and two-handled styles. Finishes include chrome, gold, brushed nickel, pewter, bronze, and polished nickel.
Gleaming rectangular bars with the hot and cold free standing bath taps virtually indistinguishable at the ends are a beautiful, minimalist look for either shower or basin. The shower bar has the shower release control under the bottom edge. These are generally found in the shiny finishes for that gleaming spa look.
Plump, barrel-shaped faucets with the look of an old fashioned pump are perfect for a retro, twenties, bathroom, a Craftsman-style home, a log home, or any other country or rustic style bathroom. An oil-rubbed bronze finish is one of the particularly beautiful finishes available.
There are too many styles and designs to describe here, but if you can imagine it, it is most likely available. One specialty company makes marble and stone faucets, combined with metal finishes.
If you yearn for a really beautiful bathroom, reminiscent of ancient Greek and Roman culture, consider a glass and chrome or glass and gold faucet. These are usually waterfall style faucets, where the water pours gently over the lip of a curved glass slide rather than shooting from the bottom of the tap. The glass comes in several classic colors including blue, green, grey, black, brown, smoke, and clear.
These look best with a vessel-style sink, but also are marvelous with a stone or marble vanity top.
When shopping at a local home improvement store, these contemporary styles can often be found in a price range from $50-$280. You may find a wider range of styles at a specialty kitchen and bath shop, or at a high-end on-line store, but prices can range as high as $480. Whether you want to spend that much is a personal decision. If you are remodeling the whole bathroom, budget may be more of a concern. If the floor standing bath taps are the only thing you are changing in your bathroom, it is worth the splurge to purchase really fine, beautiful traditional bath taps that resemble a work of art more than a functional faucet.
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