Bathroom taps – our top tips!

Matchy matchy

There are plenty of times when mixing and matching can be incredibly effective, like using feature paint to create a statement wall, or choosing a bold shower curtain which contrasts your colour scheme. However, a failsafe approach to taps is that you should try to match them up where possible.

With our brilliant range of basin and bath taps, it’s easy to find sets of taps from the same range to ensure a perfect match. It may seem like a small detail, but it makes a big difference to the overall symmetry of your bathroom. In an ideal world, you should match these with your shower too, including the shower controls!

Let’s look at the most popular materials for bathroom taps:

Bold as brass

As the home of family value, we don’t sell taps made of gold – come to think of it, we’re not sure how practical that would be. What we do have is brass and brushed brass bathroom faucets which can add a touch of luxury to your setup.

Pairing brass fittings with the shiny white of your bath and basin gives your bathroom a traditional and elegant feel.

With any colour scheme, it’s best to keep things simple, but including black accents around the room works really well with this colour scheme – small details like soap dishes and toothbrush holders with a matt black finish are the perfect accessory to complete the classy look, or go for a bath screen with black panelling.

Brushed finishes are also really easy to clean and less likely to show water marks, making it a practical choice as well as an attractive one!

What type of tap?

Depending on your bath and sink, you’ll have a differing number of holes for your taps to sit in, so make sure you grab the right one!

Mixer taps

Mixer taps are a catch-all term for many kinds of tap. They have one spout that water comes out of, and are the most popular overall style of bathroom tap as it gives you full control over the temperature and water pressure from one spout.

Bath fillers

Bath fillers fill your bath. The end.

Just kidding – bath fillers consist of 2 handles which are joined together via a central spout. They’re nice and easy to use, with one tap for hot and one for cold. As the water comes out of one spout, you can take the guess work out of making your bath the perfect temperature for a long soak.

Bath & shower mixers

These tremendous taps can fill up your bath with the added benefit of a shower attachment, which you can switch to with a lever. These 2-in-1 taps are perfect for saving money on your bathroom refit, and can also make cleaning your bath and shower much easier as you can use the shower to rinse away your cleaning products.

You’ll also find floor-mounted bath shower mixers which are perfect for fancy freestanding baths.

Mono basin taps

Any mono tap will have one centralised pillar. This is a popular space-saving option and is perfect for basins of all sizes for a sleek design. Mono taps will either have one handle which gives you control over both temperature and water flow, or separate handles for hot and cold.

Wall mounted taps

For the ultimate in space-saving faucets, wall mounted taps free up the space in your bathroom and can look incredibly elegant. They sit flush against the wall behind your basin for a neat look. They can be a little fiddlier to fit, but it’s worth it for the end product!

Installing & cleaning

Before you buy

Make sure you get the correct tap for your bath and basin, and take measurements first to make doubly sure. It’s also important to check the length of the spout. You don’t want the water to be hitting any further forward than the plughole, otherwise you could end up with puddles!

Our bathroom taps arrive with the fittings you need, it’s just a case of attaching the pipes under your sink or bath with the correct connections on the tap using a spanner. Make sure you follow the instructions properly and keep everything nice and tight to avoid leaks.

With wall-mounted taps, or if you need to create new holes for your taps, it’s worth getting in touch with a pro to fit those properly.

Keeping them clean

Bathroom taps are prone to splashes, toothpaste marks, and shampoo spills. Thankfully, these are easy to clean off with a simple bathroom cleaner and a cloth. Avoid anything too abrasive with your taps, especially if they’re chrome, as you don’t want to risk damaging the shiny finish!

For an in-depth guide on looking after your bathroom fixtures, you can read our blog on how to clean your bath, sink, shower & taps!