The Finishing Touch: Choosing the Right Tapware for Your New Home

Building a home that reflects your family and your personal style comes with a host of design decisions. While it may seem like one of the smaller elements of a house, tapware is important for both design and function. The right tapware can help shape the style of your space and influence other design choices as your build progresses.

In fact, tapware is often the finishing touch that truly ties a room together. We’ve teamed up with Alder Tapware for some tips on selecting the perfect tapware and accessories for your new build.

The first step is to plan ahead. It’s important to think about style, finish, functionality and plumbing compatibility early in the building and design process.

Making this decision early can inform your colour palette and the general look and feel of your home, influencing other design choices such as cabinetry, tiling, and sinks or basins. This is a good time to use a mood board for inspiration, collecting ideas and testing colours and shapes against one another. It’s also a good time to think about whether you want to use the same collection throughout your home or use statement tapware in specific rooms. Keeping with one consistent tapware collection throughout the house is a great way to carry texture, colour and tone seamlessly from room to room.

Whether you’re dreaming of a traditional farmhouse or a modern rural retreat, the key is to keep your vision in mind when choosing your tapware. Different shapes and finishes can reflect different design styles. We take a look at how the Vito Bertoni by Alder EEVA2 Collection fits with three of our house designs in our article: Choosing the right finishes for your design.

The EEVA2 Collection features bold angles with softened edges for a refined and geometric look. In comparison, the KALI2 Collection balances soft curves and rounded edges for seamless sophistication.

Using a specific collection of tapware is a clever way of employing shape in the home. Rounded tapware can soften distinctive angles and sharp details, while angular, geometric tapware can energise a room and create contrast in lighter, softer spaces.

You should also think of the colour and texture – or the finish – of your tapware. Matte black has been quite popular for its sleek sophistication and high contrast, while chrome is a fantastic option for its timeless, polished appeal. Brushed nickel is a trending finish for its subtle sheen, blending beautifully with a range of materials without overpowering other elements in the room.

While it might be tempting to choose a style and finish based on trends, make sure your choice is right for your build. Compare the shape and finish to the other materials in the home, and whether it complements your overall design vision.

The kind of tapware that’s best for your home also depends on practical factors like installation requirements. Different tapware styles need different plumbing setups, so it’s important to choose this early in your build and ensure it works with your other selections.

For example, planning your basin and tapware together ensures your plumbing layout is set up correctly from the start. Above-counter basins pair well with either wall-mounted or bench-mounted tapware – but each option has different considerations. Wall-mounted tapware requires plumbing within the wall whereas basin mixers are installed directly onto the basin or through the vanity or benchtop.

Once you know of any specific plumbing setups in your design, you can narrow down your selection for tapware. While you don’t necessarily need to stick to the same tapware everywhere, we recommend keeping the finish and shape consistent within a single space, such as an ensuite. For instance, pair shower hardware with similar basin and bath tapware for a cohesive space.

How do you envision your family living in your new home? Choosing tapware is an opportunity to consider your lifestyle and ensure your wet areas are designed with your family’s needs in mind. For example, consider pull-out sink mixers for added functionality in your kitchen, scullery and laundry. Likewise, dual showers offer the added benefit of a handpiece, making cleaning and maintenance easier.

And speaking of cleaning – some finishes are more forgiving than others. Brushed nickel is a great option for family homes, as it conceals fingerprints and water spots better than other finishes. If your home is being built in a rural setting, you may need water-efficient, durable tapware.

Whether it’s a statement sink mixer in the kitchen or a subtle collection repeated throughout the home, well-chosen tapware should seamlessly blend beauty with practicality.