Tapping into the New Zealand psyche: timeless tapware

In disciplines such as architecture and interior design it is not unusual to hear terms such as ‘Californian ranch style’ or ‘mid-century modern’ and immediately, these conjure images of specific styles related to a time and/or a place.

What happens though, when you inhabit neither the time nor the place? New Zealand has the distinction of being the last country to be “discovered”, which makes us mere infants, geologically speaking. Not surprisingly then, we have not had a whole lot of time to develop a New Zealand sensibility.

Like any youngster trying to find their voice, we have had to subsume a lot of ideas from other people, especially in the field of design. However, what’s beginning to emerge is a distinctive characteristic that can be defined as quintessentially Kiwi and it’s beginning to show up more and more often in our architecture and in industrial design.

“Architects and designers tend to prefer interior surroundings exhibit clean lines with simple, easy-to-use mechanics,” says Plumbline General Manager, Brad Wallace. “We are often approached by specifiers and homeowners looking for a style of product that they haven’t been able to find, which has led us to design a number of products that fulfil their requirements.

“After 12 months of research and development with our Italian manufacturing facility, we’re pleased to launch Oli 316, which we believe is a perfect solution to a number of requests we had for a stainless steel tapware range that offers timeless appeal, premium quality and multiple finishes.”

Brad says the design team chose to augment the flagship stainless steel model with three additional finish colour choices—brushed brass, copper and gunmetal and incorporate an optional linea textured handle, which features subtle striations around the handle that evoke a tactile response without being overly fussy.”

“Quality was obviously one of the key components to this range, so we have used the highest grade 316 stainless steel as the base material and the finishes are applied using a physical vapour deposition (PVD) technique. Essentially, the finish material is vaporised in a high-heat vacuum chamber before being condensed onto the workpiece—in this case the Oli 316 stainless steel carcass—where it forms a thin, scratch-resistant film that bonds to the base metal and remains consistent, meaning it won’t patina over time.

“The PVD process doesn’t produce any pollutants and so it is non-harmful to the environment and ensures the surface will continue to look as good as the day it’s installed for years to come. Which is why we have given Oli 316 a 20-year warranty on the tap itself and the finish.”

“We were really wanting to create a concept product when we were designing Oli 316, which meant that as well as ensuring aesthetic appeal, it needed to be functionally first-rate. Specifying marine-grade 316 stainless steel gives us the assurance of continued performance and also means that the Oli 316 range is suitable for external applications such as outdoor showers and outdoor kitchens.”

The range features 36 products ranging from rounded and straight kitchen mixers through to shower heads and freestanding bath fillers, as well as a variety of bathroom accessories. All available in the four colour options and all suitable for installation either indoors or outdoors.

“We’re also looking to expand the range of shower products and we will be launching a series of matched basins in the months to come,” says Brad.

“Also, there is scope to customise the existing range for larger orders. We’ve been working on a hotel project where the developer wanted to make some changes to the standard sizes and add some specific pieces such as matching shower door handles, which we were able to accommodate because we work directly with the Italian manufacturer.”

For specifiers and homeowners wanting to learn more about the range, Brad says there are displays at both the Auckland and Wellington showrooms or they can request a sample board that includes a stainless steel tap and three handles in the colour finishes.

Learn more about the Oli 316 tapware range.