Choosing the Right Tapware for Your Bathroom: Q&A with Holly
Bathrooms are usually the smallest room in the house, so every fitting has to earn its place. Not long ago most Auckland bathrooms looked much the same: white tiles, white walls and shiny chrome taps. Choosing the right tapware for your bathroom is now one of the easiest ways to change how the whole room looks, whether you're doing a small upgrade or a full renovation. Taps tend to get picked last, after the vanity and the shower, and that's often where a design loses its edge.
In November 2020 we sat down with Holly, then Sales & Marketing Manager at The Kitchen Hub, an Auckland supplier of designer tapware, to ask how she helps clients narrow down their choices. Her answers are below as she gave them in 2020, followed by our own tips for matching tapware to the style of your home. For current brands, finishes, lead-free rules and pricing, see our up-to-date Superior Renovations guide to bathroom tapware in NZ.
Why we partnered with The Kitchen Hub in 2020
Through 2019 and 2020 more of our clients were asking for designer tapware, so we went looking for an Auckland supplier who could fill that gap. That's how the partnership with The Kitchen Hub started. At the time it specialised in designer tapware for bathrooms and kitchens from designers in Australia, the UK and the USA.
This interview was first published on superiorrenovations.co.nz, and the original 2020 Q&A with Holly is still there. Here's how Holly described her role when we spoke.
My role is to assist in promoting and advertising our bespoke collection of kitchen, bathroom and laundry products. My passion is to create brand awareness for our high-end boutique ranges that will assist our clients in discovering and selecting the right products for their homes. At The Kitchen Hub, we strive ourselves on offering unique brands that create luxury statements. Which is why I am always working closely alongside our clients to help provide innovative outcomes.
— Holly, Sales & Marketing Manager, The Kitchen Hub (2020)
How Holly helps clients choose tapware: the 2020 interview
The brands Holly mentions are the ranges The Kitchen Hub carried in 2020. Ranges change, so check what's currently available before you settle on a product.
How can clients narrow down their choices amidst such an overwhelming tapware selection?
Holly: I usually first ask what kind of budget they are working with and how much they are willing to allocate towards the products that they are after. If they are working with a tight budget then I will usually point them towards Meir and our other more cost effective brands, or if they have a larger budget then I will suggest Astra Walker or The Watermark Collection.
Understanding the client's budget helps me identify the brands that are suited for them. Once I have identified the brand, then I dive a little deeper and start to understand the design a bit more. This is where I ask what kind of build it is (new build or renovation) and whether it is contemporary or traditional design. This helps me narrow down to specific product ranges which I can then show to the client.
How do people choose through the various finishes? How do you help them choose?
Holly: Selecting finishes will depend on various factors. First I need to understand what the setting is and who will be using the tapware. If it is for a family home, then clients will be wanting something that is durable and easy to clean. So I tend to recommend a stainless steel or brushed finish, something that won't show fingerprints and is low maintenance. Sometimes, if clients have young children, I do suggest not to use a matte black finish. While most of our matte black finishes are electroplated and are very durable, they still tend to be easier to scratch if they are not handled carefully.
What is the difference between living finishes and sealed finishes?
Holly: Living finishes are becoming more popular for their raw and organic appearance. They are designed to change and evolve, so they will develop a unique worn appearance over time. But the aged look is not for everyone.
If our clients want a living finish then our go-to would be either Astra Walker or Buddy. These brands offer a range of living finishes, including natural brass and aged brass, which are the most common finishes that our clients tend to go for.
If the client wants a finish that will remain the same over time then I would recommend our trending sealed finishes which are matte black, brushed brass, stainless steel, brushed nickel and gunmetal. These finishes are offered by various different brands which gives a bit more flexibility when it comes to product selection.
Are there any specific trends that you are seeing in bathroom tapware?
Holly: There are a couple of design trends that have started to emerge with bathroom tapware. I have noticed a lot of people are now going for coloured tapware, especially brass finishes, as opposed to standard chrome and matte black. Living finishes are also becoming increasingly popular for the more industrial and retro design look. Elevated tapware is coming back into fashion as well, with a lot of interest in our cross handle and lever options as opposed to standard wall mixers.
Five tips for choosing the right tapware for your bathroom
These are our own tips from the same 2020 article, updated where the advice has moved on.
Tip 1: Match the tapware to the style of your home
Most homes sit somewhere across five broad styles: modern, traditional, rustic, contemporary and industrial. Few are purely one style. Pick tapware that suits the house around the bathroom, not just the bathroom itself.
Modern and minimal bathrooms. Modern tapware is sleek, with straight lines, in a clean and uncluttered room. Shiny chrome used to be the default, and matte black has since become a common choice. It adds contrast and works with most colour schemes, including the neutral palettes that suit small bathrooms.
Traditional villas and bungalows. Auckland villas and bungalows often keep traditional details such as timber floors and casement windows, and that character can carry into the bathroom alongside a modern bath or wet room. Traditional ranges, such as Astra Walker's classic styles inspired by Victorian and Edwardian fittings, help the bathroom feel like part of the original house.
Rustic bathrooms. In 2020 we were seeing growing interest in rustic bathrooms, with brass basins and antique gold finishes. Rustic rooms lean on natural elements: timber accents, warm colours and brown or gold fixtures with an aged look. Changing the tapware is one of the simplest ways to bring that feel in.
Contemporary bathrooms. Contemporary style borrows from several styles for a streamlined look, a bit of old and a bit of new. With so much to choose from, think about your colour scheme and your household. Matte finishes show fingerprints more easily, so a busy family bathroom with young children is often better with a shinier or brushed finish that needs less wiping.
Industrial bathrooms. Industrial design takes its cues from old pipework and factory interiors, and it suits apartments and architectural homes. You don't need to commit the whole room to it. An industrial-style basin, vanity or set of taps can give you the look without changing everything else.
Tip 2: Choose a shape that suits who uses the bathroom
Tapware has to look right and work for your household. Who will use this bathroom: young children, adults, older family members? For children or older users, a single lever that works with one hand is usually the easier choice. A bathroom used only by adults can take a two-handle set-up.
The shape should also suit the design. A traditional or vintage bathroom suits a three-tap basin set-up, with separate hot and cold handles, and a more traditional basin rather than something very sleek. A modern or contemporary bathroom suits larger square basins with taller, curved spouts.
In a small bathroom design, keep the vanity and fittings in proportion. Bulky fixtures in a small room look out of place once the renovation is finished, and there are plenty of compact vanities now in most styles.
Tip 3: Let your household decide the finish
Clients often get stuck choosing between chrome, matte black and a brushed finish. The finish sets how the room looks and how much cleaning it needs. Holly's advice above still holds: for a family bathroom, choose durable and easy to clean over what looks best in the showroom. Brushed and stainless finishes hide fingerprints, and matte black needs more care around young children. Our current tapware guide, linked above, also covers how finish coatings hold up in Auckland water and coastal air.
Tip 4: Size the tapware to the bathroom
The wrong size of tapware throws off the look and flow of the room. Before you choose fittings, measure the space for the vanity, shower and toilet, and the height between the vanity and the mirror where the tapware will sit.
In a small bathroom, a shorter tap or a wall-mounted mixer frees up space around the basin. With more room you can use a taller, arched spout. Measure for the vanity before you go shopping too. Wall-mounted tapware has to be roughed in behind the wall before tiling starts, so decide early.
Tip 5: Check your water pressure before you buy
If you're keeping your existing plumbing, check what water pressure you have before you buy tapware. Most Auckland homes are on mains pressure, but some older homes, particularly character homes with their original hot water cylinder, still run low-pressure or unequal-pressure systems. Unequal pressure means the cold water arrives at a higher pressure than the hot.
The label on your hot water cylinder is a good first clue, but ask a plumber to confirm it. Tapware made for mains pressure gives a weak flow on a low-pressure system, and some products aren't suited to the other system at all. Many ranges also come in universal versions that work on either. If you're renovating with us, our project manager checks this before the tapware is chosen.
There's also a newer rule to know about. As our tapware guide explains, from 2 May 2026 new tapware and fittings in contact with drinking water must be lead-free under the Building Code. Imported taps bought online may not comply. Check the certification with your plumber before you buy, and refer compliance questions to a licensed plumber or Auckland Council.
Two Superior Renovations bathrooms where the tapware set the tone
Both of these bathrooms were completed in October 2020, around the time of this interview.
Rustic bathroom renovation in Westmere
This rustic Westmere bathroom renovation is built around natural tones: a moss-green feature wall that adds depth to the wet area, and dark floor-to-ceiling tile. Matte gold tapware runs through the room, a finish that suits rustic design and keeps the space warm rather than clinical.
Contemporary bathroom renovation in Titirangi
This small Titirangi bathroom we reworked in black and white sits downstairs, with patterned floor tiles and white subway tiles on the walls. A floating timber vanity adds warmth, and matte black tapware and shower fittings carry the black-and-white theme through.
Tapware questions we get asked
What tapware suits a contemporary bathroom?
Contemporary bathrooms take elements from several styles, so you have plenty of options. Matte black and stainless or brushed finishes are common choices. Start with your colour scheme and who uses the room: a family bathroom needs a finish that's easy to keep clean, while an ensuite can take a finish that needs more care.
Do I need my own designer to choose tapware?
Not when you renovate with us. Superior Renovations has designers on the team who help you choose tapware and fittings alongside the tiles, vanity and lighting, so the whole bathroom works together. You can also see our bathroom displays in person at the showroom at 16B Link Drive, Wairau Valley.
Can I buy my own bathroom tapware?
We prefer to work with our own Auckland suppliers so we can stand behind the quality and the installation. If there's a product you love, bring the details and we'll check it suits your water pressure and meets the lead-free requirement before anything is ordered.
Planning a new bathroom? See what a Superior Renovations bathroom renovation includes, then book a free consultation and bring photos of the taps you like.
