No longer an afterthought, our choice of taps can dramatically enhance the overall design of our kitchens and today they come with a range of functions to suit contemporary living. It’s a good idea to spend some time researching the finish, size and style of your taps to ensure that they will sit well within your design and offer you the functions you really need.
Your kitchen style will determine your choice and you will probably have formed some idea of the kind of look you want during the all-important planning process. A cool, contemporary look will be enhanced by sleek, clean lines and there is a stunning range of innovative tap designs available. Try companies like Franke or Abode for the latest in striking tap designs.
Traditional, country or shaker-style kitchens take their inspiration from the past and the iconic bridge style tap is a design classic that works particularly well with Belfast or Butler style sinks. Opt for finishes in aged brass, copper or brushed nickel to create a vintage feel. Most companies offer their cutting-edge technology in traditional styles and finishes which allows you to combine the designs of the past with contemporary features.
Once you have decided on the style of taps you want, it’s important to think about proportions. Make sure your taps don’t dominate the sink area and look out of scale to any nearby cabinetry and appliances. Your taps should fit seamlessly into your design and your kitchen designer will advise on how to achieve this look.
Extra Features
Today’s technology has meant huge advances in tap design and we can now buy taps with a bewildering array of functions, many of them fast becoming kitchen essentials. Essentially, most of the functions are all about speed and efficiency, saving you valuable time in the kitchen. Here’s a quick look at some of the most useful
Instant hot water tap
A single tap delivering instant boiling water, these taps are now viewed by many customers as a must-have kitchen appliance. Great for speeding up the cooking of pasta and vegetables, they are economical in that you can determine exactly the amount of water needed and both energy-efficient and eco-friendly. Safety has often been a concern for those customers still unsure, but they all come with advanced child-proof safety features. Most brands offer the mono tap in a range of designs to suit all types of kitchens, with Quooker being the most established brand in this area. Other brands to investigate are Franke and Zip Hydro.
Multi-function taps
Offering the very latest in product design, a multi-functional tap is the must-have appliance in kitchen design today, delivering boiling, hot and cold filtered water all from one tap. Great for families who drink lots of bottled water, these taps are eco-friendly and hugely convenient and save space which is always a good thing.
All the market leaders have new ranges of multi-function taps. Offering the latest in design, Swiss company Franke offers the Omni 4-in 1 tap (above) with hot and cold mains water combined with cold and filtered boiling water. Other great options are the Abode Pronteau 4 in 1 and the Quooker Fusion range.
As with all high-end appliances, think carefully about what you really need and buy the highest quality you can afford. A really useful addition to any kitchen is the ever-popular, chef-style tap with the pull-out hose which makes light work of washing up and rinsing with nozzles that offer great flexibility and control.
Whatever taps you choose it is certain that today’s advances will bring you increased efficiency in the kitchen, be kind to the environment and will look great too.
