Bathroom & Kitchen Fixtures: 12 Projects to Get You Inspired

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Kentaro Yamada Apartment / Bernardo Amaral Arquitectura e Urbanismo. Image © Attilio Fiumarella

As an architectural project comes to its last phases, it is time to put together the smaller details in bathrooms and kitchens, which means choosing finishes for the walls and floors, as well as the countertops, and picking the right fittings and fixtures. These elements are essential for a well-designed space, regardless of the style.

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Plumbing fixtures are devices that connect to a plumbing system to deliver and drain water within and outside the household. Each fixture may have a different function and use, including components like faucets, valves, showerheads, and other accessories. The fixtures are also defined according to the type of water heating system, for example, using natural gas, solar energy, or even electric showers. Besides functionality, the right fixtures also contribute to the mood of the design, taking into account their shape, finish, and type of installation, which is why they are often treated as decorative elements.

Barista’s Kitchen / Estúdio Mineral + Cynthia Silva. Image © Bárbara Dutra

Faucets are instrumental elements when choosing fixtures and fittings. In general, they can be wall-mounted or attached to the countertop, and can have a metallic finish, polished or brushed, or can even be painted in different colors, which can match the other fittings. Most kitchen faucets are deck mounted, installed on the countertop, as seen in the Barista’s Kitchen / Estúdio Mineral + Cynthia Silva and the Estúdio Elã / Natália Lemos + Paula Pupo, both featuring tall faucets with a matte black finish. Similarly, the Apartamento Equador 201 / DC.AD and the Apartment in New York / Crosby Studios, feature colorful faucets in white and blue matte finishes.

Estúdio Elã / Natália Lemos + Paula Pupo. Image © Denilson Machado – MCA Estúdio

The Kentaro Yamada Apartment / Bernardo Amaral Arquitectura e Urbanismo and the Sardenya Apartment / Raúl Sánchez also use countertop mounted faucets, but with a chrome finish, while the Mo-Tel House / Office S&M uses a brushed metal finish. On the other hand, some projects use faucets mounted on the wall, as seen in the Apartamento BM32 / EstudioReciente, or even inside the kitchen sink, like in the Menir House / Très Arquitetura.

Apartamento BM32 / EstudioReciente. Image © José Hevia

When it comes to bathrooms, there are more fixtures and options of finishes to choose from, including showerheads and bidet showers, which can match the sink faucets. In the Sardenya Apartment / Raúl Sánchez, the wall-mounted faucet and handle have a matte black finish, also featured in the Estúdio Elã / Natália Lemos + Paula Pupo and the La Vida Residencial Building / Todos Arquitetura, while the Menir House / Très Arquitetura and the Mo-Tel House / Office S&M both use a brushed metal finish, and the Apartamento Equador 201 / DC.AD, a matte white color. The Kentaro Yamada Apartment / Bernardo Amaral Arquitectura e Urbanismo, on the other hand, goes for a chrome finish, just like the Function Walls / Lookofsky Architecture and the Apartamento BM32 / EstudioReciente.

The Apartamento Itu / SuperLimão Studio goes for a different approach, using recycled pieces found in junkyards and construction waste and leaving the bathroom pipes exposed. The faucet on the kitchen sink is made with leftover plumbing fittings, which shows us how different and also unexpected the choices of fittings and fixtures can be in kitchen and bathroom designs.