Trending Tapware Finishes - Our Top 5 Finishes of 2020

October 27, 2020

Selecting your tapware finish is one of the most crucial decisions that you will make when designing a home. You want something that is timeless and that you will admire for a lifetime, while staying on par with current design trends. We are here to help by providing the most up to date trends for our broad range of tapware finishes, including our most popular and best sellers!

So here it is, our top 5 finishes:

1. Matte Black

You can never go wrong with a classic Matte Black finish! The ultimate go-to for modern and traditional homes. Matte Black is by far our best selling finish and is becoming the new chrome, in terms of popularity. It has such a simple yet sophisticated appearance that suits any styled interior! Not to mention it is super easy to match with accessories like handles and lights. Our main brands that offer this finish include Astra Walker, Buddy, Meir, and Methven.

2. Brushed Brass

Brushed Brass finishes are very elegant and stylish, allowing them to bring in a bit of vibrancy and colour to your home. Our Urban Brass finish by Astra Walker is one of our best sellers, for those who prefer a sealed finish that will remain the same. It features delicate brushed lines under an alloy of hard gold plating, with a matte appearance. Alternatively, the Tiger Bronze finish by Meir has also been a huge hit this year as it is a gorgeous sealed brass with a slight gloss finish.

If you are looking for something more retro and industrial, a living finish may be for you! Living finishes are becoming very popular and are designed to change and evolve, so they will develop a unique worn appearance over time. Our most common Brushed Brass living finishes are Eco Brass by Astra Walker and Brushed Brass by Buddy.

The Eco Brass finish by Astra Walker is created by mechanically vibrating each brass piece. Over time the raw brass surface will further evolve as it reacts to the natural atmosphere it is in. Areas that are touched by hand become lighter, while areas that are rarely touched darken and oxidise to create a beautiful organic appearance. The Brushed Brass finish by Buddy is made in a similar manner so that it produces the same beautiful organic look.

3. Aged Brass

Aged Brass is a well known living finish, for those who want a more subtle and darker tone brass finish. All of our Aged Brass finishes are living and we offer this across both our Astra Walker and Buddy ranges. The Aged Brass finish is achieved by chemically treating each brass piece. Tone can vary depending on whether the brass is extruded, cast, machined or forged, but the result is a stunning organic appearance. Just like all of our living brass finishes, the raw brass surface will become more visible as it reacts to the natural environment that it is installed in.

4. Stainless Steel

Stainless Steel is a simple and classic finish if you want to avoid introducing too much colour in your home. The reason it is so popular is because it will never age or go out of fashion. Stainless Steel will also match anything in your house, including your appliances, making it a very reliable finish. With an alluring brushed finish, Stainless Steel provides a more glamorous touch as apposed to your standard polished chrome look, while still maintaining a neutral silver tone that easily fits into any home. Not to mention it is super durable and easy to maintain!

The best thing about Stainless Steel is that it is such a common finish and is available across various product ranges including Astra Walker, Methven, and Oli. Astra Walker also offers a Brushed Chrome (blue tinge) and Brushed Platinum (golden tinge) finish which incorporate a Stainless Steel look but with a slight blue/golden tinge.

5. Brushed Nickel/Gunmetal

Brushed Nickel or Gunmetal is a highly recommended finish for those wanting something with a darker tone, and is often a subtle alternative to Matte Black. Brushed Nickel and Gunmetal can vary from brand to brand but are often darker than a Stainless Steel finish with a slight black lustre and soft brushed lines. 

Buddy does an exquisite Brushed Nickel finish which is a beautiful blend of soft grey and silver tones. If you are wanting something a little bit darker, and are leaning more towards Gunmetal then there are a few different trending options that people tend to go for. Ice Grey by Astra Walker is a sleek brushed grey finish, they also do Iron Bronze which is a slightly darker matte grey, both are very modern and bespoke takes on a Gunmetal finish! Alternatively, Buddy also does an Aged Iron finish which is similar to the Ice Grey.

Image source: Lume Design

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