Classic bathroom basins that look great in modern spaces
Posted on 24th November 2020
There’s been an exciting shift in bathroom design in the last few years – it’s now really cool to add whatever the heck you like to your scheme*. By which I mean it’s goodbye to the trusty bathroom ‘suite’ that saw years and years (and years!) of popularity and a big hello to mix and match schemes that ooze personality.
Want to mix classic bathroom basins with a slick freestanding bath or frameless shower enclosure? Go for it. Fancy traditional style taps with a sculptural basin? Why not. How about adding colour? Yes please.
It’s all about adding your taste into your space and when it comes to creating a focal point that has a bit of wow factor, a bathroom basin is a good place to start. It’s often the thing you look at through the door (tip: try to place the loo out of sight!), so is a great starting point for a really stylish scheme.
Need some help on choosing a basin and tap? Come this way…
Classic bathroom basins are also having a moment – but with a modern twist. I’m talking Shaker-style vanity units with chunky white ceramic basins; tradition pedestal designs in a trendy colour and old-faithful shapes accented with brass, copper or chrome.
(*within reason…carpet in a bathroom is STILL a no go. And so are those cramped corner shower cubicles.)
Classic bathroom basins that look great in modern bathrooms – curated by bathroom design journo Jill Morgan…
Symmetrically arranged bowl-style basins are great if you’re sharing your bathroom and want your own wash area. These Curva basins, £499.20 each, from William Holland are handcrafted from pure copper. Choose from 11 exterior and seven interior finishes to mix and match as you please.Lift the spirits every day with a colourful basin. Sophisticated and cheery this neat countertop basin suits softer décor with a light and natural palette. Ellipse Countertop Basin in custom colour pink – RAL 3015, £365, Waters Baths of Ashbourne.Simple but with a touch of period styling, VitrA’s Valarte washbasin unit in Matt Ivory, £1077, has a deep storage drawer, shelf and room for a recessed basin.
What’s your bathroom basin style?
Classic bathroom basins (you’re in the right place!)
Slick and contemporary – these styles should fit the bill
A mix of high-polished chrome, china and near-black finishes make this vanity basin design a real head turner. Three-hole pillar taps with matching wenge levers complete the look. Atlantic basin and cabinet in wenge, £1750, Fired Earth.Highly polished on the inside, these marble basins are cut from deposits, each one has its own unique marks and colouring. The finely grooved exterior is known as a Rigato finish, where a multi-headed tool has ground down the stone’s rough surface. Exo Stri grey marble washbasin, £199, Tikamoon.Understated décor lets a traditional vanity shine. Drummonds’ Naver basin, £2394 has a china upstand and the frame includes a towel rail. Shown with the Mull classic bridge mixer, £1170 and rectangular tilt mirror, £828.Reminiscent of a farmhouse pantry– the chunky rim and high back of this wall hung basin shows off crosshead taps to perfection. Front painted on site in chosen shade. Smithfield Basin 60cm, £600, Claybrook Studio.Undulating lines and a fine rim give this countertop basin a refined feel which works beautifully with natural textures and soft pastel shades. Brassware in polished chrome adds a smart finish. Florenza basin, £299, Clearwater Baths.Traditional style meets contemporary simplicity with this neat washstand and basin. Details such as the rolled top, visible underside and the stainless-steel frame create an elegant finish. Clearwater traditional medium roll-top basin with stand, £688, Soakology.
Crosswater Belgravia Lever Tall Basin Monobloc, £329, from Sanctuary Bathrooms.
Let a stand-out material do the talking by recessing a drop-in basin into a chunky slab of marble. Finish the design off with a simple wall-mounted mixer and crosshead handle for maximum impact. Avalanche marble, from £924 per sq m, Cullifords.Neat, tactile and full of character, this basin and wall stand combines polished granite slabs with decorative cast iron for a traditional country feel. Choose brackets in a range of painted or burnished finishes. Mistley wall basin stand with Tuscany bowl and Harvest granite top, £780; Mistley Wall Splashback in Harvest Granite, £149, from Albion Bath Company.Take a classic shape basin like this black pedestal design and opt for a colour other than the usual white. Jet Edwardian 560mm basin with Jet standard pedestal, £798, Burlington Bathrooms.
