While kitchen taps serve a practical purpose, they’re also an important design element that will help define and enhance the style of your cooking zone. When searching for your new tapware, look for a design that will blend seamlessly with your scheme.
Do you have an ultra-contemporary cooking zone? Then minimalist tapware that features sharp, clean lines and a high-shine finish may be the perfect touch in your space. If you have a country- or traditional-style kitchen, opt for a tap that features gentle curves, decorative details, and will add an extra touch of charm and elegance to your scheme.
Need expert advice choosing tapware? Find a kitchen designer near you on Houzz for customised advice
Brandon Barré Architectural Interior Photographer
Think about what finish will work best…
Polished chrome or stainless steel? Brushed brass or bright copper? There are endless options when it comes to tapware finishes. While there aren’t any rules you must follow when choosing which finish to incorporate into your kitchen, we suggest opting for a tap that ties in with your appliances, cupboard door hardware or furniture, as this will create a cohesive and harmonious look. You can see this clever design trick in action in this chic cooking zone.
NU-Dimension Kitchen & Bath Remodel, LTD
…Or if coloured tapware is a better choice
Alternatively, if you desire something that’s a little more daring than chrome, copper or stainless steel, why not select coloured tapware instead, like the eye-popping sky-blue mixer tap that you can spy in this culinary zone.
For those who aren’t a fan of bright tones, black taps are a great alternative, as they’re extremely versatile and ultra-sophisticated too.
Hoedemaker Pfeiffer
Don’t forget about the shape and size of the spout
While the style and finish of your kitchen tap is important, so too is the shape and size of the spout. For example, L-shaped taps with a low profile are more subtle in style than oversized C- or U-shaped spouts that stand tall over your kitchen sink and instantly attract the eye.
Taps with medium and high spouts not only ooze show-stopping appeal, but are practical, too, as they can accommodate large pots, pans and oven trays with ease – just make sure the dimensions of your tap and sink work together.
Steding Interiors & Joinery
Choose a suitable mounting style
Have you thought about whether you will mount your tap to your wall, benchtop or directly onto your sink? Each of these options have their benefits. For example, mounting your tap to the wall behind your sink will ensure that the benchtop space below is a breeze to clean, while bench-mounted taps make for seamless and visually appealing look.
One of the main benefits of sink-mounted tapware is that they are generally easier and less expensive to install and replace compared to wall- and benchtop-mounted taps, which is good news if you wish to give your kitchen a quick (and cheap) update.
Decus Interiors
Remember, ergonomics is key
Children, elderly family members and people with hand mobility issues can sometimes find it difficult to use taps with round or cross handles, which require a grip-and-twist motion to operate. With this in mind, taps with lever handles (like the single-lever mixer pictured here) are often a smarter and more ergonomic option as they can be used by young and old, particularly those with restricted hand movement and strength, with relative ease.
Elms Interior Design
Another benefit of single-lever mixer taps is that they can be operated with just one hand (or even with a nudge of your wrist, if necessary), which comes in handy when you’re trying to multitask or need to wash your food-splattered hands while cooking or prepping ingredients.
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Alternatively, you might like to opt for a high-tech automatic sensor tap instead. Thanks to their hands-free operation, they’re not only a cinch to use, but are more hygienic and prevent water wastage, too.
Pilar single handle pull-down kitchen faucet with Touch2O technology: Delta
Bondi Kitchens & Joinery
If you want ergonomic, easy-to-operate taps, but desire more control over the temperature and flow rate of your water, a classic twin-lever mixer tap (one side operates the flow of hot water, while the other controls the cold water) may be a better option for you.
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Weigh up the merits of a tap that’s adjustable
Have you ever tried to swivel a spout out of the way so you could fill a large pot with water or rinse a bulky baking tray, only to discover that the faucet is fixed? Annoying, isn’t it? That’s why it’s worth choosing a tap with a swivel spout and directional nozzle, which allows you to manoeuvre the faucet to suit your cooking, food prep and clean-up needs.
Swivel spouts are also your go-to solution if you have a sink with double bowls or two separate sinks (like the set-up pictured here) that’s serviced by a single tap between them.
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Unlike the tap in the previous picture, which boasts a spout that swivels from side to side, this adjustable, ultra-contemporary creation can be extended to accommodate large pots and tall vases; lowered into the sink to deliver directional and focused water flow; and folded up so that it’s out of the way when not in use. Genius!
Karbon Vibrant articulating two-hole deck-mount kitchen faucet in Brushed Bronze: Kohler
Kitchen Capital WA
Consider the health of your family
Don’t like the taste of tap water in your area or worried there are nasty contaminants in the liquid? Why not kit out your kitchen with a water filter tap? It’ll give you peace of mind knowing your family is drinking safe, healthy water that tastes good too, but without the hassle of having to boil your water or waste money buying H2O by the bottle.
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SieMatic by The Myers Touch
A tap that dispenses boiling water is another clever and convenient addition that you might like to incorporate into your kitchen. Boiling water taps are also energy efficient; safe to use; boast in-built filtration systems that deliver cleaner, fresher water; and save precious benchtop space.
Brilliant Design Concepts
Want the best of both worlds? Choose a multitasking tap like this one that delivers instant chilled and boiling filtered water with the press of a button.
Zip Hydrotap: Zip Water
Space Fitting Furniture Ltd
Decide what functionality-enhancing features are on your must-have list
Want tapware that earns its keep? Choose a hardworking, feature-packed tap that ramps up the functionality of your cooking zone, and makes common kitchen tasks that much quicker and easier (and sometimes safer) to do.
A tap that boasts an LED-lit nozzle like this one is definitely worth a spot on your must-have list. The smart design brings an element of fun to boring kitchen tasks like doing the dishes and rinsing fresh produce. Its lights also change colour depending on the temperature of the water (red means hot, while blue means cold), which means the high-tech tap can help prevent accidental burns caused by scalding water thanks to its colourful, unmissable visual cues.
Katherine Wills
A professional-style tap with a flexible hose and pull-out spray nozzle is another feature-packed design that you might like to splash out on. An essential kitchen addition for any aspiring chef, a heavy-duty tap like this one will be your best friend when you’re on food prep or clean-up duty, as its powerful, directional spray and easy-to-manoeuvre hose will ensure you can remove dirt from fresh fruit and vegetables; stubborn food debris from dirty plates, pots and pans; and grease and other gunk from the surface of your sink with ease.
