As chosen by our judges, a panel made up of Livingetc’s senior editorial team. Global brand director Sarah Spiteri, executive editor Pip Rich, editor (digital) Hugh Metcalf and deputy editor (print) Ellen Finch sifted through all the many, many entries.
best bathroom tap: Namika Assembly by ABI Interiors
‘Whenever I walk into the brand’s showroom, I’m always impressed by the affordable price levels and focus on style,’ says Pip. ‘Each finish and shape is contemporary yet classic, the sort of piece that would last you for years… which of course is what you want for a bathroom. I also really rate the brand’s shower heads – this is a showroom I’d recommend for all bathroom hardware.’ The Namika collection features solid brass construction and a high-performing Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) coating, ensuring exceptional longevity and durability, available in four finishes.
Renee Enoka from ABI Interiors explains the Namika collection’s allure
The Namika collection was intended to be a modern play on textural aesthetics. Undulating grooves designed to mimic wave-like formations found in nature are intricately incorporated into each piece across the range. The tactility of the reeded texture creates an experience in the home that is not just seen but felt.
Imagine brushing your fingers over the grooves of a palm tree, a shell, or perhaps under the hood of an oyster mushroom. The reeded detailing feels like intricate waves of solid brass, just like the organic grooves you might come across in the natural world.
The range is not just beautifully designed fixtures but an experience for the senses. The reeded detailing draws the viewer in. At first glance, you can see that the light dances off the grooves differently than just a brushed metal surface. An ordinary, everyday touchpoint now becomes a textural experience.
This range has the flair to enliven your bathroom by transforming functional fixtures into an aesthetic focal point and a defining element of your space. Its textural grooves and organic lines create a sensory and relaxing experience, enhancing your daily rituals.
The brushed gunmetal finish, with its cool, grey-toned colour, exudes a hardy and modern aesthetic. It effortlessly complements moody, masculine hues such as black, grey, midnight blue, white and brown, as well as robust materials like timber, stone, leather, concrete, metal and porcelain tiles.
See more of the Namika Assembly tap here
best washstand: The victorian by devol
Here at Livingetc we’ve long been enamoured with deVOL’s rustic-meets-urban approach to kitchens, and how elevated yet homely they feel. But the brand’s bathroom range deserves being shouted about, too – it does classic taps, a cute clothes horse and this farmhouse-style washstand. ‘This is a country-aesthetic I can see working in very modern townhouses,’ says Sarah. ‘I can see it painted a bright red, or sunny yellow, perhaps a warming terracotta. Because of its classic shape it instantly feels familiar, making it a surprise to update in a modern palette.’
See more of The Victorian washstand here
Best basin: dune by kast
Scalloped edges and fiery colours are a look we highlighted in our July issue, key parts of the Playfulism trend. And Kast’s Dune range is a prime example, adding fun into the functional. Made from concrete and coming in 28 shades, it’s the richer pigments we’re particularly drawn to. ‘People tend to use less conventional sanitaryware in cloakrooms, where they don’t mind making a statement,’ says Ellen. ‘But Dune’s palette is rich enough to use in main bathrooms, too, making them more dynamic.’
Best bath: Seros by Victoria + Albert Baths
It’s easy to believe that the Seros collection by Victoria + Albert Baths, featuring this bathtub, a basin and a standalone sink, was created in collaboration with a sculptor. Its sinuous twists and turns, its undulating edges and each pieces’ ability to look like a hero piece of art is thanks to the creativity of Sophie-Elizabeth Thompson, a British sculptor working in Barcelona, who credits her home city’s take on modernism with influencing her here. Happily, because they’re all made in Quarrycast, the bath is relatively light and extremely durable. ‘This was one of my standouts at Salone del Mobile in Milan earlier this year,’ says Hugh. ‘It manages to look like both a boat and the waves it is sailing on.’
