Five reasons countertop basins clean up a bathroom’s style

Plumbed-in bathroom washbasins have for a long time been inseparable from the load-bearing frames on which they sit, formed either from similarly styled ceramic pedestals that become one shapely form, or before that, tubular steel or ironwork. Think back further still, to a time before plumbed-in water supplies, and the washbasin was nothing more than a ceramic bowl on the flat surface of a washstand, with space alongside for a jug.

By renewing this trend of separating the basin away from the countertop, but keeping the plumbing, designers are able to provide more usable surface space in the bathroom – increasing both the functionality of the washstand itself, and the creative opportunities it provides. Here are some of the advantages of countertop basins, and a selection of examples, from the Architonic database.

The two main features of a washbasin include the original design intention – a bowl used to wash oneself’s hands and face – and a surrounding surface on which to place accessory objects such as soap and other sanitary or beauty products. By separating the two surfaces, countertop basins like Essence Vessel from Grohe allow these items to be held securely, while the additional surface space also allows temporary objects from one’s hands – like a phone – to be secured, safe from slippage.

Another advantage of the countertop basin, meanwhile, is that they allow the space otherwise taken by the concave basin to occur above the counter, opening up the area below for use as storage – as seen in the deep drawers of the Dressy vanity unit by Ideagroup, or even the opened-up space below the Dogma 10 cabinet which reduces its visual weight, also from Ideagroup.

Another advantage of splitting the washbasin and the countertop, is the ability to contrast them in opposing colours, materials or even styles. As flat, stable, waterproof surfaces, the material considerations for bathroom counters are as varied as those for kitchen worktops, including the natural grain of wood contrasting against clean white ceramic, such as the Moon washbasin from Scarabeo Ceramiche, or opposingly more colourful basin options like the full metallic finishes, metallic-rimmed finishes, or bright colour contrasting options of VitrA Bathrooms’ Water Jewels collection, when teamed up with simpler neutral counters.

If a countertop or the accompanying surface of a backsplash provide an especially pretty finish, however, why allow the opaque form of a countertop basin to block it out? Glass-edged basins like the Xtreme range from Glass Design provide a sleek tank that holds water in place when needed, but keeps background colours and patterns in view throughout.

Although the shape of a washbasin is generally dictated by the specified style of the bathroom as a whole, there’s more to consider about the shape of a countertop basin. While separated countertop basins allow designers to complement one material with a contrasting one, the same can be said for the shape of the basin, too. By placing a circular-shaped basin above a rectangular counter, for example, as falper has done in the showroom bathroom for its Viaveneto basins, a pleasing geometrical connection is made between the two, and the Inbilico basin from LAGO also manages to soften the look of the accompanying countertop’s hard-edged marble surface.

Moving focus over the edge of the bowl, meanwhile, basins like Bette’s Balance Shell contrast curved with straight edges by keeping their vertical axis straight. The clean lines speak freely with the rest of the bathroom’s design language, whichever form they take, while the straight-edged basin’s 90-degree connection to the countertop also makes it simple to clean.

The ease with which a bathroom is cleaned is, perhaps, one of the last considerations made by end users – well after more enjoyable discussions on style and usability. It can, however, be of equal importance, because as rejuvenating as water is, it can cause real problems when it goes where it shouldn’t.

With a specialist form, countertop basins are able to curve around the problem. Glass Design’s Kool washbasin, for example, opens low at the front to invite hands into the wash space, and yet protects neighbouring surfaces from stray splashes with its steep rear edge. Alternatively, by selecting a wide, square-shaped basin and pushing it right up to the surface edge, well underneath both the serving tap’s spout and mixer, as does the Hydra basin from Inalco, users are able to wash, then turn the tap off, without splashes leaving the basin area.

Often without their own holes for taps, countertop basins afford designers creative freedom over exactly where, and how, to serve them with water. Wall-fixed taps, for example, can be positioned anywhere on a vertical line above the basin, a pleasing equidistance between basin and mirror, for example. Meanwhile, tall countertop-fixed taps are a perfect solution, when combined with circular basins like the Udinesse Concrete basin from ConSpire, to fit neatly into the small corner created along the edge of the basin. Alternatively, Fantini has taken the creative freedom of tap positioning to, arguably, its most extreme with the Fontane Bianche Salvatore + Fantini mixer, which can protrude down all the way from the ceiling, up to 135cm.

© Architonic

Head to the Architonic Magazine for more insights on the latest products, trends and practices in architecture and design.