It is in the sensual elements that luxury resides in the bathroom: the touch of a surface, the embrace of the sculptural form of a bathtub, the curvature or graphic abstraction of an object.
In the case of Italian bathroomware brand falper., it is embodied in the concept of the ‘living bathroom’, a notion within which objects such as the Lancetta bath (pictured above) are the enduring heroes.
Designed by Lucia Carlomagno for falper., Lancetta was inspired by the unfurling of a leaf, its edges curving gently upwards and outwards, its matte surface deliciously smooth to the touch.
A similar concept is embraced by Australian design house Meek Bathware with the kinetic form of its Wave basin (pictured below), which takes motion as its inspiration, the flowing, dynamic forms offering a dynamic yet subtle visual feature.
For Vincent Van Duysen, whose designs for Fantini Rubinetti span tapware and accessories, luxury is obtained in timelesness. In his Icona collection (pictured below), he plays with proportions, softly nudging them towards a contemporary tactility in which materiality is at the fore while retaining the essence of the tap — in the form of the classic, four-spoked wheel.
Similarly, Franco Sargiani seeks a graphic, almost abstract, form of subtle luxury characterised by cylindrical shapes cut from a slab. There’s a particular precision evident in his Milano collection for Fantini Rubinetti, a stylistic sophistication in lines that articulate an essence of solidity.
Across continent and time, the whispers of luxury are evident in the feeling a design evokes, the sensation it offers — in the subtle elements that bring it together and the stories it tells of its origin.
Plumbline’s extensive range of bathroomware includes a meticulously curated collection of some of the world’s finest bathroom products. Visit one of the Plumbline showrooms in Auckland or Wellington to experience the simple beauty of luxurious design in person.
