Kitchen taps

Choose good-looking, efficient taps in styles to suit a traditional kitchen.

In the gallery

1 Gresham bridge mixer in chrome with ceramic quarter turn valves, £265, Abode.
2 Steam Valve Original wall-mounted bridge mixer in brushed or polished stainless steel with wheel handles, around £615, Hornbeam Ivy.
3 Belfast single handle mixer tap with pull-out nozzle in chrome, £242.90 or silk steel, £259.13, Franke.
4 Colonial mixer tap with quarter turn valve and ceramic handles in English gold, £176, Studio Collection by Astracast.
5 Colonial bridge sink mixer in chrome, antique bronze or brushed nickel, from £286, Bristan.
6 Classic bridge kitchen mixer tap with cross head handles in antique gold, £418, Holloways of Ludlow.
7 Athenian three hole sink mixer with ceramic lever or cross head handles in chrome, gold, nickel or pewter, from £409.20, Perrin & Rowe.
8 Astonian elbow action deck mounted hospital sink mixer in chrome, £317.25, Aston Matthews.
9 Aquaclassic 1 chrome mixer tap with cross head handles, £76.60, Rangemaster

Before you buy...

• The spout height and reach differs between taps so check that the height is convenient and, if you have a double sink, that the spout reaches both bowls easily.

• Most kitchen taps come in chrome but more expensive models are often available in a variety of finishes including gold, nickel and antiqued bronze. vTaps may be fitted with cross-head or lever handles and some models offer a choice of styles.

• One-, two-, and three-hole tap fittings are available. Single hole models look neat but a two-hole bridge mixer or threehole fitting may look more in proportion to a larger sink.

• To keep your tap free from limescale wipe it dry after use.

Find out more about kitchen storage...

FEATURE MAGGIE STEVENSON
All prices and stockists correct at time of publishing
Featured in the March 2011 issue of Period Living