Modern retro faucets for kitchen and bathroom

Currently, many owners of residential apartments and private houses, in the process of repairing and decorating their homes, strive to use unusual interior details, styled as antique or having the design of the 20s-70s of the last century. One of the most expressive elements of this decor is considered to be stylized retro faucets for the bathroom or kitchen, which have an old vintage design, but at the same time possess all the functional qualities of modern sanitary appliances.

How to choose a mixer for the water, made in the classic retro style

To satisfy this consumer trend, most modern manufacturers of plumbing products offer for sale a huge number of all kinds of water faucets, designed to meet specific design requirements.

All of them are made of modern materials and, despite the similar colorful appearance, can have many fundamental technological differences, so to make it easier for the reader to make the right choice, this article will offer a detailed instruction that details the main features of water mixers made in vintage retro style.

The main distinguishing qualities

With all the variety of models offered by modern faucets, retro models can also significantly differ from each other, however, regardless of their design, to match the retro style, they are all manufactured under certain conditions.

1. Despite the ease of use of modern faucets with single-lever or sensor controls, almost all sanitary appliances, stylized antique, are equipped with two classic half-turn valves, each of which is used separately for adjusting hot and cold water.
2. Another characteristic feature of retro sink faucets is the size and shape of the spout for water.. Most often, sanitary devices in an antique design have a thin, curved spout, with a long high leg, which can be decorated with figured decorative elements. Water mixers, stylized as products of the middle of the last century, may also have a high spout, but they are made in a more strict and mature style.
3. Most plumbing fixtures of the time were made of various non-ferrous metal alloys., and did not have a chrome-plated protective and decorative coating, so their outer surface, in most cases, had a matte red-yellow color with a metallic sheen.

Note! Depending on the material of manufacture and intensity of use, non-ferrous metal products outside are always covered with a layer of oxide film of various thickness. Most often, it can be from light green to dark brown in color, so antique copper or bronze devices have a corresponding shade.

Manufacturing material

As mentioned above, the majority of household sanitary appliances, until the second half of the last century, were made of bronze or brass of various grades, and individual samples were made of pure copper.

All these materials are well machinable, and have a high resistance to corrosion, while possessing the following performance properties:

1. Products from pure copper have the most vivid and colorful appearance, but in their pure form it is practically not used, because, firstly, the price of this metal is quite high, and secondly, it is highly susceptible to oxidation in atmospheric air. Virtually all copper products require careful handling, proper maintenance, and regular cleaning, and are also distinguished by low durability, therefore modern sanitary appliances are made of steel, on which a protective-decorative coating is applied from the outside, which allows you to imitate pure copper with maximum accuracy.

1. Quite effectively, nobly and richly looks stylized retro kitchen faucet made of bronze, which is an alloy of copper and tin, therefore, has a high durability and good corrosion resistance, and in addition, is not subject to destruction during the oxidation process. However, it should be remembered that this material is also quite expensive, so it is not used for the manufacture of consumer goods.
2. The most inexpensive and practical material is brass, which is an alloy of copper and zinc. Due to the alloying additives in the form of nickel, lead or manganese, this alloy is characterized by high mechanical strength, works well, has a high corrosion resistance, and in addition, allows you to create on its surface an exact imitation of aged patinated bronze or slightly oxidized copper.

Note! Due to the high performance of brass, a large number of plumbing fixtures, connecting fittings for pipes, water taps, and other valves and fittings are currently being manufactured from it.

Functional features of the design

Despite its vintage and rare appearance, any retro-style faucet is first and foremost a multifunctional sanitary appliance for a bathroom or kitchen, so it must fully fulfill its immediate purpose.

In order to ensure maximum comfort and ease of use, modern faucets, made in retro style, can be equipped with a number of additional useful features, which at first glance may be invisible.

1. Faucets for the kitchen sink, in addition to the standard faucet with hot and cold water, can also be equipped with a built-in or external additional spout, designed to supply purified water from a household filter.

1. Vintage bronze sanitary ware for the sinks in the kitchen or in the bathroom can be equipped with an exhaust hose that can be conveniently used for washing vegetables and fruits, as well as when filling a bucket or a large pan on the floor.
2. Regardless of their appearance, a bath or shower faucet can be equipped with the most modern technical solutions, such as LED lights, touch controls, or a hydromassage shower head hose.

Note! All components and consumables for rare mixers are made of modern materials, so if you need to replace one or another part with your own hands, the repair kit can always be purchased at any large building or hardware store.

Combination of retro faucet with other interior details

As a rule, the purchase of sanitary appliances, stylized as antiquity, is caused by the desire to emphasize the individual style of the interior design of the kitchen or bathroom, therefore other details of the interior should also not be out of the general style if possible.

1. The color scheme of the dominant elements of the interior of the kitchen or bathroom should be kept in discreet, muted pastel colors, such as olive, bottle, beige, burgundy or brown.
2. In the kitchen, the main focus is on the sink and stove, so the color of the sink and hob should be in harmony with the golden-metallic shade of brass or the olive-brown color of old bronze.
3. A low-key, but effective addition to the interior design will be a dining table with a matching tone and kitchen furniture handles painted in the color of old bronze or patinated copper.

Conclusion

The principle of operation and the internal structure of retro mixers is no different from the usual plumbing fixtures, so during installation and connection, you should follow the generally accepted methods and follow the basic rules for connecting household water fittings.

Additional information about installing and connecting retro mixers can be obtained by watching the video in this article, or by studying similar materials in this section on our website.