No basic basins: the best statement sinks to inspire

Bathrooms can be complicated; they must serve multiple purposes and are rarely prioritised to be a room intended for luxury. Be that as it may, a designer basin can bring focus and hierarchy to this space.

What was once a zone purely dedicated to the chore of washing your hands or face, a beautiful piece of functional design in the form of a statement sink can reinforce moments of calm – a place to pause and breathe before the day starts or reflect and relax as the day nears its close. The following designs offer just that.

Crafted clay basins

With interior trends shifting to a greater appreciation of how and where things are made, a new interiors collection comprising a range of beautiful basins has been welcomed to the market by one of Australia’s most beloved pottery and ceramic makers, Robert Gordon.

“We have this incredible history and knowledge of ceramics and felt it would be amazing to showcase our craft within the home,” says Bobby Gordon, head designer and architect of Robert Gordon Interiors. “High-fired stoneware basins are super strong and do not have the special care instructions associated with other basins made of composite materials — our basins are handmade from start to finish with no two alike.”

The director of projects and head of sales for Hip V. Hype, Katya Crema, says that aligned with the brand’s focus on quality, durability, and long-term value, the basin’s natural palette and enduring aesthetic made the perfect pairing for their Ferrars & York project.

“The Clay 350 Round Basin was a beautiful addition to this project’s bathrooms. They complement the natural finish of native blackbutt timber and terrazzo stone, pairing well with brushed chrome tapware and a feature Plantation Green paint finish from Porter’s Paints,” Crema explains. “Together, the palette creates a natural and enduring aesthetic that Ferrars and York owners really enjoy.”

Practical pedestal basins

Pedestal basins have long been popular, as they are an excellent option for smaller spaces where under-counter storage isn’t necessary. However, designers of late have been taking this timeless trend to new heights, including the Italian brand Agape, which offers the striking Bjhon basin, exclusively stocked in Australia through Artedomus.

“Bjhon basins are incredibly special and are designed to harmonise with the tones and textures of their surroundings,” says Phil Brenton, managing director of Agape. “The design was born from an idea of Angelo Mangiarotti’s in 1970, which he originally conceived as a planter before Agape then developed it into the basin we see today.”

Drawn by its curved edges and truncated cone-shaped column, Alessandra French, director and interior designer at State of Kin, says this ideally suited the powder room of their Shutter House project.

“It’s such a sculptural piece, which sat perfectly with the geometric, graphic tiles in that space,” describes French. “It softened the rectilinear format and elevated the powder room.”

Concrete wall-mounted basins

Yet another space-saving solution, wall-hung basins also have the power to make a room feel larger, granting free space to exist below. An excellent option for this look includes the Pod Collection by Concrete Nation, displaying the incredible sense of calm that concrete can bring.

“This collection is ideal for powder rooms that are often under-designed due to a lack of innovative products available for small spaces,” says Kate Lett, co-founder of Concrete Nation. “Take, for example, our Aura Pod Concrete Basin, purposefully designed for small spaces, with the option to add a side shelf for accessories, offered in many colours, from grey mist and clay to dusty pink and mint.”

Opting for the colour Oyster for their studio, Mel Watson, Design Consultant of Hong Henwood, says this beautiful “soft beige” adds warmth to a room that can otherwise feel cold. Fitting perfectly with the tiles selected from their local tile supplier Ceramica Senio and render from Mineral Fox.

“We chose the Aura Pod basin because it’s free-standing and doesn’t absorb the little space we have in our powder room,” says Watson. “And also the fact that it has space on the side to house our hand wash.”

Architectural basins

Imagine there is a collection that shows how a bathroom basin can go from being a simple necessity to a design statement piece. It would have to be the Flute Collection by United Products, made in collaboration with one of Australia’s pre-eminent designers, Adam Goodrum.

“The shallow depth and finesse of the scalloping on the Flute are the finest available today,” says Dan Robertshaw of United Products. “Adam finds a unique balance between the honesty of form and material, whilst remaining playful and forward-thinking – Flute embodies all of these unique traits.”

When working on a beautiful Edwardian weatherboard project with a ​brief to “add some grandeur” and a “point of difference for the bathrooms throughout the home​”, Watts Studio turned to the Flute range to meet this design direction.

“Although it’s a contemporary basin, its classic, soft-tapered shape fits well in a traditional interior setting,” says director Felicity Watts. “The delicate fluted profile is reminiscent of the home’s many original period features, such as the intricate plaster mouldings and pressed metal ceilings elsewhere within the home. It certainly delivered on this brief.”