How to choose bathroom fittings: the complete guide

How do you choose bathroom fixtures correctly and according to your aesthetic and space requirements? In this article we will provide you with some practical advice and tricks, which are extremely important when choosing bathroom sanitary ware.

Choosing the right type of sanitary ware is extremely important, especially in the bathroom design phase. When choosing these important bathroom elements, it is not enough to choose the best brands of sanitary ware: regardless of the quality of the products and their design, it is very important to assess all the technical aspects with the utmost care and attention. Here is a brief overview to help you choose the right sanitary ware for your bathroom.

Choosing bathroom sanitary ware

When choosing sanitary ware, the first aspect you will have to consider is the different types of installation that characterise this furniture. With reference to installation, bathroom sanitary ware can be divided into two main categories:

• Sanitary ware for floor-standing bathrooms
• Suspended sanitary ware for bathrooms

The choice between the two types of sanitary ware will become compulsory if you decide not to redo the installations in your bathroom: if the drains are located on the floor, in this case it is not possible to ignore the installation of sanitary ware on the floor. If, on the other hand, the drains are located on the wall, you can opt for the installation of wall-hung sanitary ware, provided that the measurements and the space available allow it. However, it is important to point out that no one is obviously forbidding you from replacing the installations in your bathroom.

Bathroom installations

As stated in the previous paragraph, depending on the type of sanitary ware you decide to install in your bathroom, you will necessarily have to consider the aspect related to the installations in your spaces. If you intend to redo the installations, obviously there will be no constraints to respect in the choice of your ideal sanitary ware: in this case the only variables you will have to consider will be those related to the size of the spaces you will have available.

If, on the other hand, you decide to install the sanitary ware on the systems already present in your bathroom, in this case you will have to consider a series of aspects with the utmost attention, and in particular:

• The size of the drains and the water inlet
• The position of the wall or floor drains
• The distance there will be between the hot and cold water inlets for the installation of the bidet.

Without knowing the above parameters perfectly, it will not be possible to choose a sanitaryware model according to your aesthetic tastes.

Sanitary ware with ground installation

Once you have carefully assessed the characteristics of your installations, you can proceed to choose the bathroom fixtures that best suit your needs and requirements. Floor-standing sanitary ware differs according to the type of installation:

• Floor-standing sanitary ware spaced from the wall: this type of sanitary ware was the first one available on the market. Generally, the choice of sanitary fixtures at a distance from the wall is made when it is not possible to install sanitary fixtures flush with the wall: in this case, this solution is the only possible alternative, due to the size of an old existing system, which provides for a floor drain particularly far from the wall. For classic furnishings, this solution is still a much sought-after installation.
• Flush-to-wall sanitary ware: this type of installation is undoubtedly the most popular, as it completely eliminates the space behind the sanitary ware, with its exposed pipes. The space behind the sanitary ware is unsightly and not very functional, as well as a receptacle for dust and dirt. By eliminating the space behind the sanitary ware you can recover precious space in your rooms.

Modern wall-hung sanitary ware

A particularly popular modern furnishing solution is represented by wall-hung sanitary ware: the great comfort and functionality of this solution is expressed above all in the possibility of cleaning on the floor in a practical and easy way. In addition, suspended sanitary ware has an attractive appearance, especially in particularly refined and modern furnishing contexts.

When installing wall-hung sanitary ware, it is important to consider the compatibility of the drain: the height must correspond to that of the toilet bowl selected. Another aspect that you will have to consider with the utmost attention is represented by the material of the wall in which the sanitary ware will be walled: if it is a plasterboard wall (not suitable to support the weight of the sanitary ware) it will be necessary to purchase a cistern with a frame to be embedded in the wall, so as to be able to support the weight of the ceramic of the wall-hung sanitary ware.

If, on the contrary, the wall of your bathroom will be characterized by an adequate thickness, you can proceed to wall the sanitary ware with the help of special fixing brackets.

Ranking of the best bathroom sanitary ware brands

The proposal of sanitary ware available on the market is very varied and articulated: the sanitary ware are now made with the help of different materials and are characterized by a variety of shapes and styles. Sanitary ware is also characterised by its size: there are particularly small sanitary ware and larger sanitary ware.

Generally speaking, we can say that the market today is able to offer solutions to suit every style requirement and, above all, every budget. Each brand specialising in the production of sanitary ware usually offers three different product lines:

• economic sanitaryware line
• standard sanitary ware line
• Superior sanitaryware line

The following is a brief outline of the main quality brands operating in the bathroom sanitary ware production and marketing sector. These brands are able to guarantee the consumer high quality standards, which also characterise the basic commercial line.

Ideal Standard: this is a well-known brand, which has been operating for over a hundred years in the bathroom fittings production sector. A particular feature of the brand is its ability to offer high quality products at decidedly competitive prices.

Pozzi Ginori: the company is part of the Geberit Group and specialises in the design and production of ceramic bathroom fittings. The company also produces and markets a line of bathroom furniture. Pozzi Ginori is also able to offer products characterised by a good quality/price ratio.

Duravit: one of the most authoritative German producers of sanitary ware: the company is specialised in the production and sale of sanitary ware characterised by excellent quality and capable of lasting for a long time.

Globo: a large Italian company capable of quickly carving out an important niche in the market for the sale of quality bathroom fixtures. The company was founded in 1980 and is now an important national and international player in the production and sale of ceramics. Globo, too, offers quality products that will stand the test of time.

Axa: a prestigious Italian company, known for its production of quality ceramics. This is a very young company (founded in 1995) but already able to create its own space in the market, thanks to a tradition of craftsmanship combined with new technologies.