We finished our powder room over the last year, and I wanted to share a bit more about our plumbing fixture selections for the space. We often get asked for product sources, and in addition to that I also want to share the process I often take when sourcing fixtures for a bathroom.
1. Study your inspiration images
When it is finally time to purchase all your pieces, it is helpful to study the concept images that have inspired your remodel. Look at the fine details that make up the rooms that you have fallen in love with, and pull elements from them for your style and finish selections. It will give you a good direction of which details you should look for when sourcing each product.
2. Research what products are available on the internet
Sourcing products can be extremely time consuming and feel overwhelming. One of my favourite ways to combat both of these is by doing the large majority of research online. Even if you prefer shopping in a showroom, it is really helpful to know which brands carry products with the design and finish you are looking for, while also being in your price range. For our powder room, I sourced all the fixtures on Fergusons build.com website. It allowed me to narrow down which pieces I was searching for, and filter them by finish, style and price. They also have a showroom which you can visit in person or virtually to help make your decision.
3. Not all finishes are equal
This is a detail that I often see missed or overlooked. I love gold finishes in a bathroom as well as silver, but not all gold and silver finishes are made the same. Here are the finishes I look for when sourcing:
– Polished brass – it will have a true brass tone that will stay polished an not patina over time
– Unlaquered brass – It will have a true brass tone that will patina over time and get an aged uneven look
– Antique brass – It will have an aged finish that that will not changed over time
– Polished nickel – it will have a warm silver tone that can pair well with wood and brass tones
and the ones I stay away from:
– Satin gold or anything with gold in the description – Some of these can be really beautiful but the range is so wide I would never purchase something with this finish without seeing it in person
– Chrome – Although it is silver, it has strong blue tones which doesn’t give the same warmth as polished nickel. It can work in some spaces, but typically I will always opt for the polished nickel
For our powder room, I went with a polished brass finish for all the fixtures. I love the brightness it adds to the space and that it has authentic brass tones.
4. Don’t leave anything out
The best designed spaces are the ones that have thought of every detail. When you are ordering your fixtures make sure you have all of them covered from the p-trap to the shower drain. In our powder room we were able to source a brass supply kit that would match the finish of the faucet. (Our faucet came with a matching pop-up drain, but sometimes they have to be purchased separately!)
5. Source pieces that will fit the scale of the room
The pieces you pick should vary based on the size space you are sourcing for. Our powder room is very small, so when I was selecting a toilet for the space I chose this one that felt minimal and had a shorter back. This keeps the room feeling more open. I also love how clean the base of it is!
Happy sourcing for your next home project!
-Alyssa
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