A basin mixer tap combines the hot and cold water taps into one unit.  Mixer taps are operated by moving a lever to the left or the right to adjust the water temperature, they sometimes come with a special pop-up waste which is often referred to as PUW and takes the place of the old fashioned plug.

Some mixer taps require a specific range of water pressure in order to work properly. This is often called bar pressure, with 0.5 up to 1 bar pressure being the minimum for basin mixer taps. The vast majority of homes have around 4 bar of water pressure. 

Sometimes mixer taps are referred to as monobloc mixers and these have just one tap that controls the water temperature depending on which way you turn it.  Three hole basin mixer taps have two separate taps, one each for hot and cold and a central spout.

Basin mixer taps are most popularly made of chrome because of its ability to reflect light in the bathroom, but they can also be bought in rather expensive gold plated designs if you are feeling affluent.  The most important thing is to make sure that the mixer tap you choose matches your bathroom washbasin and the ones used on your bath.

It is not generally a good idea to buy cheap, low quality mixer taps as they tend to look dull and worn very quickly. Good quality mixer taps, professionally fitted, will give many years of wear and will stay looking good.

Bauhaus, certainly one of the more creative bathroom design companies in the world, makes the AIM tap and shelf unit intended to pair with their AIM wall-hung basin. Shaped like a giant tube of lipstick aiming into an ashcan, this tap/shelf/basin combo would certainly make a profoundly original statement in any bathroom. Bauhaus makes a similarly designed bath shower mixer. Mounted on a shelf, the AIM Bath/Shower mixer offers consumers an elegant, simple solution for their bathroom mixer needs.

Grohe has an extensive line of mixers and taps in various shapes and sizes. The Allure collection features a flattened tap with minimal taps. The Aria series is more squat and compact. And the Concetto and Essence taps call out to consumers with uniquely modern European sensibilities.

For those with tastes that lead them away from minimalism, Bristan has dozens of luxury bath mixtures that employ hoses, chrome, and porcelain accents. From the turn-of-the-century Paris evoking 1901 to the clean and efficient lines of the Blade and Blaze models, to the more creative, industrial feeling G-Type Thermostatic, Bristan bath mixers perform, inspire, and invite bathers to enter into a dynamic repartee of man and design.

Recent design innovations have seen enormous changes being made to the traditional, slightly curved, wash hand basin. Now you have the option of curved, angular, square, dual or even asymmetric basins. So which do you choose?

Obviously personal taste comes into it, but there are some design considerations as well. If you have very small children, then don’t plump for the latest Italian geometric styles, with corners so sharp that they look as if they could be used for cutting.  Instead, you should opt for something that is curved and which will obviously still inflict a knock if a little head bangs against it, but which will do less damage than a seriously sharp corner. However, if you don’t have children, or the little ones are past the age where they seem to constantly bang into any sharp edges, then these styles will be worth considering, especially if you like modern, urban design. 

You should also think about the other rooms in your home. If it is a real shrine to the past and you simply adore old-fashioned styles of décor and furniture, then you won’t want your bathroom to be too much at odds with this. So remember not to think about your bathroom in isolation, for whilst it is perfectly acceptable to have contrast, creating too much of a clash will result in ‘dissonance’, which is basically disharmony!

It is essential to check that any cleaning product you have bought will actually be safe to use on the type of bath, wash hand basin and toilet that you own. This may sound somewhat over cautious, but some chemicals are quite strong and may work well on one particular type of bath, but not be so good for another. For example, a cleaner can be safely used on an acrylic bath, but if it is applied to a cast iron bath it may actually take off the enamel.

Taps can be damaged by some types of cleaning products, particularly if they are gold effect, since the surface may react badly to any bleaching agent. Frequently the damage does not become visibly apparent for some time and by then it may be too late to rectify the situation easily.

Try to make sure that you use the minimum amount of chemicals on your bath and wash hand basin, as this will help retain their original surfaces for as long as possible.  However, for obvious reasons, it is likely that you will want to ensure that you do keep the toilet as germ free as possible and most have been designed to withstand chemical onslaughts, it is the bath and wash hand basin which can be very sensitive.

However, before you simply fall in love with the concept of a genuine cast iron bath, do think about the practicalities. Will your bathroom floor support it, if you are installing it in a first floor room? This is actually a serious consideration and although your floor may not instantly collapse when you get the bath into the room, it may lead to structural weaknesses, so check this out.

Next, can you get the bath upstairs? This may sound a stupid question, but it is a real issue. A cast iron bath is very, very heavy and you may well need additional space to get it upstairs, as well as a strong team of people to carry it.

You also need to think about how you use a bath. Give serious thought to the possibility that objects might accidentally be dropped onto it. The surface will chip if it is damaged and this can lead to the formation of rust. You can buy re-touching kits to cover any chips, but these are not easy to apply.

If, after all these considerations, you still feel that a cast iron bath is the one for you and you want that authentic feel to your bathroom, then simply enjoy it.

Obviously the choice of soap holder and dispenser should complement the type of shower you have and they should blend in with the overall style of your bathroom.

You should have no problem in achieving a co-ordinated look, as the choices available for both the holders and dispensers are actually quite extensive. You can find clear, coloured, square or round dispensers and clear, frosted glass or coloured holders.

Clear dispensers may not look as chic as some of the frosted glass options, but they will allow you to see when the soap is low or needs to be replaced. 

Soap holders are also available in complementing styles and many are fitted with holes on the bottom, which makes cleaning them that little bit easier and helps prevent damp soap simply melting away in the heat.

Both the holder and dispenser should be fitted at a height that is readily accessible, but they should not be placed where you risk knocking your head when standing up after bending down in the shower.

Cross head taps, which are the more traditional style, have recently been surpassed in popularity in modern bathrooms by the lever taps or even taps which are simply round in shape.  You can even have taps which are wrist controlled, thereby meaning that you don’t have to use your fingers to turn on the tap, just knock the lever with your wrist or the back of your hand.

The choice comes in thinking about how you will use the bathroom.  If you choose taps which are just rounded, with no levers or cross heads to turn, then you may find that if your hands are dirty (particularly after a nappy change or similar) these taps are not the easiest to use.  But if you are young, then they are very stylish.

Taps will also complement the room they are fitted in; if you have a very traditional style bathroom, go for a more traditional looking tap.  But if you have installed a minimalist modern paradise, then some sleek, angular taps with levers will set the design off beautifully.

When you do see a type of tap which appeals, try out the various designs imagining the types of scenarios in which you will be using them at home. Are your hands soapy?  Are they dirty?  Can the taps be easily controlled in these circumstances?  Only when you have fully considered the pros and cons of each set, will you be able to choose taps which both complement the style of your bathroom and are suitable for your own particular needs.

The first is a very basic unit, which utilises the existing hot and cold water taps. The mixer is attached to the bath taps and then a spray cascades, or more usually, simply trickles out.

The bath and shower mixer is slightly more sophisticated, as the spray and showerhead are combined with a mixer tap on the bath. They can be quite useful if you have a freestanding bath, since it can be quite difficult to wash your hair effectively. Usually these products are available in different finishes and styles, to complement any bathroom.

The manual mixer relies on a hot and cold water supply. This is a plumbed-in system and the pipes need to be installed by a professional plumber. A wall unit is fitted, which is connected to the hot and cold-water supplies and the unit allows you to control the temperature of the water and to some extent, the pressure. This option is more expensive than the other two mixers previously mentioned, due to the plumbing costs and the price of the basic system.
 
The thermostatic mixer is also supplied as a unit. It is so called, because it has a built-in stabiliser, which means that the temperature of the water can easily be controlled. Other mixers tend to perform badly when water is being used in another room, but the thermostatic model does not experience this dip in performance. This feature makes it the safest and most reliable choice, but also the most expensive.