10 Kitchen Tap Ideas That Will Upgrade Your Sink — Who'd Have Thought Doing the Dishes Could Look This Good?

Gone are the days when a simple hot and cold tap would suffice for your kitchen. Today’s kitchen taps are both seriously hot and super cool pieces of kit right now. Whether you want boiling water on demand or a sophisticated bronze finish, kitchen taps can do it all.

It's no wonder designers are so keen to spout about their favorite tap designs. Just as kitchen cabinet and worktop material can elevate modern kitchen ideas to another level, so your choice of kitchen tap is a key element that shouldn’t be ignored. But what kitchen tap ideas are making a splash with designers right now? And how should you choose the right tap for your kitchen that looks the part and performs brilliantly?

"There is almost a never-ending choice of kitchen taps available these days, so picking the right one can sometimes feel overwhelming," says Richard Davonport, managing director at luxury bespoke kitchen company, Davonport. "There is both the style and material/finish to consider, and how the tap works in harmony with the rest of your kitchen. A kitchen designer will often have many samples from brands they trust. So, look to the mood board during the design process to understand how everything works together."

If this feels like uncharted waters, we’ve got all the help you need. Read on for the expert-approved kitchen tap ideas that will transform the humble faucet into a thing of beauty. Time to tap into all the insider kitchen tap ideas you’ll ever need…

1. Make a Statement With Color

A colorful kitchen idea might not be for everyone, but there’s no denying how much energy a vibrant tap adds to this vibrant kitchen.

"I think there’s something joyful and slightly mischievous about taking a traditional hardware item like a tap or a handle and making it colorful and exciting," says Ally Dowsing-Reynolds, co-founder of Dowsing & Reynolds. "If you’re fairly confident with colour, try matching your tap to your cabinets and walls for a colour-drench effect. Otherwise, keep walls neutral and add smaller pops of colour through your tap or handles to bring pockets of joy to the space."

There are all kinds of colors available. For a retro-inspired look, Smeg’s pillar box red and jet black taps suit a range of kitchen styles, from mid-century modern to vintage and farmhouse.

2. Pick a Classic Bridge Mixer

There is something utterly timeless about a bridge mixer tap. It’s perfect for a kitchen that never goes out of style. You get the classic silhouette of separate hot and cold taps, but with the ease of a single spout, so you can blend water to the exact temperature.

It’s the perfect marriage of old and new, especially in a warm bronze or brass finish.

"Country kitchens exude a timeless, rustic charm, and nothing complements this aesthetic better than a traditional, deck-mounted, crosshead handle," says Tori Young, associate director at Holland Green architectural and design practice. "Separate hot and water controls allow for precise temperature, making everyday tasks like washing dishes or filling pots more convenient. And the high-arched spout pairs beautifully with deep farmhouse sinks, providing ample clearance for washing large pots and pans."

3. Channel An Industrial Mood

A professional-style kitchen tap is one of the best and easiest ways to infuse any kitchen with an industrial mood.

Seek out chunky, robust taps in chrome or black with pull-out spouts and flexible hoses that are super handy for reaching around the sink.

The extra functionality of a hand spray hose to aid rinsing, cleaning, and swilling is a serious plus point for today’s 21st-century kitchen. Yes, it’s the smart kitchen gadget to make life just that little bit easier for wannabe chefs, pro-at-home cooks — and well anyone, really.

"The industrial aesthetic continues to be a strong trend," declares Owain Harrison of mykitchenspecialist.co.uk. "Think professional-style taps with spring spouts and knurled handles. These taps look fantastic but also offer practical flexibility, making them ideal for busy kitchens."

4. Install a Pot Filler

If you love the charm of a vintage-style kitchen, then installing a pot filler faucet is the perfect accessory, say the experts.

These old-school, wall-mounted taps allow you to fill large pans of water for pasta and veggies directly over the stove, which is super practical! Pair them with standard hot and cold water taps in a different part of the kitchen for washing and rinsing.

"If you have a stovetop kettle, it is also incredibly useful, giving you an additional water source in your kitchen right where you need it," explains Helen Parker, creative director of Devol.

Devol only started selling pot fillers around seven years ago, but today, they have become the must-have addition for larger kitchens. "The pot filler looks great and brings an old Victorian-style gadget into modern-day kitchens," adds Parker. "It fits into a contemporary or rustic-style kitchen and looks stylish in our aged brass finish."

5. Don't Dismiss Cooler Metals

Warmer metallics like bronze, brass, and gold are certainly having their moment when it comes to kitchen taps.

But the design bods say there will always be a place for cooler, silvery metals such as chrome, nickel, and pewter.

"Cooler metals like steel are always going to be a timeless metal to design into projects," explains Liane Burrett, senior designer at Roundhouse. "Warmer colours for joinery are trending at the moment, so the cooler tap and handle finishes contrast nicely with these palettes."

Discover more ways to mix chrome and wood in the 2025 kitchen.

6. Upgrade With Built-in Accessories

We love how today’s sink zone has been elevated into a hardworking yet super stylish part of the kitchen. One way to achieve a slick, luxurious mood is to install a built-in soap dispenser and side spray alongside your kitchen tap.

It’s a brilliant design fix for getting rid of messy soap bottles on the worktop. The pull-out hose is also a boon for rinsing around sinks and filling big pots.

For more kitchen inspiration, check out these kitchen trends — and how you can get the look in your home. It’s what every best-dressed space should be wearing for 2025.

7. Add Character With Reclaimed Taps

If you adore the vintage look, antique kitchen taps can add something really special and authentic to your kitchen.

These reclaimed taps were sourced by antique dealer, designer and decorator, Christopher Howe, for his own kitchen by Plain English. And the result is totally unique.

Get your plumber to check the taps' functionality before buying them. If you’re buying old taps from salvage yards, ask if they have been restored and tested. Even if the taps look polished on the outside, they may still have broken parts on the inside. Salvo is a great platform if you want advice on buying architectural salvage for your home.

8. Match Taps to Handles and Hardware

Do you want matching kitchen taps, handles, and hardware in the same finish? This design trick certainly helps create a polished, sophisticated mood throughout your kitchen scheme.

"If you’re going for a really cohesive scheme in your kitchen, then think about matching your taps to your hardware, which instantly creates a seamless look," says Rebecca Nokes, design director at John Lewis of Hungerford. "Metallics such as brass can often be trickier to match than stainless or brushed steel or even black. So if you are opting for brass or copper finishes, be sure to compare well before choosing your products."

"Most of our clients want to match their taps to their handles. Depending on the metals used, we sometimes need to send the tap off to be specially plated," adds William Durrant of Herringbone House. "It is no longer all about brass, but we are seeing other metals make their way back into the frame, such as brushed or polished nickel, chrome, and gunmetal bronze."

9. Replace Your Kettle With a Boiling Water Tap

Boiling water taps from Quooker aren’t a new idea. But they are a super popular piece of kitchen kit, say the experts, and for good reason.

"The Quooker tap is a standout choice, available in a variety of finishes to complement different aesthetics," explains Lynch at Roundhouse. "Beyond its convenience as a boiling water tap – eliminating the need for a kettle — it also offers sparkling water, reducing the need for bottled water storage and providing a more sustainable solution."

"In terms of the main trends in taps, I’ve got to say that almost every client has a Quooker tap," agrees Willian Durrant, owner of Herringbone House, "mostly because of the amount of tea we drink living in the UK."

10. Splash Out on Multiple Taps

Mixer taps, which blend hot and cold water through a single spout, are one thing. But get ready for kitchen taps that do so much more for kitchen layout, whether that’s for cooking, eating, or entertaining.

Instant hot water taps are the business for speedy cups of tea and filling up pans for cooking. But how about a filter tap so you get cold, filtered water on demand? There's no need to fork out on expensive bottled water or find somewhere to stash it, either. Some filter taps also come with the option of sparkling filtered water—genius!

Decide whether you want one tap to do everything. Or, as Pearl Lowe and Danny Goffey have done in their new kitchen, go with three taps for a sink with a serous tyle clout and top-notch functionality!

FAQs

Which Type of Tap Is Best for a Kitchen?

Choosing the right kitchen tap has so many different elements to it. How much do you want to spend? What style is your kitchen? Do you want your tap to match your kitchen sink? Kitchen taps might seem a small part of your kitchen — but it’s an important detail.

Invest in the wrong kitchen tap and you’ll get a kitchen design that underperforms. Like other kitchen remodel mistakes, it can also be costly and messy to put right. Check out our editor’s 10 lessons in good kitchen design. You’ll find masses of inspiration on what makes a standout kitchen for today’s home.

Kitchen taps are one of the most well-used elements of your kitchen so you need to choose well. Whether you want a classic bridge mixer in warm brass or a hi-tech boiling water tap, there’s a kitchen tap out there to elevate your space.

The key is nailing the perfect finish, shape, and features to best suit your kitchen and your lifestyle. Do your research and get advice from a local kitchen showroom, an interior designer, or an architect. And, if possible, get to see some kitchen taps in person: how they work, how they loo,k and how they feel to the touch. Your kitchen eau zone just got a serious upgrade…