Felton Introduces Elegant New Shapes and Colour Combinations

The perfect combination of form, function and finish, Felton’s innovative new Tate range of tapware invites users to explore their creativity. For the first time, a choice of exquisite colours and finishes can combine in any one product for different looks.

Felton’s product designer Santi Fungtammasan aimed to set the range apart from other products on the market with a design that is elegant and very different.

A lot of his initial development work was spent exploring the details of the shape. He was inspired by the compact minimalist button form as it offered potential for greater tactility.

The use of digital components in the electronic tapware and a 25mm cartridge in the conventional tapware allowed for a compact sleek profile that offers consistency across the range. A play on the positive and negative during the design process led to the unique indentation around the sleeve and core as well as subtle accents on the handles of the products.

“When you see it, you want to touch and push it. We want users to interact with it.”

Once he had created the handle components, which comprise of three pieces—a pin lever that unscrews and a sleeve which slides off from the core—the design allowed him to embark on trialling different colour combinations that could be mixed together.

“For the past few years, we’ve offered chrome and matte black tapware. But there’s a big push in the market for variety and choice. It’s not something we have explored until this range. We always knew we wanted to provide options in different colours and finishes.

“Now, you no longer have to choose just one colour. You can have two finishes in one product, for example, brushed gold in combination with brushed nickel, matte black with brushed gunmetal or any of the combinations of brushed gold, matte black, brushed nickel or brushed gunmetal.”

The flexibility of the product invites users to assert their individual creativity with their designs. Because the product speaks for itself, in the product marketing, Felton has treated the range like an artwork, promoting the shape, detail and finishes rather than presenting it as part of a bathroom or kitchen scene.

Maintenance was also an important consideration. To clean the tap, you can simply unscrew and remove the pin lever handle, wiggle up the sleeve cover and clean the areas required.

The range includes a conventional mechanical mixer as well as the digital products with a shower mixer, wall-mounted basin mixer and a deck-mounted sink mixer.

Digital mixers are growing in popularity, says Felton’s acting marketing manager Heather Mason.

“They prevent spikes in water temperature when other taps in the house are being used. Memory settings allow users to set their preferred temperature and flow rate at the touch of a button.”

Coloured LED lights intuitively indicate temperature changes—blue for cold, orange for warm and red for hot. Unlike conventional mixers and tapware the temperature and flow controller is separate from the mixer itself which can be installed in the ceiling or inside the vanity, allowing easy access for diagnostics and servicing.

“It’s a safer choice especially if there are children in the family,” says Heather.

Heather says Felton has come a long way since the New Zealand owned and operated company first launched its iconic tapware products in 1968. “Over the last few years we’ve branched out with new product ranges and have continued to innovate in the bathroom and wider spaces.

“We have a great reputation for backing our products. Felton’s customer service and technical support is based in Auckland. We stand by all our products and with the digital ones especially, we can give excellent sales support.”

Learn more about the Tate Collection of tapware from Felton.