Designer Wash Basins

Designer wash basins are the bowls that sit on top of a counter or vanity rather than into it, so the basin itself becomes the visible object in the room. The range is glossy ceramic, with some countertop models finished in PVD coating, in sizes from a compact 37 x 37 cm up to a wide 61 x 35 cm, taking in 40 x 30, 43 x 41, 44 x 44, 45 x 32.5, 46 x 36, 50 x 30, 50 x 40, 55.5 x 35.5 and 60 x 42.5 cm along the way. Colours run from plain white through white and gold, white and blue, white and grey, white and brown, gold and black, dark green, and solid black. Some models come with the waste hole already formed. Prices start around ₹1,800 and reach about ₹9,900.

How to choose a table top basin

  • Measure the counter, not the basin. Leave enough deck behind the bowl for the tap and enough in front that the rim is not at the counter edge. A 50 cm bowl usually wants a 60 cm or wider counter.
  • Decide the tap before the basin. A table top bowl sits high, so a standard basin mixer splashes on the rim. You need a tall basin tap, a wall-mounted mixer or a ceiling-mounted spout - which is a plumbing decision taken before tiling.
  • Check whether it has a waste hole. Some models are supplied pre-drilled for a waste coupling and some are not. Match this to the pop-up or click-clack waste you plan to fit.
  • Shape against use. Deep round and square bowls contain splash well in a family bathroom. Shallow wide bowls look better in a powder room but throw more water onto the counter.
  • Colour against the room. Dark and patterned bowls - black, dark green, gold and black - read strongly against plain tile. White and pale two-tone bowls are the safer choice if the tiling is already busy.

Glossy ceramic and how it behaves

Glazed ceramic is the easiest bathroom surface to keep clean, which is why it dominates this range. In a hard water area the visible problem is not staining but limescale rings where water stands, especially at the waste and around the tap landing point. Wiping the bowl dry after use is more effective than any cleaner. Avoid scouring powder on gold, PVD-coated and dark glazes: it will not mark white glaze quickly but it will dull a coloured or coated surface for good. Counter-mounted bowls also expose the waste coupling and bottle trap below, so pick CP fittings you are happy to look at and keep dry.

Common questions

What is the difference between a table top basin and a countertop basin? In Indian usage they mean the same thing - a bowl that stands on the counter surface, rather than a drop-in or under-counter basin set into it.

Which tap do I need for a table top basin? A tall basin tap, a wall-mounted basin mixer, or a ceiling-mounted spout. A normal short pillar cock will sit below the bowl rim.

Does it need a special waste? It needs a waste coupling sized to the basin hole and a trap that suits the counter cut-out. Confirm the hole size on the model you pick before buying the waste.