Studio Bagno basins buying guide
Studio Bagno is a bathroomware brand that works with manufacturers in Italy and across Europe, and this page holds its basins. The basin on this page now is the Apartment 60R, a wall hung basin that can also sit on the bench, with a handcrafted thin edge and a choice of no tap hole, one or three. The guide below covers who Studio Bagno is and where its products are made, then the Apartment 60R, how a basin that mounts two ways is fitted, the tap hole choices, waste and care. It also answers two questions people ask: whether there is a difference between a basin and a sink, and what the trends in counter basins are.
Which kind of basin suits which room
Basin types suit different rooms. Wall hung basins suit compact bathrooms and smaller ensuite spaces, because the floor beneath stays open. The Soul and Impero inset basins are low profile, and the Spy 55 suits concealed installations as a bench or wall basin. The same pattern holds for any maker: slim wall hung models for powder rooms and compact bathrooms, under counter or semi-inset basins for family bathrooms, and dual basins on floating cabinetry for ensuites. A basin on the bench needs at least 400mm to 500mm of vanity depth to sit comfortably and clear the splashback. The Apartment can go either way, so the choice is the room and the bench you have.
Measuring a handcrafted basin
The Apartment's edge is handcrafted. Ceramic is made to tolerances, and they can be wide: allow a tolerance of plus or minus 10mm on ceramic basins and check the physical basin before cutting any counter-top. Variations of plus or minus 2% are common and acceptable in fireclay, so a bench should never be cut without the basin on site. No tolerance is published for the Apartment, so hold the basin in the position it will sit in, and mark the bench or the wall from the basin and not from a drawing. For a wall basin, the same rule applies to the fixing positions.
The Apartment 60R
The Apartment 60R basin installs as a wall basin or as an above counter basin, with a handcrafted thin edge. It comes with no tap hole, one tap hole or three tap holes, includes wall fixing bolts, and needs a 32mm plug and waste, which is sold separately. A towel rail is available separately. The basin is white. The 60 in the name suggests a 600mm basin, so check the size on the product page before you plan the vanity.
The wider Studio Bagno range includes the Nur and Spy basins, the Form and Shard X series, the Tris and Soul and Impero inset basins, the Lunaris wall hung basins, the Decus above counter basin and the Synthesis semi-recessed basin. Ask us about the other basins in the range.
A basin that mounts two ways
A basin made for the wall or the bench changes what you have to plan. On the wall, the basin is carried by fixings, so the wall behind it has to be solid, and the bottle trap, the supply pipes and the mixer are all visible or in the wall. On the bench, the basin is carried by the bench and sealed to it, so the bench needs a cut-out or a drilled hole and the mixer sits on the bench or the wall behind. Decide which you want before the room is built, because the work behind the wall differs.
The wall fixing bolts are included. A wall hung basin needs fixing to a support beam or noggins behind the wall sheeting, set out before the wall is lined. The steps run like this: provide reinforcement behind the finished wall at the fixing height. Drill two 8mm holes in a timber stud wall, or two 12mm holes for expansion fasteners in a masonry wall. Allow 48mm of thread to protrude from the finished wall, then mount the basin, level it and mark the lower fixing hole. A recommended height for a wall basin is 850mm from the finished floor, within the 800mm to 900mm range for wall-hung vanities, adjustable at installation. Mark the set-out height before fixing. See wall hung basins, small hand basins and wall hung vanities.
A wall hung basin needs concealed pipework in the wall, so if it is not already concealed, that is done before installation, and moving the water supply and waste connections can be costly. It also needs a visible bottle trap, which comes in chrome, matt black and brushed brass. Where the basin sits on the bench, use the template for the cut-out where one is supplied, seal the basin with silicone, and never use epoxy. Use the silicone that suits the basin: acetic cured, non-acidic and neutral cure silicone are all used. See above counter basins.
What to weigh before you hang a basin
A wall hung basin has practical trade-offs to weigh. The pipework is either concealed in the wall or on show, and where it is on show the bottle trap becomes part of the design, so choose it as carefully as the mixer. Concealed layouts usually need professional work. The wall has to carry the load, so it has to be solid or built up with a support behind the sheeting. A narrow basin needs care choosing plumbing fittings and bottle traps because of the narrow depth. There is no floor support, so storage is an add-on, for example a furniture unit fitted underneath. If you want wall-mounted taps as well, their pipework is set into the wall before tiling, so plan the basin and the mixer together. On the other side of the ledger, a wall hung basin saves floor space and leaves the area beneath open to clean. See wall hung basins.
Tap holes and tapware
The Apartment 60R comes with no tap hole, one tap hole or three, and the choice decides the tapware. With no tap hole, the mixer sits on the bench behind the basin or on the wall, which suits a basin mounted on the wall or the bench. With one tap hole, a single mixer sits on the basin deck. With three tap holes, separate hot and cold taps sit either side of a spout. Decide the tapware before you order, because the hole configuration is part of the product and cannot be added later.
For a basin on the bench, the tap has to clear the rim. Tall mixers suit above counter and vessel basins, with extra height and spout clearance to reach over higher rims and reduce splashing, and short mixers suit under counter and semi-recessed basins. A spout that is too short makes the water miss the centre of the basin and one that is too long looks unbalanced. For a wall mixer, in-wall plumbing has to be planned early, with the spout set precisely in height and alignment with the basin. See basin mixers.
Plug, waste and trap
The Apartment's 32mm plug and waste is sold separately, so add one to the order. A wall hung basin shows its trap, so the trap and waste finish matter to the look, and the visible bottle trap is available in chrome, matt black and brushed brass. Choose the waste and the trap in the finish of the mixer. A ceramic basin's waste is tightened by hand only, with a foam washer, sealed with neutral cure silicone, and water connections need a licensed plumber. See basin wastes.
Care
Check the product page for the glaze on the basin you choose. Clean ceramic basins with a soft cloth and a mild household detergent or warm, soapy water. Use water and a damp cloth for day-to-day care and vinegar for limescale. Cream cleaners can dull the surface of ceramic if overused. Harsh chemicals such as Domestos will destroy chrome and can damage the rubber seals in wastes. Avoid abrasive pads, which can scratch the glaze. See ceramic basins.
Pairing the basin with a mirror, tapware and a towel rail
A basin hung on the wall needs a mirror above it, and a mirror the same width as the basin or a little wider looks balanced. See mirrors for sizes and shapes. Hang the mirror so the centre sits near eye height for the people who use the room, and leave space for the tap spout below it.
Match the tap, the waste and the bottle trap in one finish, because a wall hung basin shows all three. Chrome, matt black and brushed brass are the trap finishes available, so choose the mixer from the same group. See taps and mixers for the full range.
A towel rail for the Apartment 60R is available separately. If you plan to add one, decide its position before the wall is lined, and keep it clear of the tap spout and of the area where water splashes. A separate wall mounted heated towel rail is another option for drying towels beside the basin, and it needs its own power or plumbing supply planned early.
Choosing a Studio Bagno basin
Compare basins on the spec, not on a ranking: the material, the size, the tap hole choice, the overflow, the waste size and whether it is included, the fixing, the care and where it is made. For the Apartment 60R, the tap hole choice, the fixing bolts and the waste size are set out above, and the rest is in the product details.
- Decide whether the basin hangs on the wall or sits on the bench, and plan the wall support or the bench cut-out.
- Choose the tap hole configuration with the tapware before you order.
- Buy the 32mm plug and waste and the trap in the finish of the mixer.
- Have a licensed plumber make the connections, and follow the maker's sheet for fixings and sealant.
See bathroom vanities for the cabinets to pair with, undermount, inset and semi-recessed basins for other mounting types, and white basins and bathroom basins for every other maker.
