A roundup of beautiful vintage-style brass kitchen faucets! From utilitarian to old-world charm, these are the best kitchen faucets that I came across during my remodel search.
I have exciting news! There’s a *chance* that I might be remodeling my kitchen. I’ve never had a new kitchen before!
Of course, with just the thought on the horizon, I’ve been doing a ton of research and planning every single detail. Then replanning. Then panicking because as with any project, no matter how big or how small, I don’t want to regret my choices! I dream of a kitchen like the one below, but my low 7′ ceilings would never allow…
The Best Brass Kitchen Faucets
Living in the California Bay Area, keeping resale value in mind when remodeling is extremely important. I live in a neighborhood so crammed together I can practically touch my neighbors all around me and every other house has the exact same floorplan. So at any given time, you can easily find 3 or 4 of the exact houses for sale! This means that the renovations and updates to a particular home are what really determine whether one house sells and another doesn’t.
So, in practical terms, I’m probably better off using satin nickel or chrome for my kitchen finishes in the long run as I did in my primary bath remodel, my guest bath remodel, and my teen bath remodel (which I haven’t yet shared).
But I really want a warm white kitchen with touches of old-world charm. And the allure of brass fixtures is really speaking to me these days!
No matter how many times and how my ways I picture my kitchen remodel, I can’t help but envision brass fixtures!
So today I thought I’d share a roundup of all the various deck-mounted brass kitchen faucets that I’ve considered. (Deck-mounted meaning that they sit on the countertop just behind the kitchen sink, as opposed to being mounted on the wall.) Use the Table of Contents below to navigate through the post.
Brass Fixtures are in Style!
If you’ve read my interior design predictions for the last few years, you’ll know that brass is trending! The natural warm finish is appealing no matter the decorating style. This isn’t the same brass used in the 80s that was a very yellow and very shiny polished brass. Today’s brass takes on a more natural tone and is typically solid brass construction, not an applied finish that will peel off over time.
A wide range of styles and brass finishes are trending now so that you can choose whatever best suits your taste.
An Overview of Brass Finishes
Polished Brass
Polished brass has been polished to a shine and then sealed with a lacquer so that it retains its pristine look over time. It has a shiny and smooth yellow gold look to it. Polished brass is a great choice for contemporary design because it has a sophisticated and sleek look.
Satin Brass
Satin brass is more muted in color with a bit more brown in it than polished brass. It also isn’t reflective like satin brass and has a bit more of a casual feel to it.
Brushed Brass
Brushed brass is very similar to satin but has textured brush strokes in the finish, giving it a very matte appearance.
Antique/Aged Brass
Antique or aged brass (each vendor has their own name) means that it has an aged appearance. Natural brass is a live finish so it changes color over time. With antique brass, this process has been sped up and the piece looks aged, even when new.
Unlacquered Brass
Sometimes known as a living finish brass, unlacquered brass simply means that it hasn’t been sealed and will be left exposed to the elements, tarnishing over time. This finish will darken as it patinas but can always be restored to its original luster. This type of finish is best for a period home or a vintage feel.
Specific vendors have other varieties of brass finishes that combine or alter those listed above, but these are the basic finishes available.
Do you have an existing finish you want to transform to brass? Learn how with my Designer Secret!
Single Hole with Pulldown Spray
A single-hole faucet is practical in the kitchen for so many reasons! For one, you can operate it with just one hand and find the perfect temperature. The pulldown sprayer also means that it can reach all corners of the sink and doesn’t require another hole be drilled into the countertop for a separate side sprayer!
Most of the faucets with pulldown sprayers should have a weight affixed to the sprayer tube that acts as a counterbalance. That way, when you release the sprayer it goes back up into the faucet instead of dangling in the sink. The only maintenance you need to do is to periodically adjust the position of the weight if it isn’t pulling the sprayer back into position properly.
Kohler Artifacts
Personally, I’m a fan of Kohler and have never had any issues with quality. I love their Artifacts line because it has graceful lines and a traditional look, while maintaining the utilitarian nature of a pull-down spray faucet. This faucet is perfect if you cook a lot and want something that’s both practical and pretty!
Signature Hardware Amberly
Perrin & Rowe Georgian
These two faucets are very similar to the Kohler above but with a slightly more streamlined look, perfect for either Traditional or Contemporary styling. There is a significant price difference between them, though!
Perrin & Rowe is made by Rohl, which is considered a higher-end brand. It comes in many different finishes and specialty finishes. Signature Hardware is known for creating gorgeous products at reasonable prices. I personally haven’t owned anything from Signature Hardware but I’ve read some good reviews.
Lovedima Faucet
Tapier Faucet
The gooseneck faucet on both of these has a slightly more industrial look, but the bodies are traditional! They are a wonderful mix of styles with very unique designs! The price points for both are amazing at $145 and $396, respectively. In brass, both are available as a polished finish only.
Waterstone Pulldown Faucet
Waterstone Wheel Faucet
If your budget allows, Waterstone faucets are absolutely gorgeous and their quality is evident! Just their appearance alone oozes luxury! They both come in a wide array of finishes. I would love one of these for my kitchen remodel, but there’s no way I can justify the price…especially since I barely cook!
Bridge Faucets
What is a Bridge Faucet?
A bridge faucet has two handles (hot and cold) with an exposed pipe that connects (or bridges) the two handles. They can be either a two-hold deck-mounted faucet or a three-hole.
Cons of Bridge Faucets
I’m starting with the cons so that we end on a positive note! In terms of practicality, a bridge faucet isn’t quite as functional in a kitchen.
- It requires two hands to operate and if your hands are messy, that’s more work and more cleanup! While you can still get an exact temperature, it’s not quite as easy as a single-handle.
- A bridge faucet also requires multiple holes to be drilled in your countertop so if you ever want to change out your faucet, you’ll need to select one with two handles again.
- With more elements involved in the design comes more elements to clean!
- Lastly, with the exception of one below, the kitchen bridget faucets all require a separate side sprayer which is not only more money spent, but also another hole in the counter.
Pros of a Bridge Faucet
- Quite honestly, the biggest advantage to a bridge faucet is its style! Nothing compares to this classic look.
- With two horizontal handles, bridge faucets offer more variety in handle design than a single-hole faucet which is typically only a lever. With bridge faucets, you can find levers, metal cross handles, and even wheel and spoke designs!
- While bridge faucet design used to suit traditional and country styles best, you can now find a wide array of designs including sleek styles perfect for even modern or contemporary!
Newport Brass Chesterfield
Kingston Brass English Country
Both of these faucets have the sweetest curved bridge shape to them. I love the porcelain buttons on the cross handles designating hot and cold on the Newport Brass. The Kingston Brass has levers and a high gooseneck arch for ease of use. If your style leans Traditional or Country, either of these would be a charming addition to the kitchen!
Insideast Antique Faucet
Now if you really want to create a statement, this might be the faucet for you! InsidEast isn’t a brand I had heard of before researching brass faucets, but the brand has outstanding reviews on Etsy where it can be purchased. And talk about unique! This brand allows you to customize both the handles and the spout. This unlacquered brass beauty will patina over time and is sure to be a show-stopper in any kitchen!
Newport Brass Chesterfield
Elements of Design
The body of these two faucets is similar and both have lever handles. The Newport Brass comes with a high arch design and two-hole installation, though, while the Elements of Design requires three holes and has a more elegant spout. I love the footplate on both, though!
Brizo Rook Bridget Faucet
Talk about the best of both worlds! This is the only bridge faucet that I came across that incorporates a pull-down sprayer in the spout. The design is somewhat sleeker and has a bit of an industrial look, while retaining the traditional charm of a bridge faucet.
InsidEast Curved Leg Bridge Faucet
Look at her legs! This unlacquered brass beauty immediately caught my eye. Available with cross handles and with or without a sprayer depending on needs.
Perrin & Rowe Georgian Bridge Faucet
deVOL Ionian Tap
These two faucets are truly almost identical. Their specs, in fact, are exactly the same! The deVOL faucet is unlacquered brass and comes pre-aged a bit, whereas the Perrin & Rowe will come bright and shiny and take time to age. The deVOL comes with cross handles but the Perrin & Rowe comes with two different handle shapes. To my disappointment, though, the porcelain lever handles pictured below are only available in the UK.
And now for my final choice…! Just kidding, I can’t decide! I’m currently between the Perrin & Rowe Bridge Faucet and the deVOL Ionian Tap. They look almost identical and the specs are the same, but the deVOL comes aged and cannot be restored to a polished, whereas the other one will age over the years and can be restored anytime.
Which would you choose?
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Hi Kim,
I currently have the Perrin and Rowe, and I love it!
I really enjoy my high arch pull down single handle faucet. I really like adjusting the water temperature with one hand quickly. The button for spraying is great for sink cleaning.
With my stainless appliances not covered, I opted for a brushed stainless. Shiny finishes show water spots. I’m also gathering photos for a kitchen redo and have just reread your countertop pros and cons. Excellent! Do you have an article on cabinet construction? What do you think of porcelain tiles that look like stone for floors? Thank you! Donna
They are all beautiful faucets, whichever you choose will be perfect for you.
From my experience with the pull down sprayer on my single hole faucet, the button sticks over time and is hard to get out. In future I would only purchase a sprayer with the switch. I found that I really only use the sprayer when cleaning the sinks due to the fact that unless you have a commercial sized sink the water sprays everywhere and that really annoys me! I have worked in a commercial kitchen and they worked perfectly there because of the sink depth and the commercial faucet which has the sprayer much lower down.
Just my 5 cents worth!
I am in the middle of a second home remodel, including the kitchen. I too am doing a warm white look. In our current home I have the Waterstone contemporary pulldown as I wanted to update my 20 year old kitchen. The new remodel will have the Waterstone traditional pulldown that you are showing, but in satin nickel. The finish is warm in tone and easier with the hard water of Sonoma County. I can tell you that Waterstone is far and above all the others I’ve seen. It’s all brass fittings inside and incredibly heavy and well made. I had Rohl at a previous house and although beautiful and well made, I highly encourage you to revisit the Waterstone traditional pulldown. This is something you use every day in your kitchen, whether you cook much or not.
The Waterstone Pulldown faucet is my favorite… i have seen it at a friends home and love the look, love the pullout and love the nozzle on the pullout… now, for the finish, i would coordinate with the finish on your cabinet hardware… and i will bet the farm you know that secret!!! I also love the kitchen photo you referenced in the beginning of your email… whatever you select, will be perfect for your design!!! Thank you the opportunity to share my opinion on your choices!!!