The History of The Bridge Faucet

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Featured Image – @chloe.rey from Instagram – SKU: KS1272TXBS Faucets can’t be taken for granted. The earliest indoor plumbing rely on crude water control devices that gave users little choice on how fast the water flowed or its temperature. The modern bridge faucets installed today owe a lot to the very first designs built to offer temperature and flow control. While the concept of a tap or water flow control is as old as the Roman Empire, the design wasn’t refined up until the Victorian era. With flushing toilets dating back as far as 1775, it’s no wonder faucets soon followed after. The development of cast iron, steel, and copper piping allowed for the delivery of fresh water along with the flushing function. Tanks in the attic filled with rainwater supplied bathing and washing water, allowing for the installation of the very first faucets.

Sinks soon began to take over for handwashing basins with drains, eliminating the need for pitchers. One of the first faucet designs to appear at that point was the bridge faucet. Featuring a bold horizontal support across the base and two separate taps for controlling hot and cold water, it represented the pinnacle of design in its time. It remains a popular option today for kitchen sinks in particular due to its large, open, architectural style. Easy to clean around and available in industrial looks like the Kingston Brass KS2333RX, the bridge faucet has a long history of use behind it.

The Earliest Incarnations of Bridge Faucets

While the very first bridge faucet designs may date back to the Victorian era, they were only found in the homes of the richest individuals. The design became a more common fixture in homes from 1850 to the early 1900s as sewage and water services spread throughout the cities. Rural areas didn’t see plumbing until the 1930s, so the open bridge design for faucets remained common. The alternative to mounting this faucet on the countertop was to use wall-mounted taps. Wall-mounted taps usually featured two separate faucets as well, dispensing only hot or cold water at one time. For many homes, a bridge faucet with a mixing tap and a single spout was an upgrade that offered warm, hot, or cold water with more precise temperature controls. Catalogs of iron goods built for bathrooms as early as 1888 show mixing taps in bridge faucet styles offering a steady flow from a single point. Separated taps were still common however, especially in shared lavatory sinks. Bridge faucets were a luxury that was primarily used in high-end kitchens and at the homes of wealthy people for many decades.

Types of Bridge Faucets Available Today

Today, homeowners have a lot more options than their Victorian counterparts did for decorating the kitchen or bathroom. Bridge faucets are popular for kitchen use because most of the designs available today with these wideset, raised bases tend to be a little too large for bathroom use. Of course, a large vanity in the bathroom designed to be the centerpiece of the room may have more than enough space for a bold bridge faucet. As long as the two or three-hole mounting pattern matches between the countertop and the faucet, they can work well together. These faucets are generally counter-mounted and not attached to the sink, so the homeowner will need to find a sink without mounting holes or cover them during installation.

The three main styles of bridge faucets sold today are traditional, industrial, and modern designs. Traditional bridge faucets tend to harken back to the original, often ornate designs of the past. The Kingston Brass KS7750BALBS Heirloom Bridge Kitchen Faucet is a great example of this type. Between the curvy horizontal support, the elegant gooseneck arch, and finely curved straight lever taps, it’s like a piece of history that can be added to any bathroom. It’s great for historical restorations, adding a twist of mid-century style to a kitchen or a master bathroom with space to spare.

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Modern Bridge Faucet Details for Every Kitchen

It’s a common misconception among kitchen décor blogs that all bridge faucets look old-fashioned or give a kitchen a vintage flair. Some faucets qualify as bridge designs due to their open, raised base yet feature distinctly modern styling. Designs like the Kingston Brass KS8271DLBS Concord Two-Handle Bridge Kitchen Faucet prove this point. Straight lines and narrow lever handles make it clear that this faucet doesn’t date back from any previous eras. A bold, untapered, carefully curved neck not only clears the largest of pots but gives this faucet plenty of modern style. No flares or finials make this faucet look old-fashioned. It’s true that there’s a bridge faucet to fit every style, despite common myths to the contrary.

Trending Colors for Stylish Faucet Options

The finish of the faucet plays as much of a role in its final appearance as the overall style of its design. If you choose a vintage-looking fixture but order it in a modern finish, you can create an artistic or eclectic look in any kitchen. For a more expected look, try matching the finish to the expected style. Kingston Brass has all the latest trending colors and finishes for our bridge faucets. From matte black to both polished and antiqued brass, there’s a trending color for every bathroom or kitchen faucet.

Faucets Similar to Bridge Designs

Bridge faucets may be a popular way to give a kitchen a vintage or industrial look, but they’re not the only option with some history behind it. Wall-mounted faucets were popular even before this type, making them slightly older for homes needing accurate historical restoration. Even for homeowners who just want a classic look at home, a wall-mount faucet in a traditional style is a fast way to achieve that goal.

Find the right faucet at Kingston Brass

With a wide selection of both wall-mount and bridge faucets, Kingston Brass is the source for style with a long history behind it. Find just the right fixtures in our catalog and locate plenty of matching accessories with identical finishes, getting through the next renovation faster and easier.

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