Generally, I think of weird faucets as being a little gimmicky – especially LED faucets. Sure, there’s some novelty there, but it doesn’t exactly have the same magic as the first time I saw a light-up drinking fountain at Disneyland as a kid. Still, some LED faucets – especially modern waterfall faucets like those from Sumerain – have such a beautiful base design that the built-in lights really end up enhancing the style. The result? A sleek, modern fixture with a subtle colorful glow that will appeal to your inner grownup as well as your inner child.
The Simple Waterfall
Personally, I think waterfall faucets of every stripe are pretty. There’s just something about the ever so slightly more natural fall of the water that I just find incredibly enticing. It’s unexpected and a little earthy, neither of which are features you usually find in the bathroom. Adding even a single, simple light to the mix makes for an even more stunning appearance. Here, in full light the LED isn’t quite bright enough to make the whole stream of water glow (though it would in the dark), but it gives the hollow, open, sheath-style faucet a crisp cool glow that’s soothing and decorative without being kitschy.
The Glowing Face
Of any of the faucets on this list, these are probably the most novel. The joystick-style handle, spigot, and LED lights are encased inside two heavy duty pieces of plastic that light up when the water turns on. The lights get brighter the more intense the flow of water, and change color depending on the temperature. The flat, waterfall style sheet of water the faucet produces is tinted with the color of the lights, too. A little more on the gimmicky side, sure but personally I actually really like the slightly futuristic look and feel of this basic LED faucet. Even when it’s turned off, the clear plastic oval is nice and elegant, and the joystick handle accentuates the cutting edge modernity of the faucet as a whole.
The Vessel Style Waterfall Faucet
Some of my favorite waterfall faucets are the kind that often come paired with matching vessel sink. These are generally a single piece of curved, dish-shaped glass or plastic attached to a post, either with a joystick style handle in the center or a separate control. Typically, this glass “bowl” is made of the same material and in the same color or pattern as the corresponding vessel sinks, and is designed so that water wells up from the center and tumbles naturally over the lowered edge into the sink. Adding a simple LED light to a clear glass or plastic piece allows it to have its own personality outside a coordinating sink, with a soft, lovely glow that’s pleasantly eye catching without being overly conspicuous.
The Wall Mount
One of the big popular trends right now is to mount your bathroom faucet on the wall instead of directly into your sink or vanity top. Now, this is a project that isn’t necessarily easily done, and it tends to pair a little better with a vessel sink, which can accentuate the natural fall of the water while helping to prevent splashing. But again, ones with built in LED lights add just that little extra something. For example, this faucet consists almost entirely of a flat piece of metal with a shallow rim around the edges, attached to a wall plate with a (rather neat looking) handle. By itself, this faucet might look a little square or blocky. But the soft LED light creates a sort of lagoon-like appearance within the open spigot, emanating a soft, enticing glow that dissipates once the water cascades over the edge and down into the sink.
The Futuristic Faucet
Then, there are bathroom faucets so awesome and bizarre that that they almost couldn’t exist without crazy, built in LED lights. This faucet is one of my very favorites in this delightfully weird, futuristic subcategory. At its heart, it’s a waterfall faucet, but instead of merely guiding water to cascade into the sink, the water flows around inside the labyrinthine body of the faucet, which is topped by an orb that glows when the water is flowing, giving the whole piece a fantastic, futuristic fountain look that I haven’t seen captured nearly so well elsewhere. This piece is definitely an eye-catcher, but again instead of seeming gimmicky, the LED lights are an organic part of the design, giving it a great, ultramodern vibe.
But what do you think? Do you like the futuristic look of these LED faucets? Let me know in the comments below!
