Kartell K-VIT Flair Wall Mounted Basin Mixer – Chrome (TAP121FL)

Kartell K-VIT Flair Wall Mounted Basin Mixer – Chrome (TAP121FL)

The Kartell K-VIT Flair range is built around one idea: a square-set chrome body with a wide, open curved spout, so the water arrives as a broad flat sheet rather than a round jet. Kartell describe it as a collection that "gives a totally chic finishing touch to a trendy interior", and the open spout is what people notice — it is the whole point of the design.

This is the wall mounted basin mixer — a single wide plate carrying the open spout and one lever, fixed to the wall above the basin rather than sitting on it.

Why wall mounted, and what it demands

Wall mounting leaves the basin or worktop completely clear, which looks striking and makes the surface far easier to wipe down. It suits a countertop bowl or a basin with no tap hole.

The trade-off is that all the plumbing has to be buried in the wall, and the concealed valve body has to be set at the right depth and height before the wall is boarded and tiled. That means deciding on this tap early — it is not a swap you can make later without opening up the wall.

Set the height so the spout clears the rim of your basin with room to get your hands under, and check it lands water in the middle of the bowl rather than the back edge. A stud wall needs noggins to fix the valve to; a solid wall needs chasing out. Neither is difficult, but both need doing before the finish goes on.

Water pressure

Kartell rate this tap suitable for low water pressure systems — it will run from as little as 0.2 bar. That means it works on a gravity-fed tank and cylinder as well as on mains, combi or unvented pressure.

Living with it

The ceramic disc cartridge with quarter-turn operation gives full flow from a small movement of the lever, and is far less prone to dripping than a washer tap.

Chrome is the easiest finish to live with and the easiest to spoil. A wipe with a soft damp cloth is all it needs, though it shows water spots and fingerprints more readily than a brushed finish, so in a hard water area it pays to dry it off. What it will not tolerate is abrasives: cream cleaners, scouring pads and strong limescale removers cut through the plating, and once chrome has gone dull and cloudy it cannot be brought back.

The rest of the Flair range

The range also includes a mono basin mixer with click waste, a hi-rise mono basin mixer for countertop bowls, a mono bidet mixer, a bath filler, a bath shower mixer, a 4 hole bath shower mixer and a freestanding bath shower mixer.

Specification

• Code: TAP121FL
• Chrome finish
• Solid brass construction
• Wall mounted — concealed valve body
• Ceramic disc cartridge, quarter turn operation
• Open waterfall spout on a single backplate
• Suitable for low water pressure systems
• Length 197mm, weight 1.58kg
• Fixings supplied
• Waste sold separately
• Lifetime guarantee (1 year on moving parts)
• Barcode 5055681470319

Downloads

Download the technical data sheet