Fixtures can be working piece of art

Q: I recently read online that "artist edition" plumbing fixtures are becoming a popular choice in new bathrooms. I'm a little confused. What exactly is an artist-edition plumbing fixture?

A: From what I've heard, artist-edition plumbing fixtures are most commonly associated with bathroom or kitchen sinks. However, the term can also include other decorative plumbing fixtures.

Companies may work with a well-known artist to create a unique line of fixtures, or they may simply call a new or creative line of fixtures an "artist edition." Either way, it basically means that they have taken a simple concept like a sink and turned it into a working piece of art.

Artist-edition fixtures are usually broken down into three categories:

Materials: Natural stone, copper, bronze and heavy glass can be used in many different ways to create sinks that are beautiful and functional.

Texture: Hand-hammered metals and textured fireclay can make an artistic plumbing fixture feel as good as it looks.

Decorative china: Skilled artists place highly detailed and colorful patterns on the ceramic ware before the fixture is fired. The result can be a plumbing fixture that looks as nice as a fine china dinner plate.