The AXOR collection
AXOR Massaud: waterfall taps and a calmer bathroom
By Jonathon Barclay 5 min read
AXOR Massaud is worth considering if you want the basin tap to provide one of the room’s main design details. Its broad spout and wide flow of water look quite different from a conventional mixer, so we’d give it a reasonably clear vanity top rather than surrounding it with bottles and other strong shapes.
The shelf-shaped spout
Designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, the collection uses a broad, gently curved spout rather than the narrower projection you see on most basin mixers. That shelf shape is central to the AXOR Massaud design, not a small detail added to an otherwise conventional tap.
Because the spout is so wide, it needs some clear space around it. We’d normally keep the vanity top fairly simple and avoid placing several bottles, trays or decorative objects immediately beside the mixer. Otherwise, the feature that made the tap interesting in the first place can become lost among everything else.
The curves help, because this isn’t a severe or particularly angular design. But it still has enough visual weight to hold its own against a substantial vanity unit, a generous basin or a strongly patterned wall finish.
A broad sheet of water
The water leaves the spout as a wide flood jet. You see a broad sheet of water rather than the familiar round, aerated stream from a standard basin tap.
That visible flow is a large part of the appeal, but the exact specification still matters. The AXOR Massaud single-lever basin mixer 110 in Chrome has a maximum flow rate of 4 litres per minute at 3 bar. That figure belongs to this particular model, rather than every product in the collection.
The same model also has AXOR’s QuickClean feature, which allows deposits to be rubbed from the outlet.
A waterfall tap still needs to be considered with the basin. We wouldn’t assume that the width of the flow makes splashing impossible. The position of the outlet, where the water lands and the shape of the bowl all need to work together.
Chrome or a warmer metal
Chrome gives AXOR Massaud a bright, cool appearance. Its reflective surface makes the curved edges and broad top more noticeable, so it works well where you want the basin area to look crisp and precise.
The Massaud 110 Chrome model is product code 18010000. AXOR also lists a Brushed Bronze 110 version as product code 18010140.
Brushed Bronze has a warmer, less reflective look. We’d consider it alongside timber, cream stone or other warm finishes where bright Chrome might feel too sharp. It also makes the tap feel more like a deliberate feature rather than a neutral fitting.
We’d view the physical finish samples with the tile, vanity top and furniture finish before deciding. Photographs are useful for narrowing the choice, but light can change the way a metal looks. And if you’re combining fittings from different brands, don’t assume two finishes with similar names will be a perfect colour match.
Let the basin decide the format
The Massaud 110 has a spout height of 108mm and a reach of 100mm. AXOR also lists a taller 220 version for wash bowls.
Those two formats shouldn’t be treated as interchangeable. The right one depends on the basin, where the mixer will sit and where the water will land inside the bowl. There also needs to be enough room at the rim for comfortable use without making the tap look crowded.
For an inset or more conventional basin, we’d start by checking the 110 against the manufacturer’s basin information. For a wash bowl that sits above the vanity top, the taller 220 is the format to consider. The basin shape still comes first, because a taller tap doesn’t automatically put the water in the right place.
If you like Jean-Marie Massaud’s work but want the mixer to look more angular, AXOR Edge takes a different approach. It should be compared as a separate design rather than assumed to have the same dimensions, flow or basin requirements.
Discuss Massaud for your bathroom
Before ordering, agree the exact finish, product code and basin requirement with your own fitter. That is particularly important when choosing between the 110 and a taller wash-bowl format.
Explore AXOR at Bowmans, then book a showroom appointment to discuss your bathroom with the team in Braintree or Leigh-on-Sea. We can help with design and supply, and supply-only customers working with their own fitter are equally welcome.