Wood Melbourne Brings Postmodern Pop to the Bathroom

Olive-tinged Dirty Martini pairs especially well with retro-pink Boiled Prawn—which is the entire point of Chromablock, Aussie bath fitting brand Wood Melbourne’s evocatively hued (and titled) resin faucet handles. The collection’s 12 shades and two shapes—cubical Corbu and cylindrical Kahn—are designed to comingle on sinks, tubs, and showers. The mix-or-match taps are the brainchild of New York–based, New Zealand–bred Georgina McWhirter, a lover of slightly warped color combos and (did we mention?!) an Interior Design editor whose influences range from William Eggleston photography to the Memphis Group to grunge makeup artistry. “I see makeup as akin to art supplies,” she explains, “and my imagination is sparked by Lisa Eldridge’s brilliantly formulated lipstick hues and MAC’s Terry Barber, famous for his subversive eyes.”

Efforts to makeover her rental apartment’s blah bath inspired McWhirter to prototype colorful faucet handles using nail polish (natch) on wood shapes—yielding plaudits from houseguests and the encouragement to approach Wood Melbourne founder Oliver MacLatchy, an artisan unafraid of bringing unexpected materials to wet zones (think timber tub spouts and terrazzo lav sets). After a protracted R&D phase involving buildout of a temperature-controlled production space (“resin is incredibly finicky, even one or two degrees will make or break a mix” notes MacLatchy), and countless pigment test blends, graphically charged Chromablock is now available globally by custom order.

Pair the shapely geometric handles with any of the company’s faucets and backplates, or mount flush to the sink or wall. The dozen hues range from the palest shade, buttercream yellow Crème Brulee, to deep gray Footpath (the Antipodean term for pavement). Rounding out the mix is orange-red Hot Sauce, mustard Fetid, pale lilac Fervid, blue-gray Inclement, green-around-the-gills Pistachio, terracotta Burnt Clay, dirty pink Boiled Prawn, maroon Red Velvet, and ultramarine For Yves (after Klein, of course).

A Closer Look at Wood Melbourne’s Edgy Cool Faucet Handles