The BetteLux Oval Couture collection by Bette

The BetteLux Oval Couture collection brings together a freestanding bath and a floor-standing washbasin that share a single idea: the familiar glazed titanium-steel body, clad on the outside in an upholstered water-repellent fabric, as if it were a sofa. Their oval forms and that textile covering are what set it apart from any other bathroom piece, and it is offered in four fabric colours that can be combined with the enamel.

In this article we look at where the collection came from, how the junction between steel and fabric is resolved in a wet area, the dimensions of its two pieces, the colours available and what to bear in mind when specifying it.

A bathroom upholstered like a sofa

The starting point is the evolution of the bathroom: from a technical, white, washable room to a living space that opens onto the bedroom or living room. With BetteLux Oval Couture, Bette brings to the bathroom a device borrowed from upholstered furniture: the bath and washbasin read more as furniture than as sanitaryware, adding warmth and a texture that invites touch.

The collection is designed by Dominik Tesseraux (Tesseraux + Partner, Potsdam), a designer Bette works with on an ongoing basis. It was shown as a design study at the 2016 Salone del Mobile in Milan and went into series production at the 2017 ISH fair in Frankfurt. As Tesseraux himself explained, it starts from the BetteLux Oval bath: the same mould has been adapted for different versions (Highline, Silhouette and Couture) to make the most of a costly deep-drawing tool.

Glazed steel and technical fabric: how it is made

The baths and washbasins are made conventionally: the body is deep-drawn, enamelled titanium steel, the material Bette has worked with since 1952 at its factory in Delbrück (Germany). The novelty lies on the outside. The bath panel and the washbasin base are upholstered and covered with a water-repellent, weather-resistant fabric, so that the advantages of glazed steel are combined with the feel of textile and aesthetic warmth.

For the prototype, Bette worked with the upholstery workshop Bielefelder Werkstätten and the textile publisher JAB Anstoetz. According to Bette, the initial concern was moisture: a fabric next to a bath is exposed to splashes and condensation. The solution was to use only outdoor fabrics and, according to Tesseraux, to focus development on ensuring the assembly was well ventilated at the back and that all the materials withstood moisture.

The fabric properties sheet published by Bette gives the following data:

• Composition: 100% polyester, 140 cm wide.
• Abrasion resistance: 20,000 Martindale cycles.
• Light fastness: 7-8 on a scale of 8; the fabric is declared resistant to sunlight and UV rays.
• Other resistances: to chlorine, seawater and mould, according to the manufacturer.
• Pilling: grade 5, the best on the scale (no pilling).

The pieces: freestanding bath and floor-standing washbasin

Despite what the number of colours might suggest, the collection consists of two pieces: an oval freestanding bath for two people and a cylindrical floor-standing washbasin, both in the formal line of BetteLux Oval. The four options correspond to the fabric colours, not to different models.

The bath is supplied with sound-insulating pads and is designed to stand free. The washbasin, also freestanding, rests directly on the floor: a round bowl in glazed steel on a base upholstered in the same fabric as the bath.

Four fabric colours, to combine with the enamel

The bath and washbasin were presented in four fabric colours: Ivory (beige), Moss (moss green), Carbon (anthracite) and Elephant (mottled grey). The enamel colour can be chosen independently and combined with the fabric, either tone on tone, as in the green washbasin, or with a white interior that contrasts with the panel.

In 2017, Bette’s managers explained that the grey version was the most popular, followed, surprisingly, by moss green. According to Tesseraux, the fabrics were chosen with the available enamel colours in mind, so that the change of texture between steel and fabric takes centre stage.

Update note (2026): on Bette’s current website the upholstery is offered in three colours, Ivory, Elephant and Carbon; Moss no longer appears among the options.

Awards

In 2018 the BetteLux Oval Couture bath received the Red Dot: Best of the Best, the highest distinction of the Red Dot Award for product design. The jury highlighted the combination of glazed steel and fabric as a new visual and tactile experience in the bathroom. Bette also cites, among others, the German Design Award in its Gold category and the Iconic Award for this collection.

Key points for specifying BetteLux Oval Couture

Beyond the effect on the space, these points are worth resolving at design stage:

• Clear space around: these are freestanding pieces designed to be seen from all sides. At 1800 × 800 mm, the bath needs a generous bathroom or an open-plan suite to show to advantage.
• Ordering the bath: according to Bette’s technical data sheet, the bath and the upholstered panel are joined at the factory but are ordered as two separate references.
• Taps and waste: as these are freestanding pieces, the position of the taps and waste connections should be fixed during construction; for the washbasin, Bette gives the recommended spout projections in its data sheet.
• Colour: the enamel and the fabric are chosen separately. It is worth deciding early whether a tone-on-tone combination or a contrasting interior is wanted, as it greatly changes how the piece reads.
• Maintenance: Bette recommends cleaning stains as soon as possible, with lukewarm water and liquid fabric detergent, and testing any product first on an inconspicuous area.

At Matter we help you plan the complete bathroom: the sanitaryware, the taps and the surfaces that go with them. Come to our material library to compare materials, finishes and colours with your technical team.