Customisable washbasins and worktops by ACQUABELLA

ACQUABELLA makes it possible to design the bathroom to measure, adapting its products (worktops, panels, washbasins, bathtubs, shower trays, furniture and accessories) to the dimensions of each project and choosing the textures, colours and finishes the project requires. Its collections suit a wide range of styles and scales, from the domestic bathroom to the hotel room.

In this article we focus on washbasins and worktops: what materials they are made of, how they are customised with textures and colours, which models and dimensions were listed in Acquabella's 2023 general catalogue, two Italian hotels where they have been installed and what to bear in mind when specifying them.

Three materials: Akron, Dolotek and Solid Surface

ACQUABELLA washbasins and worktops are made in three composite materials, all of them hard-wearing and smooth to the touch, with easy-to-clean surfaces that support hygiene. Each one suits a different type of piece:

• Akron: Acquabella's own material, developed by the brand in 2008. It consists of polyurethane and high-quality mineral fillers of different grain sizes, compacted in the mass to achieve a solid, reinforced finish, with a polyurethane acrylic coating integrated with the substrate. It is the material that accepts textures and the full colour range.
• Dolotek: made of resin and dolomite stone, it results in a material that is smooth to the touch and pure white. It allows complex shapes to be moulded; in the 2023 catalogue, Dolotek washbasins and worktops are offered in matte white.
• Solid Surface: Acquabella describes it as a composite of polyester resin and alumina trihydrate (ATH) that forms a homogeneous, non-porous, seamless solid that can be repaired to its original state.

According to the manufacturer, Akron contains no silica, which makes it safer to cut, is 25% lighter than other similar materials, has antibacterial certification to ISO 22196 and achieves class A+ in the volatile organic compound emissions assessment (ISO 16000-6). Dolotek shares the antibacterial certification and the A+ rating and, according to the brand, is resistant to UV rays, fire and thermal shock.

Textures and colours: how each piece is customised

Once the model has been selected, the texture and colour are chosen. For Akron pieces, the textures available for washbasins and worktops are Slate, Nude, Beton, Zero and Arabba, although not all of them are offered on every model: this is the first thing to check on each piece's data sheet.

The colour is chosen from four ranges, which in the 2023 catalogue were organised as follows:

• Standard: white, nacar, beige, ivory, cream, grey, cemento, moka, lava and black, versatile and timeless shades.
• Naturally Made: sand, capuccino, fango, platinum, acier and ink, inspired by nature.
• Season: burgundy, petal, ocean, sky, forest and mint, a selection of trend colours that Acquabella presented that year as slightly powdery pastel shades, intended to convey calm.
• RAL/NCS: any of the more than 2,000 colours in these charts, to match a specific shade in the project.

The combination of texture and colour is applied to the whole piece, so the washbasin, worktop, wall panel and shower tray can match or contrast. Dolotek pieces, on the other hand, are supplied in matte white.

Washbasins: On-Top, Chrea and Delia

The 2023 catalogue brought together six washbasin families: On-Top and Delia in Akron, and Chrea, Levi, Vars and Venet in Dolotek. The table summarises the three models featured in this article.

On-Top

This is Akron's series of countertop washbasins: four geometries (circle, square, oval and rectangle), each in two sizes, with a 5 cm diameter waste outlet. As it can be ordered in Slate or Beton texture and in any colour, the washbasin can match the worktop or become the accent of the bathroom.

Chrea

A round countertop washbasin in Dolotek, 40 cm in diameter, in matte white with a defined outer rim. On a One worktop with texture and colour, the plain white of the piece creates the contrast.

Delia

An Akron washbasin in Zero texture, with a fluted front and the tap hole included. It measures 50.4 × 37.5 cm and is 40 cm high, and it was one of the winners of the Archiproducts Design Awards 2022.

Worktops: with integrated washbasin or for a countertop washbasin

Worktops resolve the bathroom in a single piece or serve as a base for a countertop washbasin. In Akron they are offered with an apron front (CF, 12 cm edge), with a reduced apron (CFR, 4 cm, on Infinity and One) or without an apron (SF); in this last version the edge is 1.3 cm on Integra and 1.6 cm on Infinity and One.

Integra is the worktop with an integrated washbasin in standard formats: in the 100 and 120 cm widths the washbasin can be offset to the left or right, and the tap hole is centred on the washbasin. Infinity and One are made to measure between 60 and 240 cm long; Infinity offers a choice of four integrated washbasins (42, 52, 52 Round and 62), and One is a plain worktop designed for countertop washbasins such as On-Top or Chrea, or for use as a shelf.

Two hotels fitted with Acquabella

Acquabella washbasins and worktops have been installed in hospitality projects, where durability and daily cleaning matter as much as design.

Momentum Resort, Sicily

On-Top washbasins, in their Circle and Oval versions, were used to fit out the bathrooms of the Momentum Resort in Sicily (Italy), a 2018 project according to Acquabella. The hotel occupies a former baglio, a traditional fortified Sicilian estate, fully renovated next to the Selinunte archaeological park. It combines modern design and local natural materials to create a relaxing atmosphere throughout. The washbasins were chosen in white, and the showers were fitted with Duo trays in Slate texture, in capuccino.

Lake Front Hotel Mirage, Riva del Garda

In 2021 Acquabella fitted out the bathrooms of the Lake Front Hotel Mirage, a four-star hotel in Riva del Garda, a few metres from Lake Garda (Italy). The bathrooms feature the Integra worktop with an apron front in gloss white, a model that complements the rooms' timber-furnished interiors. The showers were completed with Base Slate trays, also in white.

Key points for specifying Acquabella washbasins and worktops

Before placing the order, these are the points worth resolving at design stage:

• Type of installation: worktop with integrated washbasin (Integra, Infinity, Moiwa) or One worktop with a countertop washbasin. The first eliminates joints between washbasin and worktop; the second allows different materials and colours to be combined.
• Texture by model: On-Top is only offered in Slate and Beton, Delia in Zero, Integra in Slate, and Dolotek pieces in matte white. The texture is best chosen together with the model, not afterwards.
• Made-to-measure dimensions: Infinity and One are made between 60 and 240 cm long and between 46 and 55 cm deep, and the order must be accompanied by the worktop design with all dimensions. In Akron, maximum dimensions may vary by ±0.5%; in Dolotek, by ±1%.
• Visible edge: with an apron front, with a reduced apron or without an apron. It is an aesthetic decision and also an installation one: the catalogue provides a different fixing system for each version.
• Complete set: washbasin, worktop, wall panels and shower tray can be ordered in the same texture and colour, which makes consistency easier across series of rooms.

Durability and manufacturer

Acquabella's approach is to create products with a long service life, to which environmentally friendly maintenance can be applied to extend their durability. The company, founded in 1994 within the Keraben Group and with a factory in La Vall d'Uixó (Castellón), stated in its 2023 catalogue that it held ISO 9001 quality, ISO 14001 environmental management and ISO 45001 occupational health and safety certifications.

Quality and customisation are the keys to Acquabella's range of washbasins and worktops, a product that adapts to each project. At Matter we help you define the complete bathroom: the washbasin, the worktop, the wall finishes and the combination of textures and colours that best suits your project.