Image 1
Design: Float Studio
Photographer: Aaron Thompson
Image 2
Design: Fraher Architects
Photographer: Adam Scott
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Design: Durat Design
Photographer: Fanny Hansson
Arne Jacobsen, the Danish designer behind the VOLA taps first created in 1968, knew that through material and colour, he had the power not only to design, but to define a whole atmosphere.
After realising that colourful taps could form an essential part of a scheme and help create characterful spaces, in 1970, VOLA selected ten expressive hues. These injected personality into its range of kitchen and bathroom taps and for the first time, bathrooms and kitchens were new arenas for personal expression.
Jacobsen’s first foray into the world of colour for VOLA was with orange and grey colours in which early prototypes were crafted. He favoured the grey colours inspired by the tone of concrete; the muted grey pigment is now a timeless classic for any interior scheme.
Today, the ten original shades have evolved into a palette of fifteen colours, six of which are still featured from the original ten. These are still integral to VOLA’s design identity, with each hue bringing the ability to shape the spirit of a space. Even in a world of mass production, every single product configuration, of which there are approximately 100,000 possible combinations, is available in each of the 15 colours – coloured by hand in Horsens, Denmark, where every product is built to order. Discover VOLA’s broad range of colours and product combinations through the Configurator.
Of course, trends have evolved over five decades – olive green was the hottest shade of the 1970s, while today classic and sleek matt black is the top pick on people’s palettes. Yet regardless of trends, every VOLA colour has been inspired by longevity and the bold, geometric principles of their founding values. The latest finish from VOLA is matt white – pure and minimal, it brings calmness, clarity and confidence.
At the crossroads of art and science, colour is an essential tool in any designer’s box. Whether it’s through harmony or collision, contrasting or complementing, colour combinations affect our moods – uplift us, energise us, relax us, define who we are, or who we want to be. Our homes are a canvas for expression.
