What does the decision-making involve?Interior décor materials create the look and feel of a space. In bathrooms, sanitaryware plays this role. Not for nothing is the Indian sanitaryware populated by an increasing plethora of brands. “The biggest advantage of using a known brand is trust,” says Sapna Aggarwal, Founder, ANSA Architecture & Interiors. “You know what will arrive onsite and how it will perform.”Each brand is associated with a signature style, which designers recognise and adapt to create different décors. Construction World explores what drives the choice of brand, and the appeal of different brands.The driversDesigners are never taken in by brands. They look beyond to see what value the label delivers.“Our choice of bathroom fixtures and sanitaryware is never driven by a brand alone,” says Sohrab Dalal, Co-Founder & Design Partner, Designplus Architecture. “We take cognisance of how each brand approaches design and performance. Some are very strong in engineering and water efficiency, others in detailing and tactile quality.”“When I choose a bathroom brand, I’m not chasing labels; I’m looking for how quietly it performs over years of use,” adds Aggarwal.Consequently, designers like Harshita Agarwal, Founder, Harshita Agarwal Interiors, end up working “across multiple sanitary brands depending on the client’s budget, lifestyle and design intent”. That said, sanitary brands that balance design, performance and durability score, according to Ayush Mittal, Principal Architect, House of Lalittya. “I prefer designs offering clean proportions and excellent finishes to choose from,” he says. “Functionality and user comfort matter just as much as aesthetics. Material quality, durability and service support ensure the products age well, resist staining and maintain their finish over time.”Of late, Sumessh Menon, Principal Designer, Sumessh Menon & Associates, observes that three aspects have taken precedence while choosing bath fixtures: technology, art and wellness. “We are always picking up solutions that are precision-based, think well-crafted, exotic shower enclosures where steam is well contained,” he says. “Most of our luxury clients are committed to their wellness goals, so we look at brands that go beyond ordinary functionality. In our projects, we have started incorporating features such as ‘Sun’ panels (a form of light therapy within shower panels), instant ice bath (a solution we integrated for a sports celebrity client) and even an oxygen bar that is a niche, therapeutic add-on.”The winnersEuropean and Italian brands provide great options blending technology, art and wellness, continues Menon. In fact, he points out that most luxury brands collaborate with designers or designer brands to introduce a living, functional piece of art rather than merely design products. This, he says, is a defining factor because “every element in the bath space needs to contribute to the overall wow factor”.A powder room by Sumessh Menon Associates in Casa D’Avorio, a high-end home on the 70th floor of Lodha World One, Mumbai, features a custom marble basin from Turquoise and a sculptural faucet by Maier, along with other fittings by Trone and Hansgrohe. Another powder room in Eternal 360, a high-end residence in Oberoi Three Sixty West, Mumbai, features Kohler fittings. “Kohler, Gessi and Hansgrohe are some brands we have worked with,” says Mittal. “These brands are engineered with good water pressure performance, efficient flushing systems, ergonomic forms and easy maintenance.”According to Agarwal, “Kohler and Grohe stand out for engineering discipline, water control and reliability you don’t have to think about daily.” “Duravit and TOTO impress me with how deeply they understand ergonomics, hygiene and human comfort,” she continues. “With Axor, design becomes architectural – it’s expressive, intentional and never decorative for the sake of it. Artize works well in Indian homes where luxury also needs strong service support. Roca brings consistency and predictability, which is invaluable on larger or multi-location projects. Queo is interesting when clients want boldness and individuality in private spaces.”Endorsing the appreciation, Dalal says: “Brands like Grohe, Axor, and TOTO are extremely refined in how they handle user experience; everything feels precise, quiet, and intuitive. Duravit and Roca work well when you’re looking for clean forms that sit comfortably within contemporary architecture without becoming overpowering.” Noting that Indian luxury brands like Artize and Queo have evolved significantly over the years, he says, “they offer good design depth, quicker availability and strong service support, which is important for large or time-sensitive projects.”What’s more, the growing sensitivity of Indian luxury brands to global design trends, while still responding to local conditions, makes them increasingly relevant, continues Dalal.Consistent onsite experience sees Agarwal specifying Grohe more often. Its position as accessible luxury, performing exceptionally well in the premium-practical segment, is what she sees as setting it apart. “Grohe products deliver a very reliable and comfortable bathing experience, especially the shower systems, which are well-engineered in terms of water pressure, spray quality and overall user comfort. Given that bathrooms today are spaces where users spend significant time, this experience becomes a key deciding factor.”From a design perspective, Grohe’s range of finishes works well across different interior styles, Agarwal continues. “The finishes feel premium, contemporary and are easy to integrate into both minimal and layered residential designs.” She also endorses Grohe sanitaryware for after-sales service, which she says is crucial in residential projects where long-term performance and maintenance matter as much as aesthetics. As a downside, she says the design language can sometimes feel more functional than expressive so for clients looking for highly sculptural, bespoke or statement sanitaryware, niche luxury brands that offer stronger visual drama may be a better fit. Cautionary noteWith some international brands, a downside is that they may involve longer lead times or tighter coordination during execution, while others may offer a slightly narrower design vocabulary, says Dalal. “But these are not drawbacks as much as practical aspects that need to be understood early in the design process.”Cost, lead time or service reach are the usual downsides, according to Aggarwal, advising an honest discussion with clients about those realities.At the end of the day, the [brand] decision depends on the project, the client and the architectural language we’re trying to build, says Dalal. “Fixtures should quietly do their job, age well and feel effortless to use. When that happens, the brand disappears and the space takes over.”