Beautiful Basins

They say the best things come in small packages. And, like a jewel box or glass-encased treasure in a museum, even the tiniest bathroom holds the promise of surprise and delight for anyone who opens its doors.

This is the single-minded mission of London Basin Company, whose eclectic collection of handcrafted sinks ranges from opulent to earthy, charming to charismatic. Founded in 2015 by Anna Callis, an interior decorator, and her daughter Nathalie, a former marketing executive, London Basin Company tapped into the potential of the bathroom to move beyond a monochromatic, function-before-form space into a realm of whimsy and enchantment. With a keen eye for the exquisite and the unexpected, their swoon-worthy basins suddenly vaulted to “it” status coveted by designers.

“Where bathrooms were once white and minimal, our basins have added decorative interest and a fun pop of color,” Nathalie says. “The whole premise is that the bathroom doesn’t have to be basic or boring.” 

This flair for the dramatic is evident at London Basin Company’s showroom in the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour. Sunlight filters through the bright space, illuminating the details on vibrant glazes and faceted Bohemia crystal. Anna Callis’s designs are inspired by her travels and love of artifacts—old porcelain, vintage fabrics, patterned wallpapers, and antiques. Each basin is a work of art, an ode to her design sensibilities, the talented artisans from around the world who create them, and the homeowners who elevate them to special status in their homes. 

The concept for London Basin Company grew from Anna’s search for a decorative basin to include in a project she was working on for a client. Unable to source a product that fit what she had in mind, she set out to create it. This led her on a more than three-year journey to develop her patterns and find the right porcelain factory to reproduce them onto basins of the highest quality. 

Every London Basin Company porcelain sink is hand-thrown by skilled craftsmen before being pressed, polished, and smoothed to perfection. Depending on the style, various techniques—hand-painting, stenciling, or engraving—bring the intricate details to life. Each basin is then fired at 1,300 degrees, up to three times, to maximize its durability.

“Durability is our biggest concern,” Nathalie says. “Our sinks are thick—10 kilos (22 pounds) each. They look more delicate than they are.” 

In many ways, London Basin Company’s designs have given new life to the vessel sinks of earlier decades, which had enjoyed popularity in the late 20th century but had fallen out of favor. Creative manufacturers such as London Basin are giving interior decorators new options for bold design statements and offering homeowners a way to make clever use of old dressers or vanities in their bathrooms.

London Basin Company’s sinks are now available worldwide, with a new U.S. website recently launched to sell to the trade and directly to consumers. And they are a fitting embodiment of the personalities and lifestyles of their owners. 

“No matter where they sit, what makes them so charming is that no two are exactly the same,” Nathalie says. “We set out to add beauty and joy to the home's smallest, and often most neglected, room. No longer just functional spaces, bathrooms and cloakrooms are finally getting the attention they deserve,” she adds, “and can be reflective of personal style, much like living spaces and bedrooms.”