Christian Haas channels perfume bottle geometry for Villeroy & Boch

German industrial designer Christian Haas has introduced Vea, a refined series of bathroom taps for Villeroy & Boch that translates the elegant geometry of classic perfume bottles into a precise, sculptural bathroom form.

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Developed as a study in “sensual reduction”, the Vea taps are defined by crisp facets that catch and redirect light, sharpening edges and casting controlled shadows that emphasise a slim, clearly articulated silhouette.

The result is a bathroom fitting that feels both architectural and restrained, designed to integrate quietly into a wide range of interior contexts while still maintaining a distinct identity.

“The inspiration for the facet actually came from the classic design language of a perfume bottle,” Haas said. “For me, a classic glass bottle always has something very elegant about it, almost a natural, everyday luxury. That was our starting point.”

That notion of everyday luxury is carried through the collection’s material and operational details. Available in matt black or chrome, the taps use geometry rather than ornamentation to create visual interest, allowing light to define their presence rather than decorative excess.

A key design shift is the removal of the traditional tap handle. Instead, Vea introduces a central control button, rendered in black or white ceramic, which regulates water flow. This ViPush system allows the user to press and rotate the control to adjust temperature, creating a tactile interaction that reinforces the object’s sculptural clarity.

“The lever is often a visual distraction in the silhouette of a tap,” Haas explained. “Without it, we were able to reduce the body to a clear basic form.”

This reduction aligns with Haas’s broader design philosophy of “sensual reduction”, where clarity and restraint are balanced with a quiet sense of refinement. Rather than dominating a bathroom interior, Vea is intended to recede into it, contributing to the spatial atmosphere without visual noise.

“Ir my opinion, a sculptural approach and calm design are not mutually exclusive,” he said. “With Vea, the aim was to achieve a high degree of independence and recognisability that nevertheless blends discreetly into different architectural contexts.”

Through its distilled geometry and perfume bottle references, Vea positions the bathroom tap as a small but deliberate architectural object, where precision detailing shapes both function and atmosphere.

Images courtesy of Villeroy & Boch via Dezeen