Flat designer wall-mounted tap, gold, black or anthracite grey

Most outdoor taps look alike: a yellow brass body and a red wheel. This one does the opposite, with a cube-shaped body, a short right-angled spout and a flat lever on top, like you'd see on a bathroom basin.

It comes in gold, black or anthracite grey. Black and grey go well with dark aluminium window frames, cladding or grey render; gold stands out against light render or a stone façade. The photos show it mounted on a terrace wall as well as on white tiles, which gives a good idea of how it looks once installed.

The dimensions are shown on one of the photos: about 11 cm long, 7 cm high, and a G1/2 male thread of about 1.5 cm at the back. The round rose is 5 cm in diameter and hides the join with the wall.

G1/2 is the 15x21 of French hardware shops. This tap therefore screws into a wall elbow or female connector of the same size that already comes out of the wall. Before tightening, wrap a few turns of PTFE tape in the direction of the thread, slide on the rose, then screw in until the spout points straight down. The supplier says installation hardware comes with the tap.

Its outlet ends in an aerator, not a threaded nozzle. It is ideal for rinsing your hands, filling a watering can or washing boots, near a barbecue, a summer kitchen or a garden shed. For a garden hose that stays connected, a model with a ribbed nozzle or quick-fit connector will be more practical.

The supplier lists it as zinc alloy, with a painted or chrome surface depending on the colour. When frost approaches, close the indoor stop valve, open the lever to drain the remaining water and leave it open until spring.