Axor Starck

Axor is the premium design line at Hansgrohe, and Starck is the range that started it. Philippe Starck's work with Axor began with the Salon d'Eau in 1994 and has run for three decades since. What sits on this page is not one look but three. The original Axor Starck borrows the archetypal form of a well pump, Axor Starck Organic is drawn from natural shapes, and Axor Starck V carries a glass spout so you watch the water turn as it leaves. They share a name and a designer, not a silhouette, so read the full title before judging a thumbnail.

Where the Weight of This Range Sits

Starck at Bella Bathrooms is a showering and bathing range first. Thermostatic modules, concealed shower mixers, bath spouts and bath diverters make up most of it, with basin mixers, a bidet mixer, two shelves and a short run of commercial fittings alongside. Axor makes no basins, baths or toilets in the range we carry, so plan Starck as the tapware layer over ceramics chosen elsewhere.

Decoding the Abbreviated Titles

Hansgrohe's short titles carry real information. Conc means concealed, Therm or Term means thermostatic, and F-Set or FS means finish set. Concealed Hansgrohe installations come in two halves: a basic set built into the wall, then a finish set, the visible trim and handles, mounted onto it afterwards. A finish set on its own will not run water, so establish which half you are ordering. W/O means without, so W/O Pull Rod arrives with no pop-up waste lever.

Finishes Across the Range

Chrome is the volume finish here. Beyond it Starck runs through brushed and polished black chrome, stainless steel optic, polished gold optic and polished red gold. Two codes appear in the titles and both are spelled out in full elsewhere in the same range: BBR is Brushed Bronze and BRG is Brushed Red Gold. Axor calls its colour programme FinishPlus, and Hansgrohe produces these surfaces by physical vapour deposition, a vacuum process that adds a metal layer rather than plating one on.

Start at the full Axor range for the wider Hansgrohe premium catalogue, or go to Axor thermostatic shower mixers and Axor concealed shower mixers, which gather the shower controls from Starck and every other range side by side. Send us the article number if you are matching a finish across items.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed the Axor Starck range?

Philippe Starck. His partnership with Axor, the premium design line at Hansgrohe, started with the Salon d'Eau in 1994 and has continued for three decades. He is credited with all three families you will find on this page: the original Axor Starck, Axor Starck Organic and Axor Starck V. Axor names its ranges after the designers behind them, which is the point of the brand rather than a marketing flourish.

What is the difference between Axor Starck, Starck Organic and Starck V?

They are three separate collections that share a designer. The original Axor Starck takes its form from the traditional well pump and reads as pared back and utilitarian. Axor Starck Organic is drawn from natural forms, with flowing curves and a two-part handle arrangement. Axor Starck V builds the spout in glass so the water is visible as it turns. Check the exact wording in the product title, because all three sit in this collection.

Why do some Starck products say Basic Set and others say Finish Set?

Concealed Hansgrohe installations are supplied in two halves. The basic set is the valve body that is plumbed in and plastered over, so it is invisible once the wall is closed. The finish set is the visible plate, spout and handles that mount onto it afterwards. You need both for a working shower or bath. The advantage is that the finish set can be changed later without opening the wall again.

What do BBR and BRG mean in the Axor Starck product titles?

They are Hansgrohe finish codes. BBR is Brushed Bronze and BRG is Brushed Red Gold. Both appear spelled out in full in other product names in the same range, which is how you can confirm them. Axor groups its coloured surfaces under the FinishPlus programme, produced by physical vapour deposition rather than conventional plating. Chrome remains the most widely stocked option.

Does Bella Bathrooms stock Axor Starck basins or baths?

No. Axor Starck at Bella Bathrooms is taps, shower controls and a small number of accessories only. The name causes confusion because Philippe Starck has also designed ceramics for other manufacturers, and those are separate products from a separate brand. Plan your Axor Starck items as the tapware layer and choose the basin, bath or toilet from another range on the site.