The Blutide Darling range
Darling is a six-product range, all of it listed in chrome. What makes it worth a look at this size is what it includes rather than how much there is: a round freestanding bath mixer with a hand shower sits in the range alongside the concealed and wall-type fittings, and a freestanding mixer is usually the first thing a small range leaves out. If you are putting a freestanding bath into a room and want the basin and shower controls to read as part of the same family, Darling does that in six items.
What the six pieces cover
The range runs to a concealed diverter mixer, a concealed shower mixer, a wall-type bath mixer with a standard offset, the round freestanding bath mixer with hand shower, a sink mixer for the kitchen and a guest basin mixer. That is one item per job. Darling works as a specification for a single bathroom plus a kitchen tap, but it gives you no second option inside any category, and there are no accessories, towel rails or shower heads under the Darling name.
The freestanding bath mixer
A freestanding bath mixer stands on the floor beside the bath rather than fixing to the bath rim or the wall, so the supply is brought up through the floor. That position has to be set out before the screed goes down and before the bath is placed, because moving it afterwards means opening the floor again. Confirm the distance from the bath while the plumbing is still accessible, and think about where the hand shower will sit when it is not in use.
Where else to look
Because the range is only one deep in each category, most buyers end up comparing it against the rest of the brand. Darling pieces appear on the freestanding bath mixers, bath mixers, basin mixers, kitchen mixers and shower mixers pages.
The full Blutide catalogue, including the larger ranges and the black, gunmetal and brushed brass finish pages, sits under Blutide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many products are in the Blutide Darling range?
Six active products. It is one of the smaller Blutide ranges, and it is built one deep: a concealed diverter mixer, a concealed shower mixer, a wall-type bath mixer, a freestanding bath mixer with hand shower, a kitchen sink mixer and a guest basin mixer. That covers a bathroom and a kitchen tap, but it does not give you a choice within any single category.
Does the Darling range include a freestanding bath mixer?
Yes, and it is the reason most people look at this range. The Darling round freestanding bath mixer comes with a hand shower, and it is unusual for a six-product range to carry one at all. It means you can run a freestanding bath and still have the concealed shower mixer and basin mixer come from the same family rather than mixing ranges.
How is a freestanding bath mixer installed?
It stands on the floor next to the bath, so the hot and cold supplies are brought up through the floor slab rather than through a wall or the bath rim. The position must be set before the screed is laid and before the bath goes in, because correcting it later means breaking up flooring. Have the plumber mark it against the actual bath, not against the plan.
What does a concealed diverter mixer do?
It controls temperature and flow like any mixer, and it also diverts water between two outlets, typically a bath spout and a shower head. That lets one wall-mounted control run a combined bath and shower without a second valve. Concealed means the body is buried in the wall with only the plate and lever showing, so it has to be installed before the wall is tiled.
Can I combine Darling with other Blutide ranges?
Yes, and with a range this small it is common. Darling is listed in chrome, so any other chrome Blutide fitting will sit with it without a finish clash. Since there are no Darling accessories, towel rails or shower heads, those will have to come from elsewhere in the brand anyway. Check product images for handle and spout shape if a close visual match matters.
