• Waterworks

  225 E. 57 St.; 212-371-9266; 469 Broome St.; 212-966-0605; 7 E. 20 St.; 212-254-6025

  Yes, there are other places to shop for faucets and shower sets, but what designers rave about is this longtime favorite’s depth of stock, service, and the in-situ vignettes, so that even the creatively challenged can see how hardware will look installed. In addition to fittings, spigots, towel bars, and even bathrobes, Waterworks carries out-of-this-world fixtures, like the unbelievable egg-shaped matte tub in the .25 Collection ($8,925; higher in other finishes). The Soho store, in particular, is a marvel of retail design, with acres of white subway tile and mosaic marble flooring.

From the 2007 Best of New York issue of New York Magazine