Kitchen & Bath Design News is the industry's leading business, design and product resource for the kitchen and bath trade.
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Product Trend Report May 2014 ForResidentialPros.com | 35 By Janice Costa W ater provides a sensory experience that is essential to the bathroom. Perhaps that's why the bath sink and faucet remain such an integral design element to the space. While function matters, fashion takes center stage when it comes to the bath sink and faucet, with everything from the faucet fnish to the texture of the sink material to the design of the water fow being taken into consideration to maximize design impact. Today's bath faucets are showcasing sleek designs, stylish fnishes and a touch of "bling" to add visual interest. In sinks, organic shapes, timeless designs and nature-inspired looks are hot right now – along with some new materials that ofer greater design fexibility. That's according to manufacturers recently interviewed by Kitchen & Bath Design News, who see transitional styling remain- ing strong, while luxury fnishes and a touch of technology add updated style and function to the bath sink and faucet arena. STYLE TRENDS When it comes to the traditional versus contemporary versus transitional debate, it seems that each camp has strong advocates. Lou Rohl, CEO and managing partner of the Irvine, CA-based Rohl maintains, "Traditional con- tinues to be an important trend. It still represents the large majority of the bathroom faucet design selection. There has been a continued interest in what is termed 'transitional,' which to me is a move away from the hard-edge modern designs to a preference for a little more rounded shapes, which can take its form in such emerging design trends as machined industrial knurling and fnished tones of glass and stone blending into metal fnishes." At the North Olmsted, OH-based Moen, senior product man- ager Brad Crozier still sees a trend toward cleaner, seamless designs. He notes, "Modern styling is growing; however tran- sitional styling is still the most popular." Javier Korneluk, U.S. managing director for Laufen, says, "Contemporary design still reigns as the most popular 'style' as far as Laufen's products are concerned. Elegant shapes and thinner silhouettes are becoming much more popular now, based on the ceramic technology that allows that kind of de- fned edging." At Delta Faucet Co., in Indianapolis, IN, director of industrial design Judd Lord sees it as less about which style is hot and more about how styles can be juxtaposed to meet consumers' individual needs, tastes and preferences. He explains, "Com- pliance to conventional style categories has lessened as more homeowners work to create a space uniquely their own. When designing bathroom spaces, homeowners are more likely to mix traditional and contemporary styles, as well as DIY and high-end materials to create a look refective of their individual personality. This convergence of styles is refected in their faucet choices. Homeowners who once defned their homes as strictly traditional may consider a faucet with a modern, sleek architecture and an old-world fnish as a way to elevate their classic style beyond the expected." Noah Taft, senior v.p., marketing & sales at the Huntington Beach, CA-based California Faucets, also sees some blending of style trends. He explains, "While traditional remains strong through most of the country, we've defnitely seen an uptick of interest in transitional design: contemporary, but with softer edges and added curves. Interestingly, we've also seen increas- ing interest in transitional faucets that draw their inspiration from the traditional rather than the contemporary side. Perhaps even more striking is the continued, even growing interest in Art Deco, as evidenced not only by public interest in our Art Deco Collection, but in our new Rincon Bay Series, which integrates transitional elements into what is clearly an Art Deco design foundation." Luky 'Jade' Ng, A xor Design Fashion continues to drive bath sink and faucet trends, with sleek, timeless designs, organic shapes, stylish fnishes and a touch of 'bling' adding designer appeal. The Isabella Collection by Whitehaus Collection combines geometric shapes with smooth porcelain to create a contemporary yet refned feel. Isabella features basins in round, square, rectangular and teardrop shapes. Shown is the rectangular wall- mount basin with a chrome towel bar. Circle No. 160 on Product Card Xylem found inspiration in ancient Cholula pottery for its REFLEX Aztec vessel sink. Distinguished by an Aztec Indian motif, the sinks feature a fusion of glass with metallic coils and stone. The Gold, Copper and Cofee-hued Aztec patterns are bonded to the underside of the tempered glass vessel. Circle No. 165 on Product Card Stone Forest's new Industrial Pedestal Stand with Sink features a trestle stand fashioned from cast iron. The sinks are available in Stainless, Copper/Stainless, Antique Dark or Antique Light Copper. The Copper sinks are crafted from 100% recycled materials. Circle No. 163 on Product Card The Nature Series of bath sinks refects a move by Kraus toward designs inspired by Earth's elemental beauty. The handcrafted glass sinks present the rich hues of nature, with colors ranging from lush green to burning red to crisp ice blue with layered patterns for a multidimensional appearance. Circle No. 164 on Product Card KWC has extended its Ono kitchen faucet line to the bath. The KWC Ono collection for the bath features contemporary lines and minimalist design. The basin faucet is available in two single-lever models: an 8" faucet for rimmed or drop-in sinks, and a tall version with a 12-1/16" pillar for vessel sinks. The Neoperl Cache aerator provides a fow rate of 1.5 gpm. Circle No. 162 on Product Card A new line of Bridge Faucets from Strom Plumbing by Sign of the Crab ofers a classic vintage look with variable function. The elbows on this faucet pivot, allowing the valves to rotate forward, backward or fully extended so the faucet can be used for an 8" or 10" center to center installation. Circle No. 161 on Product Card KBD_34-39_PTR.indd 35 4/15/14 1:46 PM