Adjustable Faucets
As seen at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Chicago: two new fittings that can be adjusted by users.
The Dual Art by Xylem is a patent-pending bath faucet that has an arm that pivots from the faucet body to vary the angle of the water stream and can be fixed using a hand tightened screw. Once users set the height, they can adjust the angle of the stream using the aerator cylinder at the end of the spout. The single-handle faucet is available in chrome and brushed nickel.
www.xylem.biz .
Kohler's Karbon articulating kitchen faucet grabbed a lot of attention at the show, where users could not stop bending the jointed fitting. The Karbon will maintain the exact position where a user places it within its allotted reach in or outside the sink, keeping the spray head and water flow exactly where it's desired, the company says. It offers both spray and aerated flow options. It is installed with two disks of identical size flush to the countertop?one for the faucet and one for the control--that require non-standard 2-inch diameter holes. It is available in polished chrome and stainless finishes. www.kohler.com.
Pendants Add Drama to the Bath
The latest trend in bathrooms is to use pendants either alone or paired with wall sconces. The Sea Gull Lighting vignette shows a single pendant hanging down next to a wall mirror over a sink. "They are usually hung slightly above eye level," says Joann Wills, merchandising and training specialist with Sea Gull Lighting. Some designers use a ceiling-hung pendant centered over the sink, flanked by two sconces. www.seagulllighting.com
In the Midwest Living "Future Thinker" master bath vignette in the NKBA Design Idea Center, designer Liz Firebaugh used mirrored pendants on both sides of the mirrors to add a dramatic touch to both vanities.
Light Glow
Dupont offers the Illumination line of Corian that is crafted to glow in lighting applications. Illumination allows three times the light to pass through compared to standard Corian. "We're capitalizing on the hot trend right now which is light used as a design element," she says. It can be used with any type of lighting including LED's.
Under Glass
Renaissance Glassworks from Canada introduce a textured all glass shower base that can be lighted with the firm's lighting system. The base matches the firm's glass shower enclosures. It includes a pre-assembled drain connector and can be installed unsupported by a wall (in the middle of a room, for example) to receive the firm's self-supporting shower.
The firm also offers a 1-1/4'' thick glass integral basin with matching all glass faucet, it is an inside wall system all invisible plumbing fixtures and supports. The company also offers 1-1/2-inch and up thick glass countertops in 7 colors. www.renaissanceglassworks.com
Bright and Bold
Silestone's new Life! series brings five hot quartz countertop colors to kitchens and baths, including lime green, orange, blue and yellow and red. Similar to the rest of the company's quartz line, the material is antimicrobial, scratch and stain-resistant and non-porous. The colors are also available in integrated sinks for a seamless countertop and sink design.
Recycled Top
Vetrazzo offers three new colors in its line of countertops made of post consumer and post industrial recycled glass. The glass comes from goblets, bottles, traffic lights, windshields, and more. The material can be cleaned with soap and water, the company says. The company offers a ten year warranty.
www.vetrazzo.com
