ICERA Introduces Their Muse II Toilet

ICERA introduces the Muse II with a new sleek look featuring clean lines and a sophisticated vibe. Crafted of vitreous china, this one-piece toilet is ideal for compact spaces, with a footprint that is the same as a traditional round toilet but offering the comfort and style of an elongated seat. The Muse II is notable for its Rimless Wash system with large twin jets at the back of the bowl and an open rim that maximizes flushing power. When combined with ICERA's anti-microbial MicroGlaze finish, the Muse II becomes an easy-to-clean toilet that is especially well suited for hard-water and well-water environments. The Muse II incorporates ICERA's EcoQuattro technology, using only 1.28 gpf for high-efficiency performance. The skirted trapway is designed for easy maintenance and installation, and the chair-height bowl is ADA compliant. The Muse II includes a Duroplast Silent Close, Quick-Release seat with a polished chrome tank lever and seat hinge caps. The toilet comes in a white finish and offers a variety of optional hardware finishes, including polished nickel, satin nickel, polished brass and Venetian bronze.  

 

Victoria + Albert's 2nd Internation Design Awards Competition

Victoria + Albert Baths announced the return of the International Design Awards for the second year. Open to all architects, designers and students, the entry is free and the only prerequisite is that the design is a boutique hotel bathroom space of 10' x 10' and achieved using Victoria + Albert's range of products. This year Victoria + Albert is delighted to welcome a panel of global judges comprised of architects and designers from renowned practices with expertise in the hospitality design industry, including top talent from the US; Alexandra Champalimaud of Champalimaud Design, and Richard Felix-Ashman of Handel Architects. For an online entry form visit vandabaths.com or email competition@vandabaths.com for any questions.  

• PRIZE: An all-expenses paid trip to the 2018 Salone del Mobile in Milan, Italy (flights, transfers, 2 nights in a hotel, and entry to the exhibition)
• EXPOSURE: The winning bath design will be incorporated into the Victoria + Albert Booth at Salone del Mobile providing immediate exposure to the international design community and the winner will receive PR and social media exposure following the event.
• COMPETITION DEADLINE: 22nd December 2017
• REQUIREMENTS: Create a Concept boutique bathroom space of 10' x 10' using the Victoria + Albert products. The entry must include a 150 word description, at least 2 project views including a rendering or sketch, and a floor plan, using the 2D or 3D downloads from the website.
• HOW TO ENTER: Interested participants should visit www.vandabaths.com
   

Franke's New Absinthe Kitchen Faucet Line

Franke's newest collection of innovative faucets for the heart of the home is the Absinthe kitchen faucet line. Now available, the new collection of kitchen faucets combines sleek aesthetics with state-of-the-art technology. Available in six styles - One-Hole Faucet with Side Spray, a Pull-Down Faucet, Pull-Out Faucet, Wall Mount Pot Filler Faucet, Bar Faucet and Prep Faucet. Franke's Absinthe line features extensive swivel ranges; water-saving flow rates; and four finishes: matte black, polished nickel, satin nickel, or polished chrome finish. Absinthe faucets combine transitional style with singular form.

California Faucets Offers Kitchen Faucets in Gold Finishes

California Faucets offers designers and homeowners alike a new ingredient when it comes to personalizing their kitchen designs. Among the array of customizable faucet options designed to let you express your inner chef is a wide spectrum of on-trend gold and brass finishes. In fact, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), shades of gold and brass are the hottest finishes in today's kitchens and baths. With a vision for the reemergence of this classic finish, California Faucets offers one of the largest varieties of premium gold and brass finishes available on the market. These artisan finishes, produced by hand at the company's Huntington Beach, California factory, allow consumers to venture outside their chrome and nickel comfort zones and experiment with an alternate decorative color spectrum. In addition to the streamlined culinary faucets, which offer an industry-first ability to color the outer spring in one of over 13 PVD finishes, there are four additional pull-down kitchen faucets series now available in the company's distinctive shades of gold and brass. These include the traditional Davoli Series, the curvy Rosolina Series, and the minimalist Poetto Series.

Lenova Introduces Their Drawer-Depth Apron Front Sinks

Lenova announced its new line of Drawer-Depth Apron Front Sinks. Although apron front sinks are often must-have items for consumers who are building or remodeling a home, their oversized proportions frequently require expensive and time-consuming custom cabinets. Lenova offers the perfect solution - a collection of beautiful sinks featuring a dramatic 9" flat front that delivers a bold impact while still compatible with most standard sized cabinetry. By tailoring their dimensions to those of traditional drawer fronts, Lenova eliminates the need for custom cabinets and helps their customers save both time and money. The collection includes a double bowl configuration measuring 33" x 21 7/8" x 9" and two single-bowl designs measuring 33" or 30" wide. All have thoughtful standard features such as 5-side sound baffling pads and insulation, an easy-to-clean satin finish and Lenova's superior X Channel drainage technology.  Crafted from durable commercial-grade 304 stainless steel, the Drawer-Depth Apron Front Sinks are a smart and sophsticated addition to any kitchen. Optional features include bottom grids, cutting boards and strainer baskets.

California Faucets Wins Hanley Wood's 2017 Brand Builder Award

California Faucets announced  it was honored with Hanley Wood's 2017 Brand Builder Award for Aqua Pella, the company's latest Pixar-inspired video campaign.  Aqua Pella, the fun and memorable story of five faucets showing off their unique design personalities in a singing competition, received the Gold Brand Builder Award in the Best Channel Marketing category. The Aqua Pella video is unique and unexpected in the plumbing fixtures and fittings industry. Hanley Wood's annual Brand Builder Awards recognizes the most innovative and effective marketing campaigns throughout the residential and commercial design and construction industries.  A jury of experts in all areas of marketing reviewed entries, recognizing those who have executed campaigns that generate sales, motivate buying behavior, and inspire customer loyalty.

Hansgrohe Again Sponsors the James Beard Foundation's Taste America Tour

Hansgrohe USA is once again a sponsor of the James Beard Foundation's Taste America culinary tour. Running October through November 11, the 5th anniversary of the tour features a weekend of spectacular dining and culinary programming in ten cities. Hansgrohe is a sponsor of three stops: Philadelphia, October 13-14; San Francisco, October 27-28; and Austin, November 3-4. Each stop features a mixture of special dinners, as well as celebrity chef demonstrations at local outposts of Sur La Table, the popular kitchen supply retailer and cooking class destination. The continued support for James Beard Foundation complements Hansgrohe's ongoing collaboration with Sur La Table stores, dozens of which feature hansgrohe® and AXOR® products in their kitchens which include the Metris Select Kitchen Faucet, Talis® S HighArc Kitchen Faucet, and Talis S Potfiller.  A portion of the proceeds from its Taste America tour will be donated to establish Taste America scholarships for aspiring culinary students in each Taste America city. Full tour details are available at www.jbftasteamerica.org.

Ronbow Introduces Their New Website

Ronbow® Corporation introduced its new website: https://www.ronbow.com. The new website offers architects, designers and specifiers a comprehensive resource to discover and explore products from the Ronbow Signature, Ronbow and Ronbow Essentials brands for home design projects (Ronbow's better, best and good categories, respectively). The new layout also provides consumers a visual and inspirational guide to design or create their bathroom space. Additionally, an e-commerce marketplace for the Ronbow Essentials brand will launch later this fall on the website, giving consumers access to Ronbow Corporation's entry-level product category, offered at their published retail price points. With an aim to increase function and visitor interaction, Ronbow designed a visually appealing, user-friendly website with features that include: 

• Shop portal
• Wish list function
• Showroom locator
• Promotions
• Catalogs

American Standard Recognized as 2017 WaterSense Partner of the Year

American Standard has been recognized with a 2017 WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year Award for the brand's ongoing efforts to increase awareness about water conservation and the use of WaterSense labeled products. A two-time winner of this distinction from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American Standard demonstrated the importance of looking toward the future through its research and development of new water-efficient technologies. A key component was the LIXIL Beauty in Motion mobile showroom that toured the United States in 2016, and continues its nationwide trek throughout 2018.  The WaterSense Partner of the Year awards recognize organizations that are on the cutting edge of water efficiency, innovation, collaboration and outreach. Over the past decade, American Standard and nearly 2,000 other WaterSense partners have helped consumers save more than 2.1 trillion gallons of water, or more than the amount used by all U.S. households for 75 days. 

Victoria + Albert Unveils a New Recessed Basin Collection

Victoria + Albert unveiled a new collection of recessed basins that provides even more opportunities to create a beautifully luxurious bathroom environment. The new basins allow homeowners and designers to create custom vanities to coordinate effortlessly with the rest of the bathroom. The sinks may be paired for a 'his and hers' effect or used individually for an elegant focal point. Headlining this newest collection are the Lario 100 Solo and Mandello 114 Solo basins. Both sinks had been previously available only as part of Victoria + Albert's vanity furniture collection (thus their new 'solo' designations). Created by renowned design studio Meneghello Paolelli Associati, they bring a sophisticated glamour to any bathroom décor. Both the Lario and Mandello feature full width tap ledges - perfect for keeping essential soaps and lotions close at hand. Both basins may be countertop mounted or semi-recessed, and deck-mounted with brassware for easy cleaning. Like all Victoria + Albert products, both basins are crafted from ENGLISHCAST®, their signature composite of Volcanic Limestone™ and resin that is extremely durable with a high gloss finish. 

• A traditional basin with graceful lines, the Lario 100 Solo (pictured) is influenced by Victorian design with a subtle rim detail that is quite beautiful. It is generously proportioned at 39-3/8" long by 18-7/8" wide by 5" high.
Rounding out the collection is the exquisitely contoured Mandello 114 Solo with its singular shape meant to evoke a water drop as it touches the surface of the water. Measuring just slightly larger, the Mandello is sized at 45-1/8" long by 22" wide by 7" high.

MTI Baths' New Incline Bathroom Sink

Versatility is a hallmark of truly great design, and MTI Baths has hit the nail on the head with their latest bathroom sink - the Incline. This extraordinary rectangular basin is notable for its sharply sloped bottom which runs from the front to an integrated slotted drain along the back of the sink bottom. With its sleek minimalist lines, the Incline lends itself to a variety of installations and adds an element of modern elegance to any luxury-minded bathroom. The Incline is part of MTI's Boutique Collection of lavatory sinks and is handcrafted of solid ScupltureStone™ for a molded stone look that is durable, eco-friendly and easy to maintain. Offering exceptional versatility, the Incline can be installed as an undermount sink. It can also be ordered as a Counter-Sink or Vanity Sink, where the sink bowl is fully and seamlessly integrated. The Vanity Sinks can be specified with either Parsons-style legs or waterfall-style side on two sides or only one for design and installation flexibility. Customers can also specify lengths, single or double bowl configurations, and the bowl position in the center or offset to the right or left. The bowl size of the Incline is a generous 19" x 15" in either white or biscuit matte with an optional gloss finish if desired.

Franke Hosts A Leadership Event, "THINK NEXT by Franke"

Nearly 500 entrepreneurs, opinion leaders, innovators and influencers gathered in Franke's Aarburg, Switzerland headquarters on Thursday, Aug. 31 for the company's first thought leadership event, "THINK NEXT by Franke." Experts discussed innovations and trends in the food industry - with a focus on cuisine, design, consumer behavior, architecture, sustainability and technology - via panels, insight sessions and trend labs. "THINK NEXT by Franke" was born from Franke's commitment to "Make It Wonderful" - a promise to make everyday life more special for its business partners and customers. "THINK NEXT by Franke" concluded with a food festival featuring stands from around the world with presentations by renowned chefs René Schudel and Bruno Barbieri as well as cookbook author Nadia Damaso. Renowned specialists from every corner of the world shared valuable insights:
 

• Claus Meyer, culinary entrepreneur, emphasized the need to reflect varying seasons in a meal and use exceptional ingredients based on climate, landscape and waters.
• Philippe Starck, French designer, involved the audience in a presentation that focused on "The Duty of Creativity."
• Matteo Thun, Italian architect, discussed the importance of integrating nature and architecture so that architecture is perceived as a part of nature and not treated as a foreign object.
• Marius Robles, CEO and co-founder of ReImagine Food, and Stephan Sigrist, head of W.I.R.E., presented "The Influence of Technology on the Future of Cooking," showcasing how smart devices and machines are shaping new ways of cooking, eating and shopping.
• Marije Vogelzang, food designer, invited guests to participate in a multi-sensorial food experience, discovering foods such as tangerines, marshmallows and rice pudding by smelling, touching and tasting only.
• Tyler Brûlé, editor-in-chief of Monocle, discussed insights on innovations and trends in the food industry.
• Melchior Lengsfeld, executive director of Helvetas, and Michael Lammel, designer and co-founder of NOA, illustrated that developing new designs and technologies for faucets is not contradictory to the importance of providing worldwide access to clean water.

Hastings Tile & Bath Names Cary Hergenrother National Sales Manager

Hastings Tile & Bath announced the addition of Cary Hergenrother (pictured on the right) as the company's National Sales Manager. Cary returns to Hastings with 16 years of experience in various sales management positions including 11 years with Hastings and tenures with Ronbow and Lixil Brands. Michael Homola, C.E.O. and co-owner of Hastings Tile & Bath said, "I can't think of anyone I would rather have fill this important position than Cary." Rich Kucera, C.F.O. and co-owner added, "With the exciting product offering that we have now compiled, we are happy to have Cary back at Hastings to help optimize our market position." Hastings also announced that Bob Gifford (pictured on the left) moved up to the position of Director of Business Development. Bob has held several key management positions with Hastings over the last 19 years and more recently has been instrumental in rolling out Hastings expansive line of bathroom furniture. Bob will be working closely with Cary and the sales team to advance the Hastings and VOLA product lines in the market.

Top Knobs Adds Two New Series to Their Devon Collection

Top Knobs offers two new cabinet pull series under the Devon Collection: the Exeter and Torbay series of cabinet pulls. Fine detailing and craftsmanship set these trending transitional pulls apart with subtle edging and flowing curves. New finishes, including Ash Gray and Honey Bronze, complete the launches and offer designers and homeowners greater flexibility and personalization. Other available finishes include black, brushed satin nickel, polished chrome, polished nickel, Sable and Umbrio. 

• Devon Collection Exeter Series  (pictured) - the Exeter series features a modern style bar pull that is equally at home in any style kitchen. Each piece starts with the same basic bar pull shape. Each corner, where the pull bends down to attach to cabinetry, is sliced on a subtle angle to reveal an oval shaped edge. Exeter series pulls are offered in six sizes to suit a variety of door and drawer lengths: 3 3/4", 5 1/16", 6 5/16", 7 9/16", 8 13/16" and 12" center-to-center.
• Devon Collection Torbay Series - the Torbay series highlights a classic pull shape that adds elegance wherever it is used. Each gently shaped pull offers fluid curves at the base that spread out to elongate the shape of the piece and add effortless style to cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Torbay is available in six sizes: 3 3/4", 5 1/16", 6 5/16", 7 9/16", 8 13/16" and 12" center-to-center.