Kitchen and Bath Products

Staff -- Interior Design, 10/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Waterworks: Inspired by the clean lines of commercial fittings, the Industrial Luxe collection by Aero Studios updates (and significantly upgrades) the look. The hardware is distinguished by a smoothly arcing spout and simple hot-and-cold cross-handles. Waterworks, 60 Backus Avenue, Danbury, CT 06810. www.waterworks.com.

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Vitraform: We were dazzled by this free-form sink fabricated in laminated blue glass. Standard and custom shapes available in 12 colors. Vitraform, 3500 Blake Street, Denver, CO 80205. www.vitraform.com.

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KWC Faucets: Created by architect and designer Hannes Wettstein, KONOS features a single lever faucet with a pull-out aerator. Available in polished-chrome or brushed-nickel finish. KWC Faucets, 1770 Corporate Drive, Norcross, GA 30093. www.kwcfaucets.com.

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Franke: Designed by F.A. Porsche, the Mythos faucet in satin nickel incorporates a swivel tap and pull-out spray. The Mythos sink is made from a granite composite that is scratch- and chip-resistant. Coordinating accessories including chopping board, drainer tray, and strainer bowl are also available. Franke/Kitchen Systems, 3050 Campus Drive, Suite 500, Hatfield, PA 19440. www.frankeconsumerproducts.com.

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Gaggenau: For people who can do much more than boil water, there is Gaggenau's 294-600 built-in double oven. This pyrolytic self-cleaning system provides nine different heating modes, including a setting for stone baking fresh breads and pizzas. The two ovens can be programmed separately to accommodate those interested in concocting multicourse meals. Available with aluminum or anthracite facings. Gaggenau, 5551 McFadden Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA 92649.

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Majestic Minimalist

Lord Norman Foster is the latest in a line of marquee designers (including Philippe Starck, Michael Graves, and Massimo Iosa Ghini) tapped by Duravit to create a signature line of bath products. In Foster's collection, purity is paramount. Nothing superfluous remains. Every element in the range—from washbasin to soap dispenser—is based on the spare, ovoid form created when two circles are placed side by side. The simple geometric shapes are executed in a combination of aluminum, smooth ceramic, and glass—producing a bath of unparalleled cool. Duravit, 1750 Breckinridge Parkway, Duluth, GA 30096. www.duravit.com.

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Sincerely Yours, XO

With hardware as sexy and sleek as this, how could we not fall in love with it? The XO collection from English designer Christo Lefroy Brooks includes about 20 pieces, including basins, tubs, and sinks—each outfitted with über-contemporary faucets and handles made from molten stainless steel. Created using the lost-wax technique (most often used for jewelry), the pieces reveal a heretofore unseen dedication to premium quality. We were particularly wowed by the Zu shower, whose components are shown here in the middle row. Its iconic knobs and levers make adjusting the water temperature an act as monumental as cracking a safe. While the majority of the collection—which the designer calls "simple and rather Zen"—is for the bath, a selection of fittings is also available for the kitchen. Lefroy Brooks, 16 Crosby Street, New York, NY 10013. www.lefroybrooks.com.

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