Bath & Spa Products

Edited by Karen D. Singh -- Interior Design, 10/1/2005 12:00:00 AM

Bubble bath

The bubbles of the Optical tray won't pop on contact with water. Unlike the soapy variety, these circles by Nic Design are ceramic. Just install the 32-by-39-inch tray outside a shower or tub. Via Civita Castel, 01030 Castellana Sant'Elia, Italy; 39-07-61-515-463; nic-srl.com. circle 326

Far from bourgeois

Who says that bathroom tiles should be plain ceramic squares? Not Coral Bourgeois. A background in drawing, painting, and jewelry design led her to dream up some of the most fanciful and unusual custom tiles on the market. "For me, it's about objects, shapes, textures, colors, and bringing them together to enhance one another," she says.

Building on a foundation of ceramic tile or, for larger projects, MDF, Bourgeois then layers on drawings, photography, and/or costume beads or semiprecious stones. Residential work takes up some of her time—starting with her own Rhode Island house, where the kitchen's counters and backsplash and the stair's risers are all tiled. But she does mostly large-scale commercial commissions, such as restaurants Bice in Las Vegas and Mainland in New York and Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island in Pawtucket. A recent tour of Boston's Charles Street Jail, being converted into

a hotel by Alexandra Champalimaud & Associates, yielded Bourgeois's new Hand series: images of handcuffs, handprints, and gloves. 9 Newman Avenue, Rumford, RI 02916; 401-435-5571; coralbourgeois.com. circle 327

Rocky Mountain Hardware

River Rocks brings the pleasing smoothness of rounded stones to any bathroom. The silicon or white-bronze tiles are offered in finishes such as slatelike Dark and golden Light. Available in squares of 11/8, 2, 3, and 4 inches and a 2-by-6-inch rectangle. P.O. Box 4108, Hailey, ID 83333; 888-788-2013; rockymountainhardware.com. circle 328

Grupo Kettal

Kettal XXL modular outdoor seating and tables offer streamlined, water-resistant style. The 14-piece line features chaise longues, ottomans, three kinds of chairs, and the same number of table shapes. Their aluminum frames are wrapped in synthetic Hularo fiber, in lighter Natural or darker Etna; the cushions are covered in solution-dyed acrylic, in brown or Canvas. 340 Minorca Avenue, Suite 5, Coral Gables, FL 33134; 786-552-9002; kettal.es. circle 329

Decolav

Natural marble or onyx, honed smooth, defines the three basins in the collection aptly named A Perfect Chisel. Choose among round with tapered rim, round with lip, and tapered round with decorative trim. Each comes in a handful of colors, with four drain options. 424 SW 12th Avenue, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442; 561-274-2110; decolav.com. circle 330

Smashing Time Design

Bars of color alternate across the 7-by-2-inch face of Stripes, a sporty glass tile that's 1 inch thick. Along with sky blue and deep black, winning colors are Glass White, Petrol Blue, Fresh Yellow, Yellow Sun, Stunning Pink, and Purple Haze. 74 Middle Wall, Kent CT5 1BN, U.K.; 44-1227-262-448; smashingtimedesign.co.uk. circle 332

Danze

The lattice is the central motif of Tiburon shower and tub fillers, wide and mini-wide lavatory faucets, hand showers, and bath accessories. All come in satin-black or brushed-nickel finishes. 2 Territorial Court, Suite A, Bolingbrook, IL 60440; 877-530-3344; danze-online.com. circle 331

Radiatori Tubor

Easily mistaken for sculpture with a slightly Asian influence, Wishknot is actually a highly efficient radiator that meets ISO 9001:2000 standards. It comes in steel or aluminum, can be painted a standard color, and measures 23 inches square. Via dell'Informatica, 28804 San Bernardino Verbano, Italy; 39-03-23-553-572; tubor.com. circle 334

CNI

Dark brown abaca, a natural banana fiber, or dappled-gray raffia, made from palm leaves, is handwoven in a diamond pattern to compose Alto. Its ample, 28-inch-wide seat—which can be upholstered in any of the manufacturer's own faux suedes—sits on a chrome base. 2199 de la Métropole, Longueuil, Quebec J4G 1S5, Canada; 450-674-1669; furniture-cni.com. circle 333

Victoria & Albert

Aflood with cool options such as a deck-mounted faucet, an integrated towel bar, and a tub filler that doubles as a pop-up drain, Capri meets international standards for impact, stain resistance, and load bearing. The generous double-ended soaker—71 inches long and 32 wide—is made of white Englishcast, a high-gloss mineral crystal composite that helps maintain water temperature. 1201 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29201; 803-748-1228; englishtubs.com. circle 335

Steuler Fliesen

There's more to stripes with Stripes and More. Choose among Bordeaux-olive, light blue–olive, multicolor, and white, the latter with one or two central striped circles. Install these 93/4-inch ceramic squares with the pattern running horizontally or vertically. 77 Industriestrasse, 75417 Mühlacker, Germany; 49-70-41-801-110; steuler-fliesen.de. circle 336

O'Neil Ruppel Studio

The handmade ceramic-tile moldings, borders, and inserts of designers David O'Neil and Randy Ruppel's premier Nest collection are suitable for backsplashes and walls. Shown here, 3-by-8-inch Cornice tops 1-by-8-inch Bobble above 5-inch-square Crake. The line's eight colors include Cloud, Oatmeal, yellow Pollen, and misty-green Frond. Renaissance Tile & Bath, 349 Peachtree Hills Avenue NE, Atlanta, GA 30305; 404-231-9203; renaissancetileandbath.com. circle 337

DuPont

Anticipating a rising demand for neutral backdrops in residential and commercial settings, this manufacturer added four colors to its popular Zodiaq quartz surfacing collection and called it Concrete Aesthetic. The newcomers are sand beige, papyrus, alabaster, and clay brown. 1007 Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19898; 800-436-6072; zodiaq.com. circle 338

Giati Designs

Pebble Beach outdoor fabrics interpret Northern California in 21 patterns, among them Suman Azul, Vitale Azul, Pace Cocoa, Riven Rock Cocoa, Jacinthe Slate, Rilassanto Crema, Neroli Chocolate, Mirquet Cocoa, and Choisyal Porcelain. Designed to stand up to mildew and water, the solution-dyed acrylics come with a three-year guarantee against fading, splitting, cracking, and peeling. 614 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101; 805-965-6535; giati.com. circle 339

Ann Sacks

Veranda Bamboo renders the look of the tropics in smooth, concave ceramic form. Available in more than 200 standard colors as well as custom options, the tiles come in 3-by-8-inch and 4-by-8-inch sizes and can be installed horizontally, vertically, or in a basket-weave pattern. Glazed edges and mitered corners make trim pieces unnecessary. 8120 NE 33rd Drive, Portland, OR 97211; 800-278-8453; annsacks.com. circle 340

Hommage

Close shaves are only part of the appeal of Wolfgang Joensson's Shanghai groom center: Consider the Chinese red resin-coated handles, the badger-hair brush, and the chrome-plated zinc-alloy stand, which magnetically holds the other two pieces in place, so they dry correctly. The Madrid razor has a gently curved injection-molded plastic handle, ensuring a comfortable fit in the hand. 41 Rue de l'Abbé-Gregoire, 75006 Paris, France; 720-496-4068; hommage.com. circle 341