New Products - Kitchen & Bath
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Among 20 products in the line, Spanish-made Avenue tile presents matte-finish porcelain in colors called Oxido and Titanio. A wide range of sizes is available: 18 inches square, 2 by 18 inches, 2 inches square, 12 by 24 inches, 6 by 24 inches, 2 by 24 inches, and 2 by 12 inches. 34-964-701-056; garogres.com. circle 706
Almost ¾-inch thick, Loop di Loop tiles are handmade in a Marrakech factory using a proprietary mixture of cement and marble dust.Suitable for floors and walls, both residential or commercial, the 8-inch pattern is one of more than a dozen in the clever,Moroccan-made line. 212-431-4646; urbanarchaeology.com. circle 710
Whether it's a day at the spa or a rush-hour shower, Abyss & Habidecor promises a plush towel-off. The Super Pile series, available in 60 solid colors, is woven of extra-long, 15-inch Giza 70 Egyptian cotton threads, which helps reduce lint and increase absorbency. The tone-on-tone checkerboard of Checkers contains a blend of Egyptian cotton and linen, in cinnamon, dark brown, cream, aqua, acacia, and metal. But options turn singular when it comes to Craft, as the Egyptian cotton and linen blend is presented in its natural state, without any dyes, resulting in a two-tone cream. All three collections are manufactured in Portugal, pre-washed and preshrunk, with the company's standard bias trim. In five sizes, ranging from the 12-inch-square washcloth to the 40-by-72-inch bath sheet. 800-588-8565; abysshabidecor.com. circle 431
In 38 years of attracting A-list designers to his family's namesake company, Alberto Alessi turned the kitchenware specialist into what he dubs "are search laboratory in the applied arts." Now, here turns the favor. Il Bagno Alessi lends Alessi's design expertise to three European bath manufacturers—Swiss ceramist Laufen, Finnish faucet source Oras, Italian furniture and accessory producer Inda—to form "an operational model for a virtual company."
For its part, Alessi turned to longtime collaborator Stefano Giovannoni to envision One, a family of smooth porcelain forms juxtaposed against straight-edge brass faucets and fittings. Ever the matchmaker, Alessi describes it as a marriage of "maternal and paternal codes." Laufen supplies the freestanding tub, approximately 74 by 40 inches, which can also be connected or fitted to the wall. The washbasin with integrated pedestal is 33½ inches high and 20½ inches wide. The tank of the freestanding toilet is 37½ inches high with a 16-inch-high seat, while the bidet is 19 inches wide and 23 inches deep. Chrome-finish fixtures by Oras include a bath faucet with hand shower, basin and bidet faucets, and a thermostatic shower head. Inda offers structural elements, such as the tempered crystal shower enclosure with a 59-by-35½-inch Corian shower tray, and decorative touches, like the 48-inch chrome-plated towel rack, and 68-inch floor mirror. ilbagnoalessi.com; 212-243-5400; circle 430
What will occur, other than the obvious, in the bathroom of the future? People will appreciate the natural resource of water by finding new ways to use it. Such was the vision suggested by industrial design students Arni Aromaa and Sauli Suomela for their Master of Arts thesis at the University of Art and Design Helsinki. Pentagon Design found their forecast compelling enough to enlist Finnish faucet manufacturer Oras to produce a prototype: the Smart Bath concept bathroom.
The dance between organic forms and high-tech engineering begins in the shower, a 47-by-94½-inch unit with a chromed cast-brass hand shower attached to a heated, laminated glass wall. The plastic-framed, chromed cast-brass showerhead can spray like a regular shower, or gush like a downpour, sending water along the raked floor to a drain hidden behind the wall.
Electronic sensors control the 31 ½-inch-diameter laminated glass footbath, with a chromed cast-brass tap that releases water when toes are wiggled under it. Temperature can be preprogrammed, and there's a massage function. The 47-inch-wide washbasin in laminated glass contains an LED-lit faucet, also sensor-activated, with temperature and flow presets. All pipes, fittings, and electronics are tucked away inside the wall-integrated basin to ensure easy cleanups. After all, the future might be just as messy as the present. 358-9-2518-0400; pentagondesign.fi. circle 428
Turn any drawing or design into a hand-mounted mural of hand-cut tiles. After you choose from Venetian glass, smalto, gold, or marble in a variety of cuts, plus an uncut version , the tiles can be mounted with a mesh backing or a paper-face technique. No minimum or maximum dimensions required. 541-552-0855; hakatai.com. circle 453
With the latest stainless-steel ventilation hoods from this company, dual-configuration fans move air quickly and quietly, up to 600 cubic feet per minute. Wall mounted RH36WC60GS incorporates two halogen bulbs and a glass canopy in widths of 26 or 30 inches. Other versions can be mounted on a ceiling or chimney or in the center of an island. 877-435-3287; electroluxappliances.com. circle 461
Though it's actually porcelain, the Pure Stone basin has the shape and texture of an enormous pebble, measuring 21 by 21 inches or 24 by 25. Specify gray or white with or without a stain-resistant finish, Ceramicplus. The Source Flow tap is chromed brass. 858-812-2550; villeroy-boch.com. circle 456
This company is flaunting its expertise in made-to-order mosaic work. Supply a design, choose from glass, porcelain, ceramic, or natural stone, and select face tape or paper backing. In two weeks or so, a panel in any size is ready to install. Peter S. Balsam Associates was responsible for this deco-inspired glass-tiled beauty. 800-260-8646; artistictile.com. circle 459
The rain shower from Sieger Design's Tara Logic system truly drenches—unless you tame the torrent with the integrated hand shower. Both benefit from a de-scaling system, and both are brass offered in standard finishes of polished chrome or matte platinum. The unit's standard height is 89 7/8 inches. However, custom finishes and heights are available. 800-774-1181; dornbracht.com. circle 468
There's actually nothing blue about Marianelli Design partner Barbara Sordina's Aguablu, a brass fitting finished in polished chrome or satin nickel. The spout measures 10 inches high, with a 7-inch projection from the wall. 800-655-2534; zucchettidesign.com. circle 467
Question: What do science fiction, nature, and the artwork of Lucio Fontana have in common? Answer: Peter Rankin, a man with a penchant for elevating everyday objects into sculpture. These diverse influences were all on his mind when he designed Blade, an Antrax IT heating system that safely eradicates the memory of every cast-iron radiator that ever hissed by the window.
Starting where he left off with his award-winning Saturn and Moon models, both round, he stretched those circles into a slim oval measuring approximately 67 inches long by 10 wide by 5 deep. Especially well suited for narrow spaces, it seems to float off the wall, and discreetly hidden workings and controls help maintain that illusion. He chose steel as his material for its rapid diffusion of heat. As a result, the system saves energy by running at lower temperatures, whether it's powered by electricity or a traditional boiler. Blade is also ready for duty as a towel warmer—just position it vertically, and add a chrome bar. Colors for the steel body include black, white, red, orange, and, perfect for the bathroom, powder blue. 39-0423-7174; antrax.it. circle 449
The slim profile of Crono is cast from a composite of natural minerals and resin in Alpine White. This washbasin, 30 inches wide by 18 deep by 5½ high, was designed to sit on a counter 20 inches deep. For the solid-brass tap, select a finish of polished or matte chrome. 717-718-8900; burg-northamerica.com. circle 454
On the run? Stainless-steel Masterpiece's convection mode reduces cooking time by up to 30 percent. In addition, the EasyCook feature preprograms time and temperature for 20 recipes. The wall oven comes in two widths, 27 and 30 inches. All models feature internal halogen lights and racks that can support 48½ pounds. 800-656-9229; thermador.com. circle 465
Up top, behind the powder-coated door of a 30" Double Wall Speedcook Oven, restaurant-proven "airspeed technology" can move heated air columns at 60 miles per hour. The lower oven, with a stainless door, offers conventional convection. 866-543-6569; theovenreinvented.com.
Not even highly trafficked kitchens and baths can dull the high-gloss sheen of HR-LAQ high-pressure plastic laminate. The 51-by-120-inch sheets come in 24 solid colors, among them orange, red, pink, and blue. 800-228-2238; abetlaminati.com. circle 471
Take three. Patricia Urquiola designed the faintly concave resin-quartz composite Pear bathtub, measuring about 72½ inches long by 36 wide by 23 high. Gwenael Nicolas is responsible for the Sen tap and towel holder in anodized aluminum. And Benedini Associati contributed the 027 cabinet in oak and stainless steel with mirrored sliding doors. 39-0376-250311; agapedesign.it. circle 470
Tiles in the Flower Power collection cultivate the fresh-picked exuberance of Rebecca Cole, a long-time gardening guru on NBC's The Today Show. For enhanced durability, high-temperature firing melds Cole's cheerful glazed patterns with the ceramic body of the tile. 800-680-8453; imaginetile.com.
Slated for production after a preview at Eurocucina 2008 in Milan, the central island of Alfredo Häberli's Concept kitchen is outfitted with a glistening stainless-steel worktop measuring 48 by 165 inches. The oval sink, at 14 by 28 inches, is carved from a single block of marble with an integral drain. 203-594-1522; schiffini.it. circle 462
Like ebony and ivory, all is harmony with two glazed ceramic tiles from the Blancos 360 collection. Inserto Flor Negro is a 7-inch square, while Flores 360 Blanco is a 13-by-24-inch rectangle. 34-96-434-04-60; gaya.es. circle 466
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