New bath collections, including faucets, sinks, decor and shower innovations are shaking up industry design. Here’s a look at the latest, plus insights from leaders on their inspiration, process and thoughtful designs:
Skyline and Shoreline – Franz Viegener
Skyline: Refined and elegant, Skyline is the physical embodiment of smooth. This avant-garde, minimal and subtle faucet
collection is a sensuous ode to the urban landscape. The gentle shape of the faucet belies the technical savvy and expertise that goes into creating something seemingly so unadorned. Skyline is available in the following finishes: polished nickel, polished chrome, flat black, brushed nickel, rose gold, polished gold and brushed gold.
Shoreline: The Shoreline’s stark, angular features are delicately mitigated by an aquiline spout, contributing to an avant-garde yet minimalistic design. The design-forward faucet features discreetly chamfered edges in the symmetrical handles and S-shaped spout. Subtle yet precise, the Shoreline is the epitome of Franz Viegener’s architecturally engineered refinement and excellence in design. available in the following finishes: polished nickel, polished chrome, brushed nickel, rose gold, polished gold, brushed gold and flat black.
“The Skyline faucet is an ode to the architecture of an urban landscape, while the Shoreline speaks to the fluid nature of the sea, but both faucets were created to meet the needs of designers who are looking for visually graphic, yet low-profile options for the bath,” said Josef Moskovic, chief designer, Franz Viegener.
The Petra Collection – Paradigm Trends
Asymmetrical patterns add visual interest to any space. Paradigm Trends saw an opportunity to bring the trend into the guest bathroom with the introduction of its latest bath collection, launching in September. The Petra Collection by Paradigm Trends is a chic bathroom accessory set with contemporary shapes crafted from textured resin.
“We wanted to offer a bath set that has the potential to become a new classic. We drew inspiration from our traditional hammered metal lines, which for the past 35 years have been a constant in our collections. We utilized neutral colors with a texture feel to create Petra. Marrying the texture resin with these rounded shapes feels true to becoming that new classic,” said Jeanne Lissak, SVP, Paradigm Trends.
The contrast between the white background and the dark grey lines—which were intentionally designed to be asymmetrical—provides visual appeal that is intriguing yet subtle enough to complement a variety of interior design styles. The seven-piece collection includes a tissue holder, wastebasket, liquid soap dispenser, canister, amenity tray, soap dish and toothbrush holder.
“Petra is the first textured resin bath collection that Paradigm Trends has launched, and it brings an interesting spin to any bathroom with a modern, residential feel,” she said. “Historically, resin has been a great material for us. Since we strive to identify and embrace emerging trends, we are continuously evolving our existing lines and developing new ones through a combination of our creativity and our factories’ expertise. We decided to take resin, which is already a popular choice among our clients, and provide them with a high designed look to elevate their decor. For this collection, we designed Petra with both our hospitality and retail customers in mind.”
Metropolis Wall Mount Sink – MTI Baths
The Metropolis can be installed at ADA compliant heights, and the open space around it makes navigation with a walker or wheelchair much easier. Featuring a streamlined design that delivers a strong architectural presence, the Metropolis measures 51.75” long x 20” deep x 4.5” high, providing plenty of space for toiletries and a deck mount faucet. As part of MTI’s renowned Boutique Collection, the new wall-mount sink is constructed using MTI’s proprietary SculptureStone material that is approximately 75% organic materials and 100% solid throughout. The non-porous surface is extremely durable, resistant to stains and scratches, and is easy to clean and maintain. Metropolis is available in white or biscuit in both matte and a hand-polished deep gloss finish. The exterior height of the sink is fixed to conceal the bottom of the bowl and overflow plumbing. An integrated overflow and 1” carrier arms are included.
“The Metropolis sink was designed for a multi-family high-rise project. There were a couple of challenges. First, the condo unit sinks needed to be versatile. Secondly, they wanted the sink to be installed with a floating cabinet beneath it, but also wanted an easy conversion to be ADA-compliant. So we designed the sink to be wall-mounted, with the recessed floating cabinet simply sliding underneath it. If ADA-compliance was required for a unit in the future, the vanity simply needed to be slid out from under the sink,” said Russell Adams, president/chief design officer, MTI Baths.
SteamVection – ThermaSol
ThermaSol engineers have used the proven science of convection to create an industry first: the SteamVection steamhead. This state-of-the-art design delivers unequaled floor-to-ceiling temperature uniformity within the steam shower. For users, this means consistent and even temperature zones—no longer variable heat ranges that typically occur in steam showers. ThermaSol’s steamhead also allows the closest proximity to the outlet called, “the steam emitting area.” This is a mere three inches from the wall, thereby avoiding intrusion into one’s usable shower space.
“When developing SteamVection technology, our ThermaSol engineers set out to solve a typical, categorical issue caused by all steamheads on the market—variable heat ranges in the steam shower. What we did was use the proven science of convection to create an industry first—the SteamVection steamhead. A close analogy would be to the once game-changing technology used in convection cooking. This innovative new design delivers floor-to-ceiling temperature uniformity within the steam shower which means consistent, even temperature zones that yield an even more pleasurable steam showering experience,” said Mitch Altman, CEO, ThermaSol.