Galleries: Trends & Inspirations
An In-Depth Look at the Innovation at ICFF 2018
The Gessi 316 Program is made out of stainless steel, which will not lose its shine or color and requires minimal maintenance. Pictured is the Intreccio Collection of tapware, which includes a basin mixer with a pop-up waste drain plug and flexible hoses. It is available in brushed-steel, black metal-brushed PVD, copper-brushed PVD and warm steel PVD (shown) finishes.
Apavisa presents Slabs, a new collection of porcelain tile in 48-in. by 102-in. and 64-in. by 128-in. sizes. Slabs is based on the latest manufacturing technology and the research of current trends in architecture, and it is revolutionizing the traditional concept of porcelain sizes.
The award-winning Linea Vanity by Lacava is a wall-mount unit available in a variety of finishes, including brand new smoky walnut and horizon blue. Offered in six different sizes, the vanity is available with a vessel or undermount sink variation, and additional features include a metal frame in brushed or polished stainless steel; solid surface countertops in matte or gloss; multiple drawers, a shelf and a towel bar for ample storage; and matching pulls.
French for “light,” the Lumiere collection from Schaub and Company is a visually airy design that is stylish without being superfluous. The high-grade, crystalline acrylic handles are paired with sleek, solid brass bases in such as polished nickel, satin nickel, satin brass, flat black, oil-rubbed bronze and rose gold (shown here) to match any surrounding decor. This collection also offers unique, adjustable sizing that may help with alignment on previously drilled holes on cabinets or furniture.
The compact DXV Modulus wall-mount toilet and bidet models are ideal for smaller spaces. Both fixtures feature clean, concealed tank designs that incorporate the exclusive GROHE Rapid SL in-wall carrier system. The actuator plate for the wall-mount dual flush and the minimalist single-hole bidet faucet are both offered in polished chrome, brushed nickel or polished nickel finishes.
The new Ombré finish for kitchen and bath faucets makes use of Kohler’s proprietary PVD – physical vapor deposition – process, which bonds the finish and faucet together at the molecular level to create a strong surface that is both scratch- and tarnish-resistant. The finish comes in two fabrications: vibrant rose gold to vibrant polished nickel and vibrant titanium to vibrant rose gold.
Riobel’s Genius Shower provides the assurance of safe water temperature in the event of a drop in hot or cold water pressure. It is also controlled by a digital keypad that’s easy to handle by everyone, regardless of age or dexterity.
Stone Forest introduces the Verge Collection of vanities and integrated sinks. The vanities are comprised of brass legs with knurled fittings supporting a combination of stone, wood and steel components. This unique modular concept can be combined with integral stone sinks, wood drawers and steel or wood shelving in unlimited combinations to create bath consoles and stand-alone storage systems.
The Levoir Bath Collection by Brizo emulates the slender size of British automobile design and was inspired by the style and architecture of the 1960s. It is offered in a variety of configurations with widespread spout heights and lever and cross handle options. The collection includes a full suite of products, including faucets, tub fillers, handshowers, valves, showerheads, body sprays and accessories.
Studio is a ceramic wall tile series from Nemo Tile that is available in six color lines and a deco pattern in polished and textured finishes. It is offered in large-format tiles for a monolithic look with fewer visible grout lines, and the Ghiaccio color is pictured.
Amuneal created this custom charred pine and brass bar with a three-bay collector’s shelving unit for ICFF. The bar was created through the old-world technique of hand-burning wood to create a finish that highlights the organic nature of the raw materials. The charred pine door and drawer faces are juxtaposed with machined hardware and a hand-patinated bronze top for a contemporary and timeless look. The shelving unit is in gunmetal and bronze.
Rainmoon is a new multi-sensory shower experience from Dornbracht. It offers two spray types and synchronized lighting and will be available in August. It protrudes from a dome built into the ceiling for a seamless integration, and the hidden strip lighting inside creates a special depth effect. The Aqua Circle spray features water that drops out of the dome like a funnel; the more water coming out, the smaller the funnel. The Tempest spray feels like being in heavy rain during a storm and features large, free-falling water droplets.
Avento from the Furniture Guild is a sleek, freestanding vanity that incorporates an integrated finger pull in a brass finish and a single row of drawers and an open shelf. Avento is available in multiple configurations for single or double basins and can be ordered in sizes from 24 inches to 72 inches long.
Light fixtures from French designer Thierry Toutin begin with a model and are developed and adapted according to the space they will go in. Each piece is produced individually and entirely in the designer’s studio, and there will always be differences between two similar pieces, as they are handcrafted.
The Auburn Chair is named after Auburn, Maine, the longtime location of the Thos. Moser workshop, and it was inspired by a simple cafeteria chair that caught Tom and Mary Moser’s attention on a ferry trip from Maine to Nova Scotia. The Auburn Chair’s most prominent feature is its curved hardwood back and the fact that it is carved from a single piece of hand-finished wood.
At ICFF, Designs of Distinction featured 20 floating shelves in four materials and contemporary flat shelving in extreme acrylic gloss and the latest in surfacing technology, Nano Tech Matte. These floating shelves are offered in architectural hardwoods and hand-scraped industrial woods, as well as high gloss and matte laminates. All floating shelves include UL-tested iron support brackets, which hold 20 lbs. per sq. ft., making them the strongest supports on the market.
The Oak Pendant from Ross Gardam is a solid FSC timber pendant light, where each light shade is handcrafted and defined by the grain of the oak selected. The light is available in two sizes and four finishes.
HamatUSA introduces the Storm Pull-Up faucet with a rear-concealed “pull-up” hand spray. The solid brass Storm Pull-Up has a high swivel spout and an extra-long hand spray hose, and it is offered in six finish options.
Clearly Beautiful’s Clearly U Bench Long is a 57-in. long version of the 23-in. bench. This versatile piece features an upholstered boxed top and acrylic U-shaped side leg supports.
The Musa collection from GRAFF includes a vanity washbasin, a freestanding washbasin and a freestanding bathtub. These three elements are all developed in Sleekstone, a composite material that combines dolomitic stone with a unique resin to create a durable solid surface product. The collection is available in a gloss or matte white finish.
Water Glass is a new pattern from Artistic Tile. The large-format tile features a frosted surface designed to resemble an antique, water-stained mirror. Stocked in both blue and silver satin, the pattern is suitable for wet areas on walls only. Here is shown in antique blu with a stain finish, and antique silver is also available.
Watermark’s new Elements Collection features more than 380,000 design configurations and is comprised of covers, bases, inserts and bodies. There are 14 handle styles, which are called covers, that are grouped into four material categories: raw, rock, lumber and forged. Each one has a base made of brass that is available in any of the company’s 24 finishes. There are two options for inserts, which help provide additional grip. New for ICFF are additional handle options designed using the process of Guilloche, a decorative technique in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into an underlying material via engine turning, which uses a machine of the same name, also called a rose engine lathe.
Nest Studio collaborated with New York-based ceramicist Jonathan Castro to create the Glaze Series, which he made using a traditional Japanese technique called “Throwing Off a Mound,” all of which is done by hand, including mixing his own custom glazes. Pricing is $150-$500 per piece.
In conjunction with designer Kurt Merki Jr., Duravit‘s XSquare is a bathroom furniture range created to complement the design of the contemporary DuraSquare washbasins. The XSquare stands apart thanks to its quadrant-shaped chrome profile, which accentuates the edges of both the wall- and floor-mounted vanity options. Three new, special furniture finishes, as well as the linen decor finish, are available.
The new Mini Globe Wall Light is the latest addition to Original BTC’s first in-house manufactured glass collection. Hand-blown at English Antique Glass, the Original BTC Group’s Birmingham glassworks, the highly skilled, labor and time-intensive process results in glass of the finest color, clarity and brilliance. The Globe shade – available in opal, anthracite or seedy clear glass – is held in place with a glossy polished brass or chrome fitting.
The lightweight Tondoquadro Collection by Klodea features a support structure that envelopes the hollow form in a circular embrace and offers clean, soft lines. It is available in polished chrome, coffee, chrome and nickel finishes.
Designed by Stephen Pikus, wakaNINE’s the TRuK Range upcycles diesel engine air filters to create pendants. Available in four sizes and four finishes – copper, brass, nickel and matte black – each fixture has been refinished and repurposed but will still show some blemishes for added character from their past life.
Colonial Bronze has expanded its Tanner’s Craft Line with 21 new items, including leather-wrapped knobs, back plates, cabinet handles and appliance pulls. Pictured from left to right are 745 Cabinet Handle, the 945 “stepped” Cabinet Handle and the 595 “diamond-knurled” handle, and each is available in frost brass, frost nickel and frost chrome.
The Mara Basin from Kast Concrete Basins is part of the Kast Canvas Series, which includes three patterned sinks. Mara’s vertical outer face has an interlocking pattern that mimics its circular form.
Armac Martin’s Dougan Collection was inspired by art deco design and features a machined cabinet knob, two sizes of cabinet pulls and an appliance pull. The hand-finished collection is made from solid brass and is available in 18 different finishes and patinas. It is shown here with a nickel-plate finish.
Planika’s Fire Line Automatic 3 XL, which is the first smartphone-controlled fireplace that you can turn on or off, adjust the flame size and check the fuel level. It features an extra-large fuel tank and guarantees the longest-possible burn time with one refill.
Carbon Light from Tokio is a carbon fiber-made, high-performance, modular suspension light that features the latest LED technology. With an adaptable design and multiple LED spot options, you can create the optimum illumination scheme for any surface.
The Grain Stool by Jack Flanagan and Callum Campbell for NAU is available in three heights and a variety of finishes. made from aluminum and wood, the stool is handmade using the ancient industrial craft of sand-casting.
The Urban Collection of vanities from Hastings Tile & Bath features soft-close metal drawers, compartmentalized drawer interiors, open or closed side panels and optional anthracite-finished metal leg stands. You can specify contrasting finishes for the drawer fronts and/or grooved handles, and the vanity itself is available in a wall- or floor-mount version.
OMNIA’s Prodigy Collection of moderately priced door hardware has been expanded to include new glass door knobs. Finishes include satin brass and antique brass, and the hardware is available with concealed, screw-mounted roses and five coordinating deadbolt designs for additional security.
Buster + Punch‘s Heavy Metal Pendant is made from solid steel, brass, smoked bronze or matte black with knurled satin metal and matte rubber detailing.
The Weston Wall Cabinet from 1429 Mfg. mounts to the wall in a variety of configurations with metal cleats, and they can be stacked to function as a storage cabinet as well. The client chooses the pattern to be infused onto the wood, and there are more than 40 patterns from which to choose. Custom patterns are available upon request.
The Glimpse Pendant from Articolo features a horizontal, mouth-blown glass shade and a solid brass sheath. It is suspended by two vertical brass rods, and pictured is the fixture with a snow shade.
Franz Viegener’s Edge Faucet offers a monolithic silhouette and flat, arched handles that are precision-machined. The collection is made from solid brass and is available with cross handles – called Edge Plus – and is offered in polished nickel, polished chrome, oil-rubbed bronze, brushed nickel, matte black chrome and rose.
The Amberes Collection of ceramic floor and wall tile from SomerTile was inspired by artisan cement tiles and features a large floral, old-world pattern in charcoal gray that frames dueling ash-gray arcs in the center.
This vanity from Luende Furniture features a Carrara marble countertop, a white undermount porcelain basin, two doors and two drawers with full-extension metal slides. It is finished in metallic silver.
The WaterBridge Tub Filler from Sonoma Forge features a hand shower and a new diverter for a sleeker look that replaces two shut-offs. Designers and homeowners have a choice of a split-bamboo waterfall spout or an elbow spout and cross or lever handles. The tub filler is available as a deck-, floor- or wall-mounted version, and it is offered in rustic nickel, rustic copper, satin nickel or oil-rubbed bronze finishes.
Sentido is a design switch for smart homes by Basalte. With its innovative touch technology, users can easily control lights, shades, temperature and music. Handmade in Belgium, the switch available in a variety of finishes, including aluminum, brass and glass, and it hosts a temperature sensor to automatically control HVAC through the home automation system. Sentido can be engraved with custom text or symbols, indicating each button’s functionalities.
The Pisa Collection from Kartners features a streamlined hexagon silhouette made of solid brass. It comprises more than 20 bathroom accessories, including shower door handles, grab bars and hooks, and it is available in polished chrome, brushed nickel and polished nickel.
The AQUARIUS indoor/outdoor rug design from Scandecor Rugs is suitable for kitchens, bathrooms and any indoor or outdoor moist areas. The rugs are made of UV-protected polypropylene in Scandinavia, they come with a non-skid treatment, and they are available in custom and standard sizes up to 13-ft. by 2-in. wide.
Praga is a custom-made pool/dining table produced by MBM Biliardi and made in Italy. It is manufactured by computerized numerical control machinery to ensure the proper size, and is available in a variety of lacquer, leather, wood, metal and glass finishes.
The Guapa H65 counter stool from Michelangelo Designs features an all-leather seat, including a laser-cut leather back and chrome base. It is also available in black, white, nickel and rose gold metals and in counter and bar heights. It includes matching arm and side chairs for the kitchen table or dining room.
Thin-Line is a system of minimally scaled LED linear pendants and wall bars by Sonneman. It is offered in a variety of lengths and finishes, and the pendants are available in single- and double-sided configurations. The single-sided configurations can be installed as a downlight or uplight, providing direct or indirect illumination. Finishes include satin white, bright satin aluminum and satin black.
The Temps Libre stool by Virginie Lobrot, a French interior decorator and upholsterer, is an indoor/outdoor concept made of wood, linen and leather. Its design was inspired by the Indian Chair, a piece of furniture used by the British Army and Napoleon during their campaigns, and it can be easily disassembled and reassembled so it can be stored when not in use.
Neolith, manufactured by TheSize, expands its 20mm (3/4 inch) range of premium sintered stone surfacing solutions with new formats and finishes to open design possibilities for high-end commercial and residential applications. Inspired by a growing demand among designers and specifiers for thicker kitchen worktops, bathroom counters, and flooring, Neolith has added thirteen popular patterns to its 20mm catalogue, including: Iron Grey, Iron Moss, Cement, Barro, Pulpis, Aspen Grey and Arctic White NanoTech.