Custom Shower
Grohe’s custom showers let homeowners mix and match showerheads, body spray and hand showers, providing an endless combination of spray patterns. Temperature controls deliver safety and comfort for the whole family. Visit www.groheamerica.com.
Smooth Surface
Lacava’s new Tatami shower base system replaces unsightly floor drains with a clean new solution to draining shower spaces. The system is comprised of two to five porcelain bricks, which can be configured to accommodate any shower size. Water vanishes between the bricks. Visit www.lacava.com.
Low Profile
WaterTile, a new shower fixture by Kohler, boasts a sleek, streamlined design installed nearly flush with the wall. WaterTiles can be placed in a myriad of ways on walls, ceilings or angled surfaces. The line also includes a complementary wall-mounted showerhead. Both bodyspray and showerhead are available in two spray intensities. Visit www.kohler.com.
Asian Inspiration
Santa Barbara designer Susan Hugo of Terra Acqua creates exquisite basins handcrafted from stone and copper. The Fuera, part of the Montecito Stone Collection, is shaped by hand from a single block of stone. It’s available in two sizes in Black Pearl (granite), Green (onyx) and Honey (onyx, pictured on a Sable Granite counter). Visit www.terracqua.net.
Corinthian Order
Ancient Greek artifacts inspired the design of Stone Forest’s Corinthian sink. This drop-in vessel reflects the capitol portion of a classical Corinthian column. It’s made of papiro cream marble imported from Egypt. Custom pedestal sinks are also available in the same style. Visit www.stoneforest.com
Flight of Fancy
Kohler’s Take Wing lavatory utilizes a new glazing technique to achieve its detailed paisley design evocative of a cluster of butterflies. Available in indigo (pictured) and sepia, Take Wing is part of Kohler’s Artist Editions collection. Visit www.kohler.com.
Ahead of the Curve
Part of Sonia’s collection of bath storage solutions and vessels, Venecia marries classic and modern styles. Pictured here in beechwood with a frosted glass basin, it also comes in wenge. Available at the Bath and Kitchen Showroom in Rockville (301-816-2990), or
visit www.sonia-sa.com.
On the Surface
Italian tiles and vanity surfaces from Domani utilize a glass laminate created in a patent-pending process that yields an amazing array of colors and textures. Styles evoke the look of rare gemstones, from tiger’s eye to titanium. Visit www.domanitile.com.
A Clean Approach
Marking his tenth year of collaborating with Duravit, Philippe Starck has released the Starck X collection. Marked by clean lines and high-gloss surfaces splashed with bright colors, the line includes sculptural bathtubs, washbasins (pictured), furniture pieces and more. For more information, visit www.duravit.us.
Foot Fetish
Aficionados of professional pedicures can now enjoy the pampering experience at home with MTI Whirlpool’s new Jentle Ped Foot Bath. The foot spa uses heat, massage and whirlpool jets to soothe aching feet. Adjustable jets target trouble spots. The spa is available in more than 50 colors to fit into any color scheme. Nail polish not included. Visit www.mtiwhirlpools.com.
Mirror Image
The morning news or late-show standups are there when you want them in your bathroom with Séura’s new Television Mirror. Concealed unobtrusively behind a mirror until it’s turned on, this LCD TV saves space and blends seamlessly into any bathroom décor. It’s available at Ferguson showrooms throughout DC, Maryland and Virginia. Visit www.seura.com.
Jacuzzi’s Salon line brings new technology to the company’s original whirlpool baths. Pure Air bath technology circulates air through a heated blower and releases it through channels in the bottom of the bath, surrounding bathers with thousands of effervescent bubbles. Pure Air can be used on its own or in tandem with the traditional water-jet action. The Salon line comes in a number of designs, including the Fuzion bath, which boasts a teak or wenge wood surround (pictured). Visit www.jacuzzi.com.
Ultimate Bathroom Design by Barcelona-based architect Alejandro Bahamón approaches the loo as a refuge for those seeking purification, warmth and respite. More than 700 color photographs of bathrooms around the world illustrate how aesthetic values can be combined with functionality. This multi-lingual edition includes text in English, German, French, Spanish and Italian. (teNeues Publishing Company, 2005, New York, NY; $39.95)
Creating Your Dream Bathroom: How to Plan & Style the Perfect Space by Susan Breen sets out to show readers how they can create their own “pamper space” with spa-like amenities in their own home using available space and a budget. The author examines dozens of interesting bathrooms and surveys myriad design choices and materials, from colors and floors to soothing multiple shower heads and furniture-style vanity units. (Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., New York, New York, 2006; $24.95).
Grohe's custom shower
The Bronzed Look
Ann Sacks, in collaboration with California-based tile artisan Tres Feltman, has created pillowed bronze tile treated with a metallic bronze glaze. Available in multiple dimensions, the tiles are available in 80 custom colors, including jewel and earth tones or exotic metallics. Visit www.annsacks.com for details.
