Home Style The Art of the Basin
The Art of the Basin
Standalone vanities, vessels and apron - front sinks are hot in the upcoming seasons kitchen and bathroom. Styles old and new are reigning in the sink kingdom heading into 2012, with bathroom designs now garnering as much interest as those in the kitchen. Just a decade ago, pioneering interior designers began adding sinks to antique cabinets - and the bathroom vanity was born. Ten years on, standalone vanities are all the rage. People are particularly partial to simple luxury, says Donna Church, Kohlers marketing and communications manager. "Consumers are eager to seek refuge from their fast - paced lives - and nowhere more so than in the bathroom." Kohlers vanities include the 24 - inch Tresham, combining a mahogany cabinet with snow - white sink; the 30 - inch Evan - dale, a three - piece crafted from wood, stone and china; and the 42 - inch Provinity, made from European sycamore. When it comes to individual bathroom sinks, Kohler has it covered with its cutting - edge vessel - style. One of the industries newest trends, the unique freestanding sink, is based on an ancient Chinese design and sync with virtually any bathroom decor. "Vessel sinks come in various shapes, sizes, depths and materials, including cast - iron, marble, vitreous china and stainless steel," says Church. Kohlers most striking sinks include the deep - bowled Nepal and Persia Conical Bell vessels, the 18 - gauge stainless steel Timpani, the rectangular and shallow - bowled Fit™, the square cast - glass Toric® and the square vitreous china Bateau®. Interior designer Allie Baxter of Designs by Allie says vessel sinks and vanities are poised to take centre stage when it comes to bathroom interior design. "Vessel sinks come in an abundance of shapes and sizes and add personality when placed on a vanity cabinet custom - designed to highlight the sculptural piece above," says Baxter. "The organic silhouettes available in vessel sinks combined with the use of eco - friendly materials, such as wood and granite, are a reflection of the influence nature is having in all areas of design." Baxter says glass vessel sinks will continue to be popular in 2012. "They can be lit from above or below and bring that unexpected sparkle to your room, especially when contrasted against a rustic wood vanity or cabinet," she notes. Vancouver - based LuxSalon European Bathrooms Inc. has added three new lines to its sink and vanity range, imported from Sphinx B.V. in the Netherlands: the 315 series, 345 series and 355 series. "Our new lines provide unlimited possibilities when designing modern, comfortable bathrooms for any type of space, regardless of shape or floor plan," says marketing and design coordinator, Vivyan Holzhaus. "Of the various mounting options, vanities with the basins set flushly inside the cabinet are currently most popular." Holzhaus says LuxSalons vanities are perfect for the European guest bathroom, which consists of just a washbasin and toilet, meaning efficient use of limited space is paramount. Basin designs in the new product lines include asymmetric, double - sink, compact, hand - rinse and corner hand - rinse. Unique features have also been incorporated, such as in the 345 series washbasins - designed with an indent in the ceramic to accommodate a custom soap dish. Holzhaus says strong linear designs, particularly rectangular and square shapes but also the unusual combination of square and circle, are prominent in LuxSalons new range, as are monochrome colour schemes - featuring warm beige, dark shades of aubergine, browns and greys - and brilliant, high - gloss lacquered finishes. "Weve gone for clean, streamlined, timeless designs," she says. "The modular design concept of contemporary bathroom furniture provides a flexible range of possible combinations and arrangements of vanity units and adjoining elements." On the commercial bathroom front, Bradley Corp.- a specialist in cutting - edge commercial sinks - recently introduced its eco - friendly Verge™ lavatory system. Each basin is built from Bradleys new Evero™ natural quartz material, the only molded natural quartz on the market and composed from a bio - based soy and corn resin. "Evero is perfect for sustainable and durable restroom design, and helps Verge create a sophisticated, contemporary space for a variety of settings/ says Kris Alderson, Bradleys senior marketing manager. Verges unique style features curves, soft radius edges and a sharp design. Bradley also recently introduced the OmniDeck™ lavatory system. OmniDeck is a complete pre - fabricated and customizable system, characterized by its modern style, durability and easy installation. "OmniDeck is the only lavatory available with both a natural quartz deck and integral natural quartz bowl, while its sleek design eliminates gaps and crevices in which mold and bacteria can grow," says Alderson.
In addition, Bradley has launched a new line of stainless steel washroom accessories - the Diplomat™ Washroom Accessories Series - which uses a dual - curve geometry design complemented by the use of renewable energy in its manufacturing process. The extensive range of products includes towel holders and soap dispensers. "Were proud of the Diplomat series, as 100 per cent of the energy required for its production has been offset with renewable energy through the WE Energies Energy for Tomorrow program," says Alderson. In the kitchen, apron - front sinks are making a comeback. Made famous in Victorian homes, bungalows and French country cottages, the large sinks - featuring a deep basin fronted by a broad apron - are becoming increasingly popular in contemporary spaces, thanks to fresh twists on colours, materials and easier installation. "Apron - front sinks are like beautiful but functional sculptures - and they provide a strong, dramatic focal point in a kitchen," says Kohlers Church. Kohlers key apron - front sinks include the cast - iron Whitehaven; the stainless - steel Vault; the fireclay - patterned Evenweave; and the elegant Hawthorne, a double - basin cast - iron tile - in. Contemporary kitchen designs remain popular, too - providing an added twist, or curve, to the mix. Sustainable Solutions International has added arched drop - in models to its Fluid kitchen sink range. The 16-8 nickel - bearing stainless steel sink, 32 by 19 inches, features arched ridges front and back, to give it a contemporary look. "The Fluid arched models are a new take on the drop - in sink and add innovative shapes to the kitchen," says Doug Sproule, administrator and partner at Sustainable Solutions. Tight radius corners and a flat base marry modern styling with ease of cleaning, while the Fluid arched sink boasts extensive sound - reduction features, deep 10 - inch bowls and a high - gloss finish drain. The arched sink is available in single or double bowl designs, though Sproule says single bowls are becoming more popular. "Theres a trend towards commercial - looking single bowl sinks over double - bowl," he says. "This allows even smaller sinks to be usable for frying pans and larger pots. Single - bowl sinks are big in the U.S. and are gaining momentum here." Sproule adds: "Fluids philosophy is to offer luxury designs and pinnacle quality with affordable pricing, to help achieve a kitchen space thats open to new ideas and energy." Novanni Stainless Inc., famous for its stainless steel sinks and distributing some of the best Elkay and Schock products, is focusing on the release of innovative new items from the latter pair this winter. Elkays Accessories feature three new products to sync with the sinks: a stainless steel custom - designed bottom grid to protect sinks from scratching; a custom - designed rinsing basket, built to hold clean dishes and fine crystal; and a custom - designed chopping board, which slots securely into the sink. Also recently incorporated into many sink models is the Elkay Perfect Drain, a seamless drain and plughole combination as esthetically pleasing as it is effective. "Were excited to be launching the unique new Elkay products and believe both the Accessories and Perfect Drain will be big hits with consumers," says John Pearce, Novannis senior VP of sales and marketing.
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