STYLE: New & Notable
Urban renewal
Inspired by architectural designs found throughout the world, Urban Renewal tiles capture the spirit of the city. The line combines intricate patterns with rich metal finishes, from elegant satin bronzes to aged irons. The tiles come in antique satin (an antiqued bronze), blacksmith iron, aged iron, and bronze verde. As green as it is beautiful, each tile contains at least 50 percent post-consumer recycled material. For a list of local suppliers, visit www.crossvilleinc.com.
Fabulous faucets
[1] Designed by Clodagh for Watermark Designs, the new Touch 27 Collection’s faucet features capabilities for hands-free operation. Available with or without handles, the faucet has a 1.5-gpm flow rate and comes in 35 finishes Visit www.watermark-designs.com. [2] Offering a sleek contemporary look that integrates well into a variety of bathroom settings, 90º lavatory faucets from Moen marry clean geometric lines with a waterfall-style spout. The line is WaterSense-certified with a flow rate of 1.5 gpm. Visit www.moen.com. [3] Curves are in and Brizo’s Virage has them. Inspired by European ironwork, the lavatory faucet comes in five finishes and is equally at home in a traditional- or contemporary-style bathroom. Visit www.brizo.com. [4] Part of a complete bath suite, Kohler’s Purist faucets are both sculptural and functional. Featuring a 5 1/2-in. spout, the faucets are offered in a variety of finishes, and can be specified with an optional Smile handle design and low-flow aerator. Available through Central Plumbing & Heating, or visit www.us.kohler.com. [5] With its gracefully arced spout with subtle detailing, Harper from Phylrich puts a contemporary spin on the Art Deco aesthetic. Inspired by the Hollywood Regency style, the faucet is WaterSense-certified and comes in 15 finishes. Visit www.phylrich.com.
Fan-tastic lighting
Meyda Custom Lighting's Chandel-Air integrates lighting innovation and energy-saving fan technology with a charming nostalgic style. The 44-inch wide Chandel-Air features iridescent art glass and hardware hand-finished in mahogany bronze. With unlimited custom options, it comes in nearly any size, color or finish. Available through The Lighting Gallery by Brown’s, or visit www.meyda.com.
Dancing fire
The Tempest Torch breaks the barriers of standard torch design, featuring a spinning, spiral-like flame for a dramatic presentation of dancing fire. The outdoor lantern has tall, tempered glass walls and an open top. Awarded the Best-in-Show Vesta Award honoring design, innovation and technology within the Hearth, Patio and Barbeque Industry. Available through North Country Stoves in Anchorage or visit www.tempesttorch.com.
Floating floor
The Synergy Strand Bamboo Floating Floor with Xcora technology by Teragren features a glueless, self-locking system for easier installation. According to the manufacturer, Synergy floors are extremely durable – 154 percent harder than red oak and 126 percent harder than North American maple – and suitable for installation in high-traffic areas. Available in four colors: wheat, chestnut, java, and a new brindle (a blend of natural and caramelized bamboo strands). Synergy flooring is FloorScore-certified and consists of bamboo strands fused together with an earth-friendly adhesive and cut into 7-11/16" by 72" planks. Available through Florcraft or visit www.teragren.com.
Steamy & Stylish
Stuck-on food soils just met their match. GE's stylish and steamy Profile and GE lines now offer PureClean, self-cleaning, five-stage filtration, the most advanced wash system ever introduced by GE. The dishwasher's DeepClean cycle automatically uses steam pre-wash, available for any wash cycle, to help rid dishes of difficult messes, such as baked-on eggs and peanut butter. Visit www.ge.com.
Decked out
Homeowners are looking for economical ways to upgrade their outdoor living spaces. TimberTech’s ReliaBoard decking offers homeowners an alternative to wood decking that features the durability and low maintenance of composite at a lower price. The boards emulate the look of wood with a flat-grain surface pattern and come in two popular TimberTech colors – grey and cedar. Available in 12-, 16-, or 20-foot lengths. Visit www.timbertech.com.
Anywhere fireplace
This summer, you can add style, atmosphere and insect protection to your outdoor space. Anywhere Fireplace offers a modern answer to fire, indoors or out. This gel fuel Empire model comes in a contemporary stainless steel design showcasing the flames that emanate from polished black rocks. Placed as a centerpiece on a table, or on a walkway, patio, or steps, will create great ambiance outdoors, but looks just as great indoors. It’s lightweight and easily movable with no permanent installation so you can move it from room to room, inside to outside and back again. Visit www.anywherefireplace.com.
Which washer?
According to a recent Whirlpool Corporation survey, 84 percent of consumers said that energy – not water or time – is most important to them when it comes to home appliance efficiency. Yet, 44 percent of consumers did not know if top-load washers use more energy than front-loaders. Historically, front-load laundry pairs have led the industry in efficiency, yet nearly three-quarters of American households rely on top-load laundry configurations. Fortunately, high-efficiency machines are in fact available in both top- and front-load configurations, using up to 67 percent less energy and 70 percent less water and up to 73 percent less water and 77 percent less energy, as compared to conventional top-loaders. Manufacturers like Whirlpool Corporation are working to offer superior energy and water savings in both top- and front-load options to suit consumers’ needs and preferences. Visit www.whirlpool.com.
Digital Leather
Create any color, design or image in leather. Digital Leather’s revolutionary process of fusing art and leather allows consumers to unleash their creativity without limitations. Digital Leather is permanently infused with whatever Pantone color, texture, design, art, or image you choose. It is meticulously crafted with an innovative digital-imaging process that preserves the exquisite suppleness, grain, and aroma of fine leather. Create a custom chair, sofa or bar stools, or use the leather to cover a door, create a custom rug, table runners and placemats. Visit digitalleather.com.
The beauty of poured glass
Dimension Poured Resin from Lumicor is the latest embedded resin technology. Using a special process the materials are “suspended” within resin panels for a 3-D effect. Flowers, grasses, fabrics and other décors are virtually frozen in time for a stunning and unique look. Dimension Poured Resin provides the beauty of poured glass with the functional benefits of acrylic, including half the weight of glass, 10 times the impact strength of glass, superior clarity (no green hue), and a renewable surface. Visit www.lumicor.com.
A fan with a twist
Upscale ceiling fan designer Fanimation puts a new twist on home decor with the new Torto Ceiling Fan. A unique, three-bladed ceiling fan, the Torto is sure to be the centerpiece of any room. Its airflow pattern is different from your typical ceiling fan. It pushes air at an angle, not straight down, allowing you to feel far more air flow when standing next to it than when you are directly underneath it. The fan comes in either an oil-rubbed bronze finish or a metro gray finish with an opal frosted glass lighting fixture. Available through The Lighting Gallery or visit www.fanimation.com.
Indoor composting
The new Blanco Solon is a high-tech compost bin designed to collect everything from fruit and vegetable peels to egg shells and coffee grounds. This product coordinates with any sink and is an easy way to be eco-conscious indoors and also get a greener garden outside. The Solon is innovative in that it's a built-in composting system that doesn't take up any countertop or under-the-sink space, and it has a sealed lid so you can prevent odors. It's also dishwasher safe and easy to keep clean. Visit www.blancoamerica.com.
Walking on lava
Jockimo Inc. has combined fantasy and function with its Jockimo Liquid Lava line. The modular floor tiles burst to life under foot when pressure is applied to the highly durable tile, creating a new design with every step. Suitably intriguing to youngsters new to walking as well as seasoned dancers ready to rock the night away, Jockimo Liquid Lava has been featured in kid-friendly play areas and lavish adult night clubs alike. This interactive product ignites the imagination, regardless of age. In fact, trade show goers are reported to literally squeal when they first touch the product – a response not often caused by flooring. Visit www.jockimo.com.
Smart spout
Leading faucet and fixture manufacturer MGS has eliminated the need for extra water dispenser faucets on the kitchen sink. Their T45-DF is a triple lever faucet with a built-in filtration system for the gourmet kitchen. This unique fixture looks and operates like a traditional faucet, but disperses filtered and tap water from one spout thanks to two waterways. Three deck-mounted handles allow the user to switch from hot or cold tap water to filtered water. As one of the only “true stainless steel” fixture manufacturers in North America, MGS eliminates the need for lead fittings or solder that could leak dangerous levels of lead into drinking water. Visit www.mgsdesigns.com.
Bathing beauty
Designed to appeal to consumers with mobility issues, the new Ava Bath is a sleek, modern design that is far from institutional looking. Rather than a swing-open door typical of most accessible bathtubs, Ava’s automated door runs the full length of the tub, and raises and lowers completely for ease of access. The roomy design functions like a traditional soaking tub, allowing for more complete immersion than a traditional bath with a bench, and a quick-drain feature empties the 70-gallon tub in 30 seconds or less. Four Ava bath models include soaker, whirlpool, air bath and air/whirlpool designs in a 60-inch-wide tub, suitable for remodeling. www.aquaticbath.com.
Fluid faucets
For a modern, Asian-inspired bathroom, think Fluid faucets. At left: The vitality of the ancient Qin dynasty influences the sweeping form of the Emperor bathroom fixture collection. At right: The fan once represented social status in ancient Asia, and today, the Fan series borrows its graceful lines and motion from this history. The faucets are eco-friendly and can be equipped with a low-flow aerator for an industry-breaking 1.5 gallons-per-minute, a rate earning it a WaterSense certification. Visit www.fluidfaucets.com.
Art tiles
Sculptural and lush, these Ann Sacks tiles are handmade using the age-old Italian technique of Sgraffato, meaning “to scratch.” No molds or dies are used to create the elaborate designs, making each tile a one-of-a-kind work of art. The three organic designs from the Blake Studios collection, Nautilus, Botanical and Dahlia, can be applied vertically or horizontally to create dramatic, show-stopping murals, with an individual beauty that is also striking as a backsplash or fireplace surround. Choose from an 18-color palette. The company will accommodate special orders using any custom design specified. Visit www.annsacks.com.
Doors open to great style
Contemporary design is all about open spaces, clean lines and bold geometry. For many homeowners, the style also means individuality. Drawing inspiration from popular European designs, JELD-WEN custom wood contemporary doors are available for both exterior and interior applications and are an architecturally authentic choice for modern or contemporary homes. With the ability to mix and match, homeowners can explore their creative side and build unique combinations using glass, metal and wood. Shown here: A walnut wood door and a cherry wood door, each featuring wood panels with metal accents that appear to defy gravity by floating on frosted glass. Available through Spenard Builders Supply statewide, or visit www.jeldwen.com.
Transforming walls
Eldorado Stone, manufacturers of some of the most believable architectural stone veneer, introduces its line of Gemstone Walls. The collection offers a new perspective on how to create distinctive masonry walls with stone veneer. Each Gemstone Wall illustrates a stunning transformation from ordinary to outstanding with before, after and step-by-step photography that showcases the foundation for a memorable space. Designs such as the ArtWall (shown here), CandleWall and VinoWall are carefully crafted to create an authentic masonry stone wall that is attainable, purposeful and most of all, believable. Local distributors include Davis Block & Concrete Co., Soldotna; or visit www.eldoradostone.com.
Design your own shower
MAAX, a leading manufacturer of bathroom products, unveils its new Exposé walk-in shower series, featuring a streamlined design. Entirely customizable, the Exposé is available as a corner, alcove or wall-mounted installation, and comes in three sizes, or you can purchase the base only, the glass only, or the whole kit. Design the shower of your dreams thanks to a dozen accessories in multiple finishes and materials, such as a steam bath system, relaxation seat, storage solution, shower grate, roofcap, towel bar and handrail. And, to take the guesswork out of the design and order process, MAAX has created an online configuration tool to enable customers to build their dream shower from the ground up. The resulting configuration can then be printed and the contact information sourced to find your local MAAX Exposé distributor. Available locally through Central Plumbing & Heating and Ferguson, or visit www.exposeconfig.com.
Double down on the oven
Sick of hot dogs and hamburgers but afraid to bake that lasagna for fear it will heat up the whole kitchen and your energy bill? The new Whirlpool Gold freestanding double oven is heating things up with an upper oven that uses 50 percent less energy and preheats in half the time, compared to a full size oven. The upper oven is a perfect size for reheating leftovers, baking a pizza or small batches of cookies without wasting energy. Along with the ability to bake, broil and warm in the upper oven, it can toast, eliminating the need for a toaster oven and freeing up counter space. For local retailers, visit www.whirlpool.com.