I'm back from sunny Florida and KBIS2018 and have the very latest products for kitchens and baths to share with you, these from Grohe, American Standard, and DXV.
I was so excited to be on BlogtourKBIS again this year. The posts I've written here are my own thoughts and opinions about the products I've seen. Our sponsors, who generously paid for our KBIS tickets, hotel and airfare were Lixil (DXV, American Standard, Grohe brands), KBIS, Thermador, Metrie, Mr. Steam, and Wilsonart.
These brands, part of the Lixil Corporation, were some of our sponsors on Blogtour KBIS, and I'm thrilled to get to share some of their new products here today.
I do a lot of bathroom remodels and I have to say, I know some of the issues people have with plumbing fixtures.
This year, these manufacturers came out with some beautiful new products that ingeniously take care of those problems. As a designer of many bathrooms and kitchens, I can tell you that I am so happy to see these solutions on the market.
Grohe SmartControl Debuts
Check this out. Any idea what this is?
Grohe control valves with push buttons #grohe #kbis2018 #shower
Maybe you don't know because you've never seen anything like this before, right? Neither had I.
It's a shower valve with all kinds of shower functions controlled by small buttons, right there in one place! This is Grohe's GrohTherm SmartControl shower trims that offer an intuitive shower experience and a clean new style.
A shower wall with several controls normally looks kinda like this.
Shower stall with several controls for multiple showering options - Designer: Carla Aston #showerstall #bathroomdesign #shampooniche #showertile
Grohe shower controls with push buttons #grohe #kbis2018 #shower #bathroomdesign
People love their big showers these days with lots of showering options, like rain showers, body sprays, hand-helds, etc. That is usually top priority when we design a new bathroom for a client.
To have it all controlled in a beautiful, sleek style that doesn't require multiple valves spread out all over the shower wall (interrupting my beautiful tile layouts) makes me very happy!
The intuitive nature of the operation and easy-to-use controls will make my clients very happy!
Here's more about the box BEHIND the wall in this video.
Next up is American Standard's intros.
They've got some fabulous new showerheads that only require a touch to change the function.
Have you ever stood in the shower and tried to get your husband's shower setting of "pulsing massage" to turn to just a regular shower?
Especially when he used his superior strength to turn that little valve really tight? And since he's taller than you and he demanded the shower head be located high up on the wall and basically almost out of reach for anyone else :-(, it is particularly precarious and inconvenient!
Most times, I just leave it the way it is and shower with his setting, which is never what I want.
American Standard has fixed that with a touch!
American Standard showerhead with simple touch control #showerhead #bathroomdesign #kbis2018 #plumbingfixtures
The Spectra+Touch showerhead changes spray patterns with a simple touch on the outside ring of the showerhead, making it easy to customize the shower experience, even with wet hands. There are several showerhead options in this line.
American Standard multi-function sprays for showerheads #shower #bathroomdesign #kbis2018 #plumbingfixtures
There are several showerhead options in this line.
And here's something great for those people with significant height differences using the same shower. The Spectra+ eTouch showerhead is a remote control that can be conveniently located anywhere on the wall.
Remote control device for high showerheads from American Standard #showerhead #KBIS2018 #bathroomdesign
This would be great for children's bathrooms where varying height kids may be showering. It also works well for people that may have difficulty reaching the showerhead due to age or mobility. Both showerhead and remote are powered by easily accessible batteries in the units.
The shorter people in our group loved this idea. :-)
Here's one more showerhead intro, the Spectra+ Duo model combines a 9 ½-inch fixed showerhead and 5-inch multi-function hand shower all in one sleek fixture. No need for a bar or second fitting up there on the wall. It magnetically snaps into place on the showerhead.
This is great for retrofitting, if a homeowner wants to add a hand-held to their shower. It can be done with this showerhead, without cutting into the tile.
See these showerheads in action by checking out the video HERE.
DXV's new intros had me so excited!
3-sided free standing tub from DXV debuts at KBIS2018 for a snug to the wall installation #bathroomdesign #tub #freestandingtub #DXV #kbis2018
Do you know how many times I've wanted to have a tub like this to spec on a job?
Do you know why? Because we are typically trying to squeeze every beautiful inch of floor space into a bathroom. Aside from the fact that I just love wall mount tub fillers anyway and want to use them like I did in this job and this one, sometimes they can be a problem with not reaching over far enough into a tub.
Having a 3 sided tub, so that you can snugly install a free-standing tub against the wall is a great idea and one I will be using in a bathroom remodel soon!
Here's another new tub from DXV that even I, (a non-tub person) would get into.
Spa tub shoulder level water jets debuted at KBIS2018 #tub #whirlpool #bathroomdesign #spatub #DXV #kbis2018
Why? Because the water comes over your shoulders while sitting in the tub, instead of just bubbling or jetting all around you. And it has a comfy headrest to lay back and enjoy that water hitting your shoulders.
Who doesn't need a shoulder massage at the end of the day?
The Modulus Collection by DXV debuts at KBIS2018 #bathroomdesign #plumbingfixtures #sink #faucet #bathroom #doublesink #kbis2018
The Modulus Collection by DXV highlights a minimalist, urban design with maximum flexibility. It brings high design to any project, including master bathrooms and powder rooms where space may be at a premium.
The Modulus Collection from DXV debuts at KBIS2018 #DXV #showerstall #bathroomdesign #shampooniche #showerhead #kbis2018
I love the 1/8" thick (very thin) escutcheon plate on the shower fixtures. The thermostatic valves fit neatly on the single plate and have such a clean, simple look.
I’ve got my handy Bathroom Design Guide to share here today. If you need some help planning your bathroom remodel, my project checklist can serve as your go-to source so you don’t leave anything out and can thoughtfully design the bathroom of your dreams!
Click Here >>>> Bathroom Design Guide