New and hot bath and kitchen products to check out
BY PETER SCHOR
Showroom specialist
As most of you know, for the past 12 years of my 35+ years industry career, I’ve been finding and writing articles and columns on the best bath and kitchen products that I find in the U.S. and all parts of the world! Last year, I predicted that Safety Tubs (www.safetytubs.com) would win with their Kid’s “Fierce Fire Engine Bathtub,” and in 2009, I picked QuickDrain USA (www.quickdrainusa.com) six months before K/BIS with their linear shower drain system. Considering the limitation of bath category awards at K/BIS 2011, there are so “many many” bath/plumbing products that have risen to stardom and are available in your showrooms today!
The K/BIS 2011 will be held in Las Vegas April 26-28, and I’d like to give you a preview of some of the hottest new products. For many of you who will be home staffing your showroom, I have put together a nifty list of bath and kitchen products that includes their websites and booth numbers. In my June column, I will write an article on the industry’s other hottest new products, some which I will need a careful hands-on evaluation before I list them.
Showering – turning your shower into a spa retreat
One of the “Best Picks” of K/BIS 2011 is Jet-Pro Shower Spas (www.jetproshowerspas.com), Booth C-4480. This is one of the hottest new bath product categories in years! Turning the shower into a “Spa Retreat” is one of the top 5 trends in baths today. These pre-plumbed shower columns (panels) that are IAPMO pending approval uses the existing shower valve. You remove the shower arm, quick connect to the 1/2" I.P.S connection and fasten to the wall, all in 15 minutes or so. These units were tested under normal water pressure and were engineered to work effectively. The panels come in a wide variety of panel colors. I checked out this company, as they are rock solid and their products are sold through “channel distribution.”
Plumbing fixtures – creative designs and more minimalism
American Standard Brands (www.americanstandardbrands.com), Booth C-7038, include American Standard, Jado, Porcher, and Safety Tubs, and are a bright light in plumbing fixtures and faucetry in 2011! Safety Tubs, winner of one of the “BEST of The BEST” K/BIS 2010 Awards has another clear winner, Safety-Tubs for Kids – “Pretty Princess Castle Tub”. This is A MUST SEE! Kohler Company (www.kohler.com), Booth C-4519 & C-4614, has the NEW “Elevance” Rising Wall Bath for the growing number of aging Americans renovating their homes to maintain their independence. All in a 5’ space with added accessibility. TOTO USA (www.totousa.com), Booth C-5928, has expanded their offering of LED lighted lavatories and a wide variety of new products that are being kept under wraps. INAX (www.inax-usa.com), Booth C-6802, the Japanese giant has woken up here after years of dabbling in the USA with a variety of eco-inspired products including the “Regio”, the Ultimate everything Toilet that retails for $7350. The Penguin Toilets LLC (www.penguintoilets.com), Booth C-7278, is the only toilet with built-in overflow protection. Sinks and bathtubs have had overflow drains for years so why not toilets. I am waiting for testing reports. Jason International (www.jasoninternational.com), Booth C-7118, The Original Jacuzzi Family since 1982, has launched their NEW “MicroSilk”, a revolutionary new form of hydrotherapy which is unavailable from any other bath manufacturer. Native Trails (www.nativetgrails.com), Booth C-4896, offers some nifty new copper basins and bathtubs. BASCO (www.bascoshowerdoor.com), has dominated the shower door field. Their New RODA Collection of 8 different styles and configurations proves that point.
Magnification and back-lit lighted mirrors – A showroom must
Most plumbing and bath showrooms are missing this lucrative opportunity in this category! Aptations (www.aptations.com), Booth C-4036, has a wide selection of traditional and contemporary, lighted and non-lit, wall mount and countertop magnification mirrors and lights in the world. All is a wide variety of finishes. Their new LED casts a bright warm light to illuminate and aid in grooming and the LED diode will last up to 50,000 hours, these mirrors are still virtually maintenance free. The NEW Sergena Back-lit Mirror and Lighting Units is the most innovative new product category for today’s bathrooms and showroom sales. The 36"x24" mirrors can be mounted vertically and horizontically and come in three (3) different designs. Aptations is also the master distributor for the ClearMirror, the fogless shaving in the shower and code approved, mirror.
Faucetry – Improving in styles, efficiency and eco-friendliness
The Italian product lines are back strong. La Torre (www.latorre-spa-it), Booth C-4236, a quality faucet manufacturer, has been in the U.S. for five years and is now stocked in Atlanta. La Torre distributed in 40 countries and five continents. At the LaTorre Booth, there will be the following other Italian manufacturers: Bagno & Association (www.bagnoeassociati.it), a beautiful and high-quality product manufacture and a strategic partner with La Torre. This line offers a broad range of bathroom accessories, not only to coordinate with La Torre products but all styles; and Designo Ceramica (www.disegnoceramica.com), a high-quality manufacturer of Italian fixtures made from Fine Fire Clay, has some of the most unique designs in the world, with amazing capabilities to make products like you have never seen.
Bath Accessories
Mr. Steam (www.mrsteam.com ) offers a wide variety of exciting towel warmers and MR.STEAM’s Spa Packages. The spa packages provide the potential for enhanced relaxation including the mental, physical and emotional benefits associated with Steamtherapy™. Complete with AromaSteam™, ChromaSteam™ and in-shower Musictherapy™ speakers. They offer a wide variety of residential towel warmers. The Series 200 Towel Warmer have an energy-efficient stainless-steel heater for controlled, quiet heat, and all- welded steel construction for strength and durability. Every Series 200 towel warmer comes standard with an aromatherapy oil well and are available in three designer bathroom finishes —Polished Chrome, White and Oil -Rubbed Bronze. All electric models are UL/CUL listed and operate on 120VAC household current. Great Grabz (www.greatgrabz.com), Booth C-6248, has a new and sleek, contemporary collection of bathroom grab bars in 20 colors and translucent finishes. ClearMirror (www.aptations.com), Booth C-5970, is the innovative solution for me for fogless shaving or women removing make-up in the shower. The low voltage code-approved mirror is a must for today’s showroom. Teakworkds4U (www.Teakworks4u.com), Booth C-6498, has the best selection of teak bath accessories – shower mats, benches, and bath products that I’ve seen in years! Moen (www.moen.com), Booth C-5637, has come up with an adjustable double curved shower rod which allows bathers more space in the smaller more conventional tubs and showers.
Kitchen products — New category of stainless living backsplash systems
A stainless steel kitchen backsplash system from Stainless Living (www.stainlessliving.com), Booth C-4036, is functional and provides an easy-to-clean surface that protects your kitchen. These distinctive backsplashes are available in 14 polished designs to customize your kitchen or bathroom. They can be used for a decorative accent or you can wrap them around the entire room for a look of continuity and to help a small place look larger. You can choose from three “stock” sizes or they can be customized to fit your exact specifications. Installation is accomplished in minutes using a combination of two-sided tape and construction adhesive. They have a wide selection of stainless steel tiles in various sizes. Stainless Living is a Division of Rigidized Metal, a $25-million manufacturer of stainless steel for 70 years.
Rigidized metals stainless steel countertops
Why not stainless steel countertops for your showroom? Highly profitable! Rigidized Metals (www. rigidized.com), Booth C-4036, a Stainless Living Division that manufactures custom metal countertops are made from textured and plain stainless steel and copper. Designed to supplement your kitchen lifestyle, a hardworking countertop is necessary if you do a lot of cooking or entertaining. Stainless steel blends well with almost any décor, highlighting wood and cabinets beautifully. It provides a heat resistant and anti-bacterial surface that requires minimal maintenance. Copper provides rustic kitchen styling, bringing warmth and glow to kitchen spaces. There is a wide offering of edge profiles, backsplash styles, and corner options. Suitable for both commercial and residential applications, stainless steel is also available as integral sinks.
Happy sailing for those at K/BIS 2011 and hope those staffing the showroom will get a quick jump on the new products thru the websites and your local reps.
Peter Schor, president of Dynamic Results Inc, is a bath/plumbing industry speaker, educator, author, columnist and consultant in the many segments of our industry. For the past 20 years, he conducted seminars and speaks at numerous conventions. Schor has great expertise in the field of showrooms and hotel bathrooms and has won many industry awards. He also consults manufacturers in taking their products to market in the areas of sales, marketing and public relations. Schor can be reached at 1302 Longhorn Lane, Lincoln, CA. 95648, phone 916/408-5346, fax: 916/408-5899. e-mail pschor@dynamicresultsinc.com or visit his web site: www.dynamicresultsonline.com.