Kitchen & Bath
CONTENTS:
Cabinets
Lavatories
CABINETS
Hang On.
If your clients have a
glazed look in their eyes, try not to take it personally. Odds
on, they're thinking about cabinet finishes. Glazing layers a
secondary, contrasting color over the base, adding depth and
"hanging" in corners and crevices to create a "rich, aged
feel." I'd rather feel rich and not aged, but the combination
has proved popular, a fact recognized in Merillat's Classic
Lariat and LaBelle standard cabinetry lines. Bead detailing and
rope molding give the glaze plenty to hang on.
Merillat, 517/263-0771,
www.merillat.com.
Love Beads?
Beaded board
wainscoting is a classic wall treatment that can add style to
just about any room of the house. The Tucson line of cabinets,
with its beaded panel treatment, could make itself equally at
home in the kitchen, bathroom, family room, office, or bedroom.
The doors, panels, drawer fronts, and face frames are produced
in solid maple for even grain and coloring, and in hickory for
a more pronounced grain pattern. The cabinet bodies feature
1/2-inch-thick engineered-wood panel sides, 3/4-inch-thick
shelving, and engineered-wood drawers with concealed,
self-closing glides.
Timberlake, 800/967-9674,
www.timberlake.com.
Installer's Vacation.
Kitchen
Workstation Furniture is finished on at least three sides and
is freestanding, making installation almost as simple as
chopping a section of the baseboard out of the way. Or not. The
retro-look design concept throws away built-in soffits, fitted
cabinets, and even redresses those style-terrorizing
appliances. The company offers a unit to conceal even the oven,
claimed to be an industry first.
YesterTec Design, 877/346-4976,
www.yestertec.com.
Top-Shelf Item.
Stock cabinets
have stock interiors. Fortunately, they're also easy to upgrade
with some wizardly inserts. The chrome-plated Pull-Down
Shelving System lowers shelf contents a full 10 inches and
extends almost 15 inches, a clever way to add convenience to
less accessible wall cabinets. A gas-assisted lifting and
lowering mechanism is said to provide easy operation and
stability. The 10-inch-deep pull-downs come in two sizes, to
fit 24- and 36-inch-wide cabinets, and can be stacked inside a
42-inch-high cabinet. The model 5PD-24CR retails for $270, and
the 5PD-36CR retails for $281.
Rev-A-Shelf, 800/626-1126,
www.rev-a-shelf.com.
LAVATORIES
Faucet Facelift.
The Chateau
line is an old friend to many a bathroom remodeler. Broad
compatibility in a variety of settings makes it an easy client
selection, and reliable performance at a sellable price makes
it popular on the installer's side of the equation. The faucet
has now been updated with an ergonomically designed lever
handle and a longer spout. The newly streamlined form is
intended to improve upkeep by reducing dirt-collecting
crevices. As far as reliability goes, nothing has changed; the
tried-and-true one-piece, washerless, drop-in cartridge
remains. The suggested retail price is $100 to $190, depending
on finish.
Moen, 800/289-6636,
www.moen.com.
Antique-Style Console.
One of the nice things about the
Belle Epoch was that people began to embrace personal hygiene
in a big way, helped along by indoor plumbing. And while
contemporary shapes trend to streamlined minimalism, an
elaborately curvy form on a nice pair of legs will never go out
of style. The model #710 console is made of white vitreous
porcelain, measures 28 x 22 inches, and stands at 34 inches (36
inches to top of splash). The console lav retails for a
reasonable $450; the model #121 widespread faucet shown has an
updated satin-nickel finish and retails for $495.
Sunrise Specialty, 510/729-7277,
www.sunrisespecialty.com.
Space and Back Saver.
It is
written: A standard-height lav rim must stand 32 inches above
the floor. But what should be remembered is that that was
written by the Marquis de Sade. Toto's classic-looking
Promenade pedestal lavs break out of the mold at 35 inches from
floor to rim. Those 3 inches over standard height are intended
to make the basin more accessible to users of all shapes,
sizes, and flexibilities. The porcelain lav is available in two
deck sizes: a generous 27 1/2 x 22 1/4 inches ($363) and a
smaller 24 x 19 inches ($348), great for powder rooms and
smaller bath spaces.
Toto, 888/295-8134,
www.totousa.com.
Save the Drywall.
You won't have
to break into the wall to convert to a wall-hung faucet look
with this cabinet combo. The hutch backing the vanity conceals
a 3 1/2-inch-deep cavity. The existing supply and waste can be
extended in front of the wall, simplifying connection. The
Waterfall Hutch and Loft Vanity combo shown retail for $1,395
and $2,195, respectively. The hutch is available in a variety
of finishes to complement other vanity styles and decorative
looks.
Vanity Flair, 888/479-4108,
www.vanityflair.net.