Kitchen & Bath
by Scott
GibsonPre-Retro.
If even a 1950s diner
look is too modern for your clients, Elmira Stove Works may
have what they're looking for. Its 1897 French Door model
features panels with an old-fashioned, cast-iron look and can
be ordered with brass or copper trim. Up-to-date perks include
an ice and water dispenser in the door, a sealed vegetable
crisper, and glass shelves. Cutout dimensions for the Energy
Star-rated 25.6-cubic-foot appliance are 37 inches by 70 inches
by 24 inches. The unit comes in black, white, bisque, and
several two-tone schemes; prices start at $4,700. Elmira
Stove Works, 800/295-8498,
www.elmirastoveworks.com
Time Traveler.
Orion Creamer and
Thom Vernon conceived of the Big Chill retro refrigerator after
Vernon and his wife had trouble finding an appliance compatible
with their vintage kitchen. The two men decided to buck design
trends and design a model that would take center stage instead
of blending into the cabinetry. The resulting 20.9-cubic-foot
top-freezer fridge has glass shelves and an optional icemaker
and comes in eight colors. It costs $2,700. Big Chill,
877/842-3269, www.bigchillfridge.com



Cool Beauty. Tom Bryant based the design for his
Klondike Case refrigerators on a line of commercial units
popular in the 1930s and '40s. Boasting unique remote operation
— the compressor and condensing unit can be located as
far as 50 feet away from the cabinet, minimizing kitchen heat
and noise — Bryant's models come in two sizes, 25 and 50
cubic feet, in maple, cherry, hickory, or oak. They do not
contain freezers. The smaller one (shown) is 32 inches wide and
82 inches high and starts at $4,350. Klondike Case,
805/434-5153, www.klondikerf.com
Urinals
Miserly.
One of the advantages
of urinals is that they use a lot less water than conventional
toilets. But few use as little as Mister Miser, a diminutive
fixture sized to fit between 16-inch on-center framing members.
Made of ABS plastic, the Mister Miser urinal uses a scant 10
ounces of water per flush. It has a built-in P-trap and a
metering valve that's activated when the 8 3/4-inch-wide by
11-inch-tall door is closed; the fixture is plumbed to a
11/2-inch drain and is supplied by 1/4-inch tubing. Although
sold only in white, it can be painted, the manufacturer says.
The product costs $310 delivered. Mister Miser,
773/975-8170, www.mistermiser.net
Picturesque.
Purple Sage
Collections has added three decorated urinals to its line of
hand-painted sinks and tile. The company applies decals to a
stock fixture from Toto, then glazes and refires the vitreous
china to make the decorations permanent. Three patterns are
available, including the tropical-fish one shown. Weighing 34
pounds, the urinals have an integral trap and use one gallon or
less of water per flush. They cost between $645 and $710,
depending on the design. Purple Sage Collections,
866/357-4657, www.purplesage.com
Water-Free.
All urinals conserve
water — but how about using no water at all? Falcon
offers four water-free models that use a trap cartridge (shown
below) containing a biodegradable liquid sealant instead of
water. This approach is more effective at sealing off sewer gas
than conventional P-traps and ensures odor-free operation,
according to the company. Prices range from $230 to $400.
Falcon Waterfree Technologies, 866/975-0174,
www.falconwaterfree.com