The bathroom has become the latest space to benefit from a fresh kind of craftsmanship – an area where art and artisanal skills come to the fore in our daily self-care routines. The basin has soared from a utilitarian receptacle for water to a piece of aesthetic beauty where materials, colour, pattern and texture create a visual attraction with light and water.
Kips Bay Show House New York, 2019 featuring Kohler Artist Edition Briolette basin and Purist tapware
Kohler embraced the look many years ago with the introduction of its Artist Editions Collection in which artists utilise a mix of raw materials, coloured glazes and hand-applied colour to create a unique collection of beautiful basins.
In the current market there are five designs that are proving popular – two of which are made from spun glass. Briolette is a faceted glass vessel basin inspired by the precisely cut surfaces of precious stone. Available in four colours – Ice, Dusk, Dew and Doe – the light-reflecting facets of the generously proportioned basin create both colour and movement.
Kohler Artist Edition Briolette basin in Translucent Doe
Kohler’s Kallos Spun Glass basin is an under counter model whose distinctive architectural patterning is reminiscent of fine crystal. The basin’s clever design creates a visual perception of incredible depth while the intricate faceting obscures any view of toiletries that may be stored within the vanity.
For a masterpiece of florography art the newly released Dutchmaster basin collection, inspired by the Dutch Masters of the 17th century, is a visual splendour with its big, bold, lush florals on a deeply dark, moody background. Available in both round and rectangular configurations, this vessel basin works particularly well with many of Kohler’s metallic tapware finishes such as rose gold, titanium and brushed nickel.
Dutchmaster in Blush Floral
Dutchmaster in Blush Floral
Kohler’s Derring Wading Pool self-rimming basin is a true stand-out in terms of hand-made textural beauty that is a stunning partner with timber and stone finishes. Featuring a rarely used rutile mineral glaze the Derring’s unique textured patterning creates an ever-changing palette of light reflective neutral tones.
The Kohler Derring Artist Edition basin
The Empress Bouquet floral motif, available on both the Conical Bell Vessel basin, the rectangular Kathryn under counter basin and the Vintage oval undercounter, is a modern interpretation of 18th century Chinese print work. The intricate detailing, with gold and metallic highlights, is applied by hand, creating slightly different variations and a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork.
Empress Bouquet design on Conical Bell Vessel Basin
Kohler Co, a global leader in kitchen and bath design and innovation, will soon be adding additional products to its global range – the Veil Collection. The Veil Collection carries a modern, minimalist vibe with elements of warmth threaded throughout. The word “modern” conjures images of crisp, cool lines, but the Veil Collection gives modern bathroom design a new twist by featuring gentle lines and sculpted asymmetrical shapes in addition to intelligent features.
New additions to the range
Three new products will join the existing Veil Collection which includes the Veil Intelligent Wall Hung toilet and the Veil Intelligent Wall Faced toilet suite. With its clean, refined design lines and concealed tank, the Veil intelligent toilets offer smart toilet functionality with minimal aesthetic interruption to the overall bathroom space. The intelligent toilets include features such as automatic opening/closing lid and flushing to minimise touch points, easing user’s concerns about spreading germs in the bathroom. The Veil Intelligent toilets use cutting-edge technology to provide comfort features including seamless, integrated bidet functionality, packaging these personal hygiene considerations in a design that is both unassuming and approachable.
Veil Freestanding Lithocast Bath
The Veil Lithocast Freestanding bath features flowing and balanced curves to elicit a sculpted simplicity. This freestanding bath provides a way to make a front-and-centre statement of design and style within the bathroom space. The ergonomically-designed bath offers comfort and relaxation, allowing the bather to fully immerse and indulge.
Veil Essential Basins
The Veil Collection Essential Basins boast the signature Supramic technology thin walls, offering an elegant and visually delicate aesthetic. Kohler’s exclusive Supramic technology delivers thin-wall edges without compromising performance of the ceramic material – in fact, this innovative material technology provides thinner edges with improved durability. In addition, the basins include Kohler’s Cleancoat™ technology which prevents bacteria, mildew and mineral deposits from sticking to the ceramic, so the basin stays cleaner longer.
Veil’s flowing and immaculately balanced curves evoke a sculpted simplicity in tune with contemporary style. Enhanced by a high-gloss finish, the basin’s sleek, organic shape is easy to clean, and keep clean.
The Veil Collection is one of Kohler’s global offerings, featured in showrooms and Kohler Experience Centres around the world.
Black is having a major moment in bathrooms and the new, super slim, statement-making basin from Kohler is no exception.
The beautifully elegant Mica honed black countertop vessel is an immediate heart-stopper. In both a square and round format these basins bring a very refined sense of style to any bathroom – but that is only part of the story!
Kohler has developed a super-ceramic whereby the walls of the basin are incredibly slim – just 6mm – giving the appearance of extreme delicacy and elegance. Yet the Mica basins are outstandingly durable and even harder than traditional vitreous china!
Each of the basins features Kohler’s CleanCoat™ finish that creates an invisible stain-resistant surface that ensures the basin retains its original glossy, pristine good looks after many years of use.
The Mica honed black countertop basinscome in two designs – 393mm square and a 410mm diameter round version. There are also gloss white versions of the Mica available.
Celebrating its 145th year of producing some of the world’s most fashion-forward bathroom fixtures, Kohler presented a celebration of modernism at this year’s Salone del Mobile (Milan Design Fair).
Transforming Milan’s famed Museo Bagatti Valsecchi, Kohler treated its audience to an experience that was both visually enticing and emotionally evocative.
Guests were taken on a journey through the entire spectrum of modernism – from minimalism to maximalism – via the lens of a series of artistic installations constructed from Kohler’s world wide products portfolio.
The ornate décor of the Museo Bagatti Valsecchi served as the perfect backdrop to a series of installations set in the grand rooms of the historic museum.
One of the highlights was the newly released ‘Dutchmaster’ sinks collection featuring bold embellishment in the form of large scale botanical patterns in a rich, dark, moody colour palette.
As a direct contrast the smart, sharp ‘Components’ tapware collection drew much attention. Exuding a strong, raw industrial aesthetic the taps feature a clean matte black finish.
Other drawcards in the modernist oeuvre were the newly released Ombré finish and the DeStijl-inspired Kallista Grid tap. The latter is a feat of design and engineering, featuring a dramatic geometric silhouette created with cutting-edge 3D-printing technology.
A further element of Kohler’s visual feast was the very creative use of lighting to add a new and exciting dimension to a number of products. Its new Lighting Suite, for example, created for the organic Veil collection, magnified and enhanced the products – which included mirror, basin, vanity, bath and wall-hung vanity. Each piece was framed by an ambient glow that can change shade according to the user’s mood.
Curator of the exhibition, Mark Bickerstaffe, Kohler’s Director of New Product Development, Kitchen and Bath, said the installations demonstrated Kohler’s love and commitment to comprehensive and forward-thinking design. “From minimalism to maximalism, we love creativity in all its forms; and that has never been more apparent than with our new products”, said Bickerstaffe.
The preference for including ensuites and powder rooms in the average family home has accentuated the demand for space-saving bathroom fixtures that create the perception of space in a limited area.
A popular solution is the low profile wall hung basin – or a counter top version that can be mounted on an undersized wall mounted vanity.
Kohler Company, a global leader in bathroom design and innovation, has responded to this trend with a number of designs and a range of sizes in its best selling models. While each of the basins is compact in design they forfeit nothing in the way of style or eye-catching features.
For those craving a statement piece with sleek, geometric lines the Reve offers three different sizes, integrated counter space for toiletries and a beautifully faceted profile. The largest 1055mm wide model protrudes just 500mm from the wall (pictured below).
Kohler Reve Wall Hung Basin with Stance Basin Mixer.
While the smaller Reve 800mm model has a more compact 412mm protrusion and the mini 650mm option a mere 400mm!
The Reve compact wall mount basin plus Escale Wall Hung Toilet Suite. Also features RainCan Square Overhead Shower.
Another popular compact suite in the Kohler range is the sleek, lineal Reach wall mount basin with optional integrated towel rail in brushed steel. Protruding just 225mm from the wall and with a width of 500mm it offers the perfect solution for tight spaces while allowing ample room for ablutions.
The matching Reach Back To Wall toilet suite is available in both back and side water inlet options – perfect for both new builds and renovations, particularly suited to apartments and powder rooms.
Reach BTW Toilet Suite and Reach Handwash Basin with towel bar.
Larger models of the Reach are also available – the 700mm and the 1050mm models both feature large flat vanity areas either side of the basin for storing toiletries while again barely impinging on the overall space.
And for really tight spaces a corner basin, like the Ove, can be the ideal fit. It takes just 225mm of space on each wall yet offers ample room for hand washing.
The Ove range is available in wall mounted and corner wall mounted basins.
