Bathing Elegance: Samuel Heath Fairfield Faucet

One of the many design infused stops along the BlogTour 2011 London journey was a visit to the world-class Design Centre Chelsea Harbour.  Our first showroom visit of the day started with a delightful champagne welcome at Samuel Heath. There I found quite a few exquisite design gems that would add luxury, glamour and elegance to any bath. The first I’d like to share is the Fairfield sink faucet fixture. Its classic design, subtle curves, and striking black crystal handles captured my attention and heart almost two years ago at the New York International Contemporary Fair. And when I saw it again, gracefully poised as an elegant centerpiece on a table dotted with sparkling crystal flutes filled with effervescently shimmering champagne, I fell in love all over again.

Samuel Heath: Old World Craftsmanship meets Modern Technology

Fairfield Exposed Shower.

Samuel Heath’s name, in the interior design world, is synonymous with quality, elegance, and a stunning combination of intricate craftsmanship and advanced technology in all of the bath and architectural hardware products they design and produce.

I first learned about Samuel Heath at the 2010 International Contemporary Furniture Fair, and was immediately smitten with the beauty of their plumbing fixtures. Surprisingly, given my affinity for contemporary design, I was drawn to the Fairfield sink fixture shown below:

Though traditional in design, there was something that captured my heart about this bathroom faucet. Normally, I wouldn’t give a more traditional design a second thought, but the design was so well crafted – it was like a beautifully sculptured work of art. I thought to myself, this is a bathroom fixture that my style icon Coco Chanel would certainly have had gracing her bathroom sink. It wasn’t hard at all to imagine Mademoiselle standing at her lavatory spritzing herself with Chanel No. 5, with her strands of pearls,and gold and silver chain necklaces elegantly draped near the Fairfield’s classic black levers.

I was delighted to learn that Samuel Heath is a sponsor of BlogTour 2011 London, and that I would be getting to see their bath and hardware collections, again, during the London Design Festival next week.  I’m looking forward to sharing their beautiful bathroom fixtures with you over the next week or so. I will be publishing design updates live from the London Design Festival and Decorex via Twitter and Facebook.

Disclosure:  I am one of several design, lifestyle and travel bloggers and writers that have been invited to participate in BlogTour 2011 London.

Dream Bath Look Book by Style Maker Cheryl Clendenon:Designer Notes

Cheryl Clendenon’s Style Maker Look Book: Dream Bath Design Hot Pink Fabric “Kimura” (Romo) on slipper chairs. Ravello tub – Victoria and AlbertBrizo custom shower in polished nickel (Virage handles) Clarita sconces with polished nickel finish – Artcraft White Bronze Color

Shimmer “Victoria White” tiles for flooring and  “Chateau” Danse Blanc tiles which will go behind the vanities, above and below window. – Artistic Tile Inspired by this image: Mirror tiles custom behind white lacquer shelves in sitting area. Fireplace in silver gray steel – Wittus Zen sink in white bronze – Stone Forest Brizo Virage bath faucet in polished nickel finish. Caboche Chandelier – Foscarini

Cheryl Clendenon’s Style Maker Look Book: Dream Bath Design

Shopping Resources and Designer Notes: Dream Bath Look Book by Style Maker Cheryl Clendenon

Designer Notes: Bookcase/fireplace area: 3 inch thick high gloss lacquer shelves with mirror behind them. The fireplaces is a Wittus Fireplace and is flush to the wall.

Designer Notes: Tub is the Ravello from Victoria and Albert and is volcanic limestone. Sinks are from Stone Forest. “Zen” in white bronze.

About Cheryl Clendenon of In Detail

Cheryl is the owner of the Florida-based kitchen,bath and interiors design firm, In Detail. Her award-winning designs have graced the pages of over 50 national consumer magazines. She has won multiple prestigious national design awards for kitchens, baths, and closets. Cheryl’s most recent industry recognition includes being a 2010 National Kitchen and Bath Association design competition finalist and receiving a Merit award in 2010 Kitchen and Bath Business design competition. Read more about Cheryl and her multi-award winning, nationally recognized designs in her recent Spotlight on Design interview.

Design Talk & Look Book Inspiration

This dream bath is created for a woman who works hard and plays hard. A mother, wife, executive professional. Someone who appreciates the finer things in life and although quite busy with work and family, loves to relax in her own space. This is not a family bath! But a bath designed for a woman who wants to luxuriate in a feminine atmosphere, relax, have a glass of wine while bathing or reading. Yes, reading in the bath! I love books and think they give any space instant character and depth. I would have books, and beautiful, meaningful art pieces on the floating shelves. And, fresh contemporary flowers every day.

This really goes against some philosophies ( and really mine too for most of my clients) of streamlining the bath to do your business and get out. I wanted to create a bath that would be so restful and luxurious that you really could escape to it and spend time being a woman and not a busy professional or mom. Sort of harks back to the time when people bathed as an “event” and now, we really do not do this any longer. I think though, that people do want some luxury in the bath. Meaning, even on the smallest budgets you might enjoy a hand-shower or a beautiful sconce or fantastic walls treatments. I spend a lot of my time designing baths and I try to make each one unique in some way even on the smallest of budgets – finding a way to stamp the personality of the homeowner into the space even while addressing the needs of the client.

I have included a very large floor to ceiling window overlooking the beach. ( I live on the beach and it is my dream…so why not??)

I would have ample lighting….but all would be on dimmers and switched differently so that a mood can be created. I put the vanities by the large window because I believe you always need natural light by a vanity!!

This is the bath I would want if I had all the marbles in the world. My husband would just have to deal!

Contact Details:

• Website: In Detail Kitchen and Bath
• Twitter: @indetailsays
• Facebook: In Detail on Facebook
• Blog: Kitchen and Detail Design

Arzo Bathroom Faucet from Delta Faucet

Delta Faucet’s angular-shaped Arzo Collection is inspired by the geometric designs found in modern furniture and lighting. The sophisticated Arzo bathroom faucet will complement a modern, minimalist bathroom design.

The Arzo bathroom faucet collection includes shower models (raincan showerheads and hand showers)  that offer dual function pressure balance and thermostatic showering options among other desirable showering features.

Images copyright of respective companies.

Home Decor Buyer Resource: Delta Faucet

Sade Bathroom Faucet by Graff

German plumbing fixture manufacturer, Graff,  has brought high art and design to the bathroom with their attention getting Sade Collection of bathroom fixtures.  This beautiful and elegant sculptural faucet redefines expectations with regards to bathroom hardware and decor.

The Graff Sade faucet Collection is also available as a floor mounted faucet for bath tubs (photo below).

Images copyright of respective companies.

Home Decor Buyer Resource: Graff Faucets

Kitchen and Bath Faucets: Details by Jamie Goldberg

ABOUT JAMIE GOLDBERG

Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, CAPS is an NKBA-certified kitchen and bath designer and a freelance design journalist. Her articles have appeared in Signature Kitchens & Baths Magazine, Fine Homebuilding, BobVila.com, KitchenBathIdeas.com and many others.  She is also a regular contributor to Kitchens.com, where her Sensible Style blog appears each month.

Jamie currently lives and works in San Diego, California, where she writes her own Gold Notes blog and serves as the Design & Marketing Director for Italian Kitchen Design and Distribution, an importer of quality European cabinetry, based in the San Diego suburb of Escondido.

The Power of a Terrific Tap to Up the Style Quotient

Last month we looked at kitchen and bath lighting. This segment focuses on faucets. Never underestimate the power of a terrific tap to up the style quotient in your kitchen or bath. To see what I mean, try to imagine this bathroom with a plastic-handled, builder basic faucet.

Bathroom designed by Jamie Goldberg, AKBD, CAPS

Such a tacky, outdated fixture would totally downgrade the elegance of this traditional, remodeled bathroom. I visited the remodeled master bath of an acquaintance who had spent her whole budget on custom cabinets, stone tops and new floors, but opted not to replace her builder grade faucets. What do you think got noticed first? Yep, the out-of-place plastic knobs stuck out like a sore thumb. Here are some great faucets to consider for your kitchen and bath, even if you’re not planning a remodel.

This Traditional Triflow Faucet from Rohl features integrated water filtration. There’s also a bathroom version available so you can brush your teeth with filtered water, too.

This is Brizo‘s Talo faucet with SmartTouch Technology. One lucky reader won one of these from Gold Notes, The Decorating Diva, LLC and Brizo. Click here for details on the winning entry.

This strikingly-unique Italian-designed Wolo faucet has American (Elkay) and European (Webert) lineage.

I’ve long delighted in the breezy style of Danze‘s South Sea series, which may show up in one of my own bathrooms one day.

This graceful modern Stance Faucet by Kohler showed up at this year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show.

Two Key Points About Bathroom Faucets

1. If you’re considering replacing shower or tub faucets, you will most likely have to replace the valve behind the wall and below the deck, too, which means a larger project. If you stay within the same brand family, you may not have to. Check with a plumbing sales specialist for assistance.
2. Bathroom sink faucets come in various configurations. Four-inch spreads are probably the most common. Be sure you know what you need before you order if you’re not replacing your sink or countertops.

Three Key Points About Kitchen Faucets

1. If the faucet is the only kitchen component being replaced, consider how many holes you have in your sink or countertop and don’t exceed that number.
2. If you’re planning on upgrading your countertops later on, look for a faucet that can be mounted without a deck plate, and find out whether an extension will be needed to accommodate thicker tops. Buy it now while the part is available and keep it in storage for your eventual remodel.
3. If your sink is tucked behind a raised bar, consider the height difference if you don’t want your faucet to be seen from the next room.

Get more kitchen and bath faucet ideas at Jamie’s post, Details #2 Faucet coverage on Gold Notes.

And please check back next month when Details covers Fabrics and Fibers, including window coverings, towels and more.

MOEN 90º Bathroom Faucet

MOEN 90º faucet for the bathroom features an attractive minimalist faucet design with appealing 90º  angles. Aside from the aesthetic characteristics, the MOEN 90º bathroom faucet is eco-friendly (and LEED points eligible) certified to meet WaterSense criteria outputting 1.5 gallon per minute water flow (in comparison to the current industry standard of 2.2 gpm).  The easy to use lever makes the MOEN 90º  faucet a visually pleasing option for use in bathroom universal design and is fully ADA compliant.

Images copyright of respective companies.

Home Decor Buyer Resource: MOEN

Brizo’s RSVP Bath Sink Faucet with Crystal Finial

Brizo’s RSVP lavatory faucet  in chrome with STRASS Swarovski finial ushers in the era of Modern Glam for bathroom design with its voluptuous curves, elegant lines and shimmering, crystal detail.

Images copyright of respective companies.

Home Decor Buyer Resource: Brizo

Related: Top 8 Bathroom Design Trends 2009

Vivid Glass Waterfall Faucet from Moen

The Vivid Glass Waterfall faucet from Moen’s luxury bath brand Showhouse is a work of art meant to inspire. This luxury faucet lends a spa-like feel to the bathroom with its soothing cascading water flow .

Available via select fine bathroom fixture and plumbing retailers. Price: $1030. Retailer location and details at Showhouse.com.