Works of art: the latest bath sinks are awash with innovative materials and designs

Building Products, July-August, 2004 by Linda C. Lentz

According to the National Association of Home Builders' Housing Facts, Figures and Trends 2004, new homes are larger and have more amenities than ever before. Not least among these are multiple bathrooms--two and a hall or more in the average 2,272-square-foot home, with at least three bathroom sinks.

In an upscale market, this figure climbs even higher. "Every bedroom has a bath" confirms Jan Studdard, designer at the Atlanta-based custom builder RLS Construction. "Typically, there are five baths in our new homes, including the master suite, children's and guest baths, and powder room."

While she admits that the Kohler Caxton 2210 under-mount sink in biscuit or white is what she specs most often, Studdard notes that there is a clear differentiation among the types of lav products installed in each type of house.

Eager to comply with the demands of this rising tide of residential washrooms, savvy fixture manufacturers are expanding their lavatory offerings with diverse styling, configuration options, and materials across all price levels.

"Everyone is looking for something more unique than they did before" says Gary Uhl, American Standard design director. What's driving this trend, he feels, is an increasingly design-conscious consumer tuned in to the likes of Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, and Restoration Hardware. "People want to furnish their bathrooms the way they furnish the rest of the house," says Uhl. "That's why we're seeing so much more furniture--not built-in cabinetry--in the bathroom."

Connecticut-based bath designer Mary Jo Peterson couldn't agree more. "These days," she says, "my clients want more than simply a sink." Her New England clientele prefers anything that is furniture-like of resembling a piece of art.

To this end, American Standard has engineered solid wood pieces to allow for the water supply and waste lines. The Archive suite from the company's tony Porcher brand boasts three such "freestanding" vanities. Two are rectangular at 24 and 38 inches wide; the third is a 28-inch round model with swing-out drawers. All are dark mahogany with classic white Carrera marble tops pre-cut for 8-inch-wide faucets and a round vitreous china under-counter basin.

Often this new furniture has been cleverly designed to update the look and functionality of pre-existing basins. The American Standard Town Square Classic Caddie, for example, provides a decorative storage alternative for the traditional column under its popular 24- or 27-inch Town Square china pedestal sink top. This slender 14-inch-by-16-inch-by-28-inch-high below-sink cabinet is finished in a deep cognac with satin chrome pulls.

French designer Philippe Starck took a similar approach for his Starck 1.2.3 line of universal vanities for Duravit. This modular group of contemporary wall-hung units, in a mix of light maple and high-quality white plastic, not only accommodates this German manufacturer's first three Starck collections--which comprise surface-mount, under-counter, self-rimming, and drop-in countersink basins--but those of competitive brands.

This also dramatically improves the usability of each sink for the builder and the manufacturer. "Now we have one [lavatory] that has five different applications," explains Duravit U.S.A. president Tim Schroeder. "It can be wall-hung, installed with a pedestal leg of siphon cover, configured as a console or built into a storage solution."

Indeed, there is an increasingly impressive selection of up-to-date components appealing to the variable needs of designers, architects, remodelers, and builders--as well as an ever-expanding group of urbane home and condo owners with a modern sensibility.

"We are seeing more of a swing toward contemporary styling than we've ever seen" says Lori Klipstein, vice president of design services at the Valhalla, N.Y.-based Spectrum Skanska. This is especially true in the custom builder's once-conservative Long Island, New Jersey, and Westchester County markets. "People like the clean lines," she calculates.

The Catalano Zero System, from the Hastings II Bagno Collection, is sure to please this group with an extensive line of multi-configuration fireclay basins from Italy available in numerous lengths, geometric shapes, and sizes--including one trough-like 39 1/3-inch model--with accessories such as console legs, glass shelves, integral towel bars, and in-sink racks.

At Alape, a new member of the Dornbracht Group, German designer Michael Sieger created a line notable for its minimalist style and optimum versatility. Made of extremely durable and lightweight glassed steel, the basins are finished on all sides and suitable for use in any number of installations.

"Most of our standard sinks can be mounted drop-in or under-counter," says Jon Spector, director of U.S. operations. "We don't need two separate types of sinks to achieve those looks."

To coordinate, the line includes pedestals, siphons, cabinetry, shelving, and accessories in a mix of the same state-of-the-art material with glass, birch wood, and anodized aluminum.