A Standout Kitchen Design Suitable for All Occasions

This week's instalment of SBID's Product of the Week series features a standout kitchen design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Roundhouse.

This standout kitchen offers a serious amount of space with doors to the back terrace and a woodburner for winter comfort. Complete with an island that features polished concrete worktops, an underside in patinated corrugated iron and splashback in Lilac Milas marble, the textures used are purposefully varied and wonderfully original. With reused and recycled elements from the original barn, this is a space designed to be seen and used for all occasions.

Kohler, leading global brand, features eight additions to its smart home portfolio at CES 2022, focusing on enhancing wellbeing and making it easier for people to find peace of mind.

PerfectFill smart bathing technology is a smart drain, digital/app controller and bath filler. PerfectFill draws a bath to a preferred temperature and desired depth with a simple voice command or through the KOHLER Konnect app, reducing time spent monitoring the bath as it fills. Previously demonstrated as concept technology, PerfectFill will be available for purchase in May 2022.

Anthem Valves and Controls – digital valves can operate multiple outlets, integrate into the KOHLER Konnect app, can be paired with voice assistants, and offer the unique functionality of independent temperature and flow control in each outlet. Paired with the immersive sprays of the Statement showerheads, hand showers, rain heads and body sprays, Anthem upgrades the shower through innovative technology and engineering.

Purist Suspend – ceiling-mounted kitchen faucet featuring a remote puck that manages activation, temperature and volume, and a fully adjustable hose with 180-degree rotation.

Touchless Residential Bathroom Faucet – New category for Kohler, these faucets function with a simple wave of the hand, offer temperature control and operate by battery, offering an easy tech upgrade.

Kohler Power Reserve – a modular home energy storage system that pairs with solar power systems to provide homeowners with access to solar energy regardless of the weather, time of day or status of the grid.

Robern IQ Digital Lock Box – a smart lock box that offers a compact way to securely protect valuables, medication and personal items. Digital Lock Box is equipped with a touchpad panel as well as an app to set and protect your password and ensure that your items are secured.

Additional featured products coming to market in 2022 include Stillness Bath, a multi-sensory bathing experience inspired by Japanese forest bathing, and H2Wise powered by Phyn, smart water monitors designed to detect leaks and track household water usage.

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Concrete LCDA introduce a new Panbeton collection of surface panels, consisting of five new designs, two of which were made in collaboration with Neri & Hu and Jean-Philippe Nuel.

Panbeton Gèn by Neri & Hu

The Chinese character 亘 “gèn” is composed of two lines at the top and bottom, with the character for “sun” nestled in between. The horizontal strokes, one representing the heavens above and the other representing the earth below, allude to the infinite extension of the horizon, embodying the notion of a spatial and temporal continuity. The design for the panel is composed by a series of well-proportioned raised lines that could appear to extend infinitely across a surface, drawing a direct connection between landscape and dwelling, ground and sky.

Panbeton Graphite by Jean-Philippe Nuel

Studio Jean-Philippe Nuel has created a new model of ultra-lightweight, high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete panels for Concrete LCDA, called “Graphite”.

Continuing along the same lines as the Chevrons and Timber panels – the one derived from the imprint of Haussmann wood flooring, and the other influenced by wooden formwork slats – Graphite retains a woody touch, as it draws its inspiration from the graphic designs created by different species of wood as they burn. Because depending on whether you burn Douglas fir, Accoya, oak or pine, the surface of the wood will take on a cracked, flaky texture, long grooves or smooth, tight curves.

In architecture, charred wood is traditionally used in exterior cladding, as it provides natural protection to the wood. This Japanese technique is known as “shou sugi ban”. It involves charring the surface of a board, deep down, until a superficial layer of charcoal forms, which will protect the material from the effects of weather.

“The Graphite panels do more than just use charred wood: they feature a graphic composition which plays with the textures of the different finishes, almost like inlays. This way, the panels take a contemporary, creative approach to reinterpreting a secular tradition.”

The result of this assembly is a concrete panel with a flowing geometric design which can be extended length-wise and height-wise like wallpaper. This cladding will add character and a strong identity to any room it adorns.

Panbeton Lines, Striation & Rugged by Studio LCDA

The Brutalism Collection is adding three new models by Studio LCDA: Panbeton® Striation, Lines and Rugged.

As a new tribute to the Brutalist architectural style, this collection refers to the concrete used in buildings, to the raw material which reveals the traces and texture inherent to its installation.

Studio LCDA utilizes a language based on simple geometric shapes, repetitive modules and linear forms. “We wanted to let the concrete express its fundamental nature and its streamlined and pulled-out variations, making it possible to fully appreciate its minerality and its imperfections.”

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This week's instalment of SBID's Product of the Week series features a luxurious piano design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Edelweiss Pianos.

The SOLIS was hand-built in the UK by Cambridge based piano makers Edelweiss. The SOLIS is the one of a kind design from the ‘Goldfinch’ designer range of self-play pianos. Exclusively created for a California residence this majestic piano symbolises the setting sun across the Nevada desert.

A semi-circular piano has a butterfly lid that is unique to Edelweiss Pianos. The SOLIS seamlessly holds a self-play system and is highly specified with a carbon fibre composite mechanism, a perma-formed soundboard, and a custom produced keyboard with sustainably sourced exotic wood sharps.

This week's instalment of SBID's Product of the Week series features a hardware collection design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Croft.

The Mineral Collection by Croft is a one-of-a-kind, limited edition range for those looking to seamlessly transform and add character to any space. As its name suggests, the overall design concept of the collection is based on natural occurring minerals. The Mineral collections look of purity and intrigue suggests it is a naturally formed product, celebrating the relationship between nature and craftsmanship.

Meticulously hand-crafted using a pattern bonding process, the collection is comprised of Croft’s Elegance door handle with a covered rose, bathroom turn, cabinet knob and handle and an appliance pull. Available in a matt or gloss finish and two striking colours, Tiger's Eye and Jade, each product has its own individual, colour-bearing veins giving a uniqueness to every item. A step away from their usual product range, the Mineral Collection was created by Croft, a British manufacturer based in the heart of England.

In this week's interview with 2021 SBID Awards winner for the Bathroom & Sanitaryware Product category, RAK Ceramics, the designer Patrick Norguet talks about the industry trends' influence on the designing process and shares his predictions on the future bathroom design direction.

How important is it to enter the SBID Awards & receive industry recognition for your work? What are the benefits?

It is always important to measure the reaction to a product or a collection and the industry recognition that the Award demonstrates is an important indicator of the likely success of the product once it is available commercially. For me as a designer, it is always pleasant to receive congratulations for my work and that of my team.

What do you think made this particular design an award winner?

As with any first collaboration I spent a lot of time trying to understand a brand, its origin, its strategy, its culture, and its production capacity. RAK- Valet is the result of this research. Beyond the design, the success of a product is also about timing. RAK-Valet brings together all the elements, thus making the collection a sweet blend of elegance and modernity.

How do evolving trends in the KBB industry inform the design decisions you make about RAK products/collections? Where do you find inspiration?

The word trend is contradictory to a designer’s work. My job is to understand the evolution that is needed related to a particular company or industrial sector. RAK Ceramics came to me as they were looking to increase the perceived value of their products, with a unique collection that has an international cultural approach. I think we succeeded in this challenge with our first collaboration.

To answer your question, which is often asked of me, my inspiration comes from my work. As a designer as well as an industrialist, I like to offer products that make sense, because there are too many objects already surrounding us. My inspiration therefore comes from a conscious and unconscious set of things that nourish my creativity according to what is needed.

As a leader of innovation within the sector, what recent developments in bathroom design do you think will become commonplace in the coming years?

It is an interesting subject because the bathroom for several years has become much more of a living space and a room in its entirety.

The notion of comfort and well-being is at the heart of the needs of our Western society. Tomorrow may be different. The density of the population has an impact on us and our living spaces, so it is therefore also necessary to think and design spaces that are more compact, but that offer quality. Bathroom design also needs to address societal challenges, like the consumption of energy and water, maintaining comfort while bringing meaning to our actions.

Now that you’ve won an SBID Award, what are the next steps? Is there anything new you are excited to be working on?

It would be terrible for me to settle for one award alone. To design and offer products correctly, it is important for an industrialist to establish a collaboration that lasts over time. I hope that this first collection designed for RAK Ceramics will lead to a continued relationship and to win another SBID Award in the future. In the meantime, I am focused on many projects ahead of the Milan show in April 2022.

What advice can you give to young designers starting out in the design industry?

My advice would be that it is a difficult job, which requires a lot of work and skill, but it is also a job that offers a lot of freedom. So never give up and work hard.

Questions answered by Patrick Norguet, RAK-VALET Collection Designer, RAK Ceramics.

This week's instalment of SBID's Product of the Week series features a morphable furniture design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Thomas Abraham For IDeA Design House.

The Optimus by Thomas Abraham is a morphable furniture piece that transforms in size, shape and purpose. Because it can be multi-used and multi-purposed, it limits the number of furniture in the room thereby providing free space.

It is made of sheesham wood from renewable plantations that are environmentally friendly with low carbon footprints. It is in every way an ‘Environment first’ Architectural Design, prioritizing sustainability, durability, recycling and reusing material, waste management, reduction of carbon footprint and economically affordable design. It also focuses on the efficient use of resources and follows a zero-waste policy. Everything used was handmade, thus providing much needed employment to local population as well as preserving the skillsets of craftsmen in the neighbourhood.

This is design as cosmopolitan as it gets, a glocal (global + local) sensibility with diversity and universal value – furniture that would fit in every home, in any culture

Sans Souci, Czech designer and creator of glass lighting and architectural installations, introduces lighting installation in the centre of Burj Al Arab’s new lobby in Dubai. The stunning chandelier was adapted from Sans Souci’s signature Symphony collection and is comprised of 210 crystal tubes, weighing around 450 kilograms.

The installation seamlessly integrates heritage craftsmanship with the latest nano-technologies. Using cutting-edge techniques, each glass tube was coated in gold and engraved with a unique leaf motif taken from the luxury hotel’s wallpaper.

Designed by KCA International for Jumeirah Group, the newly renovated Exit Lobby features the magnificent spiral chandelier as the bespoke centrepiece for the interior. The installation’s design plays with light to create a glowing piece of art in the heart of the new space.

“Burj Al Arab is a globally recognised symbol of Dubai and luxury so we were delighted to work on this project” commented Elie El Khoury, Managing Director of Sans Souci Middle East. “We wanted to create a unique installation for the new interior that embodies the opulence of this iconic hotel.”

Jiří Krišica Head of Design at Sans Souci, added “The core design for this piece is taken from our Symphony collection and we then worked with the design team to create a truly unique chandelier that highlights the stunning interiors of the hotel. The final effect is an installation that plays with light and shade, creating a beautiful focus for the space.”

Burj Al Arab’s new Exit Lobby opened in October 2021. This installation adds to the list of Sans Souci’s projects in the Middle East which includes the W Hotel The Palm, Waterfront Market, Central Park Towers in Dubai or Al Rayyan Hotel in Doha.

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This week's instalment of SBID's Product of the Week series features a sleek desk design by 2021 SBID Awards Finalist, Isomi.

The initial inspiration for Umi revolved around the shift in use of technology and a much more mobile concept to a reception desk. Umi anticipates the user to move around the object using a mobile device such as a tablet. It’s this change in use that starts to inform the soft edges and ability to flow around the object. The link between the user and client is much more intimate and the division between front and back are deliberately undefined.

Equally comfortable as an individual piece or part of a series, Umi is designed to grow with the requirements of any space.

Kohler, a leading global kitchen and bath brand, showcases its long-standing innovation and design leadership through a custom-created installation by New York-based artist Daniel Arsham, entitled “Stone Flow” at Design Miami/ 2021. Stone Flow explores the KOHLER x Arsham collaboration’s experimental phase and uses giant rocks to emulate the design of the innovative sink, Rock.01.

With a series of stone-like objects and forms, Arsham unveils a further exploration of his design process, which plays with organic forms found in nature. The 3D-printed Rock.01 crafted in Kohler, Wis., debuted within the Stone Flow installation in December last year and has been available for purchase since in an edition of 99. The one-of-a-kind, limited-edition sink brings together creative innovation and expert craftsmanship from Kohler and Arsham.

Within Design Miami/ 2021 Kohler presented a Design Talk, “Design in the Now: How technology and craft meet the cultural moment” on Thursday, Dec. 2 with Daniel Arsham, artist-designer; Marc Benda, Cofounder Friedman Benda; David Kohler, President and CEO Kohler; and Samuel Ross, artist-designer and moderated by Wava Carpenter, Curatorial Director Design Miami.

Additionally, Kohler features other innovative and design-forward global collections in its activations in Miami. Among them, the Occasion faucet collection that was inspired by the high fashion and effortless glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood, offering both charm and elegance within the bathroom.

In celebration of Design Miami/ 2021, Kohler has made a contribution to DigDeep, a nonprofit working to bring clean water to families on the Navajo Nation. Access to safe water is at the centre of Kohler’s work to preserve the planet and support the well-being of individuals and communities around the world. Reliable access to water is not only crucial for life, but for enriched lives and the pursuit of education and art.

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