Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/109465
Living Luxury Following the trends in this year���s plumbing products by Robin Brunet L ast summer, five trends were compiled from the Pumps n Plumbing website in an attempt to end the enduring assumption that plumbing products ��� for the bathroom at least ��� are basically low-tech. The trends include: ��� Quiet-close toilet seats: (an invention that is quickly becoming a must-have for many homeowners); ��� aterTile body sprays: manufactured by Kohler, these W sprays are mounted practically flush to the wall, providing a modern esthetic; ��� ir bathtubs: these tubs are rapidly replacing conventional A jetted tubs, the advantage being there is no water in the pipes to grow stagnant if the tub is unused for several weeks; ��� ouchless faucets: once the domain of restaurants and T hotels, these electronic faucets are becoming more commonplace in residences; and ��� ustom shower packages: many manufacturers are C offering their most popular showering components (including handshowers, bodysprays and showerheads) in convenient pre-configured packages. American codes. Forged from brass, each faucet is hand-polished, textured and then finished using state-of-the-art technology. Rubinet has exciting releases for 2013. ���Several years ago, we introduced easy-to-install storage wall niches for showers made of one-piece stainless steel, and in 2013 we���re expanding the offering and unveiling a 12-inch by 12-inch storage niche with a pivoting door for the vanity area to replace the traditional medicine cabinet,��� says Rubinet president Domenic Luisi, adding that his company has also created a storage niche line for the kitchen. Rubinet is also introducing a recessed toilet paper holder (with a revolutionary loading slot rather than cumbersome roller) as well as a shower seat that can support 350 pounds and yet protrudes only 1.25 inches when folded against the wall. ���That���s not all ��� we���re unveiling new linear drains for showers, plus a new outdoor shower with foot rinse made of stainless steel,��� says Luisi. ���We���ve also developed a new handheld bidet intended for aging or obese people. It���s an extremely useful device and we���re in the midst of deciding the best way to market it.��� Sustainable Solutions International (SSI) is a company with a core belief that living green is smart. SSI���s latest contributions to the green movement in plumbing come courtesy of Caroma. ���We have a new threelitre average flushing toilet from Caroma that retains the double-the-industry standard four-inch trapway to avoid plugging,��� says SSI owner Doug Sproule. ���It should be noted that three litres is half of what is considered to be a low-flow toilet.��� The toilet in question is the Sydney Smart Point-8, a dual-flush system featuring award-winning smart technology as well as an esthetically pleasing classical design. Sydney Smart is made of vitreous china and is easily cleaned. SSI���s other major release for 2013 is a new high-end bathroom range of Caroma products from acclaimed designer Marc Newsom, including tapware, toilets and baths. ���We���re also introducing the newly redesigned ���invisi��� wall-hung toilet, which is the new rage in North America,��� says Sproule. Kohler, whose reputation for advancing the development of high-tech bathroom plumbing products is unmatched, is currently marketing new VibrAcoustic technology that combines music with water for an unforgettable bathing experience. With VibrAcoustic, one���s favourite music, news or podcast is broadcast not merely in the bath but through it, thanks to special Matt Robinson, business development manager for BA Robinson Co. Ltd., acknowledges these trends and adds some others. ���Wall- Below: Kohler���s VibrAcoustic technology combined with chromatherapy lights. Above: Allure Brilliant bath and shower line from Grohe. hung toilets and vanities are becoming increasingly popular and provide a clean, minimalist look, although they���re ideally suited for new builds rather than renovations,��� he says. ���In terms of technology, sound is big, whether it���s a music system for the shower or the bathroom in general. And digital thermostats are growing in demand, with Kohler being a leader in the development and manufacture of such products.��� As a fully diversified distributor of plumbing, lighting and electrical products in Western Canada, BA Robinson has the items to satisfy even the most tech-hungry or style-conscious designer or end user. It���s no surprise that major manufacturers such as Delta, Grohe and the aforementioned Kohler are pushing the esthetic and functionality envelopes, but a comparatively smaller firm, Rubinet Faucet Company, is downright ingenious at creating unique plumbing products. Rubinet has forged a reputation as the manufacturer with faucets that meet and exceed all North Plumbing Products p14-19PlumbingProd.indd 15 13-01-22 3:11 PM