We continue our recap of the best products of the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) 2017 with our eight top picks from the bath category. And they are …
Alape: Assist
The German manufacturer best known for its handsome glazed steel sinks will soon be adding contemporary bath shelving and accessories to its repertoire. The shelves in the Assist line possess crisp and delicate aluminum profiles — with no visible hardware — in a range of dimensions to suit different spatial constraints and needs. Optional accessories including a perforated wood block and wood box perfectly fit into the shelves for a cohesive look, and a version of the shelf features a cutout to hold a precisely fitting dispenser bottle for liquid soap or lotion. Assist is slated for release beginning this October.
Dornbracht: Vaia
The design duo — and brothers — Christian and Michael Sieger have collaborated with Dornbracht for more than 30 years, resulting in exquisite bath fixtures and fittings that are still popular today. Yet they always manage to cook up something new. Their latest design for the German luxury brand, Vaia, is a complete line of fittings that, at once, captures both classic elegance and clean modernity. In essence, it’s a transitional collection that looks at home in just about any style of bath space with lever and cross handles, wall- and deck-mounted faucets and tub fillers, all with crisp lines and curves that lead to tapered rosettes. The line comes in platinum matte and polished chrome but will also be introduced in dark platinum matte this fall.
Duravit: Luv
Danish designer Cecilie Manz drew inspiration from her native Scandinavia to imbue this new collection by Duravit with some Nordic sophistication. The subtle oval curves of the line’s washbasins and tubs — made with the company’s DuraCeram — mingle with white interiors and optional exterior glazes in a muted palette of satin matte White, Grey or Sand. The proprietary material, meanwhile, enables a thinner profile for a generous inner basin and clean yet durable edges. Rounding out the collection is a selection of height-adjustable console stands with curved corners and edges for a soft inviting feel. These washstands are available in White, Nordic White, Taupe, Stone Grey, Light Blue and Night Blue satin-matte lacquer with quartz tops in three colorways; a solid-wood version is offered in American walnut.
Effegibi: BodyLove
Super-clean and minimal, this sauna and hammam system allows users to enjoy all the wellness benefits of a heated sensorial experience without inducing claustrophobia. Instead, it boasts a painted aluminum frame with ample glass walls and door panels for looking outward. (Though if privacy is an issue, the walls can also be specified with mirror or opaque exterior finishes.) As a combo unit, the sauna and hammam each occupy distinct spaces with their own entrances, the former with suspended wooden benches and Canadian hemlock or heat-treated solid wood cladding and the latter with an integrated Corian bench with teak elements. Standalone sauna or hammam units are also available.
Fantini: Venezia Additions
Building on its Venezia bath collection, Fantini introduced two new handles designed by architect Matteo Thun that perfectly coordinate with the faucets yet are a far cry from the original rectangular-block handles. One of the new designs is an elegant transparent-glass dial, for instance, with fluted edges along the circumference. The other is a lever with a contrasting grip and an intriguing hexagonal-tube stem.
Gessi: David Rockwell for Gessi
As the first American designer to be tapped by luxury bath manufacturer Gessi, architect David Rockwell intentionally looked to interpret an American ethos for the contemporary bath suite. So he and his team studied American craft traditions, revisited the formal gestures of early plumbing fixtures and explored modern metalwork. The resulting design sports unique silhouettes that suggest a carved form and tactile bases that resemble knurling but, on closer inspection, feature a more intricate pattern — perfect for both residential and hospitality settings. ICFF marked the preview for this comprehensive collection of faucets, bath spouts, hand-showers, tub sets, mixers, accessories and more, with preorders beginning this fall and actual production starting in 2018.
Stone Forest: Calma Tub
Simultaneously imposing and inviting, the freestanding Calma tub beckons bathers to come take a soak with its natural stone composition. Each sculptural tub is carved from a single block of limestone or Marquina taupe and then finished by hand, essentially making each a one-off.
Wetstyle: C2
Tastefully minimal and industrial, this new collection consists of console vanities, a framed mirror and a floor-standing towel holder, all defined by the crisp lines of solid stainless steel framing finished in matte black or satin brass. The console comes in two sizes — 24 and 30 inches — and holds a walnut-wood storage drawer, while the 24-inch-wide backlit mirror also features an integrated walnut shelf.
