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COCOON, DESIGNER DOORWARE, ESS EASY DRAIN, News

Hottest Luxury Bathroom Trends for 2023

With the new year just a few weeks away, we have our eye on the hottest luxury bathroom trends for 2023.

That’s right — today we’re talking about spa-like bathrooms with free-standing tubs, marble, concrete tubs and basins, elevated hardware and more. Let’s dive in.

Marble, Marble, Marble

Most luxury bathrooms have one thing in common: marble (and usually, lots of it!). Why? Marble represents luxury, glamor, and did we mention it never goes out of style?

Let’s take a look at a few of our favorite marble pieces.

The PB Bath by COCOON

Designed to be a free-standing bath, each piece is unique and carved from a single block of marble (or natural stone, if you prefer). Piet Boon’s signature shape, the KEKKE, is recognizable by its rounded corners.

Homeowners have the artistic freedom to specify their own custom bath from 10 different stones from COCOON. Learn more about the PB Bath by COCOON here.

The COCOON PB Cabinet 120

We’re proud to present this Chalk White Wall Mount Vanity, by COCOON. The PB-Cabinet-120-20-Chalk-White is made from premium materials, this Wall Mount Vanity offers great function and value for your home. This fixture is part of COCOON’s Piet Boon Cabinet Collection, so make sure to check out other fixtures to accessorize your room.

Shop it here.

Free-Standing Tubs

A free-standing tub can make a bathroom feel like a spa experience. No luxury bathroom is complete without the perfect tub.

At Specialty Hardware and Plumbing, we are big fans of concrete tubs. Why? Concrete tubs are:

Resistant to humidity
Versatile
Able to be paired with a range of accessories and fixtures
Long-lasting and incredibly durable

Learn more about COCOON concrete tubs, here.

We adore the Natural Stone Free Standing Soaking Tub from the John Pawson COCOON Collection (shown above). The tub, shown in Pietra Griggio above, is available in many shades, such as natural sand, for those who may love the tub but prefer a lighter finish.

Concrete Basins and Sinks

Just like concrete tubs, concrete basins and sinks have become increasingly popular amongst designers. They have several positive characteristics, including:

Each concrete basin is unique: there will never be a solid block of the same finish color, due to the variables within this specialized concrete mix. If you are looking to achieve a more smooth surface, there is an option of “Polished Concrete,” which gives the treatment an extra polish to smooth out the surface area.
Style and textural flow lines: the concrete mix is liquid when being poured into the mold, so textured flow lines are expected and can add to the unique look of the piece.
Strength and durability: Each concrete sink is pre-sealed before it is brought into the home. Users can expect the sink to last for decades –likely over 50 years, in fact – with the correct care and maintenance.

Let’s talk Elevated Fixtures

From bath fillers to drains to basin mixers, the details can make a significant difference in the design of a luxury bathroom. We recommend taking the time to find elevated fixtures that complement each other while allowing attention to the eye-catching pieces in the space: the vanities, tubs, and showers, for example.

Let’s discuss a few of our favorite fixtures.

The Piet Boon 10 Spout

The Piet Boon 10 Spout (PB10) is a simple, yet elegant wall mounted tap, faucet or tub filler for your bathroom, kitchen, or even outdoor spaces. The PB10 offers the flexibility of pairing it with any of the Piet Boon mixers and now comes in different lengths for your design needs: PB13 – 130mm; PB18 – 180mm and PB10 – 220mm.

The COCOON John Pawson Floor Mounted Bath Filler

From the award-winning John Pawson by COCOON Collection, this piece combines elegance and minimalism. Check it out, here.

White Fixtures and Hardware

Vola carries white faucets in two finishes: White 18 (a polished white) and White 28 (matte white).

What is special about these pieces? Take it from Vola:

“The key elements of bathing are surfaces, taps, spouts and water. Water defines the experience but surfaces, taps and spouts can shape and steer the experience. Touch can transform everyday moments into quietly satisfying rituals that enhance the user’s relationship with the natural world and ease the complexities and stresses of contemporary life.”

Designing a Luxury Bathroom?

Specialty Hardware + Plumbing can assist with pricing, design options, and finish match recommendations. For samples and more – stop by our Beverly Hills showroom or send us an email for more information.

December 12, 2022/by Amanda Rogers

DESIGNER DOORWARE

December Brand Feature: Designer Doorware

Designer Doorware provides high quality, innovative designs in hardware. After over two decades in business, Designer Doorware remains on the forefront of industry trends while also offering holistic end-to-end services, such as design advice in finish, product, specs and value engineering.

Read on to learn more about this innovative brand, view their new collections and check out a few of our favorite pieces. Let’s dive in.

All About Designer Doorware: Who Are They?

Since 1996, Designer Doorware has been launching innovative designs in hardware for architects and designers. This brand focuses on offering an original sustainable, high-quality product.

Designer Doorware recently joined Forte Brands Group. Forte sources the world in search of the best and most desirable hardware brands.

The full product line can be selected by use, including: sliding/pocket/barn door hardware; external door hardware; interior door hardware; kitchen hardware; bathroom hardware; show door hardware. Let Specialty Hardware + Plumbing help guide you through the selection process from beginning to end of your project.

Let’s take a look at some of our favorite pieces and take a peek at their new collections.

The Designer Doorware Bull Pull

Specialty Hardware + Plumbing is proud to present this Chrome Unlacquered Door Pull, a popular piece by Designer Doorware. The FP600-40-SBU is made from premium materials, this Door Pull offers great function and value for your home. This fixture is part of Designer Doorware’s Collection, so make sure to check out other fixtures to accessorize your room.

Bullet + Stone Concrete Collection

The Bullet + Stone collection by Designer Doorware introduces three fresh designs of concrete door hardware. The three door designs, including the Concrete Club Lever, Concrete Niki Knob and Concrete Quad Lever, come in 18+ special finishes.

The versatility of concrete gives architects and designers a new realm to explore when it comes to adding a contrasting aesthetic to projects.

The Bullet + Stone Collection was designed by Designer Doorware and manufactured in Australia. The collection can be personalized for any contemporary and modern interior or exterior design.

Concrete Luna Grey

The concrete appearance for the Bullet + Stone Concrete Collection will have variations of shade and color patterns. The finish is called “Luna Gray.” Custom finishes are also available upon request.

The Monte Timber Collection

The Monte Timber collection by Designer Doorware combines a touch of American white oak or American black walnut hardwood with a solid brass mount.

The Club Bathware Collection

We adore this Powder Coated Colour Passage Door Lever by Designer Doorware. The CL-R50-I-RH-PCC is made from premium materials, this Passage Door Lever offers great function and value for your home.

Shou Sugi Ban: Charred Finish Door Hardware

Shou Sugi Ban is an ancient Japanese exterior siding technique that preserves wood by charring it with fire. Sugi, Japanese red cedar, was traditionally used in the process. The wood charring process is an environmentally conscious way of preserving timber and making it fire resistant.

Japanese design has influenced international design over the last few centuries.

Learn more about this collection and Shou Sugi Ban, here.

Designer Doorware: Special Finishes

Antique Brass Medium (ABM)
Antique Brass Dark (ABD)
Black Chrome (BC)
Satin Black Chrome (SBC)
Florentine Bronze Medium (FBM)
Florentine Bronze Dark (FBD)
Oil Rubbed Bronze (ORB)
Polished Brass Unlacquered (PBU)
Satin Brass Unlacquered (SBU)
Weathered Brass Light (WBL)
Weathered Brass Medium (WBM)
Polished Nickel (PN)
Satin Nickel (SN)
Powder Coated Color (PCC)
Powder Coated Color Satin White
Powder Coated Color Black Ace
Vapour Black
Black Satin (VBS)
Timber: American White Oak Raw
Timber: American White Oak Oiled
Timber: American Black Walnut Raw
Timber: American Black Walnut Oiled

Visit Our Showroom to Learn More About Designer Doorware

As the exclusive distributor for the greater Los Angeles area for Designer Doorware, our Specialty Hardware + Plumbing showroom in Beverly Hills carries the largest selection of their door hardware, cabinet knobs, pulls, levers, accessories and locks in the United States. We work closely with the Australian headquarters to provide the highest quality product and customer service.

Our expertise lies in our experience creating the most impeccable designs for the highest quality homes and establishments. Send us an email for more information.

Read on to learn how to make your client’s house goals become a reality.

December 10, 2022/by Amanda Rogers

DESIGNER DOORWARE, MRSTEAM, News

How to Combine Modern Luxury with Comfort

luxury and comfort living room with gray details and minimalistic style

For interior designers, combining modern luxury with comfort is essential… But not always an easy feat.

The combination of luxury and comfort allows individuals to imagine themselves in the home; for example, relaxing on the couch beneath a lush blanket, taking a bath in the spa-like bathroom, and cooking their favorite meal in a top-of-the-line kitchen.

However, designers may find it difficult to balance the sophisticated elements they want into a space while still making the home feel warm and inviting.

That’s why we’ve compiled a quick list of tips to help designers accomplish the perfect mix of elevated design, comfort, and functionality (and some brands that epitomize these ideas, but more on that later!)

How to Make a Modern Luxury Interior Design Comfortable and Functional

Let’s Talk Texture: Incorporate High-Quality, Cozy Textiles

Rich fabrics complete a luxurious interior design. By including a variety of high-quality textures, a space can feel cozy without sacrificing sophistication. For some interior designers, texture may take the form of a curated collection of throw pillows and blankets on the couch or in a relaxing reading nook.

Is minimalism more your style? That doesn’t mean you have to give up cozy textiles in your design. We are partial to minimalist luxury interior design—such as pictured above—by designers such as John Pawson and Piet Boon. The above photo includes designs from Piet Boon and perfectly mixes luxurious comfort with a minimalist touch. Learn more about Piet Boon.

Consider Natural Materials and Colors

Genuine high-quality materials, such as solid wood and natural stone, create sophisticated, warm atmospheres. For example, the Free Standing Soaking Tub by COCOON, pictured above, is made from premium materials and offers great function and value for a luxury home. The Concrete-05 finish is shown above, but the finishes Concrete 01-10 are also available, ranging from lighter to darker shades.

Or, the JP Bath

We also adore the Natural Stone Free Standing Soaking Tub from the John Pawson COCOON Collection. The tub, shown above in Pietra Grigio, is available in many shades, such as natural sand, for those who may love the tub but prefer a lighter finish.

Read on to learn how to make a modern home feel like a luxury hotel.

Make the Bathroom Feel like a Spa

Spa-like bathrooms evoke a sense of luxury and comfort. After all, what could be more comfortable than a bubble bath with lit candles and a chilled glass of white (or red!) wine?

The good news for interior designers: You don’t have to have a large bathroom space to create a sophisticated yet functional spa bathroom. Instead, designers can opt for elements such as:

Rich colors
Natural materials
Customized organization

Learn more about the advantages of bespoke bathroom design.

Invite Nature Inside

A hint of nature can add life and charm to any space. This touch can be as simple as a vase of flowers on the table, a larger plant (such as birds of paradise) in the corner of the room, or even eucalyptus in the spa.

Other elements may include stones, pieces of driftwood or weathered wood, and sand.

Interested in similar designs for inspiration? Check out our Pinterest.

Maximize Space

Space is a luxury in itself. Interior designers can make a home feel sophisticated through careful consideration of scale.

Without purposeful use of the space, a home can feel overcrowded.

Brands That Perfectly Mix Modern Luxury with Comfort

COCOON

COCOON embodies bespoke, minimalist, luxurious design. The products are versatile, sustainable, and built with the world’s best materials: Unique natural stone, solid surface, and concrete.

Interested in learning more about COCOON? Download our 2022 Lookbook.

In this lookbook, we walk you through the different options from the collections of Piet Boon and John Pawson, to the COCOON Lab, including the bathtubs, basins, taps, and accessories.

Mr. Steam

The Mr. Steam product line is a perfect match for interior designers who want to “think outside the tub” and provide a luxurious spa experience without compromising functionality.

Mr. Steam offers contemporary, technologically advanced products such as steam generators, soothing aromatherapy, and chromatherapy.

Specialty Hardware + Plumbing is honored to be the premier U.S. distributor of Mr. Steam, with a flagship showroom located in Beverly Hills, California. It is conveniently located in Los Angeles, just a couple of hours from San Diego, Orange County, and the Santa Barbara area.

Shop the Mr. Steam collection.

Zucchetti

Zucchetti is one of the oldest Italian kitchen and bath fittings designer companies. In fact, Zuccheti is still in operation in Italy.

The company designs and manufactures uniquely styled faucets in Italy’s Piedmont area using components made either in-house or purchased from European sources.

Shop Zucchetti.

Crosswater London

Crosswater London is the leading supplier of premium products for the bathroom in Europe. Their legacy expands as they bring products with superior quality and unrivaled performance to the U.S.

Shop Crosswater London.

Let’s Talk Modern Luxury Interior Design, Shall We?

Stop by our showroom in the Los Angeles area! We’re proud to be your resource for timeless, minimalist, luxurious design.

Our expertise lies in our experience creating the most impeccable designs for the highest quality homes and establishments. Send us an email for more information.

Read on to learn how to make your client’s house goals become a reality.

October 9, 2022/by Amanda Rogers

DESIGNER DOORWARE, News

Where to Find Inspiration for Your Luxury Kitchen

Kitchens are often one of the most used spaces in a home. In fact, one might even refer to a kitchen as the “heart” of the home.

Why? This is where individuals cook, eat, and socialize with friends and family. Kitchens can be tricky for designers because they not only have to be aesthetically pleasing but also need to be functional to provide adequate storage, appliance safety, and room to cook.

This long list of requirements may leave interior designers feeling overwhelmed and lacking inspiration. Flipping through your favorite magazine or scrolling through Pinterest will only go so far when you’re lacking inspiration as an interior designer.

Sometimes, there is simply too much to look at. So, how can designers focus their creative minds and recharge their batteries?

We suggest the following:

Flipping through your favorite coffee table design book
Taking a trip to a museum
Seeking out the work of fellow designers
Drawing inspiration from your favorite brands, and
Visiting a local showroom

Read on as we discuss each of these recommendations in detail.

Read Your Favorite Coffee Table Design Book (or Buy a New One!)

Whether you’ve flipped through your favorite coffee table design book a hundred times or used it as a decor item (yet to look at the first page…), it’s time to read—again.

Consider spending time with each design; try to find an element that interests you or that you haven’t noticed before.

Anne Mueller, Principal at Briar Design, states, “For inspiration, I often turn to print publications… There is nothing more beautiful than a wonderfully curated coffee table book filled with stylish shots from talented photographers.”

Looking for some new coffee table books about interior design? We compiled a list of some of the best books for minimalist design, including our favorites like The Japanese Garden by Sophie Walker and John Pawson: Anatomy of Minimum by Alison Morris.

Take a Walk Around a Museum

A museum can serve as a place to recharge and get the creative juices flowing.

Why? Museums are bursting with inspiration. After all, you can’t spell “museum” without “muse!”

Additionally, taking a stroll around a museum allows designers to connect to other artists and other forms of art that may fuel their next project.

Seek out the Work of Fellow Designers

Whether you are a fellow designer or are working on your own home, interior designers can be a great source of inspiration. Some of our favorites include Piet Boon and John Pawson.

Draw Brands that Inspire Luxury Kitchens

Your favorite brands and the details you choose to fill a space with say a lot about you and your preferences. By taking a look at pieces from these brands, you might find one that evokes some inspiration for your next project.

Let’s take a look at some of our favorites.

The Bulthaup Brand

The Bulthaup Brand provides incredible, uncompromised quality for kitchen and living spaces. Additionally, this brand prioritizes high ethical standards while working with premium materials as well as values craftsmanship and design.

According to their website, Bulthaup “[wonders] whether our concept of ‘the kitchen’ is enough to meet people’s wants and needs, now and in the future. We continually investigate this question as we manufacture our products with a passion for detail and a love of authentic materials, to create kitchen and living space systems that enrich lives now and tomorrow.”

Check out more of The Bulthaup Brand’s projects.

MGS

According to their site, “MGS stainless steel fixtures merge Italian luxury and style with the innovative precision of Swiss engineering, creating slim silhouettes and simple shapes that represent the perfect harmony of aesthetics and technology.”

MGS uses high-quality stainless steel materials to create sleek, functional designs. These pieces are durable, efficient, and bring a touch of refinement to any kitchen space.

Read on to view some MGS kitchen faucets.

Designer Doorware

Designer Doorware “was born out of Joseph Di Benedetto’s vision to provide architects and designers the products they were truly looking for. Since inception, our focus has been on providing high-quality innovative designs in hardware with quality at the core of our offerings.”

This brand offers excellent choices for kitchen cabinet pulls and refrigerator door handles.

Check out their site for examples of Designer Doorware projects.

Studio Piet Boon

Every Piet Boon kitchen is designed with “a passion for natural materials, keen technical insights, and an eye for detail. Each kitchen concept is ‘tailored to taste’, being unique in form and proportion, material, texture, color, finish, and appearance.”

For example, we love the COCOON Piet Boon Deck Mount Swivel Spout (PBSET11).

The PBSET11 is made from premium materials and offers great function and value for a home. This fixture is part of COCOON’s Piet Boon Collection, so make sure to check out other fixtures to accessorize your room!

Moreover, this piece is available in four finishes:

Gold (shown above)
Black
Brushed inox, and
Copper

Find more Piet Boon kitchen products.

HydroTap by Zipwater

Take it from Zipwater: “Ultra-modern. Boho-chic. Contemporary classic. Whatever your taste, there’s a HydroTap to match, with a stunning selection of tap styles, finishes, and dispensing options to choose from! Browse the range below to find the perfect HydroTap for your home or office.”

These products are made from premium materials and built to last.

Check out more HydroTap by Zipwater products.

Visit Our Showroom for Unmatched Luxury Kitchen Inspiration

Specialty Hardware + Plumbing is proud to be your resource for timeless, minimalist, luxurious design. Our expertise lies in our experience creating the most impeccable designs for the highest quality homes and establishments.

For samples and more, stop by our Los Angeles showroom.

October 2, 2022/by Amanda Rogers

DESIGNER DOORWARE, News, Uncategorized