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Does your powder room need a shake-up? Has your guest bath overstayed its welcome? If you've decided to master a master bath--or any bath--you're in for a surprise. In recent years, plumbing fixture designers have penned a pack of pedestal sinks and high-style lavatories that turn what was once a mundane fixture into a piece d' resistance. It's time to say "au revoir" to your washed-up washbowl.
But first, let's clarify the terminology. The correct term for a bathroom sink is "lavatory," a word rooted in the Latin word lavare, meaning "to wash." In the industry, lavatory is often shortened to "lav" or, in contractor lingo, "lavy." The term "sink" fits if the lavatory tops a pedestal, as in "pedestal sink."
From white porcelain classics to colorful contemporaries, lavatories are made in hundreds of styles and finishes. Most bowls and pedestals are made from vitreous clay or fire clay, but you'll also find a variety of lavs made from glass, metal or any material that holds water. Of course, some materials are better than others. Rohl Corporation, for example, prides itself in the beautiful, high-quality porcelain its Allia pedestal and vanity bath fixtures are made from. "The primary manufacturer of Allia is in Limoges, France. It can draw on the wonderful, fine ceramic material they have to work with there," says Marketing Manager Greg Rohl.
Prices for lavatories and pedestal sinks are all over the map. Low-end, value-priced fixtures can be purchased at home improvement centers for under $100. At the high end, the sky is the limit. Most large manufacturers offer fixtures at different price points. "For us, a good price would be about $200 for a pedestal," says Greh Rohl. "We have a better fixture at $365. And our best, classic style with an ionic column pedestal and a large squared sink that has a generous surface area around the outside of the bowl, nice detail on the side, and very clean, sloping lines would be more like $695."
The myriad of lavatories are categorized by their support method: the familiar pedestal sinks, wall-mounted lavs and countertop-mounted lavatory basins, as well as the popular new "consoles."
What is a console? Steve Bissell, Sr. Product Manager for Sanitary Wear at Kohler, refers to their new Memoirs Console table as "a cross between a pedestal lav and a bath vanity. We take a large pedestal lav basin, remove the pedestal, and put legs on it like a table would have." Starting at about $900, this particular model is reminiscent of the washbasins prevalent in homes during the 1920s.
In related styles, Porcher's Bajade is a large, white ceramic lavatory set on chrome legs. Two cross bars double as towel racks, and the Spoleto Vanity by Hastings has a white Carrara marble top, china undermount basin and chrome or gold leg stand--a corner version is available, too. Though most consoles provide little or no hidden storage, Kohler's Revival console table offers an optional fabric skirting attachment.
The Furniture Look
Consoles are in keeping with the hottest trend today: lavatories that look like furniture. Watercolors offers wonderfully avante-garde European imports that, as owner Joyce Blum puts it, "are more like furniture than a sink." She adds, "We try to do things that nobody else does." Among both quirky and striking offerings, they have intricately curved wrought iron frames, finished in a variety of tones. These support china--or even terra cotta--surfaces and bowls that have been given beautifully-glazed finishes. How pricey? According to Blum, "We are upper middle to high end, about $1200 and up."
Eljer Plumbingware's new Mardi Gras lavatory, which brings the flavor of New Orleans' historic metal and wrought-iron detailing into the bathroom, is a console that features an intricate scroll design on its metal base and a generous vitreous china basin. Barclay Products Limited's Versailles is an elegant, French-style wall-mount sink with two front corner legs.
Hastings Tile & Il Bagno Collection offers a variety of artistic pedestals and consoles that utilize chrome, glass, polished copper and more. "Most people would consider our products to be contemporary," says Marketing Manager Mike Homola, "but it's really more of an eclectic kind of look. People are inter-mixing a variety of different mediums with these interesting pieces." At the upper end of the market, these pieces run from $1000 up to $6000.
Clear Thinking
One of the new looks in lavs is glass. "An exciting direction at Porcher is their Glacier Glass Bowls and Pedestals," says Linda Jennings, public relation agent for Porcher. "These are a special kind of glass...they have an etched bottom so spots don't show up."
Kohler also offers lavs made from hand-spun glass, highlighted with the air bubbles and imperfections characteristic of hand-blown glassware. Steve Bissell notes, "These imperfections give the glass an extra level of translucence, they capture light in the interior, creating more reflectance and refraction as light passes through." In clear glass, these start at about $800; aqua marine and cobalt are closer to $1100.
These are produced as part of Kohler's new series called the Vessels(tm) Collection. According to Steve Bissell, "There are a lot of different influences feeding into this line, including Greek, vase design, Japanese and even some traditional American look, reminiscent of the pan and pitcher." A collection of above-counter ceramic lavatory bowls, Vessels cut loose your imagination. You can combine these elegantly-styled bowls with practically any type of countertop material, from natural stone to structural glass. Starting price for ceramic Vessels is about $300.
Color and More
Based on the latest fashion colors, American Chinaware, has Citrus Color Basins, inspired by the brilliant colors of tropical fruits such as mango, kiwi, zesty lemon, bitter lime and tangerine. Priced at about $400, they're an effective way to brighten a powder room or guest bath.
Porcher has just introduced a new finish --white matte. As Linda Jennings points out, "This matte finish brings it into the next century. It adds an Old World look but, at the same time, is like something you've never seen before."
American Standard is looking toward colors called Linen, Day Dream and Spring. Linen, a softened white, is a gentle, neutral color. Day Dream and Spring, with a hint of blue and green respectively, also capture the trend toward soothing hues. "The growing tendency is clean, clear hues that are gentle, 'lifted' and softened," says color consultant Barbara Schirmeister, ASID.
Pennsylvania designer Sandra Steiner-Houck says, "White is always timeless, but Kohler has a biscuit color, a nice creamy neutral warm tone that I like. I try to design for timeless and classic, so those are the tones I've been using." Chris Lohmann, General Manager of Kaillista, underscores the point: "We're focusing on English porcelain in three whites-- 'croquet,' 'stucco' and 'linen.'"
Hand-painted Options
Hand-painted lavs are increasingly popular for adding character to bathrooms. American Chinaware offers a variety of handpainted Old-World designs and thematic designs for various sports and interests. Porcher will hand-paint family crests or other emblems on fixtures, based on sketches or photos customers send in. This costs from about $250 to $1200, depending upon the intricacy and number of colors.
In their Absolute Collection, American Standard features hand-painted countertop bowls with nursery rhyme themes, colorful fishbowl paintings, and classic ornamentation. Barclay's hand-decorated sink bowls are great for perking up a children's bathroom with colorful hand-print designs, bi-planes or yellow rubber ducks.
Counter Cultured
"For the busy bathrooms that need strong functionality, I'm a big fan of Corian ...we do a lot of integral bowls," says designer Steven M. Levine of Euro-Plus Designs in Needham, Massachusetts. The nice thing about solid-surface countertop materials is that they're low maintenance: the countertop flows seamlessly into the bowl. "I believe that most families are stressed to the max, so simplicity is key," says Levine. "An integral top maximizes the available work surface and minimizes the problem of splashing water spilling onto the counter because you don't have a raised lip on the sink to prevent getting water back to the drain. And the materials, if we're dealing with Corian, are virtually stain proof. You get the best possible combination of features for the easiest lifestyle."
A stone-like acrylic, solid-surface material doesn't fade or wear away, may be cleaned with a damp sponge, resists stains and scratches and burns may simply be buffed out. You can also achieve a variety of looks with these products. Wilsonart Gibraltar(r) solid surfacing, for example, makes three oval bathroom vanity bowls, in three shades of white, almond, platinum and ivory. These may be combined with 24 colors and patterns available in countertops.
Undermount sinks styles are quite popular because they allow easy clean-up of the counter and sink. They can be installed in practically any type of counter: tile, wood, marble, stone, laminate or solid surfacing.
Designer Sandra Steiner-Houck often specifies granite and marble countertops. "I like granite for its durability, marble less because it is not quite as resistant to staining. Tile is often used on countertops to create a very interesting look for less money than a stone product, and it tends to be durable. I try to avoid a white grout. We often work with warmer colors and blend the grout with the tile."
Countertops and lavatory bowls usually cap a vanity cabinet, which hides exposed plumbing and provides hidden storage. This setup also allows for plenty of counter space, often enough for two sinks with counter to spare. Vanities come in all sizes, including corner models and compacts. A vanity is often called a "bowl-base cabinet" by manufacturers.
Decisions, Decisions
During a bath makeover, the challenge is to select fixtures that are both beautiful and appropriate. It's often very helpful to get professional guidance from a designer, preferably a Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD) or, better still, a Certified Bath Designer (CBD)--professionals who have met certification guidelines established by the National Kitchen & Bath Association. "Our entire business is based around trying to help people make the right decisions about what they're doing," says Steven Levine, CKD and CBD. "All too often, people base their buying decision on what they like the look of rather than on what really delivers the function they need. I always tell my clients, 'If it doesn't work and you love the look, what happens when the look wears off?'"
This raises an important question: Should you put your sink on a pedestal? To be sure, pedestal and console sinks are beautiful, if not downright stunning. But do they make sense for every bathroom? Levine suggests, "If you have a bathroom that's going to be used by several family members multiple times daily, a pedestal sink is totally inappropriate because everyone is going to have an assortment of the items they need to use around the sink. They need a place to store those things."
Of course, not all bathrooms receive high use. Powder rooms, or even low-use guest baths, are a good place to make a design statement. "I like to keep functionality and excitement equal, one is as important as the other," says designer, Sandra Steiner-Houck, CKD. "Pedestal sinks work great in a powder room because you usually don't have a lot of space and you don't need a tremendous amount of storage and cabinetry," she says.
Steve Bissell at Kohler underscores the opportunity powder rooms and guest baths present to design something special. "After talking to a lot of consumers, we heard that they want their powder room or second bath that's accessible to guests to be the real reflection of their personality, sense of taste and style. People are willing to spend on the home for something they can be proud of. The master bathroom area is designed to be a place to relax and unwind, without hassles. The powder room or second bath is a place to put your best foot forward."
Designer Steven Levine notes that there are ways to solve the storage dilemma, particularly at the high end of the market. "You can basically surround a pedestal sink with functional storage. Manufacturers are supplying alternative products for storage, Robern being an excellent example." Robern makes a sophisticated series of modular cabinet and lighting systems as well as other bathroom mirrors and accouterment. Their stylish line includes modular cabinets that may be stacked both horizontally and vertically, offering excellent design freedom. Their F Series cabinets feature anodized aluminum framed doors in seven shades of knock-out colors and offer four different types of glass inserts--a 16-inch wide by 30-inch cabinet starts at about $460. Robern also makes a truly stunning all-glass lavatory module that's designed to mount directly into a mirrored wall cabinet, starting at about $3000.
If you're considering a bathroom makeover, the bottom line is to become an informed consumer. Know your options and study their differences. If necessary, get professional design help. With planning and appropriate choices, you can assemble a scheme that's both practical and a reflection of your family's style.
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