Hansgrohe A freestanding tub in a master bath is derivative the…
Hansgrohe A freestanding tub in a master bath is derivative these days, unless you specify something as dramatic as the Axor Urquiola. Designed by Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola, the tub is made from cast marble that has a gel-coated finish. It even has an integrated towel holder. But you’ll have to pony up $8,800 if you want one.
www.hansgrohe.com.
Coverings Etc. Picture your buyers’ reaction when they see th…
Coverings Etc. Picture your buyers’ reaction when they see these Bio-Luminum 100% recycled aluminum tiles lining a kitchen backsplash or on an accent wall. You can picture it because these tiles are awesome—and, at $60 per square foot, costly. Made with high-quality aluminum alloy from old airplanes, they come in 6- and 12-inch sizes.
www.coveringsetc.com.
Diamond Spas Yes, a copper tub seems extravagant for these frug…
Diamond Spas Yes, a copper tub seems extravagant for these frugal times. But boy does it look good. This one, Atocha, is a Japanese-style soaking tub made from 4-inch copper strips that have been welded and polished. It’s listed at a very decadent $23,545.
www.diamondspas.com.
Kallista Products don’t have to be overly wrought to be price…
Kallista Products don’t have to be overly wrought to be pricey. This luxury bridge faucet from Michael Smith’s For Town collection is made from solid brass so it feels substantial and features ceramic disk cartridges so it’s unlikely to leak. Classically styled but with modern updating, it ranges from $2,804 to $3,367.
www.kallista.com.
Mutina Patricia Urquiola is one of the hottest designers at the…
Mutina Patricia Urquiola is one of the hottest designers at the moment, and for good reason. Check out the Dechirer collection she’s created for Italian ceramic tile manufacturer Mutina. The unglazed porcelain tile collection is inspired by the nature of cement and has a very tactile surface of reliefs and textures. Installed on a wall, it will grab all the attention. It costs from $30 to $73 per square foot.
www.mutina.it.
Kaldewei The Conoflat shower tray draws attention to itself, bu…
Kaldewei The Conoflat shower tray draws attention to itself, but not in a bad way. Made from steel enamel, the tray speaks to the trend of linear shower drains and sleek showers with no thresholds. With a starting price of $1,361, trays are available in 17 sizes and three colors.
www.kaldewei.com.
Grothouse Lumber Wood may not seem as sexy as the latest altern…
Grothouse Lumber Wood may not seem as sexy as the latest alternative surfacing material, but in the right hands nothing beats it. The company fabricates wood countertops and islands in any shape and design and does so in 20 stock species or more than 40 special order selections. This island by Artisan Kitchen and Bath in New Orleans is made from 2 1/4-inch-thick, edge-grain walnut with a medium Roman ogee treatment. Consumers can expect to pay anywhere from $90 to $455 per square foot.
www.glumber.com.
Toto USA The Neorest II Luminist lavatory was possibly the cool…
Toto USA The Neorest II Luminist lavatory was possibly the coolest product to come out of the 2009 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show. It’s made from a hybrid epoxy resin that is commonly found in airplane wings, so it’s durable and scratch-resistant. Plus, the sink’s translucent quality is perfect for the optional embedded LED lighting, which glows blue, light purple, dark purple, and red. Prices range from $3,980 to $4,900.
www.totousa.com.
Dana Innovations You can install wall switches and outlets the …
Dana Innovations You can install wall switches and outlets the old way, or you can add a measure of cool with Trufig custom installation kits that allow typical wall panels to be installed flush-mounted for a clean look. The system is available for a variety of devices and comes in white, brown, and almond. Sophistication doesn’t come cheap: $300 to $3,000.
www.trufig.com.
Wetstyle
Inspired by Japanese design, the M Collection of mod…
Wetstyle
Inspired by Japanese design, the M Collection of modular bath products includes wall-hung vanities, linen cabinets, and storage cubes. Pieces are made with concealed hinges, solid dovetailed maple soft-close drawers, and fully finished interiors. The line comes in various sizes, three materials, and nine finishes. A 60-inch walnut vanity (similar to the one shown here) costs about $3,495. www.wetstyle.ca.
The rich are, indeed, different from you and me: They have more money.
And apparently they are spending it, according to media reports indicating that the luxury segment is rebounding from the Great Recession.
For example, earlier this year real estate blog The KCM Blog made a bold proclamation: “The Luxury Market Is Not Coming Back … IT IS BACK!” The blog cited a National Association of Realtors’ existing-home sales report showing that sales of homes over a million dollars were up 6.1%.
Luxury housing is not the only segment on the rise. MediaPost Communications, a publishing and content company, reported in October that because of U.S. shoppers and the surge of demand in China, “the global luxury market is now projected to jump 10% in 2010, almost reaching the peak levels achieved in 2007.”
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. The slumping economy was supposed to turn home buyers into budget-minded savers—thrift was in, profligacy was out. In some ways, Americans certainly have pulled back on spending, but in other ways, we remain an aspirational country, where people desire nice things.
Product manufacturers obviously share this belief. In the past year, the market has seen some fantastic luxury products that speak to the notion that there is a demand—however small—for these items.
The attached slide show features 10 mid-priced-to-luxury items that represent just a fraction of the wonderful products hitting the market. You may not be building homes where any of these would fit, but there is no harm in looking.
(If you’re interested in less luxurious options, don’t despair: We will be publishing a roundup of the best affordable products before year-end as well.)
