Best Kitchen & Bath Products of 2019
DTV+ with Kohler Konnect
The ability to easily control the shower, even by voice command, is one benefit of Kohler’s DTV+ digital shower-control system. The latest iteration allows for preset water temperatures and can be programmed from a mobile device to incorporate music, chromatherapy, and spray using the Kohler Konnect app. The system comes with a water-resistant touchscreen interface and stores six presets of users’ favorite settings.
Hi-Tech Bluetooth Mirror
Strasser Woodenworks has integrated a Bluetooth-enabled sound system into its latest bath mirror. A touchscreen control in the reflective surface allows users to listen to news or music during their daily routines. Available in three sizes (48" x 36", 24" x 36", and 36" square), the mirror incorporates make-up lighting, from 2700K to 4000K, and a defogging feature.
MyEdition
Axor collaborated with Phoenix Design on this collection of residential faucet sets and tub fillers that clients can customize with optional cover plates made of leather, wood, white or black marble, and mirrored or black glass. Made of solid brass, the spouts also integrate parent company Hansgrohe’s special spray disc, which delivers its PowderRain fine mist spray for quieter operation.
Mirrorlux Assist Medicine Chest
Aamsco Lighting has developed an accessible version of its existing angled LED-lit mirror, which ramps up the functionality. Mirrorlux Assist Medicine Chest features storage behind the mirror and a pull-down bar that lets users access shelves in its LED-lit interior while seated. The generous 24" x 40" cabinet is illuminated by dimmable 25 watt, 3000K glow on the mirror side and an 8 watt non-dimming LED within.
Veil Linear
Longer than the company’s earlier square drain, Veil Linear features a grate that can be tiled to match shower pans and sink basins. Fabricated to empty 8 gallons per minute, the new marine-grade stainless-steel drain features a tray top that accepts a tile insert. The hardware is available in five finishes to define it exposed edges.
Nexus Washlet + One-Piece Toilet with Auto-Flush
Toto’s one-piece toilet seamlessly incorporates its Washlet bidet seat in a streamlined ADA-compliant profile, with no protruding water- and electrical-supply connections. Measuring 17" from base to seat, the toilet (available in a two-piece version) features water-saving 1.0- or 1.28- gallons-per-flush operation, and Toto bowl-cleansing technologies.
+Segmento Y
Poggenpohl has reimagined its 2018 Segmento kitchen in a budget-friendly version. Aimed at growing families, the minimalist +Segmento Y, in black, white, and gray, features handleless cabinets and drawers, discreet housing for appliances, and the manufacturer’s fingerprint-, scratch-, and heat-resistant surface finishes. Available in custom configurations.
Dekton Slim
Engineered to serve as durable low-maintenance lightweight cladding for cabinets, backsplashes, and walls, Dekton Slim panels measures just 0.16", the brand’s thinnest slab ever. Available in roughly 5' x 10' slabs, in 55 colors, the stonelike material, made from a blend of raw materials including glass, quartz, and porcelain, resists scratches, stains, and fading.
Family Hub 2019
The fourth generation of Samsung’s smart refrigerators comes in nine configurations that include a voice assistant and touchscreen loaded with meal planning, shopping, and recipe apps. In addition to 22 cubic feet of food storage, users can control the counter-depth Family Hub’s thermostat, view its contents, and post messages, schedules, and photos on the touchscreen with a mobile device.
Thinscape Performance Tops
What appears to be natural stone is actually Wilsonart’s resin-and-paper composite, developed for kitchen and bath applications. At ½" thick, this surface material comes in 5' x 10' or 12' and 30" x 10' or 12' sheets, finishes that mimic woodgrains, metals, and marble, and resists water and staining.
Pro-Style Gas Range
The broiler in this Forza range features a unique chessboard design, which enables the heating element to span the entirety of its wider-than-standard oven cavity and deliver more even results. Both the 36" and 30" models provide up to 6 cubic feet of oven space, which accommodates the 18,000 BTU broiler and commercial-size trays.
RAUVISIO Crystal Mirror
For applications that call for a large mirrored surface that’s also durable, RAUVISIO has developed an alternative to the real thing. The company’s reflective Crystal Mirror is actually made with a decorative foil sandwiched between a layer of clear acrylic and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) a rigid plastic. Offered in ¾" panels for millwork and cabinetry and ¼" panels for walls, the material can be cut on-site for projects in such locations as prisons and gyms.
Architectural Record presents the best functional, smart, and accessible kitchen & bath products of 2019. Click through the slideshow above to view each winner.
