Design bloggers tour the American Standard Design Center. To see more photos of the trip, click the photo.
Earlier this month, the Professor was fortunate enough to spend a day at the American Standard Design Center in Piscataway, NJ with a select group of the movers and shakers of the design blogger world. It is a pleasure to share their insights, reflections, humor, and excellent photographs of the trip:
Paul Anater, who blogs at Kitchen and Bath Residential Design, was especially impressed with some of the company’s unique and functional designs and the fashionable digs the bloggers enjoyed in New York.
For J.B. Bartkowiak of Building Moxie, the trip offered opportunities to reflect on design, innovation, performance, and the impact that brands can have when they build intimacy with customers.
Meanwhile, the engineering department’s space age 3-D copier was a big hit with Laurie Burke of Kitchen Design Notes. (The Professor also appreciated the occasional plumbing pun she threw in for good measure, naturally.)
Andie Day (and her photographer’s eye) especially loved the great views and fashionable setting of the rooftop of the Standard Hotel, where the bloggers gathered the night before their Design Center tour.
American Standard’s many green initiatives, including the eco-friendly Design Center and strong emphasis on water conservation, were particularly appreciated by Saxon Henry of Roaming By Design.
Saxon and her business partner Rich Holschuh also wrote about the company’s fixture fixation, the “stylish verve” of the American Standard design team, and shared a video of a portion of the tour on the site for their social media consultancy, Adroyt.
Great shot of everyone: Laurie Burke, Rich Holschuh, Saxon Henry, Andie Day, Paul Anatar, J.B. Bartkowiak. To see more photos from the trip, click the photo.
Many thanks to everyone who attended! The Professor had a marvelous time getting to talk plumbing with everyone and truly appreciates everyone’s thoughtful commentary.
Saving Water & Looking Great
By · CommentsSwitching out an outdated faucet can do wonders to perk up your bathroom, but there are other great reasons to upgrade to a stylish new model – like conserving fresh water resources, for instance. Many of the most attractive faucets on the market right now are WaterSense certified. Watch the video below for more info, or start shopping for water-saving faucets now!
Luxury Bathroom Updates: Whirlpool Tubs
By · CommentsUpgrading to a whirlpool tub is a great way to bring the relaxing spa experience home with you. The Professor is especially impressed by the EcoSilent whirlpool from American Standard, which is much quieter than a standard whirlpool and uses 45% less energy.
Bathing Kids in Comfort, Fun & Safety
By · CommentsIf you’ve ever had to try and cajole a small child into the tub, you know that bath time typically isn’t fun time for anyone. Bending down over the tub can strain a parent’s back, and no matter how many toys and bubbles you bring to the tub, kids still hate having to bathe. The FunBath, a smart new innovation from American Standard, promises to change all that. The bath conversion kit – that comes in designs like a princess castle and a fire truck – fits over an existing standard 60-inch bathtub to make bath time safer, more comfortable and even uses less water.
Shower Trends: Glance Shower System by JADO
By · CommentsThe minimalist Glance Collection by JADO offers perfect form matched with flawless function to offer a luxurious and appealing shower experience. The video below shows the multiple functions of this elegant shower system.
Water-Saving Toilets: New Hands-Free Dual Flush Toilet
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There is no question that dual flush toilets are a simple and increasingly popular way to reduce water use at home. Now, thanks to a recent innovation from American Standard, a new line of hands-free, dual flush toilet valves are bringing the same water-saving technology to commercial applications.
How does it work? The new Selectronic dual flush toilet valve releases a light flush, or 1.1 gallons per flush (gpf), when motion is detected for less than 60 seconds. A standard 1.6 gpf volume is used when motion is detected for 60 seconds or longer.
All in all, the Professor is impressed by the ingenuity of this new line of commercial flush valves, which require 20 percent less water than standard toilets. The valves were designed to work perfectly as a retrofit for use with existing plumbing, so it’s easy for commercial facilities to make this water conservation-friendly upgrade. Here’s to an eco-friendly and very high tech future!
Bathroom Design with Nautical Style
By · CommentsThe Professor is typically a land-lubber, but still appreciates the unique look that nautical decor can bring, particularly to the bathroom. The stylish Hatteras collection of lavatory faucets and shower fixtures available from JADO is a great example.
Handsome Bathroom Style with the Town Square Collection
By · CommentsThe Town Square collection from American Standard is a stylish and water-efficient collection of fixtures and furnishings, perfect for any traditionally-styled bathroom. It’s also highly customizable with 20 pieces to mix and match. See the video demonstration of the Town Square faucet, shown below in oil-rubbed bronze.
Earlier this week, the Professor posted video clips from a recent interview with Brian Richter, the Director of the Global Freshwater Program at the Nature Conservancy. Just in time for Earth Day, here are the remaining segments of the interview.
In this clip Brian discusses rates of water use on a national level and both he and the Professor share their recommendations for how to save water at home without sacrificing performance or style.
Next, Brian talks about how his interest in water conservation developed on a personal and professional level.
Brian concludes by sharing 3 sensible tips for saving water around your home and explains the connection between saving water and saving electricity. He and the Professor talk about replacing toilets, faucets, and showerheads and agree that most modern water-saving products are designed to be easy to install without the help of a professional.
The Professor would like to thank Brian Richter for sharing his knowledge and insights, and sends Earth Day wishes to everyone at the Nature Conservancy.
Saving Water Without Sacrifice: Flowise Showerheads
By · CommentsLow-flow shower heads are great at conserving water but often don’t deliver the most invigorating spray. The line of FloWise water-saving showerheads from American Standard aim to change that with their superior turbine technology. Find out how it works here:
