Stylish Water Supply

Tucking the spout of this faucet into a metal-lined reveal in the stone wall gives each element an identity of its own, and lifts the installation above the ordinary. glennsestigarchitects.com

Pants on Fire

In nine years [!] of producing KBCULTURE, I have never shown the same product twice—until now, and that's with a qualifier: this Pinocchio faucet is now available with the above-shown chrome finish. More than two years ago, I featured the original wooden-body model, in what turned out to be a modestly prescient post. With yesterday's promising political developments, it seemed appropriate to revisit the design; while the silver-tone fitting is sleek, I'm guessing the Liar-in-Chief would opt for nothing less than a gold model. emmevi.it

Streaming Surprise

From this perspective, the Vita faucet might look more like a drinking fountain, with its upward-facing angle. But the water flows down from a slit on the underside of the sleek fitting's spigot. The anodized colors make me happy, as does the spunky form—both hallmarks of the faucet's designer, Karim Rashid. cisal.it

Bright Idea

These delightfully colored acrylic cylinders can be fit into the handle of the Nice bathroom faucet, adding a modern, gem-like touch to the fitting. It's designed by Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez. fantini.it

Peaceful Waters

In these whip-lash times, even a faucet that offers a sense of balance and beauty provides a welcome reassurance. The Equilibrio can be specified with a wide range of wood, metal, and stone elements, giving its organic forms a soothing tactility. I'll take two of them! gessi.com

Working Art

The Harlock faucet, created by architect Fabio Rotella, is quite the original work. Unorthodox angles and a huge palette of finishes—copper, bronze, white, silver, ebony, and more in endless combinations—make it both a distinctive and an accommodating design. huberitalia.com

Rough Plumbing

Perhaps the ultimate expression of authentic industrial style [at least in the world of fittings], the Da Reya faucet incorporates an actual wrench in its design, as the lever control. Certainly a novelty, but I give it points for gumption. kakudai.jp

Outside the Line

Piet Boon's PB11 tap design intentionally accentuates the imperfect. The arc of the faucet is neither assertively circular nor crisply squared; its slow, wide curve is organic, but not natural. A delight to the eye! bycocoon.com

Metal Urges

Once the unquestioned king of faucet finishes, chrome has recently been given a run for the crown by warm-toned metals. Bronze, brass, and copper have come on strong in both plain and fancy fittings—which makes me wonder if the incised pattern on the Meccanica would be as effective if it were rendered in chrome or stainless steel? gessi.com

You Don't Spray!

Here, with the Magic Swan, we essentially have the humble vegetable sprayer elevated to the position of primary kitchen faucet. While silicone-spouted designs are no longer unusual, this model takes it to the extreme: stripped of even the barest armature, just an adjustable stand holds the hose in place. It's a winner of the 2017 German Design award. primyonline.com

Heartfelt Design, Day 3

'A faucet for Valentine's Day?' Dear reader, if this is the disbelieving thought that's running through your mind, I understand your scorn. But allow me to point out that the Ibiza tap can quite literally slip into something more suited to the mood [or your kitchen decor]. It comes with a 'wardrobe' of three silicone sleeves that can be changed whenever you want a different color at the sink. ruvati.com

Concrete Reasoning

Brutalism—sadly, I feel it's necessary to clarify that I'm referring not to human behavior, but to the architectural style—is having a resurgence. So welcome this concrete-handled faucet. Granted, the Haptic's slightly rounded shape might fall short of Paul Rudolph-level geometric standards, but materially speaking, it's spot on. ritmonio.it

A Fitting Remembrance

In the shadow of its designer's death, the Vitae faucet, by Zaha Hadid, made a melancholy debut at last week's i Salone. Unlike her previous fitting, which emphasized an exuberant swooping line, this lav set is more focused on mass. The shell-like form nestles comfortably in the palm. noken.com

An Organic Oeuvre, Day 3

Seven years ago, Zaha Hadid designed this sculptural faucet. It is frankly massive, and cedes no ground to any other element in the kitchen. Entirely hand-finished, the fabrication process was—to put in mildly—labor intensive. It was, I believe, a labor of love for the late architect. triflowconcepts.com

Making a Mark

Incised subtle patterns accent the taps and the spigot of the new Pinna Paletta collection of bath fittings. Designed by Laura Kirar, it's offered in several rather luxe-looking finishes. There's a complementary family, Pure Paletta, that omits the embellishments. kallista.com

Water Wise

Ikea isn't all about Billy bookcases and futons. At last year's Salone design fair in Milan, I attended the retailer's impressive investigation into the future of the kitchen. More recently, it has launched a R&D facility in Copenhagen, called Space 10, where ideas for domestic design for all parts of the home are being explored. One project, the Cloud Burst, features a control knob that glows red when the bather has exceeded the recommended time allotted for a shower. In these increasingly water-stressed times, it's a concept worth exploring. space10.io

Natural Forms

Designed and handcrafted by Northern California architect Alex Miller, the Aurora lav set certainly evidences a strong organic influence. Its flowing forms are at once birdlike, wavelike, and even cloudlike. And if you check out the reflection of the faucet in the mirror, you might even recognize a resemblance to a sea creature, the graceful manta ray. alexmillerstudio.com

An Unexpected Elegance

While this covetable collection of kitchen and bath fittings is indeed called 'MY', don't mistake that for a possessive. The designation is designer Michael Young's initials. With a hand-finished mirror polish, the futurist forms invite touching. jougor.com

From the Future

Despite the Audi marque, this is not an automotive accessory. What looks like a wheel rim has a dual function: Placing one's hands inside the ring activates a spray of water, as well as a black light that eradicates surface bacteria. Fraser Leid is the designer behind the Hudor faucet, which, understandably, remains a concept study. coroflot.com/fraserleid/profile

A Detail Makes a Difference

My theory as to why industrial-style plumbing has been more popular in the bathroom than in the kitchen focuses on the fact that a tall length of unadorned pipe is pretty boring. This faucet solves that  problem with a handy soap/sponge holder placed at midpoint on the fitting. watermark-designs.com