Motherhood, Apple Pie and Plumbing

As it is, the Fourth of July falls smack in the middle of next week, so a flip of the coin settled the before-or-after question for this Flashback Friday. But other questions arise from this 1934 snapshot, the most obvious one having to do with the relationship between the Statue of Liberty, baby's bath-time, and the Niedecken shower mixer. The answer is somewhat sweeping, I think; the ad's fine print optimistically invokes the 'modern American bathroom at its refreshing, inviting best.'

Whether you're celebrating this weekend or next, a happy Independence Day to you all.

Take a Dip

There's a soft awkwardness about the Ottocento that I find rather endearing, kind of like a child's drawing of a bathtub. Neither aggressive nor ambiguous in design, it is a welcoming object in the bath. agapedesign.it

Summer Shower

A stainless steel frame and sustainable hardwoods empower the Oborain outdoor shower against the elements, while its well-considered design makes it an aesthetic asset to the backyard or pool. Modular in concept, the stall comes in different sizes—configured with multiple showers [Did I mention it's plumbed with an Axor Citterio showerpipe? Not exactly your garden variety fitting!] and/or changing areas, it can cope with a crowd. oborain.com

Little Detail = Big Difference

Until now, specifying a custom appliance pull meant one and only one thing: your paneled refrigerator could sport an attractive [I trust you on this!] handle that complemented the decorative cabinet hardware used throughout the kitchen. Today, the design horizon broadens in a significant way. Viking's new D3 range offers the option to tailor its control knobs and oven grip with wooden accents of cherry, oak and maple [that last species is also available unfinished, if you want to apply a stain], or clear plastic inserts that can be painted as you like. Hooray for choice! vikingrange.com

Comfortable Kitchen

For me, this kitchen strikes just the right balance between rugged and refined. Hefty black slate counters and light oak cabinets [check out the narrow, plank-like doors of the wall units] lend a natural note to the room, with stainless hardware and appliances add a bit of an edge to the space. The design is called CityCountry.02. siematic.com

We Interrupt This Blog...

...to let you know that next week I will be hosting a webinar for the National Association of Home Builders on trends in kitchen and bath design. For NAHB professional affiliates, a one-hour CEU is offered, but all are welcome to participate. The session will be held on Wednesday, 27 June, starting at 2PM EDT. You can find more info on the program here.

Now back to to my trusty PowerPoint...

Multicultural Cooker

Way to fire up an appetite! Giving the lie to that adage about too many cooks in the kitchen, this 1967 ad touts the performance of the range by highlighting its different technologies. It's interesting to note the inclusion of an infrared broiler, a feature that was rather ahead of its time. Reports on a revival of the Caloric brand have been circulating for a few months, now, with products promised to appear sometime in the fall.