Archive for June, 2010

Healthy Home Television shot a live demo of the SOLON™ composting system and RONIS™ entertainment sink at the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Chicago a couple of months ago. For those who want to see how RONIS cleverly offers 360 degrees of integrated prep and serving functionality as well as how SOLON revolutionizes the placement of composting for ultimate convenience – this is a great video clip.

Healthy Home Television has a handle on SOLON for composting in style.

Healthy Home Television takes RONIS for a spin.

BLANCO receives a prestigious IDGA for its SOLON Compost System. The award is presented by New York House magazine at GreenBuildingsNY (held in June at the Jacob Javits Convention Center) and honors the greenest materials and most sustainable innovations in every category, from soft goods to lighting, appliances and building materials.

According to Nancy Meyer, Editor for New York House, “BLANCO’s SOLON Composter was selected by a panel of independent judges as outstanding among all the many entries in the “other products” category. They really felt that composting is crucial and that this product makes it easy for consumers.” The panel of five experts from architecture and design vetted the international field of entries and debated the environmental impact and issues surrounding each product. The panel agreed that composting is an important practice that needs to be brought to consumers’ attention, and that BLANCO’s SOLON is not only functional and convienient – it actually encourages composting.

The Blanco SOLON compost system is comprised from the highest grade recycled stainless steel. SOLON effortlessly collects organic waste below the counter and its stunning design allows homeowners to beautifully incorporate green living into their kitchen.

“We are honored to receive an Innovative Green Design Award for SOLON,” says Tim Maicher, Director of Marketing for Blanco. “The SOLON Compost System is an eco-friendly way to bring the beauty of BLANCO from the kitchen to the garden and we are thrilled to be recognized for this.”

Lori Dolnick accepts the IDGA for BLANCO from New York House's Nancy Meyer.

BLANCO introduces the stunning LEVOS pullout faucet. BLANCO’s award-winning STEELART designers push their craft and techniques to the utmost limits – inspiring designs that can’t be replicated anywhere in the world. LEVOS is a pure iconic contemporary faucet that is a functional work of art. Utterly unique – LEVOS offers impossible zero radius edges alongside soft arching curves. The juxtaposition of hard and soft edges not only make a bold design statement in the kitchen, they also harmonize with both modern and transitional elements.

“One part award-winning design. One part handcrafted precision. That’s the BLANCO LEVOS Pullout Faucet from STEELART,” says Tim Maicher, Director of Marketing for BLANCO. “It’s a true work of art, right in the heart of your home.”

The modern design of the BLANCO LEVOS works in perfect harmony with BLANCO’s handcrafted STEELART portfolio of sinks, including the FLOW^™, ARCON^™, PRECISION^™ MicroEdge^™ and PRECISION^™ 16” Series.

BLANCO LEVOS is made from the highest quality materials available. Offered in Polished Chrome or Stainless Steel – its stainless steel body construction anchors the finely tuned inner workings, from long-lasting ceramic disc cartridges to the flexible and convenient pull-out spray hose. LEVOS is AB1953 Lead Free and retails from $795 (Polished Chrome) to $1,695 (Stainless Steel). Matching soap/lotion dispensers are offered.

-       2.2 GPM flow rate

-       True stainless steel construction body

-       Inspired by STEELART’s BLANCO FLOW award winning design and STEELART’s hand crafted R10 PRECISION series

-       Limited Lifetime Warranty

-        Reach 8-1/4″; Spout Height 10-1/2″; Faucet Height 11-3/4″

Battle On the Block is a new HGTV hit reality series that features three neighboring families who have three days to battle it out for the best designed room, bragging rights and $10,000. BLANCO sinks were featured in two kitchen battles – the season opener in Jacksonville and Cortlandt Manor. BLANCO PERFORMA Sinks were selected by the set designers as well as the BLANCO BRIDGE and BLANCO GRACE faucets. Click below to enjoy the episodes. Especially Cortlandt Manor where one exhausted contestant almost steps into the sink to finish painting the kitchen trim – much to the horror of her husband and the construction crew. But isn’t that what reality TV is all about? Real people in unreal situations. For those of us in the cyber social world – we’ve noted many designers protesting TV shows that set unrealistic expectations about design projects. And of course – one shouldn’t expect a kitchen to be done from scratch in three days’ time. But that’s exactly what makes this show so much fun to watch. Perhaps HGTV needs to add disclaimers that tell people not to try this at home… ( or no satin polished sinks were harmed in the filming of this episode, etc.)

Bennett Friedman, Principal of AFNY and PURA VIDA Photographer Tasja Keetman

Throughout the New York Metropolitan area, AF New York (AFNY) – the select division of the AF Supply Corporation – is recognized as one of the premiere showrooms for kitchen and bath products, tile and architectural hardware. This past month at ICFF in New York, AFNY thrilled designers with its PURA VIDA book launch. PURA VIDA is a conceptual artistic endeavor – a photographic essay of  human scars, tattoos and their stories as interpreted by photographer Tasja Keetman. We had the opportunity to speak to AFNY Principal, Bennett Friedman about AFNY and the book launch.

Bennett, AFNY is a landmark in New York’s design community. Tell us a little about growing up in this third generation family-owned business? “My grandfather had a solid vision when he founded AF Supply that included ethical, hard work – taking care of customers and business. Those things haven’t changed in 88 years. My dad is 91 and only semi-retired. He still keeps an eye on the business from his kitchen table. My brothers are also smart, passionate and caring. And not just about our customers – but about our vendors too. We treat vendors as true partners. Growing up, the warehouse was summer camp for us. We had all kinds of sports including washing bathrooms and shelving products. My father firmly believed we needed a background in business. We weren’t coddled. All of us had a stint in business through college and high school.”

How does AFNY differentiate itself? “AFNY is a brand – a culture that is about innovation, change, service and a philosophy to provide greater value to our customers through our extensive knowledge and selection. We offer value to clients in practical ways that differentiates us from traditional venues, ecommerce, home centers, etc. We are an SAP run company. Same as large multinational companies. But it’s not about using technology. It’s the culture. We are proactive in an industry that’s reactive. We employ over 200 people – but our family values haven’t changed.”

Photographer Tasja Keetman signs copies of PURA VIDA.

How did you become involved with the PURA VIDA project? “All year long we do events at the AFNY showroom including brand launches, CEU credit presentations and more. Over the past 7 or 8 years at ICFF, we’ve coordinated an outside event for designers that would be fun, cultural and a destination. Our AFNY brand and our image is a fusion of art and design that appeals to a more sophisticated customer. Events like the PURA VIDA launch extend our brand image, offer an opportunity to interact with our audience and make us a must-see stop on the ICFF event circuit.”

4. The PURA VIDA book is pure art. To describe it for our audience. Imagine a book of up close scar images. The embossed title is itself a scar on the cover. The binding is open with a visible, scar-like red thread running through. The pages are perforated together so you are forced to physically tear the book open to read it. Scarring your own personal copy of the book from inception. But the book is not meant to shock. It’s human stories told by the scar-bearers themselves. It is about healing and the spirit of renewal.

Bennett, tell us why projects like this are important to you and to AFNY. “PURA VIDA is about life. Scars are landmarks in our life. The ability to be injured, healed and to grow. Over 2,000 people volunteered to be photographed for the book including myself. We achieved over 1,500 images which were narrowed to 62. There’s no commercial message behind the book launch. PURA VIDA gives our clientele a view of our culture – it’s about innovation and design – about being perceived as on the leading edge. It’s not a typical book, just as we are not a typical company. It took nearly 4 years to complete this project and we have several more art and fashion projects in the making.”

Tell us a little about the BLANCO portfolio of products at AFNY. “I think BLANCO is recognized as an innovative company. We like to associate with companies like BLANCO where the quality of company is instilled in the culture and product ingenuity… and in the quality of their people.”