There's nothing more luxurious than a TOTO toilet. There, I said it. Even the "design civilians" know about the TOTO toilet with tush cleaning features but since learning about this amazing company, in depth, I have begun to notice that TOTO toilets are literally everywhere! When you visit restaurants, airports, hotels and any number of commercial locations, check the toilet. It's probably TOTO. There's a good reason for that. Their products start with really listening to people and discovering what they need. They call it "People First Innovation".TOTO is the world’s largest plumbing products manufacturer offering a complete line of commercial and residential decorative plumbing fixtures including, not only toilets but showers, faucets, lavatories and more. They're at the top because they achieve a seamless integration of performance, conservation, technology and innovation. No small order and they've been doing it for over 90 years. TOTO was founded in Japan in 1917 and continues to be a global company with TOTO USA headquarters and state-of-art plant located in Morrow Georgia.We both know a TOTO product is an investment so let me tell you what you're paying for. Countless layers and hours of research and development are spent which results in superb performance and products that are environmentally responsible. Quality and worry-free fixtures translate into money savings and, even better, peace of mind. I'm not joking when I say research. While on the Modenus Blog Tour, I spoke with Lenora Campos, TOTO PR guru, who explained that TOTO studies, in depth, every possible type of matter that is likely to end up in the bowl. They are intrepid. TOTO's Dual-Max® flushing system, found on several of their most popular High Efficiency Toilets, offers the option of a 1.6 gallon flush or 0.9 gallon flush based upon need. I've heard consumers complain about the inefficiency of the one gallon flush. My answer to that is that quality varies in all products. The one gallon flush is not going away and I can tell you with TOTO it's a win-win concept. Even the materials used help conserve your time and water. SanaGloss® ceramic glaze - prevents debris, mold from sticking to ceramic surfaces, leading to fewer chemicals and less water in cleaning.In addition to the famous NEOREST toilet, TOTO also makes what they call a Washlet toilet seat which offers the same personal cleaning system that uses warm, aerated water to clean (similar to a bidet) and can fit right onto your existing bowl. All you need is an electrical outlet in the vicinity. Still not sure? You can actually try one out for yourself at a number of establishments. Click here to see where they are.
I was able to view many of the TOTO products at the recent Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) last month. The product selection extends beyond their famous toilets. I loved the Rain Showerheads. Not only are they lovely to look at but somehow they are able to make less water feel like more!
The Wyeth Collection also embodies TOTO's People First Innovation philosophy. A part of that is it's extreme "environmentally friendliness". It consumes only 1.5 gallons of water per minute without sacrificing an ounce of performance. The transitional design is also the product of consumer research. This look will be at home in a variety of decors. Wyeth tub and shower faucets are also available. Click here to visit TOTO's comprehensive website where you can see the many features and technologies they incorporate into their products. 
Du Verre, The Hardware Co., Sustainably Beautiful
As a designer I'm always on the look out for products that will make my kitchens one of a kind. Sometimes the necessary functionality of cabinet boxes can be redundant. As much as I tell clients "less is more", I can't fight the fact that most of us have lots of stuff and we need our storage, dammit! One way to add a little artfulness is with cabinet hardware. Du Verre The Hardware Co. is one of the companies I discovered on the Modenus Blog Tour New Orleans. Then, you know how you learn about something and then all of a sudden it seems to pop up everywhere? That's what happened to me and Du Verre. Whilst writing about the NKBA design winning kitchen below I discovered that the hardware used was none other than the Forged 3 Collection by, you guessed it, Du Verre!
sports Forged 3 handles by Du Verre in satin nickel finish. Photo by Evan White
Du Verre Hardware is a design leader for original, contemporary hardware. Made from recycled aluminum, Du Verre is environmentally friendly.
Co-Founder, CEO and Creative Director Gina Lubin teams up with innovative designers such as Clodagh to create truly unique and artful collections that can be considered sculpture with a function. Clodagh, who worked on the Primitive, Stacked and Tribal collections, is known for intelligent use of materials and natural elements. One hallmark of contemporary design is minimalism yet there has to be enough. "Clutter can undermine serenity, but minimalism should not be self denying", says Clodagh.
Available die cast finishes include Satin Nickel, Oil Rubbed Bronze polished chrome and more. Each collection varies. I love that these are all as pleasurable to look at as they are to touch. If you'd like to experience Du Verre in person, click here to find a distributor in your area.
Cosentino: Leading Innovator of Quartz Surfacing
As a kitchen designer, quartz has been my long time favorite choice for kitchen counter tops. The reasons include durability, ease of maintenance and all the available choices for color and visual texture. Cosentino, maker of Silestone as well as other new counter top products, is the world’s largest manufacturer of natural quartz. I love the fact that Silestone is nonporous- so it doesn’t require sealers. It’s also incredibly hard and stronger than granite. This makes it naturally scratch, stain and scorch resistant. One thing that really sets Silestone apart from their competitors is their use of Microban. Since 2005, Silestone® has incorporated Microban® antibacterial technology to give extra hygiene protection and they are the first quartz kitchen worktop in the world to use it.
Silestone also boasts the largest color selection (70+) in natural quartz. My term “visual texture” refers to the different looks you can get varying from large particles, reminiscent of granite, to totally solid blocks of color which are perfect for more contemporary applications. Thickness varies from 1.2cm to 3cm with 15 edge detail choices. "Suede" is a new matte finish that is smooth to the touch, giving the surface a softer, velvety appearance with little reflection, like honed marble without the upkeep.Silestone comes with a 15 year transferable warranty so if you buy a house with Silestone tops already installed, you’re covered. One interesting bit of trivia I learned is that Silestone is used in such places at The Tower of London and the Bellagio in Las Vegas!
Cosentino isn’t just about Silestone, they are also the makers of ECO. We spent a great day with the folks from Cosentino as a part of the Modenus Blog Tour. We traveled to the, Katrina devastated, Lower Ninth Ward and saw ECO, on site, as a part of the "Make It Right" project. Cosentino has partnered with the "Make It Right" foundation which is dedicated to building 150 affordable green, storm resistant homes to enable families to return to the area. Click here to read my post about the "Make It Right" project.ECO is a green counter top choice made of recycled and natural materials including glass, mirror, porcelain, industrial furnace residuals, quartz, stone scrap and corn oil- quite the recipe! It has much the same properties as Silestone, as far as non-porousness and durability, and is available in 14 colors. (Photo at the top of this post is ECO in a color called Grey Moss)Cosentino also had a lot to offer at KBIS2013 where we were able to preview new colors, featuring the movement and graining of natural stone, coming out later this yearThey also presented the highly anticipated new ultra-compact surface Dekton for the first time in North America. This is an entirely new product which can be used for interior as well as exterior applications. It's UV resistant and will come in extra large and extra thin slabs. Cosentino products are produced in Almeria, Spain and distributed globally.Next up: We're heading back to the bath for a peek at what's new at Toto!
Cosentino helps "Make It Right"
Can you even believe we're still on day three of the NOLA blog tour adventure? There's just so much to write about! After our visit to Gentilly we enjoyed yummy lunch at Mondo with the folks from Cosentino followed by an excursion to the Lower Ninth Ward.
I remember hearing a lot about the area during and after Hurricane Katrina. It's where the levees over flowed and wreaked the most havoc. It's also a community already struggling to make ends meet before the devastation.
Today the Lower Ninth Ward is one of the areas being assisted by Make It Right, a non-profit organization founded by Brad Pitt. This foundation builds healthy, green homes for communities in need and is aiming to bring 150 families back into affordable, green and storm-resistant houses. So far 90 homes are complete with work continuing.
Homes are designed by high profile local and international architects including world famous Frank Gehry! What I like is that they really do collaborate with the home owners who have a voice in the final designs and all the color selections.
Countertop maker Cosentino, famous for their amazing Silestone quartz tops, supplies their ECO line of counter tops to the project. Not only is it beautiful and durable but it's composed of 75% recycled raw material, including glass and mirror. You can find out more about it here. More about Cosentino to come. They introduced all kinds of new products, colors and textures at KBIS. 
I have heard it said, no good deed goes unpunished and I'm afraid this project is no exception. Many feel slighted by the ultra contemporary designs that do not reflect the typical New Orleans style and architecture. Architects were simply instructed to "use the city’s existing narrow lots...elevate houses out of the way of future flooding and include rooftop access to simplify rescue; feature prominent porches or front stoops for socializing; and use materials that are tough enough to survive hurricanes but that also approach “cradle to cradle” re-usability " The foundation states that homes being replaced were substandard post war tract homes. There's some interesting commentary over at Curbed that addresses the controversy here. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Next up: KBIS2013 new products and trends for your kitchen and bath
DAY ONE AT ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST SHOW
Day one began with a little networking at the Marys and Mimosas event sponsored by Modenus. This is where I was hoping to meet some of the other bloggers. I did run into Veronika of Modenus and Linda Merrill of Surroundings as well as meeting Saxon Henry for the first time. Of course, Mimosas and Bloody Marys were on the menu but the temperature was hot, hot, hot and I just couldn’t at 11AM! Tasty treats were also on hand for those who were so inclined. Everyone was very friendly but I couldn’t weight to tuck into all the enticing displays.
First off I roamed the area featuring kitchen related products and there were some really awesome offerings. Reclaimed wood is THE thing in flooring. I loved the finishes at Tennessee Wood Flooring. Wouldn’t this be awesome in a kid’s room? This company’s products are stained through and through, well at least a couple millimeters so that sanding and repairs won’t compromise the finish color.
I also fell in love with a company called Manhattan Forest Products whose tagline is “reclaiming New York City”. That’s exactly what they’re doing. Their flooring and wood paneling is made from wood reclaimed from the old Coney Island boardwalks, the old wood water towers that used to top many old buildings among other places. If it’s old wood in New York City, they can make magic with it. Just think, your floor could be “green” AND have its very own story.
Of course I’m always on the hunt for interesting cabinet designs and these cabinets by Rutt certainly fit that criteria. These are made of Sapele Mahogany and Rutt wants you to know that they will provide you with “chain of custody certification” when you purchase cabinets from them. No, it’s not a warrant for your arrest, rather it’s a trail of proof that green practices were employed in the manufacture of your cabinetry from start to finish.
Now you remember Think Glass. I wrote about them here. The painted glass is beautiful in person. The paint is not on the surface but is, in fact, embedded between layers of glass! Stunning.
Many appliances were on show including Sub Zero Wolf, ULine, Best and Liebherr who has a kicking 48” refrigerator freezer that is half fridge and half freezer. I love the symmetry of it and the fact that their products are a TRUE 24” deep with no muss, no fuss. I enjoyed chatting with ventilation hood specialists at ModernAire and at Faber regarding a tricky design dilemma I’m working with at the moment. 
Compass Ironworks are iron forgers in with old world attention to details and I got to see a demo on the spot. Yes it was hot.
I also enjoyed one of the featured events of the day which was a talk entitled: Globe Trotting: Inspiration Through Travel. Yes, I agree that incorporating artifacts and mementos from our travels, wherever they may be, certainly make for unique and personal interiors. It was a special treat to hear Juan Montoya speak as a part of the panel.All this crazy fun to be continued tomorrow but tonight my sis and I will see the Merce Cunningham dance company. The production is called “4 Walls Doubletoss Interludes” and if you know anything about modern dance this is a very big deal indeed.
DEBUT OF THE FOUR DOOR REFRIGERATOR
It seems like the refrigerator is one kitchen appliance that is always changing and evolving. After all, it has risen from being a literal "ice box" to an electronic device that can be temperature controlled by area for your unique needs. The latest innovation is the four door model. Sounds like a car but it's a fridge. They look like the popular French door models but with an extra drawer. Consumer Reports recently reviewed three models, by Samsung, Kenmore and LG. The highest rated model was the Samsung which is also the priciest of the three retailing at $2,600. They liked the functionality of the extra drawer which has something called a FlexZone. It can be temperature adjusted for meat, drinks, kids' snacks etc. The Kenmore model rated highly too with its most appealing feature being an outside water/ice dispenser and a built-in filtration system. The Kenmore model retails for $2,400. The LG model did not fare as well as it has the least usable space and is the least energy efficient. It is however, the least expensive starting at $2,200.00. Incidentally Consumer Reports does reccommend several French (3 door) models at $1,000 or less.