In most homes, bathtubs rarely bubble up to star power. More often than not, they are plain, white and utilitarian.
But, at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando, tubs were hot attractions–even without water.
At the Jacuzzi booth, a new line of whirlpool tubs rated an entire stage show. Dramatic lighting spotlighted the three new tubs in the Morphosis line.
A spokeswoman for Jacuzzi said the tubs were designed with input from Pininfarina, the firm known for sculpting the bodies of Ferrari and other European autos.
On cue, a young couple in white terry robes approached the stage to “test drive” the Alpha model. Shedding their outer layer, the couple in bathing suits hopped into the tub built for two.
Far from utilitarian, the Alpha features what Jacuzzi calls a seashell-like look, with an arch over the 7.5-foot-long tub. Special lighting shines from the underside of the arch and also from the jets.
“You can surround yourself with the color of your choice,” said Melissa Gosling, director of marketing communications for Jacuzzi, based in Dallas.
Pricey, but not in the same league as a Ferrari. The Alpha goes for about $20,000.
Fire has fascinated people since the beginning of time so it shouldn’t have been a surprise that the Cyclone, a flame in a cylinder that can be used as a design element in a wall or a bar, drew a lot of attention at the recent show. The Cyclone was touted by Heat & Glo of Lakeville, Minn. as putting fire in new places. The company showed two natural-gas Cyclone units, $3,500 each, as pillars of an elaborate wood bar suitable for the neighborhood cocktail lounge or the ultimate residential recreation room.
Down the exhibition hall aisle, Travis Industries of Mukilteo, Wash., made only its second appearance at the builders’ show but drew traffic and interest with its small Bed & Breakfast gas fireplace. Only 12 inches deep, the B & B unit costs $1,600 and is small enough to install anywhere from the bathroom to the kitchen.
The dueling fire displays were just part of the fun on the floor of the huge Orlando Convention Center at the show last month sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders.
The gathering attracted about 100,000 people, many of them sellers of housing components and new products.
Billed as the largest of its kind in the world, the 61st annual event was the biggest conclave ever to meet in Orlando. It had a run of four days.
More than 1,300 exhibitors set up booths big and small. They vied for builders’ attention with strategies ranging from performances by stomp-style percussion dancers (Sears) to the time-honored models in bathing suits (Jacuzzi).
Builders could see a cooking demonstration by chefs of America’s Test Kitchen, ride in a Hummer, shoot basketball free throws, clock the speed of their golf drive and get free ice cream or beer.
Despite the festive, almost carnival-like, atmosphere on the exhibition floor, the business of shopping and selling was serious. Chicago-area builders were among those seeking such diverse products as new countertop finishes for the kitchen and bath, meeting bankers and looking for software systems to help streamline their operations.
Some of what they saw:
– Fresh colors. Kohler, the Wisconsin bath and kitchen fixture manufacturer, showed why it is a style leader with five new colors — light blue, green, pink, melon orange and indigo. They will be available as enamel on select cast iron products.
Sears, the Hoffman Estates-based retailer, aims for more color and energy efficiency in laundry rooms with the Kenmore Elite HE4T washer-and-dryer combination.
Available in burnt orange Sedona, blue gray Pacific Blue and a slightly iridescent Champagne, the washer retails for $1,499, and the dryer, $999. Both are resource-efficient Energy Star appliances and use one-third less water and energy than many comparable units.
– Hardware with the artisan look of handcrafting. In the new “Archetypes” line by Baldwin, heavy cast bronze doorknobs and fixtures have the appearance of authentic hand casting and are available in three styles–Craftsman, Chateau and Villa–in dark, pewter or aged-bronze finishes.
Sold through select showrooms, they are weighty and expensive: A handle set can cost $1,500.
– A kitchen door that includes a chalkboard. Simpson Door Co. had an idea so simple that it is surprising it hasn’t been offered before. The interior door that can be used either in the kitchen or a kid’s room. Depending upon size, it costs between $400 and $650.
– A lavish brushed stainless washer and dryer that retails for $8,000 ($7,000 without pedestals). The Pro-Line offering by KitchenAid is but one indicator that laundry rooms are getting the same attention to luxury that kitchens have enjoyed for years. Available later this year, the set has glass touch-sensitive controls in a blue LED display.
– A venting picture window. This unit from Marvin Windows, St. Paul, Minn., promises to answer demand for ever-larger windows to bring the outdoors inside and provide cross-ventilation. The window tilts more than 2 inches, while a small interior screen keeps out insects. From the exterior, the window appears closed at all times and there is no interruption of the view. Available in spring, the window is a made-to-order item so pricing varies.
– Keyless security systems. These are gaining ground in all price ranges. The Kwikset PowerBolt 1000, about $100 at home improvement stores, has a keypad so the latchkey kid who is always losing a key only has to remember a few numbers to get in the front door.
LG Electronics’s LGIrisAccess 3000 looks like Star Wars technology. Look into a porthole beside the door and the camera connected to the computer inside will match the pattern of the eye’s iris to open the door. This system costs about $16,000, including camera, computer and software. It has been used in commercial and military applications but might work as well to protect a gun collection or the wine cellar.
– Exotic wood-look composite decking. Family-owned Monarch Co. of St. Joseph, Mich., is offering cypress, teak, tiger wood, ironwood and mahogany options touted as “the cure for the common deck.” A wood-based product that requires some cleaning, sold through independent retailers, costs about $4.80 a square foot, said marketing director Pam Phillips.
– A walk-in wine cooler. Every wine lover should have one. After all, they cost only about $25,000.
GE Monogram of Louisville, Ky., popped the cork on its new walk-in wine vault at the Builders’ Show and generated a good buzz.
The metal wine cellar–it looks more like a bank vault or a bomb shelter–is approximately 8 by 8 feet. The stainless steel box is insulated with foam to help maintain the optimum inside temperature, usually 55 degrees.
According to GE Monogram, the vault can be installed in one day and without any special architectural or plumbing provisions. Because it is self-contained, the unit can go with you when you move.
Its electronic inventory system is operated using a 15-inch touch screen, a barcode scanner and a label printer. In seconds, you can check out your entire wine collection. It will be available in about 18 months.
– A so-called Bubble Door, a design-it-yourself product by Bolection Door, based in Greensboro, N.C. One on display looked like it could have been made of cheese that a big mouse nibbled holes in.
Actually, the Bubble Door is made of solid fiberboard and costs about $750.
It demonstrates what can happen when imaginations run wild.
“You design it and we’ll make it. While most people want geometric patterns on doors, others design their doors with hearts carved in them, flowers and even teddy bears,” said Amber Mabe, marketing manager for Bolection Door.
