Of all the home improvement shows I love and adore, none is more exciting or transformative than kitchens or bathrooms. The reward for watching 45 minutes of bad jokes and demolition smut was a big revelation: a brand new kitchen with a shiny marble island or some studio-sized bathroom with a freestanding tub away from the window and a vanity box, clean china, an untouched butt.
As the hosts of these shows say over and over again, the kitchen and bathroom are the two most expensive rooms in a house to renovate, and if years of watching HGTV have taught me anything, it’s that they are also rooms inside the house. room. The house that makes the most decisions. From backsplashes to countertops, from stove, faucet and vanity lighting, the options are vast. In fact, there is something for everyone at every possible price point, and finding out what’s really right for you is a personal journey. But since it’s my job and my personal hobby, I spent three days running between showrooms in New York as if I were furnishing my own home, figuring out the best, the worst, and “I think!” modern finishes and appliances for bathrooms and kitchens. .
Gas stoves are harmful to the environment and, accordingly, to humans. Before I visited the Dacor showroom in Manhattan, I thought (despite my job) that an induction cooker and an electric cooker were one and the same. (Induction cookers are heated by something seemingly magical: Electromagnetic waves heat the cookware, which heats the pan evenly and cooks faster.) Edouard Massich, owner and founder of Edy’s Grocer in Brooklyn, and Gillian Bartolome, Los Angeles pastry chef Moy instructor urges I should consider the following criteria when choosing an induction hob: Do their burners come in different sizes? Is the power display convenient for adjusting the temperature? And most importantly, is it easy to use and clean?
Instead of buttons, knobs, washers and dials, the Dacor induction cooker I tested was a sleek black glass rectangle with a simple panel on the front to control the burners. Each burner has a temperature rating of 1 to 10, meaning that through trial and error, an experienced home cook can determine the level of heat needed to quickly sear a steak or boil water. While I can’t speak to the former, it was a revelation for me to see the latter happen while testing the Dacor line. A pot of water big enough to make a serving of instant noodles boils in seconds, boils and boils. Two eggs beaten in plenty of butter cook in less than five minutes. The cooktop itself is easy to clean – a microfiber cloth dampened with warm water is enough to remove the little egg stains I left when I accidentally cracked it. I’m still a gas enthusiast just because I rent it and, at least for now, being able to adjust the flame gives the illusion of control. But induction is the way to go for me if the opportunity presents itself.
If the faucet works, it looks great, but you use it without really thinking about it, and if not, then something is wrong. For practical and hygienic reasons, touchless faucets are becoming increasingly popular. (If your hands are covered in raw eggs and meatloaf, it’s much easier to just hover over a faucet to rinse them off.) But there’s something soulless about touchless faucets: satisfying and easy. Process automation heralds a future in which everything we do will be automated.
Designed by Vincent Van Duysen, the Icona Classic faucet by Fantini Rubinetti is not touchless, but has elegant curves and a single faucet with a pleasant, almost vintage look. The sink itself is such a timeless design that it can fit into any space. In the Fantini showroom, the faucet is placed under glass to highlight the fact that it is both an art and a practical item that every home should have. At around $3,215, it’s certainly not the cheapest thing on the market, but if you’re looking for luxury and practicality – and you have more money than me – then this is for you.
While the farmhouse sink favored by home TV and retro lovers is still a status sink on every HGTV, don’t overlook the workstation sink, which isn’t far behind. While I never give much thought to my sink if it doesn’t work, Dean Peterson, TikTok sink reviewer, offers a few criteria to consider when evaluating a sink: Is a sink versatile or simple? Do you have unusual or beautiful facial features? Is it functional and does it fit into the environment? And, most importantly, are the hot and cold water taps separated? (He loves them and considers them non-negotiable.)
Workstation sinks are designed to enhance productivity with a variety of attachments and accessories. The sink, which I tested in the beautiful, spacious Ferguson Kitchen and Bath showroom, allows me to rinse vegetables and then chop them without leaving my command post. The sieve attachment is by far the most useful, but the cutting board leaves a lot to be desired: because it doesn’t sit flush against the edge of the sink, I bend over slightly to chop the fennel and green peppers for the salad, and my back hurts.
Despite these issues, workstation sinks have their advantages. A small space can benefit from the multi-purpose nature of this sink, although I can’t imagine any average rental apartment going to great lengths to include anything other than standard metal. While you can certainly replicate the authentic look by purchasing any number of gizmos on a space-saving sink, the luxury of a workstation sink is that everything fits together perfectly.
Dark, richly decorated countertops are in fashion. While black marble and natural stone look beautiful in the kitchen, there are also less expensive options. On the outskirts of Long Island, in a huge warehouse in a charming town called Bethpage, I re-evaluated a much-maligned material: laminate. Like tile, laminate is a versatile material that can be used everywhere, but it’s especially common on countertops. The trick with laminate flooring is to make it look expensive; thanks to the wonders of modern technology, it can look like marble, stone, wood, or a picture of your Aunt Elizabeth – if you can print it, you can stick it on laminate flooring! For faux stone countertops, designer Hana Mattingly of Innen Studio in San Francisco aims for simplicity. “Look for a simple product with no overt artificial texture,” she says. “If it’s not the real thing, it’s better not to fake it, but to use more subtle patterns and colors.”
Starting at $3 per square foot, the Wilsonart Traceless Collection is a very affordable option that looks luxurious and feels good in the hand. To thoroughly test his claims of smudge resistance, I pressed my sweaty palms against the soft black and watched in amazement as my oil stains disappeared before my eyes. This is a neat party trick that testifies to the durability of the product and it lives up to its advertised performance. Spilling a glass of red wine on a Calacatta milk cooker can be a concern, but it’s not a problem with bulk laminate. Fill your glass, wipe up the spill, and you’re done.
Of all the places where annoyingly unflattering lighting can be encountered, washrooms top the list. Bathroom lighting has historically been terrible – flickering fluorescents or dim yellow bulbs – but like most things in life, it doesn’t have to be that way if you’re willing to spend some money. The Punto wall mirror I saw at the Hastings Tile and Bath showroom in Manhattan is an elegant mirror with built-in LED lights and is dimmable, allowing me to take a close look at parts of my face that would otherwise be obscured by my current lighting. Insufficient lighting in the bathroom of the apartment. Hana Mattingly of Innen Studio recommends looking for moisture-resistant, dimmable fixtures that provide front lighting. Punto’s offerings did not disappoint. It’s very bright (but dimmable) and accentuates every pore, hair and wrinkle, but not as dark and clinical as the ring-lit mirror behind it. It’s humiliating and sobering to look at yourself so closely, but I’m grateful for the experience because it gave me the opportunity to pluck out the tangled nose hair I was missing (and seriously consider Botox in the process).
While I wouldn’t rush into a facelift anytime soon, my experience tells me that good lighting does make a difference – and if you can find it at any price, why not?
The feel of a tile is the most important of all finishing materials in a kitchen or bathroom. It conveys personality and flamboyance and is a great way to appreciate a person’s good taste. According to Hana Mattingly of Innen Studio, it’s pointless to analyze aesthetic choices in this category because it’s really a matter of what you like, but when it comes to practicality, practicality, and functionality, there are a few things to look out for: Finished side blocks? Is it airtight and therefore non-porous? And, for ease of installation, can the tile be installed on a large eight by eight board?
In the Ann Sacks showroom, the walls are covered in a dizzying array of tiles, but I only focused on Kohler WasteLab products that are functional, beautiful, and good for the environment. (They are made from the leftover products of the manufacturing process). Luckily, the color and texture choices are tasteful and bold, but what I really want is practicality. Wastelab meets all of Mattingly’s requirements and also meets one of my personal wishes for ease of cleaning.
A bright smear of curry paste on the tile was erased like a dream and miraculously did not smear. Downstairs, this tile is cool to the touch and not cheap, handmade but soft enough to blend in with any decor – a great option for an apartment I hope to redecorate in the future.
The novelty of innovation in the shower is the experience: a shower is a shower, but wouldn’t it be more fun if your particular shower replicated some of the amenities a spa has to offer? Hai’s signature product is a fairly standard yet elegant shower head with an infusion head. Installing the showerhead delivered to my home was easy for me, a woman who would rather outsource most of the work. It offers the option of a strong flow or softer mist, while the Bluetooth connection allows users to control the flow of water etc from their phone, which is more of a gimmick than a necessity, although I think it’s helpful to see if I give myself 15 minute wash In the shower, I just use too much water to last. In terms of fragrance, the infuser does nothing more than tie a bunch of fresh eucalyptus to my shower head with a rubber band. But the pods don’t make as much of a mess as dry leaves, and at $30 for a box of 16 tablets, they’re a bit more cost-effective.
The new Kohler Sprig shower works similarly to the Hai infusion head, but as a bonus, the device can be attached to any shower head. Kohler’s showrooms have an experiment room where you can test out any of the company’s hardware products while taking a shower. While I regret not ordering the whole enchilada ahead of time, I’m happy to repeatedly wash my hands like a raccoon in a gentle yet powerful shower head while the scent of bergamot and lemongrass in their Recharge capsule (you have to constantly buy , ink, like a printer) fills a damp room.
Bidet is no longer limited to European hotels. This is a great solution to the age-old problem of how best to take care of your undercarriage when you’re done. Companies like Tushy have democratized the bidet by offering basic features at a reasonable price, but if you need a bidet, it can do all that and more.
While there are other smarter options on the market, the first name in the world of luxury toilets is Toto. Before visiting the brand’s showroom in Manhattan, I had only heard of the Toto legend – drag racing icon RuPaul Detox spent money on a Toto Neorest for her home, and Drake gave DJ Khaled four of the same for his birthday. Personally, I’m sorry, but the Neorest is beautiful – he’s a big boy, sure, but comes with the bells and whistles you’d expect from a luxury model. (While I haven’t been able to test Neorest for myself, I’m still in its grip and will be for a while.)
Toto Washlet, on the other hand, is still an experience, turning a simple bathroom visit into a little spa moment. The permanently heated seat raises and closes automatically, and a convenient remote control allows users to service the seat belts after work. The spray of warm water on the lower deck took me by surprise at first, but the drying function – a warm breeze that blows as much as I want – is something I can’t live without now.
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Post time: Mar-25-2023