Notes from the TUB

Like Father, Like Son, but with the Kohler Company, Like Daughters as well

Todd McDonagh — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:00:55 +0000

Last year, I did a piece on the Rohl family. Just one of the multi-generational families representing the kitchen & bath industry. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to meet many of these multi-generational families at different trade events, but there is one family that I’ve only had brushes with. That family is the Kohler family.

As a student of business and an Adjunct Professor of Management, the Kohler Company is one of those iconic American businesses that has remained privately owned. In fact, it is the oldest and largest privately held company in the United States. From a teaching perspective, there are many lessons that can be taught, from entrepreneurship to global integration and diversity.

The company’s current leader is Herbert Kohler. He assumed CEO & Chairman responsibilities in 1972 and over the next 40 years shaped the vision and the growth of the company by diversifying into furniture, tile, engines, generators and resorts destinations. During a recent interview with Bob Miodonski, the group publisher of Supply House Times, Herb provides a frank assessment of state of the current housing market, the plumbing wholesale business and Kohler’s effort to be a leader in green plumbing manufacturing. To read this piece, click here.

Herbert Kohler, CEO & Chairman of the Board, The Kohler Company

As Herb has maintained a steady hand on the helm at Kohler and grown the business from $300 million to $3 billion, he has had the unique opportunity of watching the next generation of Kohler’s cultivate their own interests, but ultimately, the chickens have come home to roost. David, Laura and Rachel were never pushed to jump into the family business. In fact, Herb himself rebel against joined the family business, but I suppose the lure of innovation and manufacturing was too much.

David is currently the President and Chief Operating Officer, but he has followed a very clear path to reach this role, including a stint outside the company as a buyer of fine china at Dayton Hudson in Minneapolis. Laura pursued a career in theater, before assuming responsibility as the executive director of the Kohler Foundation. She is now the company’s Senior Vice President of Human Resources. Rachel’s path took her through the investment industry and the management consulting industry, before settling in as the Group President of Kohler Interiors. I guess that it is safe to say, ‘that the apples don’t fall very far from the tree.’ Good luck trying to sort out, who going to succeed Herb, but I don’t know, Herb looks suspiciously like Kris Kringle, so his reign may go on for some time.

RODA by Basco: Understated Shower Enclosures

Todd McDonagh — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:06:32 +0000

In our never ending quest to beautify our homes, the bathroom is stop #1 for creating a place of refuge. The modern bathroom is equipped with a number of amenities that help us ease the tension of our busy life’s. There can be steam or tubs that change your mood with sound and aroma or loos that spritz and dry your derriere, but one feature that often gets overlooked is the shower enclosure. These subtle barriers can be just enough to create that separation between wet and dry and secure and open.

Our partner, Basco has been building shower enclosures for over 50 years. They have been an innovator in this space and have won a handful of awards for their design including the Crystal Achievement Award for their Basco University. In 2010, Basco launched their RODA line, a new portfolio of luxury shower enclosures developed around today’s trends for aesthetic design and user functionality.

RODA shower enclosures are precision engineered with the highest quality materials and finishes to maximize performance and durability, to ensure your enclosure is a thing of beauty for the life of the product. Every heavy glass shower enclosure begins with customer-focused innovation that spawns new product development. And every shower enclosure ends with a lifetime warranty – the best product warranty in the industry.

RODA by Basco

Dresden French Doors with Two Return Panels, Clear Glass/Silver Finish

Evo Fixed Panel Sliding Enclosure with Two Panels, Clear Glass/Silver Finish

Preceria Panel/Door/Panel Enclosure with Curved Door, Clear Glass/Oil Rubbed Bronze Finish

Rolaire Fixed Panel Sliding Enclosure with One Panel, Clear Glass/Silver Finish

Tresor Door & Panel Enclosure, Clear Glass/Oil Rubbed Bronze Finish

Learn more about shower enclosures: http://youtu.be/dWgL7MqfsR4

Chicago in April is for Kitchen & Bath Lovers

Todd McDonagh — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:00:58 +0000

Another rite of spring happens in Chicago at the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s annual product extravaganza, KBIS. This year’s setting is Chicago, which is an ideal location, because the Windy City is mecca for architecture & design.

Products that will be introduced to the kitchen & bath industry at KBIS:

Kohler StereoStik: StereoStik brings audio entertainment to the bathroom. Connect MP3s and other personal devices via the auxiliary input jack or find your favorite station on the AM/FM tuner. An easy-to-read digital display features a clock to keep you on-track. Aluminum and polymer construction and rust-free finish ensure long-term durability.

Geberit Monolith: The Geberit Monolith WC is an elegant element to match floor standing/BTW WCs.It can be quickly installed. Combining simple, sophisticated design with high quality materials, the Geberit Monolith WC creates a harmonious interface between bathroom and toilet pan.Discover the elegant alternative to conventional toilets.

Rohl Cinquanta: The ever-popular ROHL Italian Country Kitchen Faucet has been re-styled with a new name – Cinquanta – to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of faucet-maker Nicolazzi. Cinquanta, 50 in Italian, is inspired by the rich culture and kitchens of northwestern Italy. This region is where renowned designer Bruno Nicolazzi has been blending classic design with the splendor of the Italian countryside for decades.

Kalamazoo: The Kalamazoo hybrid grills are revolutionary. Seriously powerful gas grills that also cook with charcoal and wood. Changing fuels is as easy as opening a drawer. When empty, the special perforations and angled design of the Hybrid Fire Grilling Drawer diffuses the heat from the burner for convenient gas-only cooking. Place a bed of charcoal or wood in the drawer for the ultimate grilling experience.

Chicago is renown for its architecture, but one of my favorite locations is the Merchandise Mart. At 4 million square feet, it is the largest commercial building in the world. It is the home for many of the world’s finest interior design brands. For those enthusiasts of kitchen & bath, the Merchandise Mart’s first floor is the residence of LUXEHOME.

LUXEHOME is a collection of premier boutiques for home building and renovation. The internal window front displays offer spectacular vignettes to inspire even the most design challenged minds. When In Chicago, take a spin through, it will be well worth your time.

Bird's eye view of the Mart

View from the Chicago River

Spring is About Surfaces

Todd McDonagh — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:00:21 +0000

One of the rites of spring in the home design industry is the annual ‘Coverings’ show. This show focuses specifically on the tile & stone industry. Fabricators, installers, retailers, distributors and design professionals descend upon Orlando, Florida to see the new happenings in the tile & stone world.

Tile & stone can be a critical element to the total ambiance of the WC. Glass mosaics, quartz, tumbled marble, cast metal and decorative tiles are surfaces that can take the bathroom to a new level. The most colorful and versatile of these surfaces is glass mosaics. Glass mosaics dates back to the Byzantine empire and when impregnated with dyes, the mosaics take on an amazing array of colors. Hakatai Enterprises, distributor and importer of glass mosaics is an innovator in the glass tile industry.

Hakatai Garden - Calliope Series

Hakatai Honeysuckle - Calliope Series

Hakatai Truffle - Calliope Series

When you want the same consistency in your surface, quartz is an excellent choice. Silestone by Cosentino manufactures a surface that is highly resistant to stains & scratches and has a low level of fluid absorption. Silestone comes in over 60 quartz colors for countertops, two textures and several different formats, which make it extremely versatile, and can even be used in large pieces without requiring any joins.

Silestone - Capri Limestone and Red Eros

Silestone Bathroom - White Zeus

A company from Rutland, Vermont has developed some unique surfaces manufactured from tumbled marble and cast metal. Questech’s Founder, Roger Questel was a sculptor who worked with bronze and conceived the idea of a metal composite that could provide the unique look of metal, but was substantial lighter and a fraction of the cost. Questech also developed a sealing process for their natural stone products called Q-Seal.

Q-Seal is the only sealing process that bakes the sealant into the tile, rather than just brushing it on. So the tile arrives sealed, and the seal lasts for the life of the tile – unlike ordinary sealer which needs to be applied at installation and reapplied at least once a year.

Questech Tumbled Marble Casa Emperador

Questech Tumbled Marble Castle Wheat

Questech Cast Metal Fiddlehead

Questech Cast Metal Fiddlehead accent piece

Bathroom surfaces come in different forms, colors, textures and shapes and to not optimize their use in your spring bathroom project, is an injustice to your bathroom’s sensibility. So do your loo a favor and explore new surfaces.

At This Time of Year, Green Can Have Two Meanings.

Todd McDonagh — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 11:00:14 +0000

Today is St. Patrick’s Day. It is the only day of the year, where other ethnic groups & cultures can lay a claim to being Irish. For better or for worse, St. Patrick’s Day is associated with green beer, lively parades and corned beef and cabbage. St. Patrick’s Day also gives people a reason to wear green. So in celebration of the color green, I’ve decided to display a medley of green kitchens & green bathrooms for your viewing pleasure.

Let’s start with green bathrooms:

This contemporary look is not for the faint of heart.

The softer greens can induce warmth and relaxation.

This modern look has an appeal.

Fun and Funky!!!

How do green kitchens stack up:

Clean lines and lots of green.

For the Formula 1 enthusiast

Bring on the key lime pie. Yum!!!

Painted green cabinets highlight this lovely galley.

When one drives the twisty roads of the Irish countryside, they are treated to amusing hues of green that would make even the Pantone people jealous. It is no wonder that it is called the Emerald Isle.

Although green is a color, green is also a modern day consciousness, where we are striving to minimize our carbon footprint. Because, I believe that we should always be working on this effort, it seems appropriate to highlight being green.

The Gerber Plumbing Fixture company was founded in 1932 and they have created a full complement of water saving toilets & faucets.

Water Saving Toilets by Gerber:

DF-21-110 Maxwell Dual-Flush Elongated 2 pc 1.1/1.6gpf

HE-21-510 Viper Elongated 2 pc 1.28 gpf

20-020 Wicker Park HET 1.28gpf ErgoHeight Elongated

Water Saving Faucets by Gerber:

40-335 Logan Square Single Handle 1 or 3 Hole Installation Lavatory Faucet

43-231 Brianne Two Handle 3 Hole Installation 4" Center Lavatory Faucet

40-581-PK Allerton Single Handle 2 Hole Installation Lavatory Faucet

Being Green is Good and being Irish is Good. Being a green Irishman the day after St. Patrick’s is not good. Hope that your not introducing yourself to this.

YIKEES!!!

The NUMI – Kohler’s luxury toilet will set your WC apart

Todd McDonagh — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:04:57 +0000

About 10 years ago, when I was at the kitchen & bath industry’s annual marketing event, I had the opportunity to go into the Toto booth. Toto is a Japanese manufacturer of vitreous china sanitary ware (toilets, bidets, urinals & baths). During the guided tour of this booth, it was apparent that the Japanese have a much different approach to hygiene than Americans. In Japanese culture, there is a tendency to separate areas into clean and unclean. When somebody enters a Japanese WC, they given the option to wear toilet slippers.

The toilet is also likely to have some built-in bidet features and if your not careful, my might find yourself getting soaked.

Don't get up to quick.

Even toilet noises provide some difficulty for Japanese women, so they have created a little technology to overcome this issue. The Otohime or the “Sound Princess” helps masks embarrassing toilet noises.

No more of those embarrassing bathroom noises.

Well, not to outdone by these Japanese bathroom sensibilities, one of American’s oldest manufacturers of bath & plumbing products, Kohler has answered the call by creating one of the most innovative toilets of our time.

The NUMI

The Numi toilet combines unmatched design and technology to bring you the finest in personal comfort and cleansing. From its striking form and features to its exceptional water efficiency, the Numi toilet marks a new standard of excellence in the bathroom.

Compact, streamlined form
Hands-free opening and closing of the toilet seat
Advanced bidet functionality with integrated dryer
Water Efficient Flush uses only 1.28 or 0.6 gallons
Enhance your environment with lighting, heating and music
Intuitive touch screen remote

Click here for some great interactive information about the NUMI

As a committed Premier dealer of Kohler products, the TUBS team has set up a working NUMI in our Manchester showroom. If you are looking to create a bathroom that will set your home apart, we would encourage you to come down and visit our showroom. Bring your iPad or iPod. We guarantee that this bathroom experience will be like nothing that you’ve ever experienced before. You might decide to build your house around it.

Stop by our Manchester showroom and get NUMI-ed.

The Ultimate Bath Showroom in Lowell, Massachusetts Gets a Facelift

Todd McDonagh — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:00:27 +0000

One of the elements that defines a strong company from a marginal company is that the strong company continues to seek market opportunity in their chosen market even as that market bumps along the bottom and shows little signs of life. It is safe to say, that the home building market has been savaged over the last 4 years. Housing starts are anemic and there is still a glut of inventory that will probably take another two years to play through, but all of this data is irrelevant to a strong company. The strong company pins it’s ears back and doubles down and decides that this is a time for opportunity. They retrench with their suppliers/manufacturers and commit to a strategy that challenges the current market environment. An excellent example of this synergy between wholesaler and manufacturer is taking place in Lowell, Massachusetts at the Ultimate Bath Showroom on 1035 Westford Street.

The Kohler Company and The Ultimate Bath Showroom are combining the branding heft of “The Bold Look of Kohler” and local knowledge of TUBS. This showroom is easily accessible off of Route 3 and will feature decorative bath & kitchen products. Both interior designers and homeowners, who are looking to create a high end look and feel to their homes will find the product selection will match their particular sensibilities. So, take a few moments to get a sneak peak at some of the product settings that will be offered at this exquisite new location. The renovation is almost complete and when it is, we’d like you to join us for an evening soiree.

one of the new displays

Good light will always provide an excellent look and feel

As more people decided to grow old in the current homes, the Kohler Elevance becomes an excellent choice for the bath upgrade.

Brown is out, you'll have to wait to see what their new color scheme will be.

The front entrance provides a bit a home design eye candy. Wait till you see what is behind the wall.

The strong company is willing to spend a few extra dollars to establish it’s place as a market leader. It takes guts, passion and pure determination, but the market has an extraordinary way of separating the wheat from the chaff. Stay tuned as we show you the final results of how a strong company views the home building market.

Is Your Man Cave Ready for the Big Game?

Todd McDonagh — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:58 +0000

At this time of year, every man dreams of that one room in the house, where they can retreat to and watch their favorite sporting events. A room that is adorned with stuff that wrecks of masculinity. A room that says, No Girls Allowed. Of course, the room that I’m referring to is the Man Cave. That’s right. The Man Cave. Yes, I know that those two words might make members of the opposite cringe, but we require an exclusive room that we can call our own. And there is no better event than the Super Bowl to let us strut our stuff.

The beauty of the Man Cave is that it typically reflects the personality of its owner. It can appeal to the geek.

The Force is Strong with this one.

It can appeal to the automobile enthusiast.

Get Your Motor Running, Head Out on the Highway, Looking for Adventure or Whatever Comes My Way

It can even be sophisticated.

Bully, Bully, Bully

But, there are three things that every Man Cave should have: a urinal. I would suggest the Steward waterless urinals from Kohler.

No More, Put the Toilet Seat Down.

There’s even a model for the meterosexuals.

Sleek, Euro, Tom Brady Design

The second essential item is a kegerator. Why!!! Because no self respecting Man Cave should have a wine cellar. No offense, wine drinkers, but drinking a Dry Creek Vineyard 2008 Merlot just doesn’t cut it when watching football. The Perlick 48″ free standing beer dispenser should do the trick.

Now, That's What I'm Talking About

And finally, every Man Cave needs that kick ass Hi Def TV with a knock you from your seat sound system. Don’t skimp out on the screen size: 50″ and above with 1080p and a Bose Cinematic Sound system. It will be like standing on the field.

Crank It Up!!!

I can hear the Monday Night Football theme song ringing in my ears: Dunt, Dunt, Dunt, Daaa. Sunday Night: New England Patriots vs New York Giants, Super Bowl 46. Fire up the finger foods, turn up the sound and lock the Man Cave door, because the game begins at 6:27 and we want no interruptions. GO PATS!!!

New bath trends for 2012

Todd McDonagh — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:00:48 +0000

Okay, so as the calendar rolled into 2012, I had the lingering feeling that this could possibly be our last year on mother earth, since the Mayan calendar predicts that on December 21, 2012, the world will succumb to a smorgasbord of cataclysmic astronomical events.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t believe for one minute that a civilization that existed over 1200 years ago, could predict the demise of man kind. Heck , they conducted their bathroom business in a hole with no running water and no mirrors.

There is no question that we need to amend some of our behavior to sustain this planet and it would seem that the bath & plumbing industry is doing it’s part. Sustainability remains the mantra for many bath & plumbing manufacturers. Many toilet manufacturers are pushing their low flush toilets. Gerber has the Avalanche Elongated two piece model. Kohler carries a number of lines: Archer, Cimarron, Devonshire and the upline Escale. All of these lines can be seen on Kohler’s user friendly website: Kohler Watersense Toilets. Even the high end manufacturers, like Kallista are understanding that sustainability is good business.

Kallista - Kennebec Two Piece High Efficiency Toilet

Another emerging trend is digital shower systems. The advances in this technology give us greater control over water temperature and volume, thus helping to conserve water, energy and money. Moen has created the ioDigital system. It is a simple technology that gives you the consistent bathing experience day in and day out. Kohler was also innovating in this area. Their DTV system brings the notion of showering to a whole new level. Rub a dub dub, so much for the tub.

Finally, the trend that we are most excited about is that the customers, who are coming into our showrooms are asking for plumbing products that are “Made in the USA.” We have gone through a long, difficult economic period and people want to see job creation and job creation comes from buying American. Often times, the homeowner doesn’t know what is American and what isn’t, so please take the time to ask our knowledgeable showroom reps. We work with some of the finest American bath & plumbing manufacturers.

TUBS goes to Quebec City

Todd McDonagh — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 11:00:54 +0000

Sarah Matthews, one of TUBS’ showroom consultants recently traveled to Canada to visit the fine folks at Bain Ultra. Sarah is an interior designer, who works out of the Manchester, NH showroom. She is also a blogger, you can find her work at http://www.monacointeriors.blogspot.com/.

1. Who is Bain Ultra?

A specialty company creating therapeutic air jet baths and products that focus on the total well-being of the customer.

2. Why would you sell Bain over other Air Tub manufacturers?

Bain Ultra only creates thermomasseur and soaker tubs and have been in business for 30 years creating these tubs exclusively, so it is the whole focus of the company and has been perfected.

http://www.bainultra.com/insperience-bathroom/our-inspiration

3. Where did you stay while training at Bain Ultra?

Just outside Quebec City at the Chateau Bonne Entente Hotel.

4. How was the plant tour and what did you learn from the tour?

The tour was excellent! We got to see the creation and process of building these specialty tubs including quality control and technical procedures. They took us through step by step from beginning to end of the tub’s creation to exiting the warehouse for shipment.

5. Why does Bain Ultra treat you to a spa day and what did you take away from the spa day?

Bain Ultra provides this for us so we, as consultants, can experience total well-being and relaxation as an extension and understanding of their products and overall company philosophy.

6. What other parts of the training did you enjoy and how will this help you sell more of the products?

Bain Ultra provided excellent training for aromatherapy, color psychology, psychology covering stress and different methods to deal with it and the overall Bain Ultra philosophy, which is integral to how the product is presented, described and sold. In order to sell the air jet and soaker tubs, the consultant must have a thorough understanding of the products as well as the company’s unique vision and interpretation of living a life that is well balanced with an ability to provide oneself with an outlet to let go of the stress of daily living with a home spa.

Tekura Morphosys 7242 Woodwhite

7. How did you enjoy Quebec City?

This was my first trip to Canada and I was extremely impressed and loved it! The scenery is great, especially the old town of Quebec, the people are very friendly and I can’t wait to go back!