A Note From Jason
Greetings, everyone!
We’ve entered the shortest month of the year, but at least the days are gradually getting longer.
I hope you all enjoyed last weekend’s football festivities. Congrats to our New England Patriots! Thank you for bringing us another championship! All of this winning is getting pretty old, huh? NOPE. We might be spoiled, but I’m not complaining.
February 14th is just around the corner and that means something exciting is on the horizon. Yes, Cupid’s arrival for Valentine’s Day, of course – as well as my son, Gunnar’s birthday. And just a couple of days after that on Saturday, February 16th, our extended Presidents’ Day Sale kicks off. Join us at our Beverly and Watertown showrooms from February 16th to February 23rd to enjoy major savings on fine fixtures and accessories for the bath and kitchen. Everything is on sale and discounts this good deserve more than just one day, they deserve an entire week. Happy shopping!
Who’s in the mood for some February faves? This month, we’re joined by our incredibly talented friend, AIA, Architect, Eric Inman Daum. Eric, a Founding President of the New England Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture, has been on the board of this prestigious organization since its founding in 2005. After he was a Partner at Merrimack Design, Eric achieved his dream of launching his own practice in 2017. Eric’s passion for Art History and Traditional Architecture influenced his selections as this month’s guest blogger. Follow along below as he shares his favorite pieces from our showroom; pieces that transcend form and fashion to result in a multi-sensory design experience.
Have a wonderful month and stop by to browse our Presidents’ Day Sale!
Best,
Jason Sevinor
President
I came to design through my love of History and Traditional Architecture. My undergraduate training refined my Classical inclinations and graduate school opened my eyes to the subtleties and purity of Modernism which, more than 100 years after the end of the First World War, is now itself a historical style. My selections as the guest blogger for Designer Bath are items which have, for me, an authenticity. I was drawn to pieces that show a deeper understanding of historic forms though they may subtly transform our expectations and create something elegant and stylish. Good design transcends fashion, but no matter whether a piece is Historicist or Modern, it must ultimately please our visual and tactile senses.
SIGMA SERIES 620 ROMAN TUB FILLER
This is a piece that evokes the Moderne period. As an architect with Modernist training and Classical sensibilities, I am fascinated by the tension of the period when machine-age designs were still influenced by Classicism. The graceful heft of this imposing yet elegant tub filler inspired me when I first saw it. I can imagine Ginger Rogers soaking in a bubble bath as Fred Astaire dances across an Art Deco cityscape in preparation for an evening out.
KARTNERS BERLIN BATH ACCESSORIES
These lovely pieces are the distillation of the Miesian ideal. Each one is all they need to be and nothing more. Their spartan elegance recalls the finest aspirations of the International Style. Despite the simplicity of their design, they have refined proportions which are not rooted directly in history but represent the essence of the Bauhaus.
CROSSWATER FLORENZA BASIN
I feel that vessel sinks are everywhere, but this lovely little sink transcends the cliché. The cyma recta of the basin’s sides trace a beautifully-executed curve and terminate at a fine and delicate lip. Those objects we find most beautiful are the ones that seem familiar but are transformed in unexpected ways. When I first saw this lavatory, I thought “Why didn’t I think of this?” It’s two familiar ideas, a vessel sink and the shape of a classical molding, rendered in a new and surprising way that seems perfectly natural.
CROSSWATER WALDORF WALL-HUNG SINK WITH CROSSWATER WALDORF LAVATORY FAUCET
Once again, Crosswater takes the familiar and transforms it in an unexpected way. It is seemingly a very traditional wall-hung lavatory, and yet on second glance, transitions into a Modern representation of the familiar. The proportion of its length to its depth is exaggerated, creating a long and narrow basin. The integral backsplash is low and adds to the sleekness of the design. The recessed button for the overflow is a lovely jewelry-like detail. The faucet set has beautifully-proportioned hexagonal escutcheons that seem simultaneously antique and contemporary. The black lever handles provide the lustrous polished nickel fixtures with masculinity.
GROHE EUROCUBE KITCHEN FAUCET
I used this recently in a project at my client’s request. He had seen it at a showhouse in Florida and had to have it. Once I saw it, I agreed. It’s imposing and substantial, yet graceful. The form of the kitchen-sink sprayer is reduced to its essential elements, and the result is robust, elegant and cosmopolitan.