August 1, 2018

Text: Anna Gibertini

Bathroom Fixtures Bolster the Industrial Trend

The Descanso widespread lavatory faucet with optional knurling detail on the handles and spout tip. Photography courtesy of California Faucets. 

Designers can’t get enough of the industrial look. Design professionals and manufacturers in every sector see that the trend, which first blossomed in the late 2000s, is a certified mainstay. The style, defined by honest use of materials and form, conjures both gritty urban environments and the prized loft aesthetic.

California Faucets, a premier brand of high-end faucets, drains, and shower systems, strides into the industrial chic market with its new collection, Descanso. Cylindrical shapes, fluid lines, and soft curves mark every item in the series, which has optional smooth knurling details or carbon fiber handle in-lays.

The Descanso widespread lavatory faucet in burnished brass. Photography courtesy of California Faucets. 

Not all knurling is created equal, says Noah Taft, senior vice president of marketing and sales. If not executed correctly, this technique can feel sharp and unpleasant to the touch. The brand’s artisans, who assemble and finish everything by hand, take extra care to make the knurling detail appealing to all senses.

With regards to the carbon fiber inlays, the inspiration came from examining what materials other industries were using. “Carbon fiber is the material used in Formula 1 race car chassis and road-racing bicycles. Putting it on our handles gave them a very cool, dynamic look,” says Taft.

An example of the carbon fiber in-lays on burnished brass cross handles. Photography courtesy of California Faucets.

The manufacturer also rolled out two new finishes to bolster the cutting-edge collection. A burnished brass and burnished nickel will add to California Faucet’s extensive group of over 30 artisan options. These metals will patina, offering an exciting transformation of color over time, taking users back to the times when high-quality brass and nickel were everywhere. 

Combined, the inclusion of the carbon fiber inlays and the living finishes present a fusion of the old and new materials of industry. These elegantly dichotomous pieces aren’t just limited to the bathroom, though. California Faucets will also expand Descanso with kitchen fixtures this fall.

Descanso proves that the industrial chic style shows no signs of slowing down. With the addition of this graceful and innovative collection, designers have all the more reason to keep specifying this unique trend for years to come.

See the complete Descanso collection here.

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