Metropolis Living: Residential Products

Published in Metropolis, September 2017

Home means different things to different people, so design priorities and creature comforts can vary widely, from an ultimate entertainment kitchen equipped with high-tech yet handsome built-in appliances such as Gaggenau’s 400 series espresso machine and Sub-Zero’s IW-18 wine cooler to the ideal reading nook with a lamp—like Louis Poulsen’s Yuh—that can adjust to any user’s favorite reading chair. Here we present these and other fine product ideas to help craft the ideal designer home.

FISHER & PAYKEL FABRICSMART FRONT LOADER WASHER
At just under 24 inches wide, the compact FabricSmart Front Loader doesn’t sacrifice performance: This true workhorse features 13 cycles and an additional time-saver option, SmartDrive technology for quieter operation, and special fabric- care settings. It is designed to complement and stack vertically with the company’s Condensing Dryer, a compact ventless unit capable of handling up to four cubic feet of clothes.

LOUIS POULSEN YUH LAMP
Paying homage to the classic AJ lamp by Arne Jacobsen, Copenhagen design studio GamFratesi melded the angular and slim aesthetics of AJ with elements of Japanese paper art, ultimately arriving at Yuh’s irregular conical shade on a space-saving stem. Users can adjust the direct, glare-free downlight by angling the shade, rotating it and moving it up and down the axis. The aluminum luminaire is available in black or white, and as a floor, table, or wall lamp.

GAGGENAU 400 SERIES ESPRESSO MACHINE
Discerning home cooks who desire a chef’s kitchen might want to look to Gaggenau’s 400-series suite, which offers high performance in a streamlined design. This fully automatic espresso machine is a built-in unit that sports a sleek stainless steel–backed glass door with a TFT touch display and minimalist control dials for brewing a wide variety of caffeinated beverages to perfection. The 24-inch-wide machine also stores eight personalized settings.

FOSCARINI SPOKES LAMP
Unlike other cage-style ceiling pendants, the whimsical Spokes—inspired by its metal-bar namesakes found on bicycle wheels—doesn’t encase its light source. Instead, the single 2,700- kelvin, dimmable LED is in a disk that sits flush with the bottom of the luminaire to provide downward illumination. Offered in two sizes, the varnished steel-and-aluminum fixture now comes in four colors: copper (new), white, yellow, and graphite (new).

DURAVIT VERO AIR WASHBASIN
Nearly two decades ago, the Vero range of fixtures brought a minimalist vocabulary to bathrooms. Now Duravit has reimagined the series with the same aesthetic but with more precise edges and straighter interior surfaces, thanks to advanced manufacturing processes. The update includes above-counter basins in two widths and regular basins in five sizes up to 1,200 millimeters wide (the latter can be installed with C-bonded technology to eliminate seams).

SUB-ZERO IW-18 INTEGRATED WINE STORAGE
Users with smaller kitchens or entertainment spaces will appreciate the footprint of this 18-inch-wide wine refrigerator. Despite its compact size, it can hold 59 bottles on 15 sliding racks and features two individually controlled zones to chill both whites and reds. Bronze-tinted UV-resistant glass and dual evaporators also work to achieve the perfect temperature. Also, a panel-ready design enables the unit to fit into any style of decor.

POLIFORM ILDA SIDE TABLE
Designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, this elegant pedestal side table gives the illusion of a floating top on a skinny metal base. The latter—offered in a 16-1⁄4-inch or 20-3⁄4-inch height—is composed of cast brass with a polished gold or bronze finish. On the shorter version, tops measure 18-1⁄2 inches in diameter, while the taller model features a 15-1⁄4-inch diameter. Choose from a selection of marbles or resin with a matte or glossy sheen.

WOOD-MODE BROOKHAVEN CABINETRY
For a penthouse condo—which also serves as a fund-raising space—in Fayetteville, Arkansas, designer Becky Charton maximized storage using Brookhaven custom cabinetry. Charton specified the MDF system in frameless construction (though framed cabinets are also available
in this line) with concealed self-closing hinges for a sleeker look. The doors sport Vista veneer in a wood-grain overlay and slim-profile aluminum edge banding.