Welcome to my first official day on the show floor of ISH Frankfurt. First let me explain the headline of this entry. Bad in German means “bath” … and that’s what I’ve explored this whole afternoon. [Note: it’s very funny to these American eyes to see the word “bad” used in the advertisements and signage for these exhibitors. We would never use that word when trying to entice people to buy our products. But I’ve been having quite a few culture-shock experiences that is making it hard to adjust.]

Enlarge this picture Jungle Collection from Cielo

I uncovered most of my interesting finds in Halles 3 and 4 today. Halle 3 encompassed mostly bath/shower fixtures and displays, while Halle 4 featured faucetry and valve construction. For instance, one of the first items I ran into was Vitra’s Istanbul by Lovegrove tub. It fully represents the trend of “Homing” ― If Big Bird had a tub, this was it! It looks very similar to a bird’s nest, and even the complementing suite of faucets resembled twigs, sticks and trees. These direct-representations of nature are part of a theme I uncovered quite a lot on Wednesday.

Another nature-inspired fixture I found was the Jungle Collection from Cielo (meaning “clouds” or “sky”, I believe, in Italian). This company took the texture and strong visual of snake and lizard skin to cover its toilets and lavs. I just had to touch it (and so did many others). It was ceramic, perfectly functional, but completely unconventional. According to the company, “Jungle is the perfect example of a new customized design approach for the bathroom, which sets out to amaze with an exuberant elegance and a slant that is highly spectactular.” Wow!

Enlarge this picture Aquamass

Speaking of animal prints, I also snapped a quick shot of this free-standing tub display by Aquamass. I was particularly drawn to the cow-hide tub. These people were, too, apparently. It felt like a cow as well! Sort of hairy and fuzzy.

Enlarge this picture Aeon Double Helix

Moving along, it was interesting to see that towel warmers were not considered part of the heating segment at this show. Instead of seeing decorative radiators in, say, Halle 6, they were found intermingled in Halle 3’s tubs and showers. Germans (Europeans) obviously feel these fixtures deserve a place in the bathroom, and there were plenty of styles to keep attendees’ attention. One example was Aeon, a sculptural heating manufacturer. I snapped this shot of its Double Helix model, but the booth was filled with all types of wall-mount and free-standing heaters.

Enlarge this picture Cosmos by Cinier

I also really enjoyed the radiators from Cinier. These were more contemporary and were created from Olycale® stone. This model, Cosmos, is handmade and is available in either electric or hydronic. [Note: Over here they call it “hydraulic”. Again, another funny word I’ve learned to accept while perusing the show.] These hang on the wall, and could easily be misinterpreted as modern art. But it’s good to see multifunctional heating pieces.

Enlarge this picture Carisa

Carisa was on display at ISH, too. At American shows, this company has a relatively modest display. Here in Germany, plenty of its decorative heaters were on parade, and their size and dimensions were impressive. Here is a shot of Carisa’s Adagio, Domino and Brico models. All were my height ― or larger! ― and would certainly make a statement in any home.

Katie’s Pick-To-Click

Enlarge this picture Lux Elements

Now I’ll get into my very favorite sight at the show today: Linear Floor Drains.

I hope this takes off in residences in America. I’ve seen them, of course, in commercial settings ― at public pool showers, gym settings, etc. ― but these decorative floor drains offered such a uniform, unobtrusive look to the shower area, that I fell in love with the overall look. There was a seemless quality that I’m sure homeowners on this side of the pond will really enjoy.

Lux Elements specializes in the production of polystyrene hard foam for wall cladding, floor/drain structures in the bathroom and other “wellness facilities.” This installation product makes these awesome liner floor drains possible. The shower “bases” I saw were flush with the floor, which also affected the way the shower enclosures were crafted. While here in America they would’ve been touting the ADA or universal design aspects of these zero-clearance showers, here they were more focused on the freedom of design ― how much more beautiful bathroom tile would look, and how much bigger the bathroom would seem!

Other advantages of flush-with-the-floor showers: they’re modern and attractive, and easy to clean and care for. Lux Elements’ brochure even offered tips on in-floor heating its shower bases ― now that’s luxury bathing!

I also spoke with reps from Wirquin who offers not only decorative stainless-steel linear floor drains, but also custom-finish decorative traps for exposed piping under lavs (almost every lav at ISH is free-floating and wall-hung). The Teos Collection features colorful removable rings made from chrome-plated ABS. This lets homeowners customize their exposed lav drains and adds some flair to the bathroom.

Another decorative drain manufacturer was SAS-France. I’m telling you, it’s all about the long, rectangular floor drains over there. The flush-mounting of showers was totally appealing. Just walk right in and enjoy!

Enlarge this picture MGS

Let’s move on to faucets and showerheads. David Schlocker from DRS Associates was kind enough to show me around a few booths (and it was refreshing to be speaking English!). We visited THG ― a very posh, high-end bathroom fixture manufacturer ― who had exquisite taps and tubs. Some, like the Mossi Line, were crafted with Lalique crystal and other bejeweled designs. Even THG’s exposed valves were decked out in high-fashion. Some of the displays showed the faucets in “security” cases to up the desirability factor.

MGS is an Italian company that creates full-on stainless-steel faucets and showerheads. In fact, NSF was just about to announce that MGS is its first European faucet manufacturer to comply with the no-lead construction legislation. Its Bone model is both deck and wall mounted (lots of wall-mounts at ISH). The finish of the Vela D was more of a “gun-metal” stainless-steel. It’s all in how the fixture is polished, they told me.

Enlarge this picture JACLO

JACLO had a really interesting idea in the shower: A versatile waterfall/rainshower fixture. In its up-right position, bathers experience a soft rain-like shower. Flip the showerhead down and water is diverted to spout out in a sheet, similar to walking under a waterfall. Two types of bathing from one showerhead.

And most of these panels and fixtures at the show were ripe for retrofit markets. Simply switch out the showerhead and the bathroom is revitalized. If it’s one thing I noticed in Germany is that the European culture is not big on waste; multi-function is best, and putting every last drop to use is even better.

Enlarge this picture Sonia

Did I see any interesting vanities or bath suites? You bet! Sonia is known in the U.S. for its streamlined, contemporary vanities. Its Spanish and European markets, however, include lighting, mirrors, faucets, fixtures and more. At ISH I loved its Sange Line of soft-finish cabinets and drawers. It felt like a micro-fiber covering, or a very supple rubber. It came in myriad colors, from federal blues to apple reds to sable blacks ― all were just luscious! I especially appreciated the soft-close features and the hidden storage of all the vanities. They may be small, but they sure pack a punch!

Sonia also showcased a magnetized magnified vanity mirror. It is attached by a pendulum integrated within the mirror. Users can reposition the small accessory to wherever they need it: out of the way, or front-and-center.

Enlarge this picture Mimo by Laufen

Keep an eye out for Laufen. Its Mimo line was my favorite suite today, with a color combo of black, pink and white (the pink, of course, appealed to me most). The tub was a space-saving design (1400 x 800 mm were its dimensions) and its shower curtain track was incorporated and hidden into the chrome design. Looked great for a good soak ― all while thinking pink! Pink drains in the sink; pink toilet seat lids, pink cabinetry with mod sensibilities. It was fun!

Designer Roberto Palomba had his hand in creating collections for a few exhibitors at ISH. One was the Lb³ Modern for Laufen ― another versatile bath line that also appealed because it was “scaleable” (which means it could fit all types of bathroom sizes, styles and budgets). His Faraway design with Ludovica resembled a small swimming pool! It was featured in Italy's Zucchetti.Kos (Spa) booth, which had a display that won my “wish-I-could-jump-in” award.

Enlarge this picture Art Weger Twin Line

Another company to watch is Arco, which is poised to make its American debut after supplying valves for a major U.S. company for the past few years. Its angle stops, gas and water valves offer quality, safety and overall peace-of-mind. “We have been innovating and performing all kinds of testing until we achieved what our customers expect from us: safety without difficulty,” the 35-year-old company says. It’s available in hundreds of countries, and hopes to hit the American market soon.

Finally, I came across a very interesting tub/shower design called the Twin Line (Art Weger). In German they say “Das 2 x 1 im Bad”, which means a one-two punch of both a walk-in tub and a functional shower. Ideal for a large family of varying degrees of abilities and ages, and pretty darn entertaining to see bathing feet through the glass of the door.

Final Thoughts

Enlarge this picture Geberit Loves Water

Upon arriving in Germany, the weather forecast rain most of the week. But Wednesday had a bit of sun, which was good because the outdoor “quad” between Halles had some exhibits as well. Geberit had a kiosk showcasing its latest washlet. The structure had an “I [heart] Water” sign on the outside. But if you look closer at the heart, it’s really someone’s bum. Cute. Gross. I don’t know which. That’s Europe, I guess.

In terms of overall size, this show cannot possibly be compared to any bath or heating expo in the U.S. I’ve racked my brain trying to find a comparison, but the closest “show” I can come up with is the Auto Show. We have a pretty large-sized one in Chicago (where I’m from) each February, and comparing the booths at ISH to car manufacturers’ booths seems to be the only rational comparable. We’re talking bars and bistros included within these exhibits. Two-story displays. Even some encompassing whole corners of the Halles. There were even large bath exhibits rotating on turntables ― like the latest concept car. (Dornbracht’s Supernova Line comes to mind.) These manufacturers are super-stars here, and this once-every-other-year show is the perfect place to let them shine.

One other quick observation: ISH Frankfurt has a “China” exhibition, too (manufacturers from China and its neighboring countries). And, like its American counterparts at K/BIS or ASHRAE, its traffic is nonexistent. The section seemed to be utilized only by other Far-East attendees, or quick-moving Westerners. Just thought that was interesting and had to share.

Thursday will be filled with all things Heating, so on with the show, and on to my next blog installment.