Excellence in Design Stands Time: Laufen Bathrooms #BlogTourNYC

Laufen Bathrooms: Wow.

Swiss manufacturer Laufen was one of our sponsors for #BlogTourNYC @Modenus. In today’s post I want to share some helpful links and my personal thoughts regarding the product and company. Spotlighting any brand on Couture Chateau is something I take very seriously as you, our faithful readers and clients know. Discretion does not shout from the rooftops. Trust is hard won.

That said, I am absolutely delighted to share today about Laufen. Their partnership with Kartell and Designer @palombaserafini is a win-win.

• “An architectural Project that speaks a new language. Innovative, rich in emotion, transparency and colour. The Kartell by Laufen Bathroom is the synthesis of the work we have done in recent years in the world of the bathroom and represents an important step forward in this sector.”LUDOVICA+ROBERTO PALOMBA, DESIGNER

Designer Anne Edwards took a picture of me (time to workout!) at a very special private event the night prior to ICFF at the DeGustibus Cooking School. We were all happy but a wee bit tired!

 My top 5 thoughts regarding Laufen:

1) Multiple generation gold mine. Why? Clean lines and multi-use. Works in traditional, transitional and strong contemporary.

The lines of the product are so clean. They would work in an 18th century home as easily as they would in a new construction mid-west project.

Notice the moulding work behind the tub. I love the contrast. It brings out the best of both.

2) Price point. We’d all like to work without budgets, but let me tell you, every project has one. It matters not if the client we are working with arrives to the project site just off a G5 with personal assistant and dog in tow, there is always a number.

I was pleased to see the retail points for this line. Click here to find your local showroom in Canada, here for the United States. I was absolutely refreshed by this. Our design brand does have the word couture, which to my heart means we intentionally weave together by hand a garment for you to live in. It does not mean over priced just for the sake of being.

Great design does not need to be expensive, it does have to cover the cost of maker, artist, production, safety, order and beauty. Laufen manages this incredibly well. Kudos. When products are too inexpensive my heart sinks. It means someone somewhere is being mis-used. I am so pleased. It just feels right.

3) Focus. Many brands try to do too much, Laufen seems to have hit the sweet spot in terms of doing what they do well and with focus.

These days I find myself and my staff simply overlooking or avoiding the brands that send us 400 product types with 3000 options. I’d rather work with a company that does one thing incredibly well. Because we customize as much as possible for our clients, when it’s time to use a standard manufactured product, we are incredibly – let’s call it – precise.

As a Designer, we are often brought onto projects not because the Family or their Advisers aren’t capable of re-working their spaces and properties but because the time involved isn’t the best use of their time or resources.

Top tier clients know what they do best and spend their time maximizing those opportunities. I deeply appreciate top tier brands that do the same for us. It shows me they are focused – and excellent. I can trust the product.

4) Designer friendly. Critically important. A brand simply won’t survive in the long term if they are not.

5) Beautiful. Form follows function however, without beauty, it simply isn’t complete.

In closing, make sure to spend some time on their new page in conjunction with Kartell here, and subscribe to Laufen’s Youtube Channel. For our private clients, this is – as you know – one of our favorite tools (video).

For more information on how Couture Chateau helps you design and steward your properties into the next generations, call or email Ann McDonald at 925-386-0720 or ann@couturechateau.com. We have worked with families from six continents and once you and yours are part of Couture Chateau, no project is too small.

We have designed spaces from 800 square feet to 11,000 square feet and up.

Properties from .5 to 400 acres and up

all the while not forgetting ‘Aunt’s’ room at your plains summer cabin which needs new drapery for the season.

We understand that legacy values the main hub home as much as the 800 square foot first condo’s for children and grandchildren.

OUR FOCUS is your family and your legacy.

Whatever equips you to build your legacy and generations is what make it into our design work for you and yours.

Click here for some fun reads. And here for our article on Five Mistakes Young Families Make When Designing a Home.

Fondly,

Ann McD.