The official Kohler blog has moved! Well, perhaps ‘moved’ is not the correct term. We’ve expanded, remodeled and grown into two new blogs!

Home Ideas: Where we share innovative products, distinctive homes, and remarkable room designs to help you get inspired to plan the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams.

bold: Where we share ideas and trends we’re currently loving, profiles of people we find amazing, and all kinds of smart, beautiful things that inspire us.

Check out our new homes and tell us what you think!

Today is World Water Day: A day dedicated to conservation and preservation of one of our most precious resources.

Throughout the years, Kohler has dedicated efforts to water conservation. Each decade ushered in a new approach and innovative solution to help curb wasted water, from high-efficiency toilets to waterless urinals.

After collaborating with Habitat for Humanity, kicking off Save Water America and winning the EPA’s WaterSense awards 5 years in a row, things were looking up for our green initiatives.

Then, Matt Damon broke up with his toilet.

No, seriously, he’s striking against going to the bathroom.

We’re joining Matt and Water.org in their fun approach to a serious issue by contributing $50,000 to help aid their mission in resolving the world water crisis.

Read about Water.org, join the cause and help with a donation. Together, we can bring clean, safe water to the millions of people living without it.

Photography is a big deal for us at Kohler. From our couture shots of Numi at the iconic Stahl House to our distinctive advertisements, we drive to inspire through imagery.

How do we do it? Come behind the scenes, as we create imagery for our new music-streaming Moxie showerhead.

It all starts with an idea. Our designers mock up a room, creating a space that highlights the functionality, tone and mood of the product. For Moxie, they went with sleek grey tile, crisp white fixtures and a bright pop of neon.

From there, we begin the build: Wood is cut, nails are hammered and tiles are placed and grouted.

As the walls go up, the set truly begins to take shape.

Next, our fabulous model arrives, ready for makeup and hair.

And of course, a good steam cleaning doesn’t hurt.

We’re ready for a dry run, and when you’re talking showers, we mean that literally. Our model and photographer run through some rehearsal shots, test out lighting and choreograph the perfect poses before turning on the water.

Time to add those finishing touches. When photographing a real shower, there’s a lot of drying and polishing between each shot to help keep things streak-free.

Our wonderful model remains calm and collected as our creative team watches from behind the camera, crafting and positioning each shot.

Finally, as the steam clears and the water drains, the beautiful images begin to emerge.

When Canadian couple Damian and Leila Chen needed to remodel their cramped kids’ bathroom, they turned to Manuel Neves. Manuel is a jack-of-all-trades: Filmmaker, carpenter, and star of Hardcore Renos, a show dedicated to renovating outside of the box. This eclectic toolbox of talents helped the Chen’s get the bathroom they were looking for, and allowed Neves’ unique vision to truly shine.

“Damian and Leila are actually good friends of mine, and they were looking to remodel their kids’ bath to accommodate their sons Kian and Sasan. The current space was too small, outdated and had a mold problem from the kids splashing water around. I specialize in waterproofing spaces, so immediately, I was up for the challenge.”

Products shown: San Raphael toilet, Antilia sink, and Oblo faucet.

“One of the first things I did was look at the lighting. I went to film school, and a big focus of my time there was on getting the right lighting. A lot of people think ‘a light would look nice here and maybe one over there,’ but you need to think about how it looks turned on. What mood does it set?”

“The kids’ bath was cramped, especially with Kian and Sasan sharing the space. The bath and shower jutted out into the room, blocking natural light and forcing the toilet into a tight corner. We knew we wanted to open the space up–make it feel light and airy—and that’s exactly what we did.”

Products shown (right): Serif bath, floor-mount bath filler, Oblo faucet handles, and Shift handshower.

“Leila definitely wanted a vaulted ceiling and a skylight, but there was a main roof truss that was 20 inches shy of where she wanted it to be. So, we did a little engineering and a lot of reinforcing, and we were able to open the space up and make room for both a bath and a shower.”

“The vanity area solves a lot of problems. I actually looked at the Robern Uplift mirror for inspiration. We decided to create a mirror that slides side-to-side to hide toiletries and be fully usable for both vanities.”

Products shown (right): Purist luxury showering package, Oblo valve trims, Echelon shower locker and seat and Purist sconces.

“All the walls in the bathroom are covered in tile, we didn’t just stop at the tub and shower. We wanted to waterproof the entire space to eliminate the mold problems the homeowners had in the past. It’s also much easier to clean this way!”

“As a filmmaker, I’m always creating stories and looking for creative outlets. When we finished this bathroom, I wanted to present a story that highlights the bathrooms cool features and really show how kids will be kids. I think the final video really shows the usability of the space in a fun, creative way.”

Here at Kohler, art is a cornerstone in everything we do. From the John Michael Kohler Arts Center to our innovative artist residency program–Arts/Industry–it’s ingrained in our roots. In fact, the words of John Ruskin can be found in several places around our campus: “Life without labor is guilt. Labor without art is brutality.”

That said, it’s no surprise that the Kohler Communications team decided to do an art installation to celebrate the launch of our new high-tech Moxie showerhead.

The idea: Cover a 10’6″ x 80’6″ wall of our Communications building with sticky notes.
The artists: Over 120 Kohler associates.
The tools: 31,000, 2″ x 2″ sticky notes (recycled).
The result: A truly stunning work of art.

Finally, after much deliberation, our winner emerged. Congratulations, David B. Lee! Your eclectic bathroom is absolutely fabulous. We hope you enjoyed your time at Food & Wine and we’d love to see what you do with your new Kohler products.

Designer David B. Lee with contest judge and fellow designer Susan Serra.



Designer David B. Lee’s winning entry for the Tresham Interior Design Contest.

Let’s set the scene: Your kitchen has good bone structure, but it lacks pizzazz and punch. There’s something missing. Frankly, your cuisine is looking a bit tired and downtrodden.

John and I are all about “Refresh, refresh, refresh.” Take what you have, and imbue the space with new life thanks to quick fixes that won’t break the bank!

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Here’s John Loecke, one half of the Madcap Cottage interior design firm (and the creative genius behind our madcap designs), heading into our local Lowe’s in Oneonta, New York.

In the words of the popular Christmas song, there’s no place like home for the holidays—it’s where family gathers and where long-treasured memories are made. So, to help you with this season’s holiday shopping, we’ve pulled together the perfect list of gifts for the home (and a few extra ideas for the travelers in your life).

For the music junkie. Soak yourself in water and sound with the Moxie™ Showerhead + Wireless Speaker. Sync your Bluetooth®- enabled device and stream music, podcasts, news and more, right into your shower. 
List Price: $199

For the concert aficionado. If the pulsing energy of a rock concert gives you goose bumps, consider the VibrAcoustic® bath. With six speakers built into the tub–both above and below the water line–you’ll hear and feel the music all around you. List Price: Starting at $3,245

For the family. Elevate your shower from blah to spa. The HydroRail™ Shower Column instantly transforms a standard shower with the addition of a rainhead and a handshower. Slide the handshower up or down the rail and accommodate everyone in your home, from the tallest to the smallest. List Price: Starting at $380

For the color enthusiast. You’ve already brightened up your wardrobe and walls, why not add a punch of color to the bathroom? KOHLER Colors featuring Jonathan Adler highlights four bold hues on enameled cast iron sinks that will add pizzaz to any bath or powder room. List Price: Starting at $295

For the king or queen of the castle. If money is no object, consider a throne. The Numi toilet is the most advanced toilet with bidet functionality, built-in music, heated seat and foot warmer, dual-flush technology and of course, a sleek, interactive LCD touch-screen interface. This royal flush is worth the splurge. List Price: $6,390

For the foodie. Give the gift of something sweet this holiday season. KOHLER Original Recipe Chocolates, available at the Craverie Chocolatier Café and are the ultimate gift for the sweet tooth in your life.

For the golf guru. Spoil them with the Dye-Aboloical Package. Golf enthusiasts will enjoy a three-night stay at The American Club Resort, where they’ll play an 18-hole round of golf on the Straits and Irish courses at Whistling Straits, and River and Meadow Valleys courses at Blackwolf Run. The package also offers discounts at the Kohler Waters Spa, Kohler Golf Academy lessons and so much more.

For the pampered soul. Got someone on your list who’s notoriously difficult to shop for? Opt for the ultimate gift of relaxation. The Retail Relaxation Spa Package offers an indulgent getaway to The American Club Resort with amazing deals at the Kohler Waters Spa, The Shops and Woodlake and other special treats.

Our collaboration with Jonathan Adler just got a little more colorful. Interior Design Magazine recently announced its 2012 Best of Year (BoY) award winners and we are proud to be a contender in the kitchen fixtures category.

The award recognizes our fun and fresh KOHLER Colors featuring Jonathan Adler and our classic Whitehaven™ sink. It’s an invigorating blend of old and new, classic apron-front design and a contemporary pop of color.

A big thanks to Jonathan Adler for his vision, collaborative help and infectious creativity. And of course, a big thanks to Interior Design–this is truly an honor.

It’s bold, it’s timeless, it’s Greenwich Green.

Just like neutrals, the nautical-inspired Annapolis Navy blends with just about every color.

Palermo Blue is crisp and fresh, “like a dip in the Aegean Sea,” according to Adler.

Drawing inspiration from lemon sorbet, Piccadilly Yellow is bright and tart.

Whenever someone invites me into their home as a designer or as a guest, they often ask me to “take a peek” at the master bathroom and talk to them about their “someday” plan – as in “Someday, we’re going to tear out the bathtub and redo everything in here.”

When I ask them why they want to eliminate the bath, they usually respond in one of two ways: The existing bath takes up too much room, or they don’t use the bath that often.

Certainly those are valid reasons. However, through thoughtful planning and exploring of new options, keeping a bath can enhance your comfort and enjoyment of the space.

Play with Scale
People living with smaller bathrooms often question whether they are giving up valuable storage space in favor of keeping the bath. Fortunately, today’s manufacturers offer a wide range of bath options to accommodate just about any room size and design scheme.

Let’s cover the basics:

 The Asian-inspired Escale collection.

A freestanding bath visually opens up the space, particularly when it’s positioned away from a wall.

 The classic clawfoot Iron Works Historic bath.

Clawfoot tubs are elevated from the floor and appear to “float” within a space. Pair them with a floor-mount faucet system to eliminate having to conceal unsightly plumbing behind a wall or underneath a bulky tub deck.

 The clean, contemporary Bellwether bath.

Stick with baths and plumbing fixtures that have sleek, simple lines. If your space is limited and you want the convenience of a bath and shower, be sure to choose a tub with a flat bottom.

 The space-saving Underscore bath.

Scale back on size. For example, swap out an existing two-person bath for a sleek, Japanese-inspired soaking bath.

Consider Your Lifestyle
Perhaps you don’t enjoy using your existing bath because it’s not offering the benefits you want. Today’s baths allow you to create a custom bathing experience based on your lifestyle and personal needs.

 The soothing Escale BubbleMassage bath.

For example, if you travel frequently, you know first-hand that trekking through airports, maneuvering through security and sitting in cramped airplane seats for hours on end takes a toll on your body. Soaking in a bath helps to relieve muscle tension and improve circulation after a long week on the road. Perhaps a deep soaking bath, or one that offers hydrotherapy such as air bubble massage, is right for you.

 The soothing Escale BubbleMassage bath.

One of my clients, a former college football player, swears by his whirlpool. Water jets deliver targeted, intense massage capabilities, easing his aching joints while helping increase his circulation. As part of his nightly routine, a 15-minute soak helps him to relax and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

 Play music through your bathtub, with VibrAcoustic technology.

I can’t do an entire post on baths and forget to talk about VibrAcoustic technology. This high-tech transmits sound waves through the water, offering a unique, therapeutic experience. Whether you’re unwinding from a long day, or gearing up for a night on the town, you control the playlist!

Your bathroom should be everything you want it to be – calm, rejuvenating, relaxing. Selecting the right bath can help you create a personal spa, right in your own home.

Browse the full selection of Kohler bath options.

Allison Bergamo, AKBD, is Founder and Principal Designer of Bergamo Interiors, LLC. An accredited kitchen and bath designer, Allison creates comfortable, stylishly functional living spaces for clients ranging from urban bachelors to suburban empty-nesters. Her work has been featured in numerous print and broadcast media outlets including DIY Network’s popular remodeling show, “Rescue Renovation.” An accomplished writer and blogger, Allison has interviewed a variety of design and culinary experts. She can be reached at www.BergamoInteriors.com.