Kohler Co. and Yabu Pushelberg Create Sensory Journey into Luxury and Lifestyle Design Solutions

Published
03/18/2024 by

Kohler Co., the global lifestyle brand and leader in kitchen and bath products, returns to Salone del Mobile with a breathtaking presentation of the rich design palette across its brands Kohler, Kallista, Kast and Klafs. This year, Kohler has partnered with global design studio Yabu Pushelberg to create an environment that transcends the ordinary, inviting visitors on a captivating journey where art, design, technology and wellbeing intersect. (Hall 22 - Stand H10 H6)

"Kohler Co. brands offer the most comprehensive range of designs, product categories and technologies to realize design visions through complete specification support. Our focus on design leadership and product innovation comes to life through this multi-brand presentation, at a show that celebrates the forward-thinking creativity of the world's best architects, designers, and developers," says Larry Yuen, Kohler International Group President. "With shared values in creating immersive experiences and compelling designs, Yabu Pushelberg is a natural partner for Kohler Co.'s Salone del Mobile booth this year."

Drawing upon Kohler's rich heritage, the designed facade evokes water in motion, taking guests on a mesmerizing exploration of form, texture, and light. Kohler, Kallista, Kast, and Klafs brands are presented through a series of interconnected curved spaces showcasing the latest in innovation, design and wellness– from sleek faucets and fixtures to luxurious bathtubs, futuristic showers, and uncompromising saunas. Each vignette is carefully choreographed to highlight the seamless integration of form and function, demonstrating Kohler Co.'s unwavering commitment to craftsmanship and quality.

"We are thrilled to partner with Kohler Co., leaders in innovative design solutions at Salone del Mobile 2024 and debut our first booth design in Milan. We wanted to create a booth with presence and together, we designed a world where luxury meets purpose and innovation is harmonized with wellbeing," says George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg, founding partners of Yabu Pushelberg.

Through advanced technologies, sophisticated designs, immersive experiences, and a rich tapestry of color, material, finish, and pattern, the brands of Kohler Co. enable architects and designers to create the spaces that define our world.

TECHNOLOGY & WELLNESS

Much of the display emphasizes the links between technology, design, and wellness within the modern bathroom. The KOHLER Anthem + digital showering system, which allows users to control their showering experiences from water delivery and temperature to steam, alongside the Kohler x SR_A Formation 02 smart toilet, lead the way in technology solutions that enhance the bathroom experience.

Kohler also previews the concept product Numi 2.0 smart toilet with electronic-ink integration, empowering the surfaces of the toilet to showcase vibrant colors and customizable patterns, making the toilet more like an avant-garde dynamic art installation.

KLAFS, the world's leading sauna manufacturer, displays a collaboration with Studio F. A. Porsche on its striking limited-edition S11 free-standing sauna with elegant metallic champagne-colored cladding and a traditional Japanese Washi paper wall creating an organic warm feeling of endless space.

MATERIAL & COLOR

Kohler introduces the Rista Vessel bathroom 3D printed sink, an innovative 3D printed basin that combines digital technology with traditional craftsmanship, setting a new standard in the industry. The vitreous china sinks are meticulously crafted in small batches by skilled artisans, ensuring high quality and uniqueness in each piece.

Two new faucet finishes, Brushed Graphite from Kohler, and Polished Graphite from Kallista, marry new industrialism with quiet luxury, offering a rich, dark, contemporary finish option on premium faucet collections for the bathroom and kitchen spaces. The new Kallista Guise faucet collection artfully merges bold, rectangular forms with detailed transitions for a distinctive, sculptural design and a spout cast from a single piece for no parting seams.

Kohler expanded its Heritage Colors collection with a new curated selection of three archival green hues making a grand reintroduction into stylish kitchen and bath spaces. Following the success of last year's Heritage Colors release, Kohler is reviving nature-inspired greens including Fresh Green (1971), Aspen Green (1978), and Teal (1987) that will be available exclusively on some of Kohler's most iconic designs.

The Kast Wave concrete wash basin collection offers a fresh take on bathroom design, drawing inspiration from Italian Radicalism and Postmodernism movements. Characterized by whimsical silhouettes and undulating forms, each basin serves as a vibrant centerpiece, infusing the bathroom with creative energy and delight. The Kast Holm sink design draws inspiration from the classic beauty of terrazzo, blending its speckled visuals with the tactile feel of concrete. With minimal and contemporary basin shapes, the design concept emphasizes understated elegance while highlighting the dynamic textures of the terrazzo inserts.

Kallista debuts the Bandeau Artistic Shower collection, drawing inspiration from women's headbands in featuring a metal strap or a textured stone deĢcor that gracefully wraps around the showerhead perimeter, creating a design detail that is both artistic and sculptural.

The Kohler WasteLAB transforms manufacturing waste materials into beautifully designed products, including the new WasteLAB Vox sink, the first sink in the portfolio, constructed of more than 70% recycled material contributing to a circular economy and Kohler's goal of zero waste to landfill.

The Kohler Co. exhibit space also celebrates the 50th anniversary of Arts/Industry through an art installation created by artist and program alumni David Franklin. This unique collaborative artist-in-residency program between the kitchen and bath manufacturer and John Michael Kohler Arts Center is housed within the Kohler vitreous china and cast iron factories.