I was invited by Ferguson Plumbing to join several other interior designers in the Seattle and Portland areas to visit the LIXIL headquarters in New Jersey. LIXIL is a Japanese company that pioneers water and housing products and they own American Standards, DXV, and Grohe.
During our visit, we learned the ‘ins-and-outs’ of these brands and what makes their products stand out from their competitors. We started with American Standard by discussing the technology and methods they use for testing their toilets as well as why their products are unique. The brand is truly on the forefront of cleanliness, efficiency, technique, and ingenuity with a focus on sustainability of water use.
Product Highlights
One product highlight for me was a faucet from American Standard. Their MeasureFill Touch faucet has the ability to measure out cups of water with a dial on the side to make cooking and baking easier. This faucet also has touch capability which allows you to turn the faucet on and off with a simple touch of the dial.
American Standard applied their touch capability to a shower head. Their innovative Spectra + Touch 4-Function shower head allows you to customize your shower preferences by simply touching the edge of the shower head to switch between spray patterns. Along with their drench, massage, sensitive, and jet spray options, the shower head also helps save water with a flow rate of 1.8 gpm.
One last plumbing feature that was beyond unique was a bar-prep faucet from Grohe. This faucet has three settings from the tap – filtered water, carbonated water, and a 50/50 mix of filtered and carbonated water! It was so convenient and well designed – every bar sink should have this!
It was such a great opportunity and wonderful experience to be able to join Ferguson Plumbing and gain more in-depth knowledge about these brands and the products they create. The hope is that through furthering the education on these brands, we can speak with more knowledge and understanding as to why these products stand out from others. As a designer, I love learning about new products, features, and little ways to make life easier for my clients. LIXIL is an awesome company and I truly look forward to using and recommending their products to my clients in the future.
