California Faucets Showcased in Philharmonic House of Design

August 25, 2008 — Selected by leading ASID designers, California Faucets' decorative line of products was selected to outfit several bathrooms in the 2008 Philharmonic House of Design in the prestigious Crystal Cove custom home community in Newport Beach, CA. California Faucets' custom faucetry offered designers striking styles with artistic flexibility to enhance the baths of the baronial 8,500-sq.-ft. Spanish-Mediterranean-style house.

"We hand-selected California Faucets and solicited their donation because it's a wonderful company with extraordinary products in terms of quality, design and range of styles and finishes," said Chris Kittrell, ASID, CID, of Kittrell & Associates Interior Design, who was also design chair for the 2008 Philharmonic House of Design.

Moen Recognized with "A" Service Rating

August 20, 2008 — David Weekley Homes, the largest for-profit privately owned homebuilder in America, has honored Moen Inc. with a prestigious "A" rating in service for the fourth consecutive year as a result of its high marks in a quarterly review among 150 suppliers. "We are truly honored—and humbled—to once again receive this remarkable award from David Weekley Homes," said David Lingafelter, president of Moen. "From manufacturing quality and innovative products—to installing a faucet in a home—and every step in between, we strive to be the best partner."

After a comprehensive evaluation, few companies garner such excellent marks. Only 16 companies received an "A" rating and Moen is the only faucet manufacturer to ever have received this rating. "Despite the changing market conditions over the past few years, Moen has continued to demonstrate through its actions that it is world-class in delivering the highest levels of service to our organization," said Bill Justus, VP of supply chain services for David Weekley. "Moen thoroughly understands the concept of channel alignment. We want to grow our relationship with partners that invest time and resources to achieve this type of excellence."

Snaidero to Provide Upscale Cabinets for L.A. Condos

August 5, 2008 — Snaidero USA will provide kitchen cabinets for 224 new luxury Ritz-Carlton Residences located above the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The cabinetry, to be included in residences on the 27th to the 52nd floors, will complement the iconic, contemporary building's stunning interiors. The building, designed by renowned architectural firm Gensler with a sleek exterior look, will tower over the sports and entertainment district of L.A. Live.

Buyers of the new residences will enjoy the craftsmanship and design quality of a kitchen that has been manufactured in Italy by Snaidero, of which Snaidero USA is the exclusive North American distributor. The Sistema Zeta cabinetry will be part of each home and will be available in three optional finishes: satin teak, dark oak or ice white high-gloss lacquer. The 12 penthouses will feature the Time kitchen, designed for Snaidero by the award-winning team of Lucci & Orlandini, with available finishes in teak or dark oak.

Organizational Changes at Simonton Windows

July 12, 2008 — Two key leadership team members at Simonton Windows are taking on new responsibilities. Chris Monroe, who has served as the company's VP of marketing since 2000, has assumed the newly created position of VP, strategic planning and business development. He will use his expertise and industry experience to bring a high level of focus to key areas of strategic growth for Simonton.

Sid Spear, who has served as the VP of sales since 2007, will assume the expanded responsibilities of marketing for the national window manufacturer. His new title, VP, sales and marketing, permits Simonton to combine Spear's talents for sales, marketing and communications functions.

New York IFDA Presents Green Design Seminar

July 03, 2008 — The New York Chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA) recently presented "Great Design is Green Design" at the Miele Gallery in the Architects and Designers Building in New York City. This educational seminar was led by three leading industry specialists: Yetsuh Frank, director of programs and policies for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), New York Chapter; Maggie Wood, principal of Maggie Wood Design, a recognized expert in the field of green design; and Michael Ekstract, a founder and VP at Verdant magazine. The message from all three speakers was clear: We must do something, we can do something and, while the issue is complex, there are resources out there to help.

Geberit Joins Water Conservation-Focused Alliance

June 29, 2008 — Geberit North America, a major supplier of plumbing technology, has become a charter member of the Alliance for Water Efficiency, a stakeholder-based non-profit organization dedicated to the efficient and sustainable use of water, the company announced.

"This is a natural fit for us, as Geberit's focus is on sustainability and water efficiency," said John Fitzgerald, director of marketing.

Headquartered in Chicago, the Alliance serves as a North American advocate for water-efficient products and programs, and provides information and assistance on water conservation efforts.

Dealers Staying the Course during Downturn

June 19, 2008 — Despite economic challenges, KitchenBathDesign.com's latest online poll shows that nearly half of all kitchen and bath dealers and designers surveyed say they are either staying the course (20%) or, surprisingly, expanding their businesses (28%). Some of the growth can be attributed to dealers and designers expanding into new areas, including outdoor kitchens, home offices, wine rooms and wet bars... This supports a KBDN survey done earlier this year which showed a surprising optimism among kitchen and bath professionals about their businesses' outlook through year's end. Nearly halfway through 2008, that optimism remains strong, according to this most recent poll.

Benjamin Moore Opens New Trade Showrooms

June 17, 2008 — Benjamin Moore is bringing its color design tools and color consulting to the Chicago and Metro New York design communities with the opening of two to-the-trade showrooms. The paint company opened a location at the Chicago Merchandise Mart, space #1686, in early June and is preparing to open a showroom at the New York Design Center, #714, on July 1. The architect for both is Searl, Lamaster, Howe of Chicago. Benjamin Moore's first design-mart-based showroom has been in operation since 2006 at The San Francisco Design Center.

Direct Cabinet Sales Acquires Kitchen Distributors of America Showroom

June 12, 2008 — Joe DeMussi, president of Direct Cabinet Sales (DCS), has announced that DCS is acquiring the 32,000-sq.-ft. Pennsauken, NJ, showroom and distribution center from Kitchen Distributors of America (KDA). KDA recently closed its operations in Chicago and the greater Philadelphia markets. DCS, headquartered in Linden, NJ, serves developers, architects and general contractors involved in single-family, multi-family and high-rise construction through a network of professional sales offices and showrooms in Clark, Red Bank, Manahawkin, and Basking Ridge, NJ, and Boca Raton, FL. In July of 2007, DCS opened its New York division to focus on the ever-expanding multi-family market in the five boroughs.

ALNO Pasadena Showroom Goes Green

May 23, 2008 — ALNO has opened a 3,000-sq.ft. showroom in Sierra Madre, CA, a small mountain village next to Pasadena. The new location marks ALNO's first entry into Los Angeles' San Gabriel Valley and is the company's first showroom that makes use of passive solar energy to increase energy efficiency.

The showroom is housed on two floors of a spacious, airy loft-style unit. The space features 13-ft. ceilings, open truss construction, steel balconies, hardwood floors and large north-facing windows that look out over the San Gabriel Mountains. "ALNO kitchens are known for their clean, elegant simplicity, and we wanted our showroom to reflect this design philosophy," said Fred Crockett, president of ALNO/Pasdena. "We're proud to have created a space that lives up to the ALNO name."

Elkay Completes Sale of Canadian Operations

Oak Brook, IL — Elkay Plumbing Products Division has completed the sale of its Elkay Canada Ltd. operations to Novanni Stainless, a newly formed company owned by Oakville Stamping and Bending, Canada's largest manufacturer of overflows, traps, lavatory drains, tubular brass fittings and flexible supply hoses, the company announced.

Novanni Stainless will continue to serve Elkay Canada Ltd.'s Canadian customers by manufacturing Wessan, AMI and other Elkay-branded products in the Coldwater, Ontario facility, and distributing Elkay-branded products throughout Canada as Elkay's exclusive distributor, according to Elkay Plumbing Products Division President Steve Rogers.

The National Kitchen & Bath Association Names Don Sciolaro As CEO

CHICAGO (April 11, 2008) — The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has announced at the NKBA's annual Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS®) that after a thorough and involved process, Don Sciolaro has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors to be the Association's Chief Executive Officer.

Sciolaro joined the NKBA in 2006 as Director of Member Services, where he excelled in increasing membership and strengthening the NKBA's local chapter programs. He oversaw the recruiting, retention, and recognition of NKBA members worldwide.

"Don has been a terrific leader for the Association over the past two years, so appointing him as the NKBA's CEO was a clear decision," said 2008 NKBA President Sara Ann Busby, CKD. "With Don's vision and ability to meet lofty goals, I'm sure he's going to take the Association to places we've never dreamed of. With Don as CEO, I'm very excited about the future of the NKBA."