A luxurious lifestyle deserves the ultimate in artistic expression in every room of your home or cottage.
The House of Rohl collection of fine kitchen and bathroom fixtures and accessories showcases designers from Europe, Africa and Canada. Imaginative and exquisite faucets, sinks, tubs and more, capture the essence of their makers – and the places they live.
Available locally through The Water Closet in Orillia, the House of Rohl is home to five diverse brands featuring stunning creations which can boost your home or cottage décor.
Distinct offerings include works by Victoria + Albert (South Africa and England), Shaws (England), Perrin & Rowes (England), Rohl (Germany, Italy and England), and Riobel (Quebec).
And while the form stands out, the function is equally important.
“They have a craftsmanship and quality that lasts through the ages,” says Rick Cooke, manager of The Water Closet in Orillia. “These designers find inspiration in the world around them and bring it to their work, whether it’s a handcrafted farmhouse sink or a faucet that mimics a ripple in a pond.”
Century of craftsmanship
Handcrafted farmhouse sinks by Shaws are made with a process that’s been passed down through generations.
The fireclay sinks offer clean lines and natural shapes, molded, poured and finished by hand. They are twice-glazed and fired for two days at temperatures reaching over 1,200-degrees Celsius in specially designed kilns. Made to be used for a lifetime, many Shaws sinks are still being used in English homes a century after they were installed.
“The shaker collection by Shaws is especially striking,” says Rick. “Many sinks in this collection have a beautifully hand-painted design inspired by the natural world.”
But, what’s a lovely sink without a faucet to match? Rick recommends pairing a Perrin & Rowe bridge kitchen faucet from their Armstrong line. Inspired by 19th-century railway engineering, there is a minimalist beauty and vibrant precision to these fixtures.
“They are solid brass and have a ceramic disc cartridge which is strong and long-lasting,” explains Rick. “The faucets are low-maintenance, needing just soap and water to clean; and a retractable pull-down metal hand spray with ergonomic swivel connection makes for easy use.”
Some models are available with touchless technology as well.
For truly regal elegance, Rick advises pairing the Perrin & Rowe Edwardian faucet set with a Rohl Stainless Copper Sink.
Phenomenal faucets
For a very different kind of elegance, the Eclissi Collection by Rohl casts an impressive shadow. From the Italian word for eclipse, Eclissi faucets are inspired by the shapes of the sun and moon.
Eclissi kitchen faucets come in four finishes – polished chrome, matte black, polished nickel, and satin nickel – and sixteen circular design choices for the handle.
“It looks amazing and comes with dual-spray functionality that lets you toggle between stream and spray settings,” says Lindsay Barrett, designer for The Water Closet. “As well, a flow rate of 1.75 gallons per minute at a pressure of 60 PSI allows for effective cleaning while optimizing water usage.”
For bathroom faucets, Rohl’s Tenerife and Miscelo lines are particular standouts. Wall mounts, tall spouts, single handle models, and even handles that look like tear drops give you the flexibility to accentuate your décor.
Canadian crafted
Riobel shower and faucet collections are stunning creations that exemplify luxury and symmetry. Rounded arcs and right angles characterize their inventive and performance-enhancing selections, which emphasize smart water flow and ease-of-use.
Designed and made in Quebec, Riobel’s initial design inspirations go through 3D modeling, and their exceptional engineering includes patented technologies.
Their Reflet Collection was unveiled at the Riobel 25th anniversary celebration last year. French for reflection, Reflet faucets feature right angles when viewed from above, with an underlay that mimics the reflection of water rippling.
“This isn’t just a faucet, it’s a work of art,” says Rick. “If this were a sculpture, it would easily be welcomed in a fine art gallery.”
Superb tubs
No matter which faucet collection catches your fancy, Victoria + Albert has the tubs and bathroom sinks to match.
Made with white volcanic limestone, these fixtures are strong, lightweight, smooth, and durable. The lightweight composition makes support reinforcements on second floor installations unnecessary.
“The volcanic limestone’s naturally occurring characteristics make their tubs and sinks resistant to scratches, stains, chips, as well as being impact-resistant,” says Rick.
“It’s really a matter of what style best fits in your home or cottage. The high-end products from Rohl always meet their lofty standards.”
TEXT CHRIS OCCHIUZZI
