iSteam with Mr. Steam

black and white iSteam controls | KitchAnn Style

The BlogTour NYC countdown has begun and I’m super excited. One week from today I’ll be in a Spa in SoHo courtesy of Mr Steam and the company’s charismatic leader Martha Orellana.

After strolling the New York High Line the group will enjoy a relaxing Sunday at Ancient Baths in SoHo. I checked out their website and the services offered look amazing. I had to look up the terms effleúrage and pétrissage because I don’t speak Massage. The Red Wine Ritual looks quite incredible.

I met Martha Orellana, VP of Sales and Marketing for Mr. Steam, on my first BlogTour trip to London last fall. She is living proof of the benefits of steam (hydrates the skin, relieves stress, removes toxins from the body, etc. ) and is passionate about her company and it’s products.

Mr. Steam has been in the news lately with the many awards their new leading-edge iSteam steam shower control has been receiving.

The iSteam’s revolutionary touch screen display and feature-rich menu offer an unsurpassed, customizable user experience. Along with a stunning graphic interface and bespoke design by world-renowned Industrial designer David Farrage, whose experience with Movado™ and Lamborghini™ is evident in iSteam’s contemporary styling.

“We set out to create the best possible user experience, integrating all the benefits of steam
bathing and accessories into one highly intuitive control,” —Mike Pinkus, Mr. Steam President

High tech meets high touch with the iSteam home steam shower control. As easy to use as a smartphone, the highly intuitive LCD touch screen features beautiful graphics and high-performance in wet environments.

Swipe-touch simplicity controls temperature, duration, aromatherapy, chromatherapy and music, turning your steam shower into a sensory spa.
– The iSteam microprocessor deciphers between a touch or drag of a finger to perform the correct action.
– The iSteam’s Auto-fading display incorporates a real-time clock, individual user preference settings, and screen dimming technology.
– iSteam displays only the function the user wants, instead of a confusing array of tiny buttons or complex navigation.
– Manufactured with the highest-quality, fused silica glass and polished cast aluminum, iSteam has attained a high level ingress protection rating of IP-67, and is capable of full water immersion of up to three feet.
– iSteam employs an exclusive three-tiered safety system with passcode protection, temperature limit and time-out features built to ISO-9001 certification.
– Featuring an optional Bluetooth® Audio Streaming System, iSteam pairs up to eight devices and four in-shower speakers.
– iSteam can be used with all eSeries Generators, as well as the wireless iGenie® control.
Available in black and white finishes.

With an e Series generator, a complete iSteam home steam system starts at about $4,000, not including installation.

Mr. Steam is a leader in innovation, has the highest quality steam products, affordable pricing, best-of-class warranties, and unparalleled customer service.

Mr. Steam has been proudly manufacturing products in the U.S. since 1917.

(Mr. Steam is a sponsor for BlogTour NYC May 2014, but the views and opinions expressed on this blog are mine, and I will be honest in what I share. You, the reader, are my top priority and it is my goal to make sure you can trust the content and integrity of this blog.)

May 4, 2014

BlogTourNYC and NYCxDESIGN

In a few weeks I’ll be headed to New York Design Week anchored by the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) with BlogTour NYC May 2014 founded by Modenus CEO Veronika Miller.

This whirlwind trip will be in collaboration with WantedDesign. Eleven noteworthy bloggers from the US, Canada, Holland, England and Denmark will also be attending and posting updates.

NYCxDESIGN is New York City’s official citywide celebration of design. Spanning all disciplines of design, NYCxDESIGN creates a collaborative platform for cultural and commercial opportunities, elevates established and emerging design practices and increases awareness of and appreciation for design by all audiences. Events are staged across all five boroughs, from convention facilities and galleries to design schools and public parks from May 9-20, 2014.

WantedDesign is a premier creative destination for the international design community during NYCxDESIGN in May. Building on the success of WantedDesign’s groundbreaking debut in 2011, amazing programming and attendance in 2012 and 2013 (with more than 9,000 attendees last May), and various programming during the year to nurture NYC’s design dialogue, WantedDesign will continue to set the standard for international design curation with its fourth edition. The event will offer a 360-degree experience with innovative installations, memorable products, a pop-up store, interactive experiences, convivial lounges, thought-provoking student workshops, engaging discourse and more.

Located in the exceptional landmark Terminal Stores building on 11th Avenue, WantedDesign offers participants and visitors alike a unique and dynamic experience and serves as a meeting point for designers, manufacturers, industrials, distributors, craftsmen, students, design institutions, the press and all design lovers. WantedDesign is actively part of NYCxDESIGN and aims to showcase New York as a dynamic and unique design destination.

The 26th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), North America’s platform for global design, will map the newest frontier of what’s best and what’s next in innovative and original avant-garde home and contract products May 17-20, 2014.

North America’s premier showcase for contemporary design, the ICFF annually lures those in determined pursuit of design’s timely truths and latest trends to an encyclopedic exhibition of up-to-the-moment offerings, as well as a series of fascinating, fun, edifying programs, and a packed schedule of exhibits and features.

Eleven categories will be showcased during the fair: furniture, seating, carpet and flooring, lighting, outdoor furniture, materials, wall coverings, accessories, textiles, kitchen and bath and fabricators.

For the four-day duration of the Fair, 165,000 net square feet of the Javits Center will be abuzz with more than 29,500 interior designers, architects, retailers, designers, manufacturers, representatives, distributors, and developers. On Tuesday, May 20, the ICFF opens its doors to the general public, as well.

April 30, 2014

Perfectly Nonperfect Ceramic Wood Planks

It seems everyone wants to emulate the true look of wood while having the ease of care found in ceramics – but who wouldn’t?

Dakota by Flaviker is so realistic, it looks aged, stained and even has tiny worm holes.

Dakota takes its name from the North American landscape at the time of the pioneers, when men were colonising the great open spaces using materials provided by the land itself. The collection is inspired by planks made of alder, a timber that is widely used in construction and interior finishes, and is characterized by natural imperfections caused by ageing.

The planks are offered in four sizes: 16″ x 68″, 8″ x 68″, 8″ x 48″ and 8″ x 32″ A 3D tile, perfect for vertical surfaces, is offered 8″ x 32″ and looks like two 4″ planks. Stair pieces are also available.

The Dakota finishes are very natural and sophisticated. You can choose between Naturale (Natural), Avana (Havana) Grigio (Gray) and Tortora (Turtledove). The rectified planks are produced with a slight convex shape for easier installation. They self-level under their own weight.

Flaviker PISA is part of the ABK Group founded in 1992. their production covers Gres Porcelain tiles, double fired and single fired ceramic tiles offering trendy design-oriented ranges. All Flaviker tile collections are designed and produced in Italy combining High technology in production and respect to the environment

April 27, 2014

Mamoli Flexible Faucet

The Cook Faucet by Sovrappensiero Design Studio for Mamoli rethinks the standard kitchen faucet for modern kitchens with emphasis on function, style and sustainability.

The faucet’s revolution is characterized by the hose, made of silicone , brightly colored , soft to the touch and repositionable 360°. The flexible hose docks in the chrome arched faucet using a magnetic mechanism.

The fully articulated retractable hose gives the chef full freedom to use and share the kitchen. The silicone hose is available in 5 colors: sunflower gray, red chili, green sage, milky white and blue blueberry.

Compared to Arwa Twinflex faucet I wrote about in July 2009, I prefer the arch of the Cook faucet. Both offer similar colors for the flexible hose.

“Cook was created to combine the functionality and flexibility of a professional tap to the warmth and colors of a moment of leisure; convenience and fun in the kitchen will no longer have limits : an essential hint to
shape free thought.”

Presented during Salone del Mobile 2014, the Cook faucet responds to challenges found in this evolving space at the center of the home, where multiple interactions now take place. The aim of Sovrappensiero was to create a device that stimulates a sense of creativity to help bring people together.

“The contemporary kitchen is no longer the workstation where meals are prepared, but a place to experiment and have fun, alone or in company.”