Kitchen & Bath Business - September 2018 - 39

SIMPLY
BURSTING
COLOR
The Drummonds showroom places pops of
BEST USE OF

color against a classic backdrop

ENHANCING THE EXPERIENCE

While the long space was ideal for the experience Drummonds hoped to
offer, it was still narrow enough to offer a design challenge.The Drummonds
team needed to figure out creative ways to display as many products as possible without overwhelming the space and to allow for small events. To do
this, they created standout pieces in the showroom that could draw clients in.
"As soon as you enter the showroom, you are greeted by a fully styled,
marble double vanity with hand-painted wallpaper, as well as mirrors and
lighting,"said Lentaigne."Your eye then goes to the large cage shower in the
middle of the showroom."
This cage shower, named the Severn, is a four-sided glass enclosure big
enough for at least two people. Set on a cast-iron basin and fitted with
a polished-nickel showerhead, handshower and other fittings, this piece
exemplifies the brand's iconic character and makes a statement in the space.
"We wanted to make sure people felt they were entering the world of Drummonds from the moment they first step into the showroom," said Lentaigne.
More than 10 vignettes are placed around the shower, and with handpainted wallpaper and unique tiles as backdrops, these vignettes each showcase
a different vanity,mirror and accessory collection. Drummonds'hand-cast iron
bathtubs are also carefully spaced near one another and in various finishes.
"The cast-iron bathtubs are presented close together to give guests a quick
visual as to their respective sizes," said Lentaigne. "Guests are encouraged to
actually sit in any tub - or enter the Severn shower - to help them experience
the quality of the products."
PRESENTING TIMELESS DESIGNS

Drummonds' origins in classic bathroom products play a big part in the
design of the showroom. These products are designed to be iconic and still
be on par years down the road. Because of this, both the development of new
items and the finished display are important; Drummonds wants to show
customers that their products can outlast style and trend changes.
"We don't want a vignette to say 'traditional'or 'cloakroom,'etc., but to give
inspiration and make the customer think twice about how they can finish the
room as a whole, despite only coming to us for the hardware,"said Lentaigne.
The director explained that their main challenge was helping clients visualize how the products would look in their projects, while not overwhelming
them with design choices.Their solution was to carefully curate each vignette
so that none are specifically contemporary or traditional; rather they showcase
the story of Drummonds and its focus on quality.
"Simplicity in design is hard to achieve," said Lentaigne. "By allowing the
products to breathe and shine, the showroom has become a success." 

ABOVE More than 10 vignettes
in the space feature a different vanity, mirror and accessory collection.
ABOVE (RIGHT) A dark navy
'hessian' or fabric effect on
a small wall-mounted vanity
illustrates the idea of different
textures and backgrounds
being used with the products.

SOURCES
CREATIVE DIRECTOR:

James Lentaigne;
DESIGNER:

Martin Brudnizki;
PHOTOGRAPHER:

Photography Courtesy
of Drummonds

PRODUCTS
"Bourne
"Bute
"Chessleton
"Dalby
"Ladybower
"Leawood
"Locky
"Severn Shower
"Tay
"Usk
"Thames
"Wandle

When designing the Drummonds showroom in
New York City, creative director James Lentaigne
had several goals in mind. He first wanted to educate clients on the brand's iconic character and its
timeless products, but he also wanted them to relax
and visualize the potential for their own projects.
He looked to designer Martin Brudnizki of London- and New York City-based Martin Brudnizki
Design Studio to help accomplish these goals.
"Our brief for them was a classic, simple but
welcoming space," said Lentaigne. "The shade of
blue came about when we had looked at the layout,
lighting and materials in the showroom, and that
tone seemed to bring it all together."
This calming shade - almost an aquamarine - is
deep enough to add character to the showroom but
light enough to ensure that its vignettes take the stage.
CURATING THE VIGNETTES

Each vignette was carefully designed to encourage
customers to consider that Drummonds products
could be used across a variety of trends and designs
and remain in style for many years to come.
"We wanted the customers to also understand
what can be achieved - hence the different colors
and materials used on the walls, from wallpaper to
tiles," said Lentaigne.
The first vignette stands out with wallpaper that
boasts a symmetrical pattern and tones in rich
navy and white. This helps bring out the white
marble vanity and its polished and nickel-plated
fittings. Another vignette uses a white metro tile
backsplash against Drummonds' Windermere
Vanity. To help this display stand out, the design
team changed the color of the grout to a light blue.
Contrasting colors and patterns are used
throughout to show how different textures and
backgrounds can work with the products. One
vanity with a crisscross tile pattern uses a mix of
gray tiles with a black marble countertop and brass
fittings, while another includes a wallpaper display
with a peacock to contrast the simple and classic
tones in the vignette's white vanity.
BOLD CHOICES

Some vignettes showcase even more colorful designs,including one with a jungle-themed wallpaper
with pops of green and yellow. The design team
also painted one bathtub red and placed it against
a backdrop of marble tiles with touches of gold in
their veining.
The judges said color is huge to what the Drummonds showroom brings to the table. According
to Kelsey Holtz, the design team put it to good use,
rather than just having color for the sake of color. 

Kitchen & Bath Business - September 2018

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