Is your bathroom in the pink? If so, consider yourself fortunate indeed! Vintage bathrooms often sported a wide array of colored bathroom fixtures. The adventure into color began in the 1920s. Changes in technology brought opportunities to experiment with glazes on porcelain fixtures. This facilitated a shift away from the white on white approach common during the Sanitary Movement that held sway during the early 1900s. Also, emerging technology brought changes to printing. The ability to create... more

Kohler-Kelston I have been a kitchen and bath designer for 26 years and I just purchased my first low-flow toilet. I have been specifying low-flow toilets since it became the law in 1994, but I never owned one, so I was not aware of the “idiosyncrasies” of actually experiencing one over the long haul. What I learned really changed my perception of toilets. Before I go any further, I must add a disclaimer: “What you are about to hear may be disturbing for some.” I am sorry about this — but... more

Showerhead from Kohler's Forté collection that uses 1.75 gpm of water. Photo courtesy of Kohler As we head into the time of year that we hear about water shortages, it might be a good idea to talk about conservation. Water conservation has come a long way in the past 15 years when people grimaced upon the mere mention of the topic. Today we have toilets that actually perform well while saving water, and the same for showerheads, and faucets. We now have hot water heaters that are more efficient,... more

A short interview with the owner of Portland Vintage Plumbing, Brenda Wasco on what products she has to offer and why she opened her business. Why did you start Portland Vintage Plumbing? I have worked in the plumbing industry for 10 years, and can’t imagine anything I would rather do. I feel it’s an honor to work with customers that trust you with their home projects and joy to see the finished result. I love the whole process of the job, from picking out fixtures to keeping track... more

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 signed on February 17, 2009, by President Obama has made significant changes to homeowner tax credits for qualifying energy-efficient, residential tankless water heaters placed in service between the years of January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010. Federal Tax Credit Tankless water heaters need to have an energy factor of 0.82 or greater to meet the required standard of “Qualified Energy Property” under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act... more

Gone are the days of purchasing a burly tank-type water heater. Navien America’s latest product explodes onto the scene with an eye-popping 98% efficiency rating. The wise men in the east have been using tankless water heaters for years; unfortunately, “super size me” Americans have only recently caught on to the economical benefits of downsizing their utilities. Although a handful of manufacturers now produce condensing tankless water heaters, it’s Navien’s state-of-the-art technology... more

With energy bills on the rise, water conservation is a major concern for homeowners. Did you know, toilets make up about half of a home’s water consumption? Americans flush nearly five billion gallons of water down their toilets each day. To help conserve water, years ago the federal government required builders to install toilets that used no more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush. Although these new toilets met the government’s requirement, they often performed poorly. When low-flush toilets... more

Whether you are remodeling a kitchen or bath or upgrading an existing home, there are many options and decisions to consider. What are the latest trends, and will granite countertops still be in vogue 10 years from now? However, I am pretty sure rough-in plumbing won’t make the top of anyone’s design to-do list. Choices in plumbing products used to be left up to the professional plumber, until now. With the increasing popularity of the PEX tubing, plumbing has changed and is turning green due... more