Vera Dordick has a passion for all things home decor and design. She loves bringing the latest in home lifestyle products and design trends to Homedit readers.
Vera dove head-first into the design and decor field in 2015 after a lifetime of DIY-ing and creative pursuits. She scouts the major design fairs for fresh ideas to make your home stylish and comfortable.
In his latest collections for Duravit, a leading supplier of bathroom furniture and fixtures, Philippe Starck has created a range of pieces that focus on practicality, eschewing any trendiness and opting instead for longevity.
Homedit visited the New York City showroom during Duravit Design Week to view ME by Philippe Starck, as well as his Cape Cod line – two of the latest collaborations in this 25-year relationship with the designer. We also had a chance to preview the P3Comforts line, a new joint project with Phoenix Design, a company that designs interactions between consumers and products.
At first glance, ME is beautiful yet unobtrusive: It melds with its surroundings yet still begs for attention. Exactly what Starck was aiming for – he’s not called the “rock star of design” for nothing. The pieces are meant to be a framework for your personal style. “With ME by Starck, we invite you to be your own designer,” writes Duravit. Indeed, the attractive yet utilitarian designs are the perfect backdrop for whatever design style you prefer. Different sized and styled washbasins, bathtubs and options for cabinetry, shelving and storage make designs fully customizable.
In an interview with Riba J Architecture Information and Inspiration, Starck commented on the creation of the ME line. “I asked myself: what do we all really need? Because everything we don’t really need is useless, and every useless thing will become obsolete one way or another.” He also stressed ease of use. “With the help of Duravit’s engineers we focused on ergonomics, body movements, how water flows, how to have less dirt and how to clean.”
While Starck’s lines are among the company’s best sellers, “We foresee ME becoming very popular,” says Afsana Khundkar of Duravit in New York.
Launched earlier in 2015, Cape Cod by Starck is another beautiful line that offers a variety of design options.
In the same interview Starck said that he originally designed Cape Cod for himself. “We all dream of a hut on the beach where we can find driftwood and enjoy a simple life in the company of a loved one,” he said. He also noted that sustainability was important in his choices of materials for the line. “We have returned to natural and durable fundamentals like ceramics and like wood.”
The P3 Comforts Collection, which is expected to be available by the end of 2015, is also a very exciting bathroom line, with some very interesting symmetries, says Khundkar. According to Esprit PR, P3 is “modern concept of comfort for a young, sporty target group without compromising on design.”
Tom Schönherr, co-founder of the design studio Phoenix Design: “When it comes to comfort, people’s needs go far beyond the purely physical aspects. With sensuous and practical design, it is possible to create a sense of calm and security in the intimacy of the bathroom.”
Some of the most interesting aspects of the P3 line are the shower tray that can be installed flush with a tiled floor. In combination with all-glass shower doors that open fully, it makes the concept of a fully open shower affordable. Washbasins that appear rimless and have a smooth surface, free of any seams or joins, make the pieces sleek and easy to keep clean.
In addition to the new product lines, we were also enamored with some of their previously launched items. For urban dwellers, Duravit products are especially enticing because they can fit stylishly and functionally in the average 5′ x 8′ city bathroom, particular with various washbasin sizes and options.