Henry Parker

Oil to Gas Heating Conversions: The Homeowner’s Guide

By Henry Parker

Man Adjusting Thermostat — iStock.com / coldsnowstorm

If you heat with oil, switching to natural gas can save you money, reduce your emissions, and cut down on the maintenance you need to do. Oil to gas heating conversion is a relatively straightforward process, although it can take a few weeks if you don’t currently use gas.

The cost varies from around $5,000 to more than $10,000, depending on your home’s size and layout, and whether or not you already have a gas supply.

Preparing Your Gas Supply

As the first step in the conversion process, the installer you choose will assess your home to determine the exact steps you’ll need to take and give you an idea of the cost. If you already have gas lines and a gas meter, you’re probably all set for gas heating.

Even so, you’ll still need to have a professional check that the lines are the correct size for use with gas heating equipment. Once you’ve verified that your existing gas lines are an appropriate size, contact your gas provider to have service turned on.

If your house has never used gas or the existing lines aren’t the correct size, you’ll need new lines installed. There are two types of gas lines: main lines and service lines. A main line, or distribution line, supplies gas to the whole neighborhood. A service line connects your home to the main line.

In regions where gas heating is common, most residential areas already have main lines, so you’ll only need service and a meter installed. Your heating equipment installer can help you make plans for where the service line and meter should be installed. You can then submit an application for installation to your chosen gas provider. Typically, you’ll need to wait between two to six weeks for the line to be installed.

Converting to gas in stages is another option. If your oil equipment is relatively new and in good condition, you can have a line installed now, then have it extended when you’re ready to install new gas equipment. This lets you get the most out of your existing equipment, yet still be ready for a quick conversion when the need arises.

If your neighborhood doesn’t have a main line, you can still convert from oil to gas heating, but you’ll need to have a main line installed. That can take up to six months and costs far more than service line installation.

Convert or Replace Your Oil Equipment

Once your gas supply is set up, you’ll need to decide whether to convert your existing oil equipment to gas or to remove your existing system and install new gas equipment. If your oil equipment is more than 15 years old, consider replacement.

Although these systems can last 25 years or more, they lose efficiency and sustain wear every year. What’s more, equipment designed for natural gas is more efficient than any converted oil system.

You might also need to have a chimney liner installed to protect your chimney from the acidic gases and condensation the furnace produces. You won’t need this if you plan to use a high-efficiency condensing furnace.

If your oil equipment is less than 15 years old and still works reliably, it might be more practical to convert it. This means replacing the burner and possibly the igniter and skid as well. You’ll need to buy a conversion kit and have it professionally installed. Conversion could void your oil equipment’s warranty, so check with the manufacturer first if you’re concerned about this.

Deactivating Your Oil Tank

Because you’ll no longer be using your oil tank, you’ll need to ensure it won’t cause issues in the future. If your oil tank is above ground, your installer can take it to a scrap yard for recycling for you.

Dealing with an underground tank is more complex because, if neglected, these tanks can leak and cause soil contamination that could cost you thousands to clean up. Some municipalities require complete removal of underground tanks while others let you shut down the tank without moving it through a process called abandonment.

Removal means physically taking the whole tank off your property and transporting it to a scrap yard. For this, you’ll need to apply for a permit from your municipality and call a contractor who’s licensed for oil tank removal.

The contractor will start by removing all usable oil from the tank for recycling. They’ll then prepare the tank for safe removal, remove the tank, clean it and prepare it for safe transport, and finally take it away. If the tank was underground, the contractor will handle any contaminated soil according to local and federal guidelines, then fill in the hole.

Abandonment is a cheaper option, but it’s rarely done because even abandoned tanks still pose some risk of leaks. The process is only possible if the tank is in good condition with no leaks, and you’ll still need to hire a licensed contractor.

Abandonment starts with a soil analysis to ensure there are no leaks or areas of soil contamination. If none are found, the contractor can open the tank, clean and inspect it, then fill it with sand or foam. Most states require homeowners to register abandoned underground oil tanks and disclose their location when selling the house. Having an old tank on your property could make it harder to sell your house in the future.

If you’re considering an oil to gas heating conversion, start planning well ahead of when you’d like to make the switch. Converting oil equipment or installing new gas equipment can be done in a day, but hooking up your gas supply and removing a buried oil tank takes some time.

High End Bathtub Brands 101

By Henry Parker

White Bathtub in Luxury Bathroom — iStock.com / hikesterson

More than a place to get clean, a well-made bathtub offers a sanctuary for relaxation and self-care. High-end bathtub brands put great care into designing fixtures that meet every requirement of a luxury bath. These brands produce distinctive yet timeless designs that are also comfortable to use. The durable materials they work with ensure your tub remains an inviting focal point in your bathroom for decades.

Choosing a Beautiful, Comfortable Bathtub

High-end bathtub brands offer a wide selection of styles, but remember, the tub’s design also affects how you can use it. Freestanding tubs, long the hallmark of a luxury bathroom, are back in a big way, but many brands also offer built-in baths that are just as stylish and durable, and even easier to install and clean.

Think carefully about shape and drain configuration, particularly if you’re looking for a freestanding bath. The classic roll-top is easy to find and always in style. The slipper bath, named for the shoe-like shape created by its single higher side, is ideal for soaking. The symmetrical bateau, or “boat,” bath is loved for its graceful silhouette.

While single-ended baths have their faucet and drain at one end, double-ended tubs place them in the middle, allowing two people to share the bath comfortably.

Material is an equally important consideration. Copper and cast iron are both classics for their beauty and durability. While copper is lighter and heats more quickly than cast iron, it also loses heat quickly. Stone bathtubs lend a spa-like ambiance to your bathroom, but they’re even heavier than metal baths, heat slowly, and require careful cleaning.

Many luxury brands use fiberglass-reinforced acrylic or composite material to combine the best qualities of traditional materials.

High-End Bathtub Brands to Watch

Jacuzzi

A household name for hot tubs, Jacuzzi also produces bathtubs that give you up to six different Hydrotherapy Experiences, including heated soak, whirlpool, Swirlpool, and the spa-like Pure Air bath option. Most of these features are found in their acrylic drop-in and skirted baths.

The brand’s freestanding tubs are designed for soaking. Among these are the Solid Surface collection made from Luxecast, a mineral-based composite material. Other freestanding tubs are made from fiberglass-reinforced acrylic. With their simple, fluid forms, Jacuzzi’s bathtubs are ideal for a modern minimalist bathroom.

Kohler

Kohler introduced the world’s first enameled cast iron bathtub in 1883 and have continued to innovate ever since. Their freestanding, drop-in, undermount, and alcove baths combine classic style with modern technology.

Their overflow baths create a continuous cascade of water to give you the experience of soaking in a natural spring. Chromatherapy lights aim to improve your mood, the Heated BubbleMassage Air Baths and Whirlpool features soothe sore muscles and promote circulation, and Vibracoustic baths use sound vibrations to help you relax.

In addition to acrylic baths, Kohler produces freestanding baths from Lithocase, a solid-surface acrylic with the look of stone. The majority of the brand’s baths fit a modern aesthetic, but the Ironworks and Artifacts line offers a more vintage look.

Waterworks

Waterworks produces artisanal freestanding and drop-in baths inspired by European bath traditions. Their Classic line includes freestanding and skirted tubs in vintage and simple, timeless styles, the Modern line strikes out with smooth, rounded forms, and the Transitional line blends the best of both, but leans toward vintage. Several models include air and whirlpool features.

Most models are made from high-density acrylic, but you’ll also find a few metal tubs. Prime among them is the opulent French-style Clothilde tub, a double-ended bateau bath handcrafted from copper with no visible seams using original 19th-century tools and methods. If understated sophistication is more your style, try the cast iron models.

Victoria + Albert

Owned by House of Rohl, the Victoria + Albert brand is known for the graceful elegance of its freestanding and undermount/drop-in tubs.

The symmetrical Barcelona Classic is the picture of contemporary simplicity, the Almafi slipper bathtub takes a more traditional approach, and the Amiata’s gentle curves blend modern and conventional forms. Other tubs, such as the asymmetrical egg-shaped Napoli and the contoured Cabrits, are sculptural works of art in their own right.

The bathtubs are made in South Africa with Volcanic Limestone, a strong, naturally white material that allows the tubs to be cast seamlessly in one piece. If white isn’t your preference, the brand’s RAL color service lets you choose a hue that better suits your tastes.

Ove Decors

One of the more budget-friendly luxury bathtub brands, this Canadian company offers a collection of freestanding oval, rectangular, and slipper tubs. Nearly all their models are made from fiberglass-reinforced acrylic, making them relatively lightweight and easy to install and helping them resist yellowing and fading.

If the vintage look appeals to you, try the Clawfoot tub, the somewhat larger Classic tub, or the even larger, but simpler Castor tub. These models feature classic clawfoot supports, but are made of acrylic instead of traditional cast iron. For a modern take on footed tubs, try the Sayuri, which stands in a black metal cradle that lends it a dramatic contemporary edge.

Urban Archaeology

This luxury bathtub brand began with one man’s architectural salvage work and now produces a relatively small, but highly unique collection of bathtubs in high-end materials including marble, brass, copper, and pewter. Their marble bathtubs are hand-carved out of a solid block.

The Estate series tubs rest on a base with ogee detailing that lends it a classical look worthy of an architectural magazine. The City series takes a more understated approach.

Metal bathtubs in the Mercer collection draw on traditional styles that have been popular since the 18th-century. The optional front rivets offered with these models make them perfect for an industrial-style bathroom. If rustic style is more your thing, look to the Country series.

For durability and easier cleaning, the company’s metal tubs are made with either a vitreous porcelain interior or an insert of porcelain enameled cast iron.

Devon & Devon

Based in Florence, Italy, Devon & Devon draws much of its inspiration from its home city’s architectural traditions. The brand focuses on timeless designs in cast iron and marble as well as their proprietary materials White Tec, a mineral-based composite, and White Tec Plus, made from plant-derived resins.

Among the cast iron models, you’ll find the striking neo-classic Capital series bathtubs, which feature geometrical designs in bas-relief. The President bath offers a similar look in marble.

White Tec and White Tec Plus baths are available with shapely ogee bases as well as in sleek, contemporary forms. For any model, you’ll have your choice of matt or gloss finish in any of more than 500 colors.

LaCava

This Chicago-based company with Italian roots produces acrylic and solid-surface bathtubs in modern designs. The brand stands out for its creative bath shapes you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere else.

If you’re looking for a distinctive bathroom focal point, consider the La Scala low-profile slipper bath with cascading levels, the flowing vase-like Lirico bath, or the Suave, a fluid semi-circle bath framed by a dramatic rectangular rim. LaCava also offers oval, rectangular, and round baths if you favor pure geometric forms.

High End Kitchen Appliance Brands 101

By Henry Parker

Kitchen Appliances in Luxury Kitchen — iStock.com / hikesterson

With extra features and precision controls, high-end kitchen appliances can turn a basic necessity into a joy. You’ll find refrigerators that keep your food fresher for longer, ovens and cooktops that perfect your meals, and dishwashers that accommodate large and delicate items.

The extra attention high-end brands pay to aesthetics means their appliances also make an impressive focal point for your kitchen.

Finding Luxury Kitchen Appliances That Meet Your Needs

High-end appliances incorporate modern technology to give you better results with less effort. Cooking appliances are where these extra features really shine. State-of-the-art ovens offer a selection of specialized cooking modes that help you prepare professional-level dishes almost on autopilot.

You’ll find modes for tender, juicy steaks and roasts, for breads and pizzas with crispy crusts, and for flavorful dried fruits and herbs. Many luxury cooktops offer precision control at low temperatures for simmering and at high temperatures for searing.

In refrigerators, advanced features are aimed at regulating temperature and humidity levels to preserve the quality and flavor of your foods. High-end dishwashers are often more spacious than lower-end models, include adjustable shelves that accommodate a wider range of dishes, and offer special settings such as high-temperature sanitization cycles.

Options for customization are another factor that sets high-end appliance kitchen brands apart, particularly with cooking appliances. You’ll have a broader selection of colors, finishes and trims, and some manufacturers let you choose the layout of your cooktop.

High-End Appliance Brands to Watch

Subzero

Originally started as a personal experiment, Subzero launched as a company in 1945 and has expanded its product line to include built-in refrigerators, undercounter refrigeration, and wine storage products still made in their Wisconsin and Arizona facilities.

The company’s refrigerators use separate cooling systems for the refrigerator and freezer to optimize temperatures in both spaces. The Classic series refrigerators offer a traditional look, Designer series models are made to blend in, and the Pro series models combine many Classic features with a more streamlined form.

Subzero’s Wolf brand, known for its red knobs, offers ranges, built-in ovens, cooktops, and other cooking appliances designed for sophisticated simplicity. The M Series wall ovens feature Dual VertiCross convection for more even cooking and offer 10 cooking modes. Subzero’s Cove brand produces the only dishwasher with two pumps and two motors to keep intake and discharge water separate.

Miele

Founded in Germany in 1899, Miele has grown to become one of the world’s leading high-end kitchen appliance brands. The company specializes in built-in appliances, including ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers and coffee makers, and produces a range of related accessories.

Miele’s appliances are designed for easy use, with features intended to reduce distractions and limit interruptions. In their cooking appliances, Moisture Plus technology adds moisture for optimal results, TasteControl prevents overcooking, and Intelligent MasterChef automatic programs take the fuss out of selecting settings. In their refrigerators, DynaCool fan technology and the DailyFresh slider on the vegetable drawer help ensure even temperatures and humidity.

Nearly all Miele’s appliances are built in their own factories and tested for up to 20 years of use. Aesthetically, they’re designed for simple, timeless elegance with enough color options to suit most interiors.

Viking Range

Known as one of the most reliable high-end kitchen appliance brands, Viking offers an expansive line of cooking appliances, refrigerators, and outdoor refrigeration products.

Their gas cooking appliances are their most popular products, in large part due to their highly responsive flame. VariSimmer cooktop technology makes it easy to control low heat settings for simmering and melting, and Rapid Ready Preheat on the dual-fuel 5 and 7 Series ranges gets your oven up to temperature fast.

Viking refrigerators use Bluezone Fresh Preservation technology to control odors and remove ethylene gas, extending the shelf life of your food. Dishwashers boast Turbo Fan Dry technology, which circulates air for faster drying.

Gaggenau

This high-end kitchen appliance brand traces its origins back to the metalworks established in 1683 in Gaggenau, Germany. Now owned by Bosch-Siemens, the brand began producing stoves in 1908 and has expanded to ranges, cooktops, refrigerators, and dishwashers.

Hand craftsmanship is a point of pride for the company. Each product is almost entirely hand-assembled and closely examined by a specialist at every stage. The result is high-performance, albeit pricey, professional-grade home appliances.

Gaggenau ovens offer 17 different modes for everything from quick meal prep to a long, low simmer. Their recent additions include the glass ceramic surfaces of the 200 Series cooktops and the 400 Series combi-steam ovens, which offer more precise temperature and humidity control.

La Cornue

Often called the Rolls Royce of ranges, La Cornue’s flagship Château range is renown for both performance and beauty. The company also produces the Château Suprême, developed by designer Ferris Rafauli, and the simpler and more affordable CornuFé range.

Founder Albert Dupuy established his company in 1908 with his signature vaulted oven designed for home use, and the tradition continues with the G4 vaulted ovens, patented in 2014. La Cornue’s ranges are built to order and hand assembled by a single craftsperson with specialist inspections along the way.

The ranges’ classic yet striking aesthetic is well suited to historical homes and makes them a distinctive focal point in any kitchen. They’re some of the most customizable appliances on the market, with 8,000 possible combinations of measurements, colors, and finishes. Even custom colors are possible. The Build Your Own option lets you choose your model, cooktop arrangement, color, and trim.

Fisher & Paykel

Operating since 1934, Fisher & Paykel manufactures ovens, cooktops, refrigerators, wine coolers, outdoor grills, and dishwashers meant to be flexible enough to meet the average user’s everyday needs.

Their refrigerators are particularly popular with those who want a tailored look. Models in the Contemporary Style line express a subdued elegance, while models in the Integrated Style line can be designed to match your cabinetry. Refrigerators with ActiveSmart Foodcare technology learn your habits and use this information to adjust the refrigerator’s temperature, airflow, and humidity.

Ovens are designed with functions for quick weekday meals as well as more elaborate dishes. Series 7 ovens include ActiveVent technology for optimized moisture levels and AeroTech for even heat distribution. Electric ranges include a Roast mode for juicy meat dishes and AeroPastry for perfect baked goods and dried fruits.

Dacor

Producing high-end kitchen appliances since 1965 and now a subsidiary of Samsung, Dacor specializes in dual fuel ranges, wall ovens, and gas cooktops, although they also offer refrigerators and dishwashers. The popular Heritage Collection, made for high-volume cooking, combines a classic appearance with modern cooking technology.

Their SimmerSear burners allow for precise temperature controls at both high and low temperatures. Their ovens use a 3- or 4-part convection system and a Pure Convection system for even heat distribution.

The Convection Bake makes perfect crusts, the Butterfly Bake Element radiates heat more evenly for dishes such as custards and cheesecakes, the infrared gas broiler helps with optimal browning and searing, and the Steam-Assist function can cook juicy meats with a crispy exterior.

High End Window Brands 101

By Henry Parker

Sun Shining Through Window — iStock.com / ijeab

Well made windows add beauty to your home both inside and out, but the benefits of luxury windows go beyond looks. High end window brands craft their products with close attention to the details of construction, hardware, and finishes, creating windows that are more durable and easier to use.

Choosing High-End Windows

Material is one of the main factors that sets high-end windows apart from their cheaper counterparts. The warm, traditional character of wood makes it a favorite for luxury windows, particularly on period-style homes, but it requires more maintenance than most other materials.

Durable hardwoods such as oak, mahogany, and sapele are popular choices, but you’ll also find high-end windows made from softwoods, such as pine, fir, and redwood. For improved durability, look for windows with wood interiors and exterior cladding of aluminum, vinyl, or fiberglass.

Steel and aluminum windows are well suited to the clean lines of modern architecture. Because steel is stronger than aluminum, it allows for smaller frame sightlines, but it will cost more. Aesthetics aside, metal windows aren’t ideal for homes in cold climates or those near the coast. For a contemporary feel without metal, some high-end window brands also offer windows in vinyl and fiberglass.

Energy efficiency is another important consideration, but a higher price doesn’t guarantee you higher efficiency. For good energy efficiency, look for windows with double panes and low-E glass. Double-pane windows filled with argon, xenon, or krypton are even more efficient.

Beyond this, look for small details such as steel hinges, easy-to-use operators, and PVD finishes on metal windows.

High-End Window Brands to Watch

Marvin Windows and Doors

One of the best known names in high-end windows, Marvin entered the windows market shortly after its founding in 1912. Today, Marvin windows are still made to order one at a time.

The Marvin Essential collection, made with High-Density Fiberglass interiors and exteriors, and the Marvin Elevate collection, with fiberglass exteriors and wood interiors, are the more budget-friendly options.

For a fully custom window, look to the Marvin Signature Series. Here you’ll find the highly customizable Ultimate line, the minimalist Modern line, and the Coastline line designed with impact-resistant features for coastal conditions. Many windows in the Signature collection include innovations such as the easy-to-use Lift Lock hardware and the Lock Status Sensor for use with smart home systems.

Pella

Pella offers luxury wood, fiberglass, and vinyl windows in contemporary and traditional styles, as well as completely custom windows with a wide range of options. Innovation has been one of the company’s primary focuses since its founding as a window screen company in 1925.

The Integrated Rolscreen retractable screen for single- and double-hung windows and the easy-to-use Easy-Slide Operator are two of the company’s recent developments. Most of the higher-end wood windows are found in the The Reserve and Architect series.

For an even wider selection, try Pella Luxury, Pella’s partnership with four other well reputed high-end window brands. These are Bonelli, known for aluminum windows, Duratherm, makers of custom wood windows, Grabill, makers of wood-clad windows, and Reilly, known for custom wood and metal windows.

Loewen Windows

This Canadian manufacturer opened as a lumber company in 1905 and entered the North American window market with demand for premade windows and doors rose after WWII.

By focusing on all-wood windows and wood windows clad with extruded aluminum, the company has built a good reputation for creating elegant combinations of wood and metal. Coastal Douglas Fir is their standard wood, but they also work with Honduran Mahogany, white oak, and the chemically modified pine known as Accoya.

Loewen’s Cyprium Collection stands out for its blending of modern technology with the vintage charm of copper or bronze cladding aged with a hand-applied patina. Other innovations include their proprietary roto gear cranks for casement windows and their proprietary sash lock for single- and double-hung windows, both of which add durability and make the windows easier to operate.

Kolbe Windows & Doors

A family-owned business since 1946, Kolbe produces windows primarily in aluminum and wood.

Windows in the VistaLuxe Collection feature clean lines and large expanses of glass with wood interiors and extruded aluminum exteriors that are well suited to modern architecture. Ultra Series windows, also made with wood interiors and extruded aluminum exteriors, are built for additional versatility and durability.

For more traditional or period-style homes, there’s the Heritage Series, which offers all-wood windows in a wide range of both common and exotic woods.

Kolbe’s windows are easily paired with automated home systems.

Fleetwood Windows and Doors

Fleetwood has specialized in aluminum windows and doors for contemporary luxury homes since its founding in 1961.

The company’s 3-Series line offers the Series 250-T casement, awning, and hopper windows and the Series 530-T thermal frame sliding and single hung windows, all designed for clean, linear sightlines. From the 3-Series, Fleetwood developed the Gen4 line with improvements such as larger glass panes and hidden weep slots.

In the Edge Collection, you’ll find the ultra-modern EDGE |f| window designed with nearly invisible sightlines to allow for maximum view.

Hardware such as the proprietary stainless steel Archetype Window Latch, made for comfort and durability, and stainless steel bearing rollers similar to those used on sliding doors help ensure years of trouble-free operation. Both anodized and painted finishes are available in several colors.

Arcadia Custom

Founded in 1930, Arcadia specializes in custom windows made from thermally-broken steel, thermally-broken aluminum, and wood.

From their factories around America, they offer a wide variety of window styles, including multi-fold and pivot windows, a selection of luxury hardwoods such as mahogany, oak, cherry, and walnut, and distressing options to suit historical homes.

Their Steel Look aluminum windows give you the sleek look of steel at a lower cost. With their Accoya wood windows, you can enjoy the ambiance of wood with lower maintenance requirements and greater durability. Arcadia’s Thermal Steel iCore precision machining and laser-cutting technology improves their windows’ energy efficiency and creates a polished finish.

Arka Windows and Doors

A relative newcomer to the window manufacturing scene, Arka focuses on high-performance windows in modern styles such as tilt-and-turn and panorama swing.

The Status Line offers all-wood and aluminum-clad windows, the Luxury Line includes thermally broken aluminum windows, and windows in the Modern Line are made with premium vinyl reinforced with steel.

All their windows are fit with double or triple panes for improved efficiency and multipoint locking systems for optimal security.

Hayfield Window and Door

Hayfield’s windows prove vinyl can look as luxurious as wood. From its beginnings as an aluminum storm window manufacturer in 1951, the company has since built its reputation on wood-look vinyl windows in both modern and traditional designs.

The Heritage series is where you’ll find the more traditional styles. These windows offer the option of a Durawood artificial wood interior. If you prefer the sleek finish of vinyl, the Vinyl Classics series has you covered.

Hayfield’s windows are designed and built to handle the often harsh weather of Minnesota, where they’re manufactured. For state-of-the-art efficiency, they offer triple-pane windows with krypton gas fill.

High End Faucet Brands 101

By Henry Parker

Black Gooseneck Kitchen Faucet — iStock.com / jodiejohnson

Beyond the reliability you’d expect from any well-made faucet, high-end faucets offer modern conveniences such as touchless operation, greater control over temperature and spray power, and multiple spray head functionalities.

By keeping up with the trends, high-end faucet brands are able to offer a greater choice of distinctive designs to help you create a kitchen or bath that’s a cut above the ordinary.

Finding Faucets That Fit Your Lifestyle

Before you think about aesthetics, consider the functions you want in your faucet. High-end kitchen faucets come in both space-saving pull-out sprayer models and comfortable pull-down sprayer models, but some also include a magnetic docking system to hold your sprayer where you want it.

Many let you turn on the water without turning a knob, but methods vary. Touchless models turn on with the wave of a hand, touch-activated faucets react to a tap of the finger, and other models include an on/off button.

For durability, look for a ceramic disc faucet in either compression or cartridge style. While they cost a premium, they’re nearly leakproof.

Aesthetically, the best finish is one that matches your kitchen or bathroom cabinetry hardware, but for durability and ease of cleaning, you can’t go wrong with chrome.

High-End Faucet Brands to Watch

Delta Faucet Company

In 1954, Delta pioneered the ball-valve for mixing hot and cold water and has continued to develop innovations to improve performance and durability ever since.

Delta’s Touch2O technology lets you turn the water on with a touch, and with VoiceIQ technology, you can get the water you need without touching the faucet at all.

The MagnaTite Docking system holds the faucet sprayhead securely, the TempSense LED light indicates the water’s temperature, and Touch-Clean spray holes make mineral deposit removal easy.

Long, sleek curves and modern geometric forms characterize most of Delta’s faucets, but you’ll find vintage-style designs in the Cassidy, Victorian, Zallia, and Mylan collections.

Moen

After burning his hands using a two-handle faucet in 1937, Al Moen set out to create the more manageable single-handle faucet that would become the foundation of his company.

Today, Moen is still known for its easy-to-use bathroom and kitchen faucets. Models with MotionSense technology allow for hands-free operation. Power Clean technology gives you a more concentrated spray. With Power Boost, you can choose between Power Spray for faster cleaning or Power Stream to fill containers faster.

Many of Moen’s faucet designs take a fresh approach to blending modern and classic looks. The traditional yet relaxed Wynford and Colinet collections are good examples of this. The Lindor and Oxby collections, with their linear edges and graceful curves, lean toward the more minimalist side.

Kohler

Operating since 1873 and now one of the best-known names in bathroom fixtures, Kohler offers high-end kitchen and bathroom faucets in a broad range of styles.

The ultra-minimalist Purist collection and geometric Composed collection are perfect for modern homes. If vintage is more your style, try the Artifacts collection or the 1930s Art Deco Pinstripe collection. Faucets in the Margaux collection combine strong lines with smooth curves for the best of both contemporary and classic looks.

More advanced models include Response touchless technology and temperature memory, which lets you turn the water on at your preferred temperature setting.

House of Rohl

Dating from 1897, House of Rohl has built a reputation for elegant brass kitchen and bathroom fixtures, and for bridge faucets in particular. The company currently incorporates three faucet brands.

The Rohl brand focuses on an updated traditional look with distinctive designs such as the Tenerif, featuring crosshatching meant to reflect the trunk of a palm tree, and the Palladian collection, influenced by the lines of the Palladian window.

The Riobel puts modern technology at the forefront, offering touchless operation in the Azure and Trattoria designs.

The Perrin & Rowe brand presents hand-molded, hand-polished antique-style faucets. The brand’s attention to detail stands out, especially in the graceful Edwardian collection and the somewhat more simplified Georgian Era collection.

Hansgrohe

Founded in 1901, this German producer is now owned by the MASCO Group, which also owns the Delta Faucet Company, but their luxury customizable Axor products are still made in Germany.

Faucets with the Select function lets you start or stop the water with a button, AirPower technology provides softer water flow, and QuickClean technology makes it easy to remove mineral scale.

Hansgrohe’s style tends toward sleek and modern, but with a distinctive flair. The slim profile of the Finoris and the industrial chic look of the Metris M71 kitchen faucet stand out from the usual, while the Metropol Classic suits traditional bathrooms well.

Grohe

Established in 1936 by Frederich Grohe, son of Hans Grohe, the company is now owned by the Japanese LIXIL Corporation, but many of its faucets are still made in Germany.

The handy push-button and touchless options in kitchen faucets and the SpeedClean nozzles make the brand’s faucets convenient to use. With the Zedra kitchen faucet, you’ll get a triple-function spray head with stream, shower, and blade sprays. The curves and flowing lines of the Zedra are also found in the Concetto, Costa, Atria New, and Minta collections.

Most of Grohe’s other faucets carry a modern minimalist aesthetic with little detailing, such as the angular models in the Eurosmart, Eurocube, and Allure Brilliant collections. While they offer comparable quality to Hansgrohe faucets, Grohe faucets are often priced lower.

Toto

Although most of this Japanese company’s faucets are manufactured abroad, they still offer the high-tech performance and reliability the company has built its reputation on.

Toto’s proprietary ceramic cartridge is especially well known for its durability. Their Safety Thermo system is the first to use SMA (Shape Memory Alloy) to minimize temperature fluctuation and protect you from burns. LED lights also help alert you to temperature changes. Faucets with Toto’s Slow Flow technology provide strong flow with minimal backsplash. Several touchless models are available.

Faucets in the GB, GE, and Upton collections stand out for their structured, geometric look, while models in the GF, GM, and GO collections are designed with fluid lines. For more traditional forms, look to the Vivian and Connely faucets.

High End Wallpaper Brands 101

By Henry Parker

Wallpaper and Sofa in Contemporary Lounge — iStock.com / Onzeg

Luxury wallpaper not only lasts far longer than budget options, it also lends an air of distinction to a room. Beyond common vinyl, many high-end wallpaper brands offer natural grasscloth, linen, silk, tea paper, and other fine materials, as well as hand-painted and hand-embroidered designs.

Designs often draw on classical imagery, such as Chinoiserie and botanical motifs, which have a long history in upscale interiors, but there’s also plenty for modern minimalists.

Sophisticated Beauty That Lasts Decades

While the pattern you choose is a matter of taste, the wallcovering’s construction is a practical concern that affects its durability, ease of installation and maintenance requirements, as well as its appearance.

When comparing wallcoverings, consider the material’s washability, light resistance, installation requirements, and the location where you plan to install it. Vinyl and non-woven are highly durable and easy to clean, so they’re smart choices for bathrooms, kitchens, and kids’ rooms.

More delicate materials, such as grasscloth and silk, require more maintenance over time and are better for living rooms and bedrooms. They need occasional gentle dusting and shouldn’t be cleaned with water.

Even so, a lot depends on your preferences and lifestyle. If your showers are rarely hot enough to steam up your mirrors and you don’t mind a little upkeep, then grasscloth and even silk can hold up for decades in your bathroom.

High-End Wallpaper Brands to Watch

Schumacher

Founded in New York in 1889, Frederic Schumacher’s brand established a reputation as a producer of luxury textiles for elite spaces such as the Waldorf Astoria and Vanderbilt Palazzo. In 1938, the company began producing wallpaper and now offers a wide variety of designs with a focus on classicism.

Collections include the delicate Avant Garde, visually textured Fabulous Faux, Byzantium with its bold geometrics, and East Meets West, which draws on Turkish and Indian art and weaves in botanicals, birds, forest scenes and other elements of nature. The brand works with several natural fibers, including sisal grasscloth, arrowroot grasscloth, and silk along with embossed vinyl.

Schumacher is the exclusive U.S. distributor of Mehmet and Dimonah Iksel’s hand-painted paneled wallcoverings.

Scalamandré

Established as a weaving company in 1929, the Scalamandré brand found its niche in producing reproductions of vintage textiles for the White House, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and other interiors of historical import.

Today, they carry a broad array of wallcoverings in refined, timeless designs. Traditional doesn’t have to mean dull, though, as Scalamandré proved with its famous red “Zebras” wallpaper, featuring leaping zebras against a background of rich Masai red.

Scalamandré’s Grey Watkins brand puts a modern twist on classic luxury designs, favoring intricate florals and delicate patterns in both bright hues and soft pastels. The Hinson brand, known for its signature Hinson Palm motif, presents designs inspired by historical sources and updated for a modern feel.

Materials used include printed and embroidered abaca grasscloth, raffia grasscloth, metallics, leather and faux leather, as well as more common materials such as paper, vinyl, and polyester.

Kravet

Kravet has been producing high-end textiles since 1918. The Kravet Design brand offers a selection of plain and textured wallcoverings with a focus on delicate, small-scale patterns.

The Kravet Couture line features simple, elegant patterns and muted colors in linen, linen blends, and other materials.

The Brunschwig & Fils brand stands out with dramatic abstract patterns, lush botanicals, embroidered East Asian-inspired scenes on grasscloth, and plain silks in rich earth tones.

From the Lee Jofa brand, you’ll find opulently detailed geometric patterns, exuberant florals, and novelty prints with an emphasis on Chinese motifs, primarily in paper and grasscloth.

All these brands offer options made in America, as well as in Sweden, Italy, and India.

de Gournay

A fruitless search for craftspeople to restore his home’s antique Chinoiserie wallpaper was Claud Cecil Gurney’s inspiration for establishing his luxury wallpaper company. The brand’s decidedly glamorous designs are patterned after vintage wallpaper prints and hand-painted on paper and silk by expert artists, allowing more options for customization.

Collections include the extravagant Chinoiserie, 19th century-inspired Scenic, Japanese and Korean, Russian-inspired Diaghilev, Plain Textured, and Eclectic. While the brand offers a few subdued botanicals, the majority of choices are flamboyant pictorial designs in vibrant colors. Gilded paper and antiquing are other extras you’ll find with this brand.

If you’re planning an upscale Art Nouveau interior or a classic Chinoiserie, de Gournay is a must to consider.

Phillip Jeffries

Since its founding in 1976, this brand has focused on natural textured materials with tactile appeal. Handcrafted grasscloths based on raffia, linen, and hemp are at the core of the brand, but they also produce wallcoverings in paper and vinyl.

The Naturals and Paperweaves collections offer plain and simply patterned wallcoverings that highlight each material’s texture. In the Prints and Digital Murals collections, you’ll find bolder, large-scale motifs. The Specialty collection features metallic leaf and authentic wood veneer.

Phillip Jeffries is among the few high-end wallpaper brands to blend luxury style with a connection to nature.

Fromental

A young U.K. brand found in interior design showrooms throughout the U.S., Fromental has built its reputation on exquisite wallcoverings based on traditional Chinese silk-making, painting, and embroidery. Crafted by skilled Chinese artists, the wallcoverings are first hand-painted on silk, paper or velvet then hand embroidered with silk.

Designs aim for a fresh take on historical British classicism and 18th century Chinoiserie. The Chinoiserie collection focuses on traditional birds and flowers, while the 1787 collection presents classic Chinoiserie scenes. For playful, modern designs, look to the Conversational collection. If you’d prefer a more restrained aesthetic, try the abstract Roomskins and the Textured Plains collections.

Colefax and Fowler

Attention to comfort and appeal to English sensibilities have been hallmarks of this firm since founder Sibyl Colefax began decorating in 1930.

The Colefax and Fowler brand takes a conservative approach to wallcoverings with light and airy stripes, florals, and simple patterns.

From the Jane Churchill brand, you’ll find delicate patterns in soft, natural colors along with childhood favorites such as fairies, the March Hare, and Paddington Bear.

The Manuel Canovas brand shows a flare for the dramatic with bold florals, whimsical fish and hot air balloons, and intense, warm colors. Most of the company’s wallcoverings are made from paper or vinyl.