Perfect Balance
"We began by using the shape of dewdrops as a basis for generating this perfectly imperfect form," explains Florian Kallus from Kaschkasch. A design inspired by nature, and then transposed into a complete bathroom collection, made from sustainable materials such as ceramics, marble and solid wood: “Antao”. For Kaschkasch a first -off in more ways than one because in so doing they developed their first bathroom collection for Villeroy & Boch. “Taking our inspiration from nature is the broad idea behind ‘Antao’ and the challenge for us was that the products we have designed so far have been more constructed geometric shapes and not so much freeforms,” comments Sebastian Schneider. And what the qualified carpenter and product designer have come up with is certainly impressive: From the washbasins via the furniture, from the bathtub to the faucets, from the toilet to the illuminated mirror Kaschkasch developed all the other components from the shape of the dewdrop. And though each element in the collection is unique, the overall effect is one of harmony. Indeed, “Antao” demonstrates the trend towards a homely bathroom that apart from its practical uses is also a room that invites you to stay and recharge your batteries.
We wanted to convey a feeling, and material and color are really crucial for that. That’s why we decided to rely on mellow shades from nature, which makes them longer-lasting and not subject to fashion fads,” says Sebastian Schneider. The elegant matte shades “Pure Black”, “Almond” and “Morning Green” provide an alternative to the classic white Alpine for the ceramic elements, ideally complemented by the furniture colors “Stone Grey”, “Leaf Green” and “Midnight Blue”. And the faucets – there are 11 in the collection with softly flowing contours – are available in a “Chrome”, “Matt Black” or “Brushed Nickel” finish. And should individual combinations far removed from the monochrome look be required then the base and panel of the furniture can also be configured freely to suit personal preference – with varnished surfaces or surfaces of wood, topped by a natural stone slab of beige Botticino marble.
This wide choice but also the organic asymmetry of the design means the extensive furniture range need no longer be assigned solely to the category of "bathroom" and allows the elegant sideboards, highboards, tall and middle cabinets to be placed in other rooms. As for the freestanding bathtub here the designers opted for a high proportion of quartz stone which retains the heat of the water for a long time and is especially pleasant to the touch. Bathers can also opt for the SilentFlow filling system that has water flow into the tub from below in the shape of a star – an idea emphasizing the relaxing atmosphere in the bathroom. And the mirror with indirect backlighting is a real eyecatcher whose brightness, light color and light temperature can be controlled remotely to suit individual preferences.
Every detail has been well thought through by Kaschkasch for “Antao”, so it’s hardly surprising that as regards the collection’s sustainability no questions remain unanswered: “We primarily selected natural materials. The main material is ceramic, which is extremely durable and can be easily recycled. Basically, sustainability is one of the really big issues for us when we work on new projects and that was also the case here. What’s more a large part of the collection is also produced in the immediate vicinity of the Villeroy & Boch company site in Mettlach,” sums up Florian Kallus.
