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1. Use Glass

The best shower designs feature glass prominently. Not only does glass convey a premium design sensibility, as a material, it lets light filter cleanly through the bathroom to make the space feel bigger. Glass also works well to showcase one of the most beautiful features of a premium shower, the tiling.

“I prefer full glass panels and doors to enclose showers, as opposed to partial walls or curtains,” says Beth Kooby, owner of Beth Kooby Design. “Usually the biggest expanse of gorgeous tile is in the shower, so I want to be able to see that!”

Also, glass enclosed showers, especially frameless systems, show off a shower’s tilework even when a visitor isn’t actually using the shower. For frameless glass shower enclosures, consider sliding door hardware. A sliding door shower system will also cut down on dead-space due to door travel—of special importance in bathrooms.

“In most bathrooms, space is such a commodity,” Kooby says. “The great thing about a sliding shower door is the space saving capability!”

At Krownlab we believe quality attracts its own. Through 10 years of partnering with the best in the industry, we’ve learned how to build relationships and develop exciting new designs. We are proud to be collaborating with Harkavy Furniture, another Portland-based company, on their new modern collection.

Lead by brothers Dylan and Wesley, Harkavy is dedicated to creating the highest quality handmade furniture with a rigorous attention to detail. The Pacific Northwest is a unique place that has inspired countless arts, designers, builders and masters of every craft. Dylan and Wesley grew up here and pursued studies in fine arts and architecture, and their designs are shaped by this background.

As Dylan explains, selecting hardware is a major step in their process:

“The Buxton was designed to be a one piece office solution, functioning both as a desk and a credenza. From its function to its form, we wanted every aspect of the Buxton to be beautiful and clean. This desire led us to partnering with Krownlab. We were drawn to their stunning design, unparalleled quality, and fine attention to detail. Kor was exactly what we needed for the project.”

In the coming months, look for Krownlab’s full line of new modern furniture hardware and more additions to the Harkavy modern collection.

The CYRK Building is a 14,500 square foot commercial and residential gem located in southeast Portland. DECA, an independent architecture and interior design studio in Portland, Oregon, designed it as a live-work environment. The owner maintains a primary residence on the second floor and a business office on the ground floor. An additional 1,200 square feet is set aside on the ground floor for commercial and retail use.

The LEED Platinum certified CYRK Building is a pillar of innovative and environmentally focused architecture. The elegant design features a green roof, solar panels (both PV and hydrogen), a ground-source heat pump, FSC certified lumber, and passive and active solar shading. Krownlab's Baldur sliding door hardware is featured throughout the interior.

Krownlab founder Stefan Andrén has worn many hats in his career but watch design has always been of special interest. Over the years, he’s had the opportunity to design pieces for Nike, Perfect Fitness, and Phosphor.

“There’s something about wristwatches I love,” Andrén said. “There is such a compelling synergy of beautiful, high-end materials, and precise engineering.”

Recently, Andrén teamed up with fellow Portland company, Grovemade, on a unique line of wristwatches. They set out to make something as much an artifact as timepiece, an update on the classic analog interface. The watch features a hand sanded hardwood face, spherical hour markers, a precision calibrated stainless steel module, and vegetable-tanned leather wrist bands with a classic buckle.

Last month, their beautiful, minimal creation was praised on Worn and Wound, the watch aficionados resource that has been featured in the New York Times and International Watch Magazine, among others:

Our friend Kelley Roy is the director of Portland Made, a collective of Portland-based designers, local goods retailers, and manufacturers. The goal of the organization is to connect consumers to unique, local, and high quality goods and help reconnect designers to the manufacturing process. Recently, Kelley contacted us to feature Krownlab in a new book showcasing the manufacturing resurgence happening right now in Portland. We were thrilled to be included. Fast forward to last week. A very welcome delivery arrived at the office: 10 brand new books, hot off the press.

Buy your copy today. And be sure to check out Krownlab’s spread on page 61 (previewed to the right).

For more about Portland Made in Kelley’s own words, read on:

“Portland Made: New American Makers of the Manufacturing Renaissance is a celebration of Portland’s Maker Movement and the people behind it. What is this Maker Movement, you ask? It is the legions of artisans and craftspeople and entrepreneurs and doers who are reinventing and reshaping artisanal manufacturing one hand-made product at a time. It is the people who are starting businesses, developing products, honing their skills and offering support and sharing tools and knowledge with each other.

We couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this year’s Street of Dreams in the Highlands of Lake Oswego. We partnered with Garrison Hullinger Interior Design and Westlake Development Group. Our hardware can be found in four of the nine houses.

We loved working with GHID on their Sandhill Crane house. They used Ragnar, the newest addition to our product line, because of how well it rhymed with the unique composition of materials, angles, and open spaces of the home’s design. Sandhill Crane was built with contemporary living in mind and boasts wonderful views of Mt. Hood.

It's well known that Krownlab is a big supporter of local design and local manufacturing. Recently we spoke with Collin Kayser of Garrison Hullinger Interior Design (GHID) regarding regional design trends as well as the firm's interest in including Krownlab sliding hardware systems in a recent project.

KL: This year GHID is participating in the Street of Dreams, and we're thrilled that you've specified Krownlab sliding barn door hardware. What design concept helped drive this decision?

CK: The Sandhill Crane is a home with a unique composition of materials, angles, and open spaces. GHID wanted to capitalize on this contemporary design with the interior and selections throughout. The clean lines and modern vibe of Krownlab's Baldur is a perfect compliment. The engineering, finishes, and overall design of the hardware fit well within the  interior while functionally allowing the user to open up rooms in a more visually appropriate way.

Local manufacturing and local design are not mutually exclusive; both are at their best when collaboration occurs.

[Elk Collective][1], a local design/creative firm here in Portland caught our eye not only because the installation of Krownlab sliding barn door hardware in their own studio, but also for their excellent work regionally and abroad.

Recently, we had a chance to have a conversation with Elk Collective's Sam Koerger. Having such wide range of projects to inform the discussion, it was an opportunity to gain some insight into the current design climate.

KL: With the increased demand for urban real estate, designers are required to creatively squeeze more functionality into smaller and smaller spaces. What trends are you seeing here in the Portland area?

SK: On a macro level, one trend that is right in our face, yet makes Portlanders squirm, is purely just new development. There is a tremendous increase in the number of properties under construction, specifically mixed-use development. While we have done an outstanding job of re-using buildings and re-purposing different urban nooks, a wave of development has washed our shores.

Developing a design culture that focuses on the entirety of a project from concept development to occupancy is an evolution. New generations move through the ranks, instilled with the fundamentals of the field while bringing forward new ideas. At the University of Kansas School of Architecture, Design, and Planning they've developed Studio 804, a non-profit program dedicated to giving last-year Masters students a hands-on experience with each stage of the design process. The students draft the drawings, procure the supplies, and pound the nails; completing one building per year. Impressive stuff all on its own, but on top of that, seven of Studio 804's projects have been LEED Platinum Certified. Needless to say, when Studio 804 first contacted Krownlab in 2013 for a sliding barn door hardware contribution we were thrilled.