Phone: 419.874.3519

9 Tips for a Quick Bathroom Refresh in a Weekend

Posted on September 12, 2023

Waterhouse knows that you’re busy.

Really busy.

You want everything to be beautiful, functional, easy, and fun.

We want that for you, too!

While we’re always on board to assist you with a new build or a major renovation, we also recognize that sometimes you just need a little change that brings a major “WOW” factor with it.

We’ve come up with nine easy things you can tackle (because ten things sounded like too much work!) – some in a few minutes, some in a few hours – to up the WOW without the cost and the stress that comes with a major reno.

1. Paint or Wallpaper

A fresh coat of paint can breathe new life into any room, and your bathroom is no exception. White and bright is a quick and easy choice to give your bathroom a classic, clean look, but it’s certainly not the only choice. White makes a great blank canvas for other updates and gives the bathroom a lighter, airy feel. Deeper shades like black, charcoal, or even jewel tones can bring an elegant flair to any bathroom. Wall color changes the entire mood of the bathroom with just a few strokes – it’s easy, inexpensive, and impactful!

2. Replace Light Fixtures

Task Lighting. Statement lighting. Accent Lighting. Safety lighting. There’s only so much space in a bathroom, so your lighting choices must be multi-taskers. You need to be able to set the mood for a romantic bubble bath, create a surgical space for precise splinter removal, illuminate the way through the dark for midnight bathroom visits – all with the same fixtures!

Lighted mirrors, lighted and mirrored medicine cabinets, sconces on either side of your vanity or hanging above, ceiling fixtures – the options are endless.

Let the lighting experts at Waterhouse help you “see the light.”

3. Deep Clean

Since you’re moving everything out of your bathroom to give those walls a facelift, now is the perfect time to give it a much-needed scrub. We know you’ve been watching those reels and TikToks about the bathroom deep cleans – try out your favorite tips and get your Mr. (or Mrs.) Clean on! Organize the beauty products, fold the towels, stock the cotton balls and swabs. Toss the frayed towels and anything else you don’t want or need.

Spring cleaning can happen in summer. And fall. And winter.

4. Change the Mirror

Small change = Huge impact! Mirrors add dimension and light to even the smallest spaces, so don’t be scared to add multiple mirrors.

Switching up the bathroom mirror, whether it be a huge, builder-installed wall-to-wall number with those little acrylic clips, an aging medicine cabinet, or anything that doesn’t bring you joy when you see it should be a top priority.

 Lighted mirrors? Metal-framed round, oval, capsule, or rectangular mirrors in finishes to match your fixtures? A wood frame with a beveled edge to match your painted vanity?

Waterhouse has hundreds of options, from basic to extraordinary!

5. Upgrade Storage Options

You don’t need a major renovation to add more storage to your space. Hang open shelves to display some pretty towels, unique perfume, or skincare bottles, cannisters of cotton swabs, or plants. Tired of the hand towel being wadded up on the counter? Add a towel ring. We can’t guarantee that the towel will get hung up, but at least the option has been made available. Nowhere to put a drinking glass or your toothbrush? We have accessories for that (some in up to 35 different finishes!)

 Towel bars (even heated ones!) and robe hooks, storage caddies for vanity drawers, flush mount or recessed medicine cabinets (some up to eight inches deep!), linen towers to match your vanity, over johns, and more.

We have storage options for every space, for every budget.

6. Change Bathroom Fixtures

This one is a no brainer. This is what Waterhouse was born to do!

Faucets, showerheads, hand showers, tub spouts, trim, drains, sinks, accessories – in every finish from Polished Chrome to Titanium to Moderne Brushed Bronze. The options are endless.

Let the Waterhouse team help you find the perfect jewelry for your space.

7. New Linens

Fresh, fluffy white towels never go out of style.

Small white washcloths rolled elegantly on a tray to replace that single hand towel shared by all?

A new shower curtain rod in any finish you desire.

A new bathmat – you know you need one…

There are a LOT of hard surfaces in a bathroom. Here’s where you add the texture, soften the edges, and up the luxury quotient. 

8. Add Plants

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, you can bring plants into your bathroom! Plants are an easy way to bring life and color to a small (or big) space. Some plants thrive in a room with artificial light, low light, and lots of bathroom humidity. Snake plants, ferns, and Chinese Evergreen can handle the ever-changing bathroom temperatures and low light. If your bathroom has bright indirect light, you can get a Begonia, Peace lily, or philodendron.

Bring life into your space. Literally.

Bring living things into your space.

9. Artwork

Who likes a blank, boring wall? Definitely not us!

Whether it’s a fun collage of small prints to add color and dimension or a dramatic large print that serves as a focal point for the entire space, this is where you add the personality to your bathroom.

Make tasteful and thoughtful choices – you spend at least seven years of your life in a bathroom, so you could be admiring this artwork for a LONG time…

OR you could let your new sink be the art…

The Waterhouse team can help you through 1, 2, 3, or all these steps.

Whether you’re planning a sledgehammer moment, or you just need a quick freshen, we’re here to help you check everything off your to do list.

Water and electricity DO mix....

Posted on August 22, 2023

Some ILLUMINATING information about Lighting from your friendly lighting experts at Waterhouse bath & kitchen studio

It may be something that you take for granted but take just a moment to look above you right now.

What do you see?

Is it this?

Or this?

Or even this?

The dreaded “boob light?”

Lighting is an essential part of any interior design project.  It can make (or break) a room.

Simply speaking, you only need lighting for a few reasons:

To keep you safe outside.

To keep you safe inside.

To make tasks easier.

To make things pretty.

Here’s a crash course for you – we’ll call it LIGHTING 125 (that’s our address…125 E. Indiana Avenue, in Perrysburg, Ohio…see how clever and BRIGHT we are?)

There are FOUR main types of lighting.

1. GENERAL (ambient) LIGHTING – light up an entire room

While we would all love to live somewhere where the sun shines all day, every day, that just isn’t in the cards for some of us.  Sunlight provides wonderful natural lighting to your home’s interior, creating relaxed and cheerful spaces to work and play.  Unfortunately, sunlight can’t reach every corner and sometimes, it’s just not anywhere to be found.  That’s where general lighting comes in. 

This is the lighting on your walls and ceilings that illuminates the overall space, creating a warm and welcoming environment for you, your family, and your guests.

General lighting is for exterior spaces too.  Landscaping lighting, front porch lights, pool lights, solar lighting in your planters and bistro lights over your patio?  That all fits into this category.

2. TASK LIGHTING – put a spotlight on the task at hand (pun intended)

This is exactly what it sounds like.  Don’t want to cut your finger off while meal prepping?  Install under-cabinet lighting or bright pendants over your kitchen island.  Task lighting is usually 2-3X brighter than ambient lighting – that’s what keeps you from applying too much blusher, helps you see the splinter for easy and painless removal, and lets you study without eyestrain.

Task lighting can go outdoors as well – this is the security lighting over your garage door, the bright lights at your front and back door, and the safety lights along your front walk.

3. ACCENT LIGHTING – accentuate the positive

Highlight the things you love about your home. It’s as simple as that.

Shine a light on things you love, architectural details.  Add drama and character with spotlights and lowlights.

Picture lights for artwork, halogen lights on your trophies, cove lighting for molding, diffused light for ceiling details.

4. DECORATIVE LIGHTING – Attitude. Style.

Decorative lighting is simply hanging around to look amazing.

Have a grand entrance?  Hang the most amazing, ornate, large chandelier to fill the space.

Music room?  Library?  Just want your bedroom to feel incredibly royal?

Art Deco opaque globes, netting and golden accents, anyone?

Need some whimsy?  Add fairy lights to your child’s bedroom.

What about “hotel” or hallway sconces down long passages that double as pieces of art?

This is what takes your home from ordinary to EXTRAORDINARY.

It adds the VA VA VOOM to your spaces.

Let the Waterhouse team enlighten YOU on all-things-lighting.

Lighting should be pretty AND functional AND accessible.

Waterhouse will check all those boxes for you.

Waterhouse 2023 Father's Day GIFT GUIDE

Posted on June 05, 2023

Does your dad really need another necktie?

Nope.

A grill brush?

Another book about his favorite sports team?

Waterhouse and Maumee Supply have come to the rescue this year.

Unique AND useful gifts for every dad, father figure, and every just-all-around-great caregiver on your list.

2023 Father’s Day Gift Guide

First up is the KOHLER Konnect^® hands-free, voice-activated kitchen faucets*. Dad can ask it to measure the perfect amount of water to fill the coffee pot. Featuring touchless on/off with a wave of your hand or object, such as a pan, and AC-powered which means no batteries to replace.

Next up, are the KOHLER Verdera^® mirrors and medicine cabinets*. Available with side panels, lights, and even Amazon Alexa! Dad can use it to play music, check the weather, catch up on news – it will even give him new Dad Jokes to share!

Get your dad a KOHLER Moxie^® handshower and wireless speaker*. He can listen to his favorite playlists, podcasts, audiobooks – all in the shower! Featuring best-in-class audio with sound by Harman Kardon^®, the speaker easily removes, so he can take it on the go. How cool is that!?

For Father’s Day, treat your king of a dad with a new bathroom throne! The heated KOHLER^® bidet toilet* seat features an easy-to-use touch-screen remote allowing your dad to adjust and set all his personal preferences from water and seat temperatures and air-drying. Plus, it has a built-in nightlight, and the self-cleaning stainless-steel wand uses UV light for automatic cleaning.

 Our final unique gift idea for Father’s Day, is Amba^® Heated towel racks*. So many options to choose from – standing or wall-mounted racks, with or without a shelf, different sizes and shapes, and in a variety of finishes. We’ll help you find the perfect one for your dad!

All of these items (and more!) are available to see and try at our gorgeous 8,000 sq. ft. Waterhouse showroom. Stop by 125 E. Indiana Ave., Perrysburg, Ohio, or call us at 419.874.3519 to book an appointment.

*Limited stock; pre-orders and gift certificates available.

19 reasons to shop with Waterhouse on 4.19 (and every other day, too!)

Posted on April 19, 2023

It’s 419 in the 419!          

(That’s 4/19 in the 419 for the uninitiated…)

19 reasons you should choose to shop locally.

Specifically, at Waterhouse (not just on 4/19, but every day.)

Here are 19 reasons to keep your cash close to home:

1. Keep Money Local—Sales taxes fund our communities and provide vital services such as police and fire protection, street repairs and trash collection. Local businesses are more likely to shop with other local businesses, keeping money moving in our local economy even longer.
2. Local Investment—Local businesses are less susceptible to national downturns and more likely to work harder to stay open. Local ownership means that important decisions are made by people who live in our community and feel the impact of those decisions. The Waterhouse team all lives here, works here, and plays here.
3. It reduces your carbon footprint--One of the key reasons it’s worth shopping locally is that it reduces your environmental impact. Locally owned businesses make more local purchases, requiring less transportation. Waterhouse is right in the middle of Downtown Perrysburg, meaning there’s less sprawl, congestion, and habitat loss.
4. Support for Nonprofits—Local businesses support good work in our community. Studies show that nonprofits receive 250 percent more support from small businesses than large ones. Waterhouse supports everything from Water.org and Toledo Beach House to the Perrysburg Highschool Theater program and Habitat for Humanity.
5. Discover Interesting Things and People—One-of-a-kind shops and restaurants are part of what makes our city a wonderful place to live. On what other block can you get a locally blended juice (Local Roots https://www.localrootsjuiceco.com/), a custom-blended scent (Wellaroma https://www.wellaroma.com/), a life-changing facial (Healing Esthetics by Deb https://www.facebook.com/HealingTouchEstheticsLLC/), to-die-for chicken chunks (Swig https://swigrestaurant.com/) and a custom-color clawfoot tub (Waterhouse https://www.waterhousebks.com/)

6. Personal Connection—Getting to know the store owners is a great reason to shop local. It’s our business, we are the decision-makers, and we build a personal relationship with our customers.
7. Product Knowledge—Local business owners are well informed about their products and know what they are selling. Because we know our customers, we can easily adjust our inventories to include the goods and services the 419 wants to buy.
8. Diverse Products—Local stores carry inventory you might not find at national chain stores. Local business owners choose products based on what our customers want and often carry unique items.
9. Cost Effective—Sometimes prices at local businesses are better because we don’t have the overhead that larger stores may have, and we may be more willing to negotiate to meet your price needs.
10. Better Experience—Local shopping can translate to more convenient retail experiences.
11. Less “Leakage”—Local businesses tend to buy and sell with other local businesses. With national or multi-national firms, a percentage of that profit ‘leaks’ out of the community, the state or even the nation.
12. Increased Expertise—Shopping at a local store means you can get an expert opinion about the products that you are purchasing. Local shop owners must be experts in their field to compete. Use them—ask them questions and get advice about products. Maumee Supply and Waterhouse have been here for almost 70 years. Ask us anything. If we don’t have the answer right away, you can rest assured that we’ll find it!
13. Create Community—We are a transitory society, so people don’t always have a connection with the communities where they live. Ask the locals where they shop.
14. Better Service—Local business owners do what we do because we are passionate about our products, and we take more time to get to know our customers. We always go the extra mile to help you and to ensure you are a satisfied customer.
15. Support Future Growth--Shopping locally is the best way to show pride in your city and help protect the businesses that make our city unique. By supporting local businesses, you are in turn helping your local economy by creating more jobs. Even a small business needs enough hands to help it sell its products and services, which is why the more we support them, the more jobs will be created and the better off the 419 will be.
16. Maren – Born and raised in the 419, Maren is our resident expert on everything from tile to cute cat videos on YouTube. The most unassuming salesperson you will ever meet, she is lowkey, low pressure and low maintenance.
17. Julie – A 19-year veteran of Waterhouse, Julie helps her clients from the dreaming phase to project completion with ease. She lives in the 419, works in the 419, and plays in the 419.
18. Amy – The leader of this band, Amy was born and raised in the 419, moved away for a really long time and made her way back. She’ll talk to you about anything. Seriously – anything. Come in and test our theory.
19. It’s never polite to ask a woman her age, but we’ll be the first to tell you that, combined, the Waterhouse team has 70+ years of sales experience. And we’re backed by Maumee Supply, who just-so-happen to be celebrating their 70^th year in business in 2023.

It’s 419 in the 419.

Shop where you live.

Waterhouse bath & kitchen studio

Everything Old is New Again...

Posted on January 18, 2023

Everything Old is New Again…

Be a part of the color revolution!

Kohler was the first to bring bold color into kitchens and bathrooms.

Now, in celebration of their 150^th anniversary, Kohler (with your help) is bringing back iconic shades from their archives for a new limited-edition product series.

Help them decide which colors to revive.

You can vote for your favorites from the past to inspire a more colorful future!

Two of these beloved colors will be revived for a new, limited-edition product series.

Find the link to vote below and then opt-in for updates on winning colors and product launch dates.

You can follow @kohler on social media to stay up to date on all the latest blasts from the past.

Let’s learn a little more about the candidates – it’s important to be an informed voter!

Candidate #1: Pink Champagne

This bubbly and festive color was released as a celebration of Kohler’s 100^th 

anniversary in 1973!

Candidate #2: Peachblow

Well into the Depression, the bright colors and jewel tones of the Roaring 20s were quickly replaced with muted and more moderate shades.

An original pastel from 1934, Peachblow was a bold complement to common browns and taupes of the time. World War I brought the focus of family activities home and homeowners began to favor more cozy neutrals and warm pastels – particularly pinks, roses, and sand. And, apparently, Peachblow.

As the decade came to a close, however, decorating magazines began to feature rooms in deep saturated tones that recalled the dark, rich colors of the late Victorian era. Most popular were dark green and maroon.

Like this one...

Candidate #3: Spring Green

Inspired by the blue-green waters of a cool northern spring, Spring Green was one of Kohler’s first colors launched in 1927. It was available from 1927-1944.

The 1940s and World War II brought soil-hiding khaki and olive green, as well as patriotic reds and blues. Doing its part for the war effort, the American textile industry even restricted the number of colors available for fabric, thus suppressing the appetite for new colors and new clothes every season. Brighter colors started to return after the war years, though the political and social influences of the time kept colors relatively restrained.

Candidate #4: Avocado

Described in a 1967 Kohler catalog as the “go-with-everything” green, Avocado defined an entire era of colorful originals!

Following the psychedelic scene of the 1960s youth movement, the early '70s were drab by comparison. Yet there was plenty of color to be found in ethnic and environmental influences. Earth tones in shades of green, gold, brick, rust and sand were used to create a natural look. The opposite end of the interior design spectrum was the high-tech look-metal and plastic furniture in bright primary colors.

Candidate #5: Sunrise

Feel the glowing warmth of Sunrise from 1953, available at the time in kitchen and bathroom fixtures.

Expressing optimism for America's continuing prosperity, fashion and interior design led the way with a palette full of "pretty pastels" that were far removed from the drabs of the war years. The exuberance of the late 1950s also showed itself in such striking colors as turquoise, chartreuse and flamingo pink.

Candidate #6: Lavender

In 1927, Kohler introduced the “charm of color” with six original pastels, including this soothing shade of Lavender.  Lavender was in production until 1944.

Click the link below to help Kohler decide which heritage colors to revive for a new Kohler product series:

https://kohlersurveys.questionpro.com/a/TakeSurvey?tt=GSVPhMGoyNoECHrPeIW9eQ%3D%3D&custom1=5

Then, stay tuned to see if your favorites win!

You might be able to have a Lavender toilet and Avocado sink to call your very own.

And you can be sure that Waterhouse will have them for you.

New game sweeping the nation...Clean it or Toss it, Waterhouse-style

Posted on December 05, 2022

Let’s play a game…Clean it or toss it!

Let’s face it.

Bathrooms can be pretty germy places.

You can banish germs and bacteria by refreshing these everyday bathroom items ASAP!

But what can you clean and sanitize and what should you just toss and start fresh?

Let Waterhouse help!

We know you clean your showers, bathtubs, toilets, sinks, countertops, and mirrors, but there’s probably a few areas and a few items in your bathrooms that could use a little attention.

Hairbrushes and Combs – Clean ‘em or Toss ‘em?

Clean ‘em!

There’s a reason that barbers and hairstylists have that sanitizer container on their workstations. Hairbrushes harbor a lot more than just hair. They also hold onto dust, dirt, oils, hair products, and even dust mites—not the kinds of buildup you want on your clean hair every day. Pull out excess hair from your brushes daily and shampoo your hairbrush at least once a month.

To clean your hairbrush, add a few drops of shampoo to warm water and swirl the mixture until suds form. Submerge the head of your hairbrush into the water. Use a clean toothbrush to scrub near the base of the bristles. Rinse with fresh water, and leave your hairbrush out to dry, bristle-side down, on a clean towel overnight. You can use the same method for cleaning combs.

Bathmats – Clean ‘em or Toss ‘em?

Clean ‘em!

Bathmats have serious mildew potential thanks to their humid environments, so be sure to wash them regularly. Check your bathmat’s care label first. Some bathmats, especially those with rubber backing or plastic bathmats, may require a gentle cycle or handwashing. If machine-washable, toss your bathmat in the laundry with some bath towels and follow the manufacturer's instructions for washing.

Loofahs – Clean ‘em or Toss ‘em?

Toss ‘em!

Whether made of natural or synthetic materials, loofahs are a breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and yeast, and a host to all the dead skin cells you've scrubbed off in prior washes. Replace your natural sponges once every three to four weeks. That goes for those cute little bath poufs too. Make sure to replace them every 1-2 months.

To keep these bath tools as clean and bacteria-free as possible, dry them between uses, don't use them right after you shave, and clean them weekly by soaking them in a diluted bleach solution for 5 minutes before rinsing thoroughly.

Toilet Brushes – Clean ‘em or Toss ‘em?

Clean ‘em AND toss ‘em – you can clean them AND you can toss and replace them. When there are so many lovely options for such an “unlovable” household item, why not replace and refresh once in a while?

Toilet brushes have one of the dirtiest jobs of all, and they often go uncleaned. Remove bacteria, grime, and fecal matter by soaking your toilet brush in a bucket filled with hot water and a few capfuls of bleach. After an hour, remove and rinse with hot water. Once it's dry, you can return it to its holder, but we recommend you clean that, too. Putting a clean toilet brush into a grimy holder will defeat your hard work.

Toilet Handle – Clean ‘em or Toss ‘em?

Clean ‘em, of course!

Most of us clean the toilet bowl regularly, but the actual flusher (fun fact – this is actually called a “trip lever”)—which everyone touches before they stop at the sink—often gets skipped in the process. To prevent the spread of germs, give your toilet handle a good wipe-down every time you clean the bowl. If you're cleaning your toilet with a sanitizing cleaner, you can use the same solution for the handle. Alternatively, you can use a disinfecting wipe to easily clean toilet handles and seats.

Makeup Brushes – Clean ‘em or Toss ‘em?

Clean ‘em!

That occasional blemish might have less to do with stress or hormones and more to do with dirty makeup brushes. About every two weeks, or when your brush bristles are no longer soft and your coverage starts to look cakey or streaky, wash your brushes with unscented bar soap, baby soap, or a dedicated brush cleanser. Once dry, store your makeup brushes away from splashes in a cabinet or drawer to keep them clean as long as possible.

Bathroom Exhaust Fan – Clean ‘em or Toss ‘em?

Clean ‘em!

Surfaces are an obvious choice for daily or weekly bathroom cleaning, but what about your ceiling? Bathroom exhaust fans remove moisture from the air, making them a prime target for mold and mildew growth as well as dust buildup. To spot-clean, an all-purpose cleaner sprayed onto a microfiber cloth can help remove visible grime on the fan's cover. For a deeper clean—once or twice yearly, depending on use—you'll need to remove the cover to vacuum the exhaust fan blades and vent.

Soap Dispenser – Clean ‘em or Toss ‘em?

Clean ‘em if you got ‘em!

You use it every day to keep your hands clean, but when's the last time you gave your soap dispenser a good scrub? Waterhouse knows that you may have stopped buying disposable hand soap dispensers to life a greener life and you may be decanting your bulk hand soap into a pump dispenser. If this is you, you should include the container in your weekly cleaning routine. First, remove the lid. If there is still soap in the container, temporarily pour contents into another container. Mix warm water and a few drops of dish soap to wash a glass or plastic soap dispenser. For built-up residue, use a clean toothbrush to scrub away residue. If your soap dispenser is glass, you can also place the empty container in the top rack of your dishwasher to sanitize. Hand-wash the pump with warm, soapy water, using a toothpick to remove clogs if necessary. For quick wipe-downs of your soap dispenser between deep cleans, simply grab a disinfecting wipe.

Expired Medication

This one is a no-brainer. If it’s expired, you’re going to have to toss it. But you can’t just “toss it.”

The ibuprofen that's been sitting in the back of your medicine cabinet for five years needs to go. It typically has a shelf life of 24 to 36 months. After that, it starts losing potency, so there's no reason for you to hold onto it. Check the expiration dates on all your medications yearly and get rid of them if you see they have gone bad. Click the link below to find out what you can toss, how to do it, and where you can take the rest of the expired medications.

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines

Razor Blades – Clean ‘em or Toss ‘em?

Toss ‘em!

If you're using your disposable razor until obvious signs of rust and wear, it's time to throw it out. To keep a new razor clean, be sure you rinse it thoroughly after use to get rid of any hair or shaving cream that might be lingering between the blades. Wipe it down with a cotton ball covered in isopropyl alcohol, and make sure it's stored somewhere dry between shaves.

So, it might not be the most entertaining family game. We’d rather play Clue or Monopoly or even Twister than clean our bathrooms, but Waterhouse wants to keep you and your family as safe as we do our own families. Just a few simple extra steps can go a LONG way in keeping you and yours healthy, safe, and happy going into the New Year.

KNOBS and PULLS and LATCHES, OH MY!

Posted on October 03, 2022

KNOBS AND PULLS AND LATCHES, OH MY!

You’re ready for a kitchen remodel but your bank account hasn’t quite caught up to your lofty dreams?

Waterhouse bath & kitchen studio can help.

You'd be surprised how much simply swapping out your old cabinet and drawer pulls and knobs can change the entire look of the room.

It can mean the difference between blah and beautiful.  It's like Botox for your home.  You'll know that you made the change, but if you do it right, you'll just get glowing compliments from your friends and family.  They won't know exactly what you did, but they'll know it looks great!

Read on to learn how to glow up (instead of blow up or tear up) your kitchen, making it fresh, sparkling, and (almost!) brand new!

Choosing the right decorative hardware for your cabinets requires a balance between functionality and style. The knobs and pulls you select will effortlessly tie your space together when coordinated with the relative scale of your cabinet doors and drawers.

What color hardware should I choose?

1. Warm gold tones, including brushed or polished brass

Whether it is brushed, polished or champagne, gold is the beautiful new way to go! Champagne bronze and Satin Bronze are popular finishes when you want the gold style but want it to be softer and more inviting.  Brass looks great with crisp whites, black or even greens and blues.

Polished brass can make a real statement and unlacquered brass is having a moment (for those who appreciate a rich patina – and maintenance). Brass looks lovely against crisp whites, taupe, black, and earthy blues/greens, if you plan to paint your cabinets.

2. Matte Black

Black is still the most popular color trend for this year.  Black hardware will update your cabinets in an instant, whether you love knobs, pulls, or want to take a mix-and-match approach.

It looks great on light colored cabinets and gives a classic modern look. This will also look great on bathroom vanities and laundry room cabinets.

3. Tubular or square, slim and sleek

Slim and sleek pulls are still the most popular cabinet hardware style. Modern bar pulls, whether tubular or square are top sellers, and for good reason. They look great on most cabinets, come in many finishes, and are a flexible design choice.

4. Be Unique

Who said you HAVE to follow the trends? The best style is to be UNIQUE! Choose what you love. 

It’s your kitchen.

You like curves and round lines instead of square, do that. If you like to combine square with round, do that. The options are endless.

With pulls, knobs and appliance pulls available in 37 finishes, Top Knobs offers a wide array of styles to match nearly every décor and color palette. Interior designers and homeowners continuously turn to Top Knobs to complete the look of their project.

And where do you find Top Knobs?

Right here in the middle of Waterhouse bath & kitchen studio.

Can I mix colors?  Can I mix styles?

Yes.  And yes.

Mostly.

There are a few “guidelines,” but, as we said earlier, it’s YOUR kitchen.

The two main reasons you may want to use more than one style of cabinet knob and pull are simple:

Style and function.

From a style perspective, mixing different types of hardware can give a kitchen lots of character, adding subtle visual interest. Especially in a larger kitchen, you may want to avoid the repetitiveness of using just one handle for every single door and drawer.

Choose a single finish. Although it’s definitely possible to coordinate cabinet hardware in different finishes, it’s much easier and safer to mix different shapes of knobs and pulls in one matching finish. This automatically gives all the hardware a sense of being coordinated and makes the differences between each style less immediately noticeable.

For an even more coordinated look, you can use the same metal finish for your cabinet hardware and your faucet (and even other details such as light fixtures and switch plate covers).

Think about the number of drawers and doors. Cabinet hardware will usually look best when used in multiple places so that no single knob or handle is the odd one out. For this reason, it can be easier to make multiple styles of hardware work in a larger kitchen with many doors and drawers.

Fewer than twenty doors and drawers?   It’s safest to stick to two types of hardware.

Less than twelve doors and drawers?  Use just one style of handle all over.

This is certainly not a hard-and-fast rule, but it can help create an organized look.

Other options?

Use one style for upper cabinets and a different style for lower cabinets. A great option for coordinating the look of your hardware is to use one hardware type for the uppers (often a knob because they’re easy to grip when swinging an upper door open) and one for the lowers (often a short handle or pull, which can work for both the lower doors and drawers).

Round knobs

Round knobs (as opposed to square, T-shape or other more rigid shapes) have the major advantage of being comfortable to grab from many directions, making them easy to pull.

The major disadvantage of round knobs occurs with wide drawers that can’t easily be pulled from one small central point. If you have a heavy load in a drawer or your drawers aren’t especially high-quality, using a single knob in the center will put a lot of stress on one point. This means you’ll want to use two knobs, which may necessitate having to open the drawer with both hands.

Cup pulls and bin pulls

Cup and bin pulls are handles that have a cupped shape that fingers can slide into from underneath, as opposed to a handle that can be grabbed from above or below. Pulls are reminiscent of the handles on file cabinets and storage bins and carry a slight retro feel.

Bin pulls tend to look best installed centered and running horizontally, and they also function best on drawers and pullouts. For these reasons they’re often confined to drawers.

Bin pulls work especially well when dressing a single row of drawers that runs all the way across a set of cabinets or around the entire kitchen, giving a pleasing “cap” to the look without being bulky.

Finger pulls

Finger pulls usually attach to the back or top of each door and drawer and wrap around to create a lip that can be grabbed with a curved finger, much like a cup pull but wider and with a more minimal shape.

Finger pulls aren’t usually mixed with other cabinet styles because they tend to appear in modern, minimalist kitchens. They work best either in one consistent width or sized to match each cabinet.

However, short finger pulls can be useful when mixed in for semi hidden cabinets such as ones on the back of the island, where protruding hardware would be in the way of knees and elbows.

Latch pulls

Latch pulls or cabinet latches have a certain old-world appeal. They literally latch shut and hold the cabinet door closed until they’re unlatched.

Depending on the manner of latching, they can take a bit more effort to open than a typical pull, potentially acting as a mild child safety lock or a deterrent for clever pets. But primarily they serve as a style statement.

Latch pulls work well to accent a few doors in a transitional, traditional or farmhouse-inspired kitchen, giving a sense of sophistication and a certain visual richness.

Latch pulls can be combined with simpler knobs for the majority of the doors so that the more commonly opened cabinets don’t require the extra step of unlatching.

Okay – I picked out my finish.  Now what?

It’s time for a count:

How many small drawers?

How many large drawers?

How many small doors? 

How many large doors?

Oven?  Refrigerator?  Dishwasher?

Any odd-shaped spaces?

Before pulling out your measuring tape, it’s important to note some key terms when it comes to measuring knobs and pulls:

• Overall Length: The distance from one end of the pull to the other end
• Center-to-Center: The industry standard for measuring pulls, the distance from the center of one screw hole to the center of the other screw hole
• Diameter: Refers to the width of a knob or width of the thickest portion of a pull
• Projection: How far the pull or knob sticks out from the surface of the cabinet once installed

Knobs

Knobs are the most versatile hardware options. Available in a broad range of styles and finishes, standard size knobs range between 1-2 inches in diameter and will complement cabinet doors of any size.

When arranged on drawers less than 16 inches in width, we recommend installing one knob directly at the center. As for drawers larger than 16 inches, two knobs should be installed. For a symmetrical appearance, measure the drawer into thirds and set the knobs in the center of the two outer portions.

Pulls

Pulls come in a variety of styles and lengths, which can prove to be daunting when selecting proportionately sized hardware. Bar Pulls are traditionally measured center-to-center and they should not exceed one-third of the length of a cabinet door or width of a drawer.

Pulls 3-7 inches in length will sit the most comfortably on doors less than 24 inches tall. Cabinet doors 24-36 inches tall are best adorned with pulls 7-12 inches long, while cabinets taller than 36 inches such as pantries, built-in appliances and pullouts should be accompanied by pulls longer than 12 inches.

One pull measuring 3-5 inches in length should be installed in the center at the center of a drawer less than 16 inches wide. Drawers 16-32 inches wide are best embellished with two smaller pulls 5-7 inches in length or one larger pull 9-12 inches long. Any drawer broader than 32 inches will require a pull longer than 12 inches.

Cup Pulls and Tab Pulls

Cup and tab pulls will follow the same sizing recommendations as bar pulls however, their placement will vary.

Due to their size and configuration, cup pulls are commonly reserved for drawers and are positioned at the top center or directly in the center. When installed on drawers, tab pulls should be placed along the top center of drawers. On upper cabinets, tab pulls are either installed vertically on the opening of the doors or horizontally on the very bottom.

Appliance Pulls

Appliances pulls are the perfect way to match your appliances and oversized cabinet doors with your decorative hardware. Appliance pulls are available in a variety of sizes from 12 to 30 inches. They should be placed on cabinet doors taller and drawers larger than 36 inches.

Waterhouse bath & kitchen studio has more choices that you would ever imagine.

We’re like a jewelry store for your kitchen and your bathroom vanity. 

You don’t have to stop there – why not update that dresser in your bedroom? 

The pulls on your desk drawers?

Let Waterhouse help you give your home a mini-facelift.

It doesn't need to be a special Occasion to use these fixtures...

Posted on September 29, 2022

Waterhouse proudly introduces the KOHLER Occasion bathroom faucet, lighting, and accessory collection.

KOHLER carefully poured over every aspect of the Occasion collection. The daring lines draw the eye throughout the entire design from the flawless symmetrically sloping edges to the pentagon-shaped base. The intent was to ensure every piece struck a delicate balance between elegance and flare— demonstrating a beautiful restraint in every detail.

Check out this widespread lavatory faucet in Moderne Brushed Brass paired with Kohler mirrors.

KOHLER designed the Occasion collection with continuous lines and graceful curves in mind. In this way, the collection blends classic beauty with modern style. The inspired design elements influence every aspect of the collection —from faucets and showering components to accessories. The collection also includes new two-tone finishes that further heighten the glamour of the room.

Waterhouse is currently obsessed with the signature pentagon shape of Kohler's new Occasion collection faucet handles. 

Waterhouse is doing everything we can to bring glam back, one faucet at a time.

The perfect balance between Occasion's facets, angles, and edges invite an interplay of light that catches the eye and gives this collection its signature look.

• Polished Chrome (CP)
• Polished Nickel (SN)
• Brushed Nickel (BN)
• Matte Black (BL)
• Brushed Moderne Brass (2MB)
• Brushed Moderne Brass/Matte Black (BMB)

And coming soon in French Gold (AF), Titanium (TT), & Brushed Bronze (BV).

Waterhouse, paired with Kohler, is ready to thrill you with all things shiny, brilliant, and inspiring!

We'll leave you with this gorgeous Kohler Occasion single wall sconce in Brushed Moderne Brass.