Architect John Frishman took two weeks to design a home for himself and ten years to build it.
Acting as his own general contractor, Frishman methodically selected and assembled an eclectic combination of retro and modern elements inspired by the home’s surroundings in Laurel Canyon, the hills above Los Angeles.
Frishman took his inspiration from Laurel Canyon’s history as an area of counterculture activity and attitudes born during the Prohibition era of the 1920s and revived during the 1960s. Throughout, the area has been home to generations of Hollywood artists and rock musicians.
These unique surroundings inspired Frishman to experiment boldly, juxtaposing elements that at first seem wildly different while never losing sight of the relationship between form and function. “The driving design force was using commercial-grade products and fixtures in a residential application to change the scale, the context, the sense of the faucets,” says Frishman.
Frishman selected Chicago Faucets for his kitchen and bathrooms. “Take a Chicago Faucet gooseneck out of a commercial application and place it in a residential application and it takes on a whole new appearance,” says Frishman.
Frishman experimented with products in unique applications. Chicago Faucets installation-friendly fittings gave him the ability to mix and match, as well as place components in different locations.
This was evident in the kitchen. Placing the handles for the kitchen faucet on the side of the sink instead of the back provides a modern edge and makes it possible to operate the faucet easily, without having to reach over the sink.
Custom features in the bathrooms were also a mix-and-match of faucets, showerheads, and accessories. Frishman used a Chicago Faucets deck- mounted cast spout with a 360-degree swing in the master bathroom. A stainless steel flex hose is attached to the faucet and then to the deck- mounted valves under the counter. Here too, the handles were mounted strategically to the side of the bowl. In the shower, Frishman selected the standard tub-and-shower combo for simplicity and ease of installation.
A deck-mounted gooseneck with a standard 90-degree chrome spout, alongside handles mounted on the wall, is paired with a round, white bowl in the second bathroom.
“I chose Chicago Faucets because they are standard, commercial grade, and quality made in the US,” Frishman explains. “I like the idea of taking commercial equipment and using it in a unique way, thus giving a different reference.”
Chicago Faucets lavatory faucets are ideal for residential applications. They are a durable, dependable option for any home. The faucets have a solid brass body construction, polished chrome plated finish, and are easy to install and maintain.
Chicago Faucets also solved a potential problem with excessive water pressure when a defective water regulator was installed. “A fire sprinkler contractor put in a defective pressure regulator for the water line; for years the pressure was 160 psi,” explains Frishman. “I had to get new valve stems every month. If I had used faucets designed just for residential use, they might have blown out. Chicago Faucets held up and stood up
to the pressure.”
“It’s about logic,” says Frishman. “Logic in design. I try to find the logic that relates to the application. I imagine the way I want to see it, and then I make it happen.”
The Chicago Faucet Company is part of the Geberit Group, a European market leader and global provider of sanitary technology. Since 1901, The Chicago Faucet Company, located in Des Plaines, Illinois, has offered commercial and residential products built to stand the test of time. A combination of the best engineering, finest materials, and quality workmanship has made Chicago Faucets the specified choice in many of the finest building projects throughout North America.
As European market leader, the Geberit Group is a global provider in
the area of plumbing technology with sales of CHF 2.1 billion and about 6,000 employees in 41 countries worldwide.
For additional information, contact The Chicago Faucet Company at 2100 South Clearwater Drive, Des Plaines, IL 60018, or call 800-323-5060. You can also visit Chicago Faucets at www.chicagofaucets.com.
Chicago Faucets Commitment to Conservation and Sustainability
Chicago Faucets is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, developer of The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.™ Chicago Faucets also partners with WaterSense®, a program sponsored by the EPA, and promotes water efficiency by enhancing the market for water efficient products, programs, and practices. We are also a charter sponsor of the Alliance for Water Efficiency, a non- profit organization dedicated to the efficient and sustainable use of water.
The Chicago Faucet Company 2100 South Clearwater Drive Des Plaines, IL 60018
Phone: 847/803-5000 Fax: 847/298-3101
Technical: 800/832-8783 www.chicagofaucets.com