Experience the Luxury of Water
On August 15, Splash Kitchen and Bath opened its fourth showroom in Bridgeville, joining its other locations in Cranberry Township, Murrysville and Glenshaw, PA. The showroom, conceptualized by SPLASH and Nicklas Supply founder Mark Nicklas, displays the “latest and greatest” in technology from plumbing to tile to hardware, as well as a private experiential room where customers can actually try out different showerheads during a shower or discover the therapeutic benefits of different tub technologies while immersed in the water.
“Each one of our showrooms has a different personality, and our new Collier Township showroom offers the opportunity to truly try before you buy,” explained Marketing Director Kristin Nicklas.
Plans for the new showroom started about three-and-a-half years ago, when Mark Nicklas came up with the idea of creating a place where customers could truly experience the luxury of water in the home. “To this end, we have working lavatory faucets in a trough sink that they can try, working kitchen faucets, a shower garden with 20 different types of shower heads, working water closets, and a functioning shower that has three different systems that include Thermasol steam, Axor, and Hansgrohe,” he explained. “We also have working therapeutic tubs with either whirlpool action or air jet systems.”
Customers can experience the advantages of a BainUltra tub, which offers six therapies designed to help bathers relax with a focus on health and well-being. The tubs contain powerful air jets strategically located at the base of the tub that deliver a therapeutic acupressure-based massage, triggering a chain of beneficial physiological reactions including reducing tension, relaxing muscles, combating stress and eliminating toxins. Geysair® technology envelops the bather in a feeling of warmth and well-being as streams of air help maintain a consistently warm water temperature.
“The primary benefit of an air tub over the traditional Jacuzzi is hygiene. Bain Ultra’s tubs have the unique ability to provide massage therapy without recirculating stagnant water sitting in jet channels behind the tub’s surface,” explains Kristin Nicklas.
BainUltra tubs also come with chromatherapy, or light colors calibrated at different frequencies, each of which is designed to provide a stimulating or soothing therapeutic experience. These tubs also feature essential oil diffusers that create an aroma cloud to enhance physical and psychological well-being.
In comparison, Hydro Systems tubs provide micro silk technology that infuses oxygen into the water. “This can have a skin-healing effect, which is especially helpful for eczema and other skin conditions,” Kristin Nicklas explained. Hydro Systems has also introduced the latest addition to their therapy tubs with a cold plunge option.
Integrated radiant heat panels emanate heat through the acrylic tub surface and users can choose two to five heat zones while bathing. Because Hydro Fusion systems are intuitive, they are able to maintain users’ selected temperatures, keeping bathwater exactly where they want it, meaning that users don’t have to constantly add hot water while soaking.
“What’s really unique about this showroom is that our clients can experience this technology,” says Kristin Nicklas. “They also have the ability to feel the benefits of a steam shower and to swap out hand showers—for example, if they want to see how easy it is to wash shampoo out of their hair.”
“If you were going to buy a car, you’d want to test drive it, and if you’re going to buy an $8,000 tub, you want to actually experience it first,” added Mark Nicklas. “You’ll probably have this tub longer than the car you purchase.”
The showroom itself offers a range of design themes and aesthetics; for example, one dark-colored bathroom is very masculine, while another is more feminine.
“There is no one-size-fits-all,” said Kristin Nicklas. “All of our clients have unique tastes, whether they want a bespoke, luxurious bathroom, a bohemian look, or a spa-like bathroom. Our showroom reflects all of these options.”
A fully functioning kitchen vignette includes running water, a luxurious kitchen faucet, workstation sink and disposal, a dishwasher, microwave, gas range and refrigerator so that customers can experience what it’s like to have a state-of-the-art space. Options include silverware trays, drawers that hide mixers and other appliances, hidden trash cans, and numerous cabinet storage solutions that provide the opportunity for clients to see the organizational benefits of different options.
“Clients can even experiment with the different spray patterns of various faucets to see how well they clean a dish or rinse a cup, or how they coat your hand when you’re washing off soap,” said Kristin Nicklas. “When we designed this showroom, we were very intentional that if there’s anything that needs to be experienced, the client can experience it.”
Mark Nicklas adds that the products carried by Splash are on the cutting-edge, whether it comes to plumbing, kitchen cabinetry, tile, or architectural door hardware. “We try to make it pertinent to today’s applications and styles so that people look forward to putting it in their homes,” he said.
Creating an Inviting Space
The 4,000 sq. ft. space, which held its grand opening on August 15, was created with the help of Rick Avon of Avon Architecture and UHL Construction. According to Martha Nicklas, since its opening, the space has only grown in popularity.
“We’ve had a tremendous outpouring of positive reviews since we opened,” she said. “People not only come in on their own, but we’ve already had architects and designers come in with their clients.”
It’s easy to be inspired in the showroom, which is beautiful as well as functional. As the exclusive distributor of Artistic Tile in the Pittsburgh area, Splash took advantage of the new space to display a wide range of that company’s work.
“The showroom includes a lot of new and unique tile installations featuring hand-carved stone, fluted and various grooved pieces of marble, and products that can’t be found elsewhere in Pittsburgh,” said Kristin Nicklas. “We’re always looking for new products that are on trend, and that includes carrying Artistic Tile, which continues to win Interior Design Magazine’s “Best of Year” for new product designs.”
Founded by designer Nancy Epstein in the 1980s, Artistic Tile is an exclusive importer of natural stone tile and also carries porcelain and ceramic tiles, glass, metals, and anything related to the tile and stone business. Customers can choose from hundreds of both natural stone materials and several hundred proprietary patterns designed in-house at the company’s New Jersey headquarters to best fit into their homes.
“When you look at a single piece or sample or swatch of any material, unless you have a design background, it’s difficult to extrapolate that one piece into a complete project. Having the ability to walk into a showroom and see it all together and see how it fits with your vision makes a huge difference,” explained Phil Varlese, regional sales representative for Artistic Tile. “Splash not only showcases our product, but displays different layouts that provide creative input into how a product will work for a client using certain materials.”
Artistic Tile primarily specializes in natural stone and searches the world for unique materials that no one else carries, including stones in blues, reds and other colors. “That’s really what our strong suit is,” said Varlese. “Just like a snowflake, each piece looks different. Using this gorgeous unique, natural material, a designer and installer working together can create some truly amazing installations.”
The new showroom provides customers with a chance to see the latest custom-made cabinets as well, which are hand-finished with special lacquers and colors formulated just for Splash.
“These are things you can’t buy from a production cabinet company,” explains Splash’s custom cabinetry specialist Russell Rice, noting that these cabinets may feature specialized drawer inserts and other amenities that make the kitchen even more functional.
“The kitchen is the heart of the home, but it’s also the primary workroom of the house, so it needs to be efficient as well as beautiful,” he explained.
“With a custom product, you also see details that are not typically seen in a production-type of product from the joinery to how the product interacts where it meets the wall,” he added. “A lot of the time, customers will see images that they like online, but don’t know what it is about that image that is making it special for them. We’re able to determine that. We can also provide guidance and inspiration and show them different items to really personalize the cabinets to their individual tastes and individual style of the home.”
“As far as cabinetry goes, there are so many options that it’s important to spend time with a designer to explain the things you desire, whether that’s having a hidden trash can next to the sink that comes out when you touch the cabinet, or the way a corner or pantry cabinet functions,” added Martha Nicklas.
She noted that one growing segment of the market is designing for those aging in place who may need roll-out drawers or amenities that provide easier access.
“It’s important that customers see how these things function so they can imagine what their space will be like,” she said.
Other trending options include providing power inside cabinet drawers so that users can charge cellphones and other electronics and interior drawer configurations that include knife blocks. Rice notes that today’s customers are almost as interested in the inner workings of cabinets as they are with their outward appearance.
“We’re also seeing a definite trend where grays, which have been hot for a number of years, are starting to transition into lighter woods like maple or white oak with a light, rich brown stain on them,” he added. “People also don’t want panels on the fronts of island anymore; they want something that has texture and dimension.”
Customers are continuing to mix and match finishes, using a primary finish around the perimeter of the room and accentuating that with wood islands of white oak, mahogany, maple or walnut.
“That adds a little pop in the visual appeal of a room,” Rice said.
In addition to custom-made cabinetry, Splash also carries stock and semi-custom cabinetry to meet every customer’s budget. This is especially important for rooms that may not need top-of-the-line finishes, such as laundry or mud rooms.
While Splash welcomes retail customers who want to get some inspiration for future projects to visit their showrooms, those who are ready to move forward on a renovation will find it helpful to call first and make an appointment.
“Projects take time and we want to be mindful of our clients,” said Kristin Nicklas. “A lot of details go into a project, and calling ahead can ensure that we have all the necessary information needed to get started and progress from there.” She added that Splash works with individual homeowners, remodelers, architects, designers, contractors and more.
She noted that most people, even when looking for something as basic as a shower system, don’t understand all that it entails.
“One of my friends started looking online for a shower system before contacting us; she didn’t realize all the items needed behind the wall, like different transfer valves and rough-in valves,” Nicklas explained. “We pride ourselves on knowing all of the nuts and bolts that go into a project. We can ensure you have all the parts and pieces your plumber needs.”
Customers can also feel comfortable shopping at Splash because the company vets all of the products it carries with sustainability in mind. “When introducing products into our showroom, we look for quality – typically for the manufacturer to stand by its product. We prefer to sell products made in the U.S., however, many are sourced worldwide,” said Nicklas. “We strive to sell products made utilizing good work practices, fair wages, and ultimately ensuring that products are made responsibly.”
Splash’s new Collier Township showroom is located at 533 Mayer Street in Bridgeville, PA. The three other showrooms are located at 1237 Freedom Road in Cranberry; 4807 William Penn Hwy. in Murrysville and 1400 William Penn Hwy. in Glenshaw. For more information, visit www.splashshowrooms.com. NH