The Home Ownership Thread

[SkinnyGoomba]



Installing crown molding and medallions . Not sure if I need to do crown molding in the bathroom....will it detach with time from moisture?
I inherited couffered ceiling and now have to turn it into something less ugly (cannot remove that thing)...

Next will be chair-rail and decorative frames for the walls. I definately hope my walls are straight enough for this.
Painting the whole thing white afterwards.

Mouldings in the ceiling would probably help, it looks like someone decided to do a 'modern' take on a coffered ceiling, which would probably look really cool if it were exposed beams and framing members.

 

[Medwed]



Mouldings in the ceiling would probably help, it looks like someone decided to do a 'modern' take on a coffered ceiling, which would probably look really cool if it were exposed beams and framing members.

I am going to go 'full marsupial' and make arc de triumph out of it.

 

[SkinnyGoomba]

Lol, indeed. A full measure!

 

[Michigan Planner]

Damn you ice dams!

 

[idfnl]

So whose making the best plumbing fixtures these days? I was suggested Waterworks, any other brands I should give consideration?

 

[LeatherBoot]



So whose making the best plumbing fixtures these days? I was suggested Waterworks, any other brands I should give consideration?

I think Dornbracht makes the best. I am also very fond of Vola's stainless fixtures though theiy don't have a ton of designs.

If you need a bit less expensive Fantini is very good as is Gessi. And if you want more Waterworks priced stuff Hans Grohes Axor line (and regular line actually) are excellent. Their new iBox rough in is awesome.

 

[LeatherBoot]

oops double

 

[idfnl]



I think Dornbracht makes the best. I am also very fond of Vola's stainless fixtures though theiy don't have a ton of designs.

If you need a bit less expensive Fantini is very good as is Gessi. And if you want more Waterworks priced stuff Hans Grohes Axor line (and regular line actually) are excellent. Their new iBox rough in is awesome.

Thanks, this helps quite a lot. I know the Grohe brand, but those Dornbracht products are very nice.

How do you rate the Waterworks products versus these?

 

[LeatherBoot]

Thanks, this helps quite a lot. I know the Grohe brand, but those Dornbracht products are very nice.

How do you rate the Waterworks products versus these?

Sorry for the rambling:

I have almost no experience with Waterworks. They are well regarded but they don't make very modern looking faucets so I cannot comment.

I just remolded my place and I have Dornbracht in the kitchen and all the bathroom sink faucets are Vola stainless steel and the showers and baths are all Hansgrohe.

Dornbracht in general is regarded as the best (and if California didn't have such strict laws on GPM I would have done all my showers with them) but it is a brand name and you pay for that. Their factory (100% made in Germany) only makes a few products at one time so if you order something that they don't have in stock and isn't currently in production you can wait a long time. They are just coming out with a lot of electronic controls for kitchens and showers. I saw the Porsche Kitchen by Poggenpohl in New York recently and they use Dornbracht faucets with electronic controls for the drain and water temperature.




Vola basically only has Arne Jacobsen designs from the 1950s (that everyone has now copied...inducing Dornbracht)...Vola is as expensive as Dornbracht and can be more expensive if you go stainless steel. Quality-wise I think they are equal (everything is made in their factory in Denmark) BUT their collections are incomplete in my opinion. If you want a towel bar for instance they pretty much just have one ugly design for their entire range of products.

Hansgrohe (not to be confused with Grohe) is a monster...I suspect they are the largest in the business. They make a lot of their products in China, Canada, and Turkey now in addition to Germany. The Axor line is all made in Germany except for the iBox rough-ins which are made in China. The Axor line products are a step down from Dornbracht though I am sure the function is the same and they have a lot of Philippe Starck designs. For showers the iBox rough is amazing because it can be used with any Hansgrohe trim...so it's one rough for their entire line. It has also been on the market for 10 years so it's been extensively tested.

 

[idfnl]



Sorry for the rambling: I have almost no experience with Waterworks. They are well regarded but they don't make very modern looking faucets so I cannot comment. I just remolded my place and I have Dornbracht in the kitchen and all the bathroom sink faucets are Vola stainless steel and the showers and baths are all Hansgrohe. Dornbracht in general is regarded as the best (and if California didn't have such strict laws on GPM I would have done all my showers with them) but it is a brand name and you pay for that. Their factory (100% made in Germany) only makes a few products at one time so if you order something that they don't have in stock and isn't currently in production you can wait a long time. They are just coming out with a lot of electronic controls for kitchens and showers. I saw the Porsche Kitchen by Poggenpohl in New York recently and they use Dornbracht faucets with electronic controls for the drain and water temperature. Vola basically only has Arne Jacobsen designs from the 1950s (that everyone has now copied...inducing Dornbracht)...Vola is as expensive as Dornbracht and can be more expensive if you go stainless steel. Quality-wise I think they are equal (everything is made in their factory in Denmark) BUT their collections are incomplete in my opinion. If you want a towel bar for instance they pretty much just have one ugly design for their entire range of products. Hansgrohe (not to be confused with Grohe) is a monster...I suspect they are the largest in the business. They make a lot of their products in China, Canada, and Turkey now in addition to Germany. The Axor line is all made in Germany except for the iBox rough-ins which are made in China. The Axor line products are a step down from Dornbracht though I am sure the function is the same and they have a lot of Philippe Starck designs. For showers the iBox rough is amazing because it can be used with any Hansgrohe trim...so it's one rough for their entire line. It has also been on the market for 10 years so it's been extensively tested.

Awesome, thanks. Didn't know Grohe was a different company. I had their stuff when I lived overseason. Next step is to try the products out at some local shops so I'll go to a local retailer and judge them hands on. I have a lot to go on now. Again, thanks.

 

[LeatherBoot]

Awesome, thanks.

Didn't know Grohe was a different company. I had their stuff when I lived overseason.

Next step is to try the products out at some local shops so I'll go to a local retailer and judge them hands on. I have a lot to go on now. Again, thanks.

No problem. Grohe and Hansgrohe aren't the same company but they were started by the same family...one is the father and the other is the son. I have had bad experiences with Grohe quality, so I would avoid them.

 

[idfnl]



No problem.  Grohe and Hansgrohe aren't the same company but they were started by the same family...one is the father and the other is the son.

Something very German about that, ha ha.

 

[Medwed]

Both Grohe and Hans G considered top shelf makers in Europe. I am not sure if it is 100% accurate for US market but I have read that H. Grohe is 100% German made while Grohe is not.

 

[sonick]



Something very German about that, ha ha.

Thinking Adidas & Puma?

 

[idfnl]



Thinking Adidas & Puma?

That's it! I couldn't put my finger on it. They were brothers, Adi and Rudolf.