Leadership

Structure Development

Sept. 1, 2005
5 min read

Kohler

www.kohler.com

Kohler's Undertone Trough sinks are ideal for entertaining guests or preparing gourmet meals. These practical sinks can be installed virtually anywhere in the kitchen to allow discerning home chefs to customize their workspaces. For example, they can be used in a bar or island to keep beverages cool or perishables fresh while cooking.

The Undertone Trough sinks feature a new and distinctive rectangular shape with gracefully sloping basins. They come in four lengths — 22, 33, 43 and 60 inches — all with a basin depth and width of 6 inches. Wire drying racks and storage baskets are included for added convenience. Click here for more information

IN MY OWN WORDS

"We buy a lot of Kohler products. As a company, Kohler does such a good job of making a quality product that everyone in the market is comfortable with the brand. Kohler is also an innovator and always seems to have products that stretch the design imagination — I love that about them. I think that's why Kohler is one of my favorite branded products. They set the tone for a lot of people. "One product that is a real stand-out is a long stainless steel sink that spans the entire island. That is really an awesome product — so unusual and so outstanding."

JELD-WEN Windows and Doors

www.jeld-wen.com

JELD-WEN French doors with AuraLast wood are guaranteed to resist termites and decay for 20 years. Thanks to JELD-WEN's revolutionary vacuum/pressure treatment process, the active ingredients in AuraLast wood penetrate virtually down to the core of the wood. This is in contrast to conventional dip-treated wood, which offers only surface protection. AuraLast wood comes standard for all JELD-WEN U.S.-produced pine windows, which are available in a variety of styles. AuraLast is available in many door styles as well. Click here for more information

IN MY OWN WORDS

"We use JELD-WEN's French doors, sliders and aluminum clad wood windows. I was at a house yesterday that had taken delivery of their products and, as I looked at them, I thought: 'This is a really high quality product. It makes a huge impact on the design of a house.' We're using JELD-WEN a lot because the windows are competitive price-wise. At the same time, it is a very high-quality product."

CaesarStone

www.caesarstoneus.com

Superior to other manufactured and stone surfaces, CaesarStone's extraordinary physical properties soon became internationally recognized, establishing a new product genre in the industry.

CaesarStone is the original, engineered-stone surfacing material, comprised of approximately 94 percent natural quartz aggregates, plus color pigments and polyester resins.

Practical, durable and beautiful, CaesarStone has clear advantages over natural stone and other surfacing materials.

It is available around the world in the widest range of colors in the industry. Click here for more information

IN MY OWN WORDS

"A lot of the simulated products on the market don't look real — like an authentic stone. CaesarStone has overcome that issue with is a beautiful and innovative, simulated-granite product with wonderful colors and really nice finishes. We use it quite a bit in our very high-end custom homes. Being authentic to architectural character is very important to us. This is the first time I've found a so-called 'granite substitute' that actually has some advantages over granite in its durability and lack of porosity, and it doesn't have the staining issues you have with granite. We're seeing it go into kitchens, baths, everywhere. We're using it more and more, and we're getting huge numbers of requests for it."

Trus Joist Silent Floor System

www.trusjoist.com

The comprehensive FrameWorks Floor System from Trus Joist starts with the strongest structural components in the industry: Trus Joist's Silent Floor joists with TimberStrand LSL rim board and beam products. The system also integrates the new TJ-Performance Plus panel, with recommended adhesives and installation requirements. The entire system has been engineered from top to bottom to provide superior floor performance that assures customer satisfaction. "The FrameWorks Floor System will redefine how the industry thinks about floor performance," says Tom Denig, president of Trus Joist. Click here for more information

IN MY OWN WORDS

"I remember when squeaky floors were a major issue for us. We would lead a homeowner into a house, and they would take a step and hear a creak. We'd have to send crews in to re-secure the sub-floor to the floor joist. The FrameWorks Floor System eliminates a nagging problem that once didn't have a solution. It isn't exciting or glamorous, but for me as a builder, it is a wonderful product."

Walker Zanger Tiles

www.walkerzanger.com

Mantra, Walker Zanger's newest line of luminous, versatile glass mosaics, captures the purity of handmade glass, an organic art form long cherished in India and throughout the globe for its decorative uses. Mantra is available in 10 colors, with gloss and matte finishes. (Shown here is Mantra in Sari Blue Gloss.) They are ideal for a variety of medium-duty residential applications. Click here for more information

IN MY OWN WORDS

"One product that I am enamored with is Walker Zanger Tiles. From the beginning, they have consistently blown the market away in terms of their quality, and they set almost every design trend in surface materials. Walker Zanger is constantly coming out with new lines of glass tiles that are mind-boggling showstoppers. They just do something that no one else does in terms of their design creativity: I have to give them my vote. Their catalog is like taking a fun field trip — that's the way I feel about it."