The colors of water
The British designer duo Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby wanted to develop nothing less than a new archetype with "AXOR One". To this end, they designed a minimalist bathroom collection for AXOR that, thanks to its Select technology, enables intuitive operation of the faucet: the water can be conveniently turned on or off by pressing down on an all-in-one control, while the temperature is increased by turning it clockwise. The "AXOR One range" here comprises 31 products that are perfectly coordinated with each other and were previously available in Chrome, Matt Black or the individually selected "AXOR FinishPlus surfaces". A new addition is now "AXOR Colors". This is a range of colored faucets, also curated by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, which are inspired by the interactions between light, color and water and are available in the private sector for selected products in the collection.
"The extension comprises six color variants for non-public spaces, available through our AXOR Signature service. Upon request, almost any AXOR product can be further personalized, customized, and adapted via AXOR Signature services. Edward and Jay curated these colors for us to evoke specific aspects of water in relation to the earth and the sky. The palette draws on the designers’ observation that color often increases in vibrancy and intensity when seen through water, and it reflects the design brand’s elemental connection to nature through water," says Anke Sohn, Head of Global Brand Marketing AXOR about the concept. The palette selected by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby is finely nuanced: the blue-green of the "Aquamarine" shade, for example, captures the chromatic character of a calm ocean surface, while "Coral" has a warm, red-orange hue. Ice" is a light, muted blue found in the layers of glaciers and sea ice, and "Stone" is a strong gray that captures the overlap of coast and sea. In addition, there are the shades "Shell" as a cool, grayish pink and "Sand" as the color of the coast on an outgoing tide.
In addition to the respective color compositions, the concept is also continued in the actual production of "AXOR Colors": For example, the selected faucets were given a gloss finish that covers the respective color like a layer of water. This not only makes the surface easy to clean, but also gives it more depth and liveliness. In this way, "AXOR Colors" creates a very concrete reference to the topic of water, as the respective faucet reflects its surroundings analogously to a water surface – and thus brings a piece of nature into one's own bathroom. In doing so, Jay Osgerby emphasizes the importance of the interplay between color and space for new bathroom concepts: "Each color balances the ability to become part of a calm visual field with limitless scope for self-expression and individuality, reflecting the way in which bathrooms and small cloakrooms are increasingly becoming places that are less about neutral utility and more about original and impactful design. We chose the colors to complement the widest range of bathroom finishes, from enamel and concrete, to marble and wood."
