Posted by Caren – October 1, 2007 9:00 AM
Tags: bathroom, hollywood regency

Guest Blogger: Jennifer Sergent, editor-in-chief, HGTV Ideas magazine

It's all about Hollywood these days — and not just starlets in the tabloids. The Hollywood glam look from the 1930s is back — big — everywhere you look. Restrateur B. Smith is set to introduce a Hollywood-themed furniture collection — aptly named "Glam" — at the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C., this week. We'll showcase some of her collection for furniture maker Clayton Marcus, with "the flair and style of the Hollywood of old," this Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show earlier this year was overflowing with glammed-up products.

Toto introduced two bathroom suites in its Ethos collection designed to evoke the glamour days of the early twentieth century. "Design N 1" (photo: top left) reaches back to New York's Cast Iron district with a chunky porcelain pedestal sink and classic faucet fixtures. "Design N II" (photo: top right) is more streamlined in the Art Deco and Art Moderne styles. In my opinion, the faucet handles evoke wings from a 1930s Pan American Airlines logo.

Kohler goes opulent with its Margaux faucets (photo: left) to "create an aura of classic elegance," while the striking black Alberry vanity (photo: right) would look fabulous with a sparkling crystal chandelier over it.

Speaking of crystal, Grohe introduced the jaw-dropping Kensington faucet, whose handles are comprised of huge Swarovski crystals (photo: top). In a similar vein, French manufacturer THG, in partnership with the renowned jewelry and crystal maker Lalique, introduced faucets worthy of Joan Crawford: the Ange (photo: left) and Metropolis (photo: right). The faucet handles in both are pure Lalique crystal.

The Ginger Company went so far as to put a picture of a flapper girl on its press kit introducing the Columnar collection of bathroom lighting, which will surely make you feel like you are a character in a sexy black and white Hollywood film. Taking the same design cues are the Columnar wall-mounted mirror and robe hook.

British manufacturer Samuel Heath quotes the noted designer William Morris to describe its regally iconic bathroom fixtures: "Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." Heath's vanity unit (Item L91) and valet stand (Item L926) will surely round out your glamorous Hollywood bathroom.