Its name is “far out” enough to make one a little-dreamy eyed, but the collection itself made me want to see it in an actual kitchen installation. Named after a cloud of dust and gas in outer space, Silestone’s Nebula consists of six new colors whose fine particulate makeup and discreet, indistinct veining do suggest the effect of some sort of  celestial phenomenon—pretty groovy stuff. Elegantly neutral, the colors include Merope, Lagoon, Altaire,

Cygnus (which I found calming),

Doradus,

and Lyra.

All come in a 63-in. x 128-in. size in a 1-cm, 2-cm or 3-cm thickness.

For those who want a little more drama in their countertops, or who really like the look of granite but prefer quartz’ durability and ease of care, Galactic may offer a solution. Also available in a 63-in. x 128-in. size in a 1-cm, 2-cm or 3-cm thickness, it, too, comprises six colors: Halley, Kimbler, Giallo Nova,

Quasar,

Seleno,

and Dragon.

Even though I know these photos aren’t ideal, I really wanted to post some images of Brizo’s new offerings, and unfortunately, the press CD I have doesn’t contain any. In fact, for some reason, I couldn’t even open the folders of press releases, so information will be scarce here.

First up is Charlotte, a new collection of bath faucets with a vaguely feminine look. I liked the wall-mounted faucet and its curved lever handles,

but what was of particular interest were the other models shown in a “split finish” consisting of a cocoa brown and metal (was it nickel? I can’t remember). In the following images, the rich brown color appears near black, but you get the idea…

Another noteworthy debut was the Vuela, which was also shown in a split finish that paired black with metal. A definite statement maker, its bold form, inspired by that of a swan, may not be for everyone, but is quite a head-turner and lends it a sculptural quality.

I would love to see it in an actual kitchen. What would the rest of it look like? What kind of cabinets, countertops, sinks and backsplash would the kitchen have? Any ideas?

The Top Knobs booth was crowded when I stopped by. Much of the traffic seemed to centered around the company’s new Passport Collection display, which featured what looked like a stack of suitcases on which the four lines of decorative hardware were shown.

As you may have guessed from its name, the collection uses a variety of well-known international destinations and sights as the jumping point for its designs. These include: China’s Great Wall,

Rome’s Trevi Fountain,

the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the Tower Bridge in London, Africa’s Victoria Falls and the city of Luxor in Egypt.

Available in the third quarter, Passport will be offered in brushed satin nickel, polished chrome, polished nickel, pewter antique, Tuscan bronze, German bronze and light bronze.

Interestingly enough, visitors to the booth were being asked for their opinion on the collection as well as a variety of prototypes also on display. By filling out a form with their likes and dislikes, all will have a chance to win an iPad—which seems like a pretty smart strategy to get people into your booth, no?

Day One of the show ended yesterday and it seems that most attendees I talked to were upbeat. The first hour after the show floor opened was a little more quiet than expected but then the energy picked up and held pretty steady for the rest of the day.

My first stop was the TOTO booth, which showed the Maris Collection, among several new lines. The company’s nod to Mid-Century Modernism, it’s an attractive suite that includes a dual-flush toilet with a lever on the side of the tank rather than a pushbutton on top.

At 1.28/0.9 gpf, it’s water-efficient and self-cleaning, thanks to its Dual-Max Cyclone Flushing System and a redesigned bowl interior coated with SanaGloss.

Also part of the collection are an undercounter sink and a semi-recessed vessel, both of which put a soft spin on contemporary design.

—Alice Liao