INAX to Distribute Product Line in U.S.

Terranee, CA - INAX, Japan's leading manufacturer of tile and sanitary fixtures, has begun distribution of its lavatory products in the U.S., the company recently announced.

"We are aggressively going after the rebounding remodeling business," said INAX's Senior Regional Sales Manager Paul Burghardt, adding that the company is targeting plumbing distributor showrooms "that are looking for outstanding designs and a technically superior product lineup."INAX, whose U.S. unit is headquartered in Torrance, CA, officially launched its U.S. product lines this month, offering a range of items that includes high-efficiency dual-flush toilets, advanced toilet "bidet" seats, bathroom washbasins, pedestals paired with one-piece toilets, and the company's new luxury "REGIO" integrated toilet, which has bidet functions and a soundtrack that plays when the user lifts the lid.

"We are aggressively going after the rebounding remodeling business," said INAX's Senior Regional Sales Manager Paul Burghardt, adding that the company is targeting plumbing distributor showrooms "that are looking for outstanding designs and a technically superior product lineup."

Bowled OVER

While much of the design focus in the bath centers around spectacular bathing and shower areas and beautifully detailed sinks, the more functional portion of the room has been hidden away or begrudgingly accepted as an undesirable necessity.

11. SensoWash Starck, a 'Shower Toilet' by Duravit, is the company's latest collaboration with designer Phillippe Starck. The flat, slim design that curves gently into the wall has a power-activated lid, a seat with rear, front and oscillating washes to provide three genderspecific wash types and a wireless remote control.In addition, the latest group of high-efficiency toilets provide greater flushing capabilities with less water usage, a bonus that will make environmentally and cost-conscious customers smile. And, bidets with multi-purpose options and "smart" toilet seats only add to the pampering environment that highly styled baths provide.Not anymore.Circle No. 216 on Product CardCircle No. 214 on Product CardCircle No. 212 on Product CardCircle No. 218 on Product Card3. Danze offers high-efficiency toilets (HETs) in several of its bath suites, including the Cirtangular two-piece, shown here. Available in White and Biscuit, and WaterSense certified, the Cirtangular uses 25% less water than a standard 1.6 gpf toilet. The new 1.28 gpf units are also available in the Orrington and Ziga Zaga collections.Circle No. 215 on Product Card6. K�hler is celebrating the 75th birthday of its Wellworth toilet by introducing a new version with Class Five flushing technology. The new model flushes at 1.28 gpf and is WaterSense certified. It is also available in a comfort-height model.7. Geberit's In-WaII Carrier Systems open up the space in powder rooms by mounting the plumbing fixtures on the wall instead of the floor. The systems are available for wall-hung toilets, wall-hung bidets and wallhung washbasins. All internal components are easily accessible.Circle No. 221 on Product CardThis month, Kitchen & Bath Design News takes a closer look at the latest offerings in the world of the water closet.Circle No. 219 on Product Card5. Caroma's Somerton Smart 270 One-Piece Toilet is a dual-flush high-efficiency toilet with a 1.28 gpf for solids and a 0.8 gpf rate for liquids. The Somerton Smart's contemporary styling includes an 'Easy Height' fully skirted bowl, and is suitable for ADA installations.4. The Porcher Solutions wall-mounted Dual Flush Toilet, part of the company's Solutions bath suite, offers the choice of 1.6 gpf or ultra-low consumption of 0.8 gpf. Its Geberit in-wall tank system is compact to accommodate small spaces.Today's toilets are highly styled to go along with their increased functionality, and can now take their rightful place as part of a dazzling bathroom design. From soft curves and geometric shapes to bold and striking colors, bath designers are now met with countless options to complement any style d�cor.1. Gerber has added two new toilets to its Avalanche series: the Avalanche 1.28 LS (shown) and the Avalanche gravity one piece. Both use 1.28 gallons per flush igpf) and are engineered with a 3" flush valve for quick evacuation. The toilets are available in White and Bone.10. The ECO-X Series of water-conserving toilets from INAX includes a lineup of one-piece and two-piece models with dual-flush action. The toilet uses 100 percent of the water with every flush to completely clean the bowl from the top down. The fixture's design is smooth from the tank lid to the base of the easy-toclean, full skirted bowl.8. Flushmate Pressure Assist Technology from Sloan Valve Co. conserves water. It is featured on the ULF toilet, which flushes less than 1.6 gpf, as well as the HET model, which flushes 1.0 gpf.Circle No. 220 on Product Card2. The new 1 .28 gpf Saver toilets from American Standard are designed to be installed with simple hand-tightening, so no additional tools are needed to install. Available in both one- and two-piece models, the Saver fits elongated comfort into a standard space, allowing small bathrooms to offer full-size comfort.Circle No. 213 on Product CardCircle No. 222 on Product CardCircle No. 217 on Product Card

Circle No. 222 on Product Card

A Nose Bidet � Your Ticket to Nasal Health

Nose bidets are becoming a very popular way to treat allergies and the common cold. The Neti Pot is the most popular nose bidet available. There is a new kind of bidet spreading in popularity across the United States. The nose bidet or Neti Pot is an age-old remedy used in many cultures to combat sinus problems such as:

4. Dry your nasal area. Once you�ve finished flushing your sinuses, make sure you�ve gotten all water out by blowing through your nose and drying the area around it with a towel or tissue.2. Relax your muscles. The most important step to this process is to relax your facial muscles. Breathing through your mouth can be more effective than holding your breath.Whether you choose to use a nose bidet on a daily basis or just for occasional sinus relief, following a step-by-step process will ensure a safe and reasonably comfortable process. You can purchase a nose bidet or Neti Pot at most local drug stores or order online if they are unavailable in your area. To use your nose bidet:Fighting a cold. The most common use of a nose bidet is to treat the common cold. Some people use it at the first sign of illness while others turn to it when all other remedies fail.Incorporating a nose bidet can help relieve sinus pressure and leave you breathing easier during cold and flu season or on a daily basis. It was even recommended by Dr. Oz on the Oprah Winfrey show. Give a nose bidet a try and your sigh of relief will be more satisfying than ever before.Chronic allergies. A nose bidet can help relieve the constant sniffling, sneezing and sinus congestion that plague many adults on a seasonal basis.Avid users swear by daily irrigation of the sinuses, similar to the routine of brushing your teeth.3. Pour the solution. Hold your head over a sink or tub and pour the solution into one nostril, allowing gravity to let it flow through your nasal passages. You may also want to repeat the process starting with the opposite nostril.

Incorporating a nose bidet can help relieve sinus pressure and leave you breathing easier during cold and flu season or on a daily basis. It was even recommended by Dr. Oz on the Oprah Winfrey show. Give a nose bidet a try and your sigh of relief will be more satisfying than ever before.

Firm's bottom line: high-tech toilet seat

Already flush with cash from selling his online music firm, entrepreneur David Samuel hopes to be sitting on top of another business success: high-tech toilet seats.

"The Solution ComfortSeat revolutionizes bathroom hygiene by taking the
traditional bidet and making it a Super Toilet," says Great Ideas
President Scott Rubin. "Traditionally, a homeowner would have to
have separate plumbing to have a bidet in their home but with the
Solution ComfortSeat, you can have your bidet and your toilet in one
device."Two thirds of injuries occurring in nursing facilities occur in the
bathroom. Both patients and caregivers alike suffer a wide range of
injuries from falls onto the bathroom's hard porcelain and tile
surfaces.Not only does the ComfortSeat(TM) provide the physically-challenged
user with superior personal hygiene, but it offers important
emotional benefits as well. According to Dr. Ronald G. Rubin, MD,
PASARR examiner and Chief of Psychiatry for Geriatric Behavioral
Healthcare Group, "Patient's who have used the Solution
ComfortSeat(TM) are extremely encouraged by its results. Many of our
patients who are unable to wipe themselves must rely on caregivers to
assist them. The ComfortSeat(TM) not only eliminates this
embarrassment, it builds the patient's self-esteem."The Swash 400 is heated and has push-button controls to adjust water pressure and temperature. A self-cleaning spray arm moves forward or back to adjust to the anatomy of male and female users.The Solution ComfortSeat(TM) affixes directly to a standard toilet in
minutes. Models are priced to fit any budget, from the affordable
Portable Solution Bidet ($129.95) to the state-of-the-art Bio
Ultimate Wash Bidet ($799.95). In many cases, some or all the costs
of the units are covered by the patient's health-care provider.The ComfortSeat(TM) can reduce bathroom injuries.Samuel co-founded San Francisco's Brondell Inc., which plans to start marketing the Swash, a toilet seat that sprays a stream of warm water to cleanse a person's private parts. It turns an ordinary toilet into a bidet, a water-spraying toilet device that is popular in Europe.Takagi Industrial Company USA Inc. is the nation's Number 1 seller of
tankless water heaters. The company's innovative and space-saving
products deliver hot water on demand with far less energy consumption
than their tank-based counterparts. Takagi's tankless water heaters
are available for both home and commercial use.The Comfort Seat(TM) helps the physically-challenged build
self-esteem.However, the fact that Americans are buying more personal-hygiene products, such as water filters and sonic toothbrushes, is starting to increase demand for the Washlet, she said.The seat has a reservoir that stores and heats about 34 ounces of water, good for up to a one-minute continuous stream of warm water, although the operation only requires about 15 seconds, Pinizzotto said. The top-end model can blow-dry a user in about a minute.Tres Bien adds the freshness and convenience of a bidet to any standard
American toilet fixture simply by replacing the existing toilet seat
with the elegant, low-profile Tres Bien model. Easier to use than a
traditional bidet, the resulting all-in-one unit features adjustable
water pressure, full temperature control, a warm-air dryer and
one-touch remote control.By enabling patients to easily and effectively clean their intimate
areas, the ComfortSeat(TM) is also able to reduce the spread of
disease from contact with the stool-borne bacterium, enterococcus.

However, the fact that Americans are buying more personal-hygiene products, such as water filters and sonic toothbrushes, is starting to increase demand for the Washlet, she said.

Author: Benny Evangelista San Francisco Chronicle

Takagi Introduces High-Tech Hygiene With Tres Bien By Fresh Seat

Now Americans can benefit from the enhanced level of personal hygiene
that people have enjoyed in Europe for more than two centuries with
the new high-tech, hydro-cleansing Tres Bien by Fresh Seat, a
division of Takagi Industrial Company USA Inc.

Brondell is named after J.F. Brondel, an English architect who developed the first valve flush toilet in 1738.An advanced Swash 600 also includes a wireless remote control and a blow-dryer designed to eliminate the need for traditional toilet paper."While many Europeans feel that no well-equipped home should be without
a bidet, this type of product has been virtually unknown in the
United States until very recently," said Yasue Fuki, marketing
director for Takagi Industrial Company USA Inc. "Attaching the Tres
Bien seat to an existing one- or two-piece toilet provides the luxury
of a bidet without the cost or space considerations of adding another
bath fixture."Toto claims a 55 percent share of toilets in Japan, but Washlet's U.S. sales have been slow because Americans have been reluctant to adopt bidet-type toilets, said Toto USA spokeswoman Lenora Campos.

To learn more about the elegant Tres Bien by Fresh Seat or the Takagi
line of tankless water heaters, call toll-free at 888-882-5244 or
888-8-TAKAGI or go to www.takagi-usa.com.

The Toilet of the Future: Next Generation Bidet Takes Off in U.S. Markets

Long a European and Japanese tradition, the bathroom bidet has taken
off in American markets with a uniquely high-tech product called the
Solution ComfortSeat.

Pinizzotto said he and Samuel added an extra "l" to the company's name because it looked better.The Swash, which slides into a docking bracket, is designed to fit 95 percent of what the company says are 220 million residential toilets now in use in the United States. It is connected to the toilet's water pipe and requires a nearby electrical outlet.Although infrared controls have made automatic flushing and sink faucets common in public bathrooms, basic toilet technology "hasn't changed much in 200 years," Pinizzotto said.Click here to launch the video! Multimedia available: http://www1.iwire.com/iwire/iwprd?id=053124To learn more about the elegant Tres Bien by Fresh Seat or the Takagi
line of tankless water heaters, call toll-free at 888-882-5244 or
888-8-TAKAGI or go to www.takagi-usa.com.Other features of the Solution ComfortSeat include:The Solution ComfortSeat, distributed by Great Ideas of Highland Park,
IL, is a toilet seat attachment that has been described as a
technological wonder because it features an easy-to-use control that
allows users to clean themselves with a stream of hygienic water, and
then subsequently dry themselves with a stream of warm air.The ComfortSeat(TM) can also reduce the spread of disease.Brondell has tough competition. Japan's Toto Ltd., the world's largest plumbing manufacturer, has sold more than 20 million high- tech Toto Washlets (seats start at $727) since 1980. They have a similar warm-water cleansing system plus a catalytic air deodorizer that turns on automatically.Samuel, 32, is Brondell's chairman. He co-founded Brondell in 2003 with chief executive officer Scott Pinizzotto, a former Sony Corp. design engineer who worked with him at Spinner.com when it was part of a group of San Francisco Bay Area digital music firms known as "Audio Alley."All Solution ComfortSeats(TM) come with a 30-day Satisfaction Guarantee
and feature the best warranties in the industry. For a full listing
of ComfortSeat(TM) models, features and prices, visit www.bidets.us.Brondell lists the Swash 400 at $699 and the Swash 600 at $899, although the company is offering a 38 percent discount through its Web site.Essential for anyone who wants that extra measure of personal hygiene,
Tres Bien also is ideal for senior citizens, sports and fitness
enthusiasts, and people who require a higher level of cleanliness due
to a variety of medical conditions. Additionally, Tres Bien offers
feminine hygiene convenience for women of all ages.

Click here to launch the video! Multimedia available: http://www1.iwire.com/iwire/iwprd?id=053124

Travel: Kids rule on the Costa

IT wasn't exactly the flying start I was hoping for - a five-and- a-half-hour delay at Gatwick airport.

Styles and TypesGlass of beer..............pounds 1There are restaurants and bars galore along the front, from seafood and traditional Spanish to true Brit boozers. We settled on a pizzeria for lunch, where two dustbin lid-sized pizzas, drinks (beer for me, juice for Polly) and an ice-cream to finish cost around pounds 15.Writing isn�t easy. Even people who do it for a living say so. Tasked to write something, most people end up spending hours staring into a blank page, unable to type even a single intelligible word.Soft drink.....................65pConcealed TankThe first form of argument writing shows both sides of a single issue, letting the facts speak for itself with regards to how people should feel about it. These pieces can be deceptive since it is easy to dwell on one aspect while selectively presenting the other. Still, if your aim is to argue successfully, this type of writing can get your opinion heard while presenting a more complete argument for your cause.So I resorted to bribery. Yes she could have a go on the bidet. "No, it isn't for washing your feet." But only on the condition that afterwards it was pyjamas on - and bed.We could have paid more - gambas al pil-pil (prawns in fiery garlic and chilli sauce), boccarones (anchovies in olive oil), followed by grilled fresh fish around pounds 20 per person. I treated myself to this on the final day.WHAT'S THE DEAL?Trying to persuade a youngster it's time for bed is never easy, as most parents know, especially when they are wide awake.Showing Two Sides Of An Issue* Intro BidetsSEA LIFE (pounds 6.40 for adults, pounds 5.30 for kids). A brilliant way to entertain the kids for an hour or so, especially if it's a rare day when the sun isn't shining. Feed the giant rays, find the real Nemo and his friends and be frightened by the sharks that swim over your head.The walk from our hotel to the centre of Benalmadena Costa, with its upmarket marina packed with yachts and cruisers, took about 30 minutes. It was early in the season and the beach - unlike so many on the Costas - wasn't packed.But little luxuries like this don't last long with a child in tow.These are the two ways by which the toilet flushes. Standard gravity-fed toilets use the weight of the water to force everything from the tank into the bowl and through the S-shaped trapway, where a siphoning action finishes the flush. The first pressure-assisted [flush] toilet was intoduced in the U.S. in 1984 by Mansfeld. Crane followed shortly thereafter and by 1986, virtually every North American manufacturer offered at least one PA model. In 1992 the government passed a law that restricted toilets to no more than 1.6 gallons per flush, as opposed to the old 3.5 gallons. These systems use trapped air to initiate the flushing mechanism.The word bidet (pronounced: bee day) is French for pony, a reference to sitting astride as if on a saddle. It is not a bathtub, shower stall or different kind of toilet (though it is placed next to the toilet) - it is hands-free, sit-down water washing unit or basin that used in place of wiping with toilet paper. Most Americans have never seen a bidet, unless they frequent upscale hotels in the U.S. and/or Europe. European's consider the bidet to be an essential part of their bathroom, in fact, no well equipped home is without one. Bidets are offered in a host of styles, from the traditional to the contemporary and usually match the toilet.TELEFERICO (pounds 7 adults, pounds 5 kids). A fabulous cable car ride to the top of the mountain overlooking Benalmadena and its neighbours, Torremolinos and Fuengirola. Great views from the cars, which take up to four people. Even better ones from the top, if like me you prefer to keep your eyes shut. Once at the top (the ride takes about 15 minutes) there are some amazing walks, plus birds of prey, a Spanish horse show and donkey rides for kids."How about the beach?""Real cool," said Polly. "Oh, hell," I thought. "We've come all this way (well a two-and-a half-hour flight) to find some sun and I'm going to spend the next seven days trapped inside a stifling building."Average cost of a: Three-course meal....pounds 8.50MARBELLA Around an hour away by bus is upmarket Marbella. Experience the old town with its beautiful Orange Square, or sit on a beach front bar (Palms is my favourite - and my daughter says they do the best banana splits in the world) and watch the beautiful people."How about an ice cream?"Despite my best efforts to get up in time for breakfast the next day, we just missed it.MaterialsTHINGS TO DO IN BENALMADENAThe first thing you need is a clear focus for your written piece. If you�re writing about the health benefits of a bidet, for instance, it doesn�t help to turn your attention to product installation or details of its construction. Keep your head on the subject and start writing with only that in mind.If you find your head a mess of ideas, creating an outline for the piece you�ll be writing will greatly help in completing it. Think about someone presenting the ideas to you and imagine how you would like it to be structured.For the bidet example, you may want a short introduction about bidets, leading into their various health benefits and concluding with an emphatic argument about how they may improve one�s life. You can outline this as such:We could have eaten for less along the promenade - all-day English breakfast with "sausages and bacon from home" and Heinz beans, plus toast, marmalade, mug of tea and orange juice for under a fiver (which I tried one day, and yes it was delicious).If you�re the same way, you can take solace in the fact that writing does get easier over time. If you develop the right habits that make it less of an exercise in shotgun hunting and into a disciplined activity of organized presentation, you can learn to organize your ideas and write them in a way that makes people take notice."Come on, Dad," said Polly as I struggled into my swim shorts and sucked in my stomach. "Hurry up."* Intro Health BenefitsI was shattered but my six-year -old daughter Polly had found a second wind...and discovered the bidet in the bathroom.Most toilets have separate tanks and bowls, making them two-piece, but some higher-priced toilets are one-piece, and they are generally more stylish. The benefit of a one piece is that you won't have leaks between the bowl and tank and they tend to be quieter.HOLIDAY INFO:A week's self-catering at the Benalmadena Palace Apartments this summer in a one-bedroom apartment starts from pounds 269 low season to pounds 474pp high season (kids' prices from pounds 89 low season, pounds 249 high. Book through Direct Holidays, 0870 191 9055 or at www.directholidays.co.ukGOLF Take your pick from the dozens of courses, from the not-to- expensive Mijas (around pounds 25 a around) to the empty-your- wallet and bring-lots-of- balls Las Brisas (pounds 50-plus a round).There's nothing better than sitting on a sunny terrace at the end of a bleak British winter and having breakfast in the sun.- For senior citizens

HOLIDAY INFO:A week's self-catering at the Benalmadena Palace Apartments this summer in a one-bedroom apartment starts from pounds 269 low season to pounds 474pp high season (kids' prices from pounds 89 low season, pounds 249 high. Book through Direct Holidays, 0870 191 9055 or at www.directholidays.co.uk

Author: PETER BISHOP