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prowfixtures

Faucet design feedback request

4 years ago

Dear Houzz community,


I have been developing a kitchen faucet design for a few years now, and I am finally at the stage where I can show off the expected results. I am excited to share this work with you and hope that you might offer feedback.


Our kitchen faucet is a wall mount that will offer users the functionality they've come to expect from deck mounts and the inherent qualities of a wall mount - distinction, cleanliness and luxury.


After years of searching in galleries and online (thank you Houzz forums!) I realized that deck mount faucets seem to have run away with the attention of faucet designers. There are very few wall mount faucets available, and those that are available force the customer to compromise on some front (dual levers/no spray hose/difficult installation/no gooseneck...). As someone who has used an old style wall mount faucet from the 1940's I experienced the ease of clean up and sovereign countertops. Unable to find a contemporary wall mount that had the features of a deck mount, I began to design my own.


Prow Fixtures is nearing the point of having a functional prototype constructed out of brass. We're excited to include the features we have repeatedly heard requested: pull-down hose, single lever, gooseneck spout, and ease of installation. Installing the faucet will be less invasive than standard wall mounts and offers easy removal.


We know that style is an individual choice and that there's more to a sink than just a faucet. We expect to offer our faucet in multiple designs and finishes, as well as with a suite of matching fixtures (soap dispenser, food disposal button, drain catcher). We welcome your suggestions as we move toward a functioning product.


Wall mount faucets have great value to offer us - we can enjoy unimpeded views of our gorgeous countertops, and the ability to effortlessly wipe around the sink is indisputable. Below is our CAD work of the prototype. Please ignore the gray finish as this is a computer rendering and not an actual photo.


I hope this will not be mistaken as a sales pitch or advertisement, but that I have turned to Houzz many times for insight from your discussions and know that you are well informed and might enjoy this work.


Thank you!




Comments (8)

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    @kudzu9: "How does the pull-down hose work?"

    Right.

    1. The hose has to run from the valve, down the wall, back up the wall, and through the valve area to the spout. How are you fit the hose twice through the valve area?
    2. To operate smoothly, the hose must run unobstructed between the valve and spout. The hose of a deck-mounted faucet simply hangs underneath the faucet. The base of your spout sits forward of the wall. Won't this require two sharp bends in the hose? How will the hose slide smoothly up and down? Won't the hose abrade over time?
    3. The faucet will require two water lines and the hose (twice). Where is all that going to fit? How would you even install this faucet?
    4. If the hose leaks won't it cause a mess inside the wall? How would you even know it was leaking until the leak had cause a big mess because you can't see the hose inside the wall? (It's bad enough if the hose leaks under the sink of a deck-mounted faucet.) How would you repair or replace a defective hose?
    Prow Fixtures thanked wdccruise
  • 4 years ago

    Certainly with this configuration the wall has to be planned before construction instead of the sink deck being planned. Both cases will require some sink cabinet back ravaging, depending ....

    The single lever pull needs to be far enough from the fixture to take "fat" hands.

    Considering the wall mounting scheme (not shown) and the required empty wall interior filled with tubing, there has to be access for installation, removal, and repair. This might need special insulation approaches on an insulated exterior "6-inch" wall. An insulated exterior "4-inch" wall might not be suitable. Mounting on tile or stone or plastic stone may require new techniques.

    While I only have to remove garbage disposals to get to my sink deck mounted faucet components, working on this baby might require hiring a contortionist.

    Nice aspects are brass, even if plated, and not only the clear deck, but the eliminated leakage of a deck not perfectly sealed to the faucet and/or faucet control.

    What about soap dispensers? What about pot fillers, RO water dispensers, etc. Deck clearance may require a wholistic approach beyond a single faucet.

    Prow Fixtures thanked kaseki
  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Thank you for your comments!


    After trials on handle placement I decided that forward facing has several advantages: It is ambidextrous and more intuitive (hot on left, cold on right), also because the handle is over the sink, drips are neatly contained instead of pooling up at the base of the backsplash.


    Regarding the issue of routing hoses - which you are right to be concerned about - we have demonstrated that we can run lines effectively from their connection points without adversely affecting water supply or ease of use. We are designing it so that connection points that are easily accessible and can be assessed without invasive work.


    Clearance in the wall cavity is required, but this is not much different than installing a fixture in your shower. We don't expect to need more than 3-4" away from the nearest stud. As with all projects that set one's work apart from the ordinary, installing this faucet will be more than a plug-and-play deck mount. Because the focus has been on deck mounts for so long I believe we have become accustomed to expect easier and easier installs, compared to other wall mount faucets this will deliver on those expectations.




  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I'll be honest, it looks like an interesting and unique design looking for a niche to fill - and in the process doesn't work well.

    The front mount handle is a non-starter. I don't want to get my sleeve wet every time I use the faucet.

    The mounting (install) and the hose issue don't seem to have been addressed.

    Note that if installation is a pain, contractors are going to avoid it. Note also that it really commits the owner to that faucet. Changing faucets - for whatever reason... style, function, can't get parts, etc. -- now becomes a major project.

    Many kitchen sinks are centered below a lower window. How does this work with a window framing / trim / sill? Does it stand off the wall far enough to clear ?

    I'm not even that crazy about the Art Deco bottom - the rest of it looks nice, but I sure wouldn't buy it myself or use it on a project. I would advise anyone that asked my opinion to steer clear.

    Prow Fixtures thanked Jake The Wonderdog
  • 4 years ago

    @Jake The Wonderdog: "The front mount handle is a non-starter. I don't want to get my sleeve wet every time I use the faucet."

    Right. You'd have to reach around the faucet, swivel the spout to the side, or pull out the hose to prevent getting wet.

    @Prow Fixtures: "Clearance in the wall cavity is required, but this is not much different than installing a fixture in your shower."

    It's a lot different. Once the rough-in valve is installed, nothing moves. In this case, the hose slides up and down inside the wall, abrading both the hose and the wall. What does one do it the hose gets stuck or won't slide all the way back into the spout?

  • 4 years ago

    I don't like plumbing in walls without access for any purpose, including showers.

    For the sliding friction issue, the Delta Brizo faucets have their moving weighted hose encompassed by a bag.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Thank you all for your candid feedback, I really appreciate it and will integrate it into the design as much as possible. I'll try to address a few of the concerns.


    A) The forward facing handle is a feature that I feel is worth a second chance. There have been discussions on these forums about this exact issue:


    https://www.houzz.com/discussions/4994431/can-single-handle-on-kitchen-faucet-be-mounted-forward


    https://www.houzz.com/discussions/2563408/would-a-front-facing-faucet-handle-bug-you


    All the comments confirm the benefits I described earlier. The only reasons I can think of for locating the handle to the side are: Convention and aesthetic preference, as well as slightly more room for large pots. Of these reasons I believe that aesthetic preference is the only one that holds much water (pun intended). I don't believe there is a "right" way, but one way certainly has more functional benefits. Handle (and cartridge) placement also comes into play when designing a faucet where the exterior shape simply requires placement in one location over another.


    My own deck mount faucet at home has the handle facing forward and I cannot think of a single time I have sprayed water on my arm while trying to use it.


    B) I was not prepared for how sensitive the issue of actual installation would be, but now I am glad for the feedback as I believe we can address it in the design. From what I have seen, most (if not all) wall mount faucets require plumbing rough-ins of some sort, I would be nervous about that as well because it usually means very little flexibility when the time comes to actually install the fixture and everything has been done and covered up. Our design eliminates the need for rough-in plumbing and allows generous adjustments almost up to the end (about the time of installing the backsplash - which I believe is after the countertop and sink are installed)


    Per your feedback, we are planning to use a bracket to allow for easy installation and removal within the whole line of faucet styles we expect to have.


    C) Regarding the spray hose dangling around in the insulation and by other pipes, we plan to have a system in place to isolate the hose and prevent it from getting caught on anything. This will also allow one to pack insulation up close to the hoses without restricting their movement. The Hansgrohe sBox is a system that looks like it does this very well.


    D) I admit that the aesthetic design is not everyone's cup of tea, and it probably wouldn't be mine if I had to live with it forever. But I did have to come up with something that we could get started with for a prototype. We expect that this faucet can be designed in almost any "style" while retaining the features we want to integrate, this is a first step.


    Thank you again for your feedback, it was super helpful and I'm excited to address it in more detail as we move forward with the development!