Accessories
There are infinite elements that make up any given space. Accessories, including area rugs, decorative screens, drapery hardware, artwork, and mirrors are the finishing touches – and sometimes the defining elements in residential and commercial spaces alike.
Acoustical Solutions
Encompasses multiple strategies that improve the sound quality of indoor environments—especially large spaces like educational venues and open-plan offices. From decorative panels to inset (hidden) panels, wall tiles, peel-and-stick tiles, mobile partitions, desk screens, and suspended or direct-fix ceiling systems, acoustical solutions beautify a space while enhancing wellbeing through noise reduction. Materials vary—from polyester to wool felt, glass fiber, cork, and more.
Boards / Easels
Includes whiteboards, dry-erase boards, tackboards, cork boards, display easels, tabletop easels, and flip-chart holders.
Hardware
Try making an office building, house, school, or hotel without hardware – it's the glue that holds it all together and adds style, cultural context, and personality. Hinges, handles, chains, locks, and latches are now available in a multitude of metals, plastics, wood, synthetics, and recycled materials.
Miscellaneous Accessories
Includes other products that support individual or group needs, such as reading stands, desk organizers, coat racks/hooks, signage.
Privacy / Boundary Screens
Freestanding, movable screens that define space and provide visual privacy; not part of a systems offering.
Projection Screens / Video Walls
Screens are made of specialized fabric designed to provide high-quality image reproduction. Specialized coatings and different colors may be used to provide optimum viewing for varying degrees of ambient light. Video Walls offer comprehensive multimedia presentations of images and sounds. Both screens and walls may be incorporated into the venue’s infrastructure with a variety of finishes and veneers.
Technology Accessories
Anything and everything to help your tech function smoothly and seamlessly. Computer accessories include stands, screen filters, keyboard trays, and mouse pads. Monitor arms allow pinpoint positioning of screens for good ergonomics. Power and data accessories incorporate charging infrastructure and manage cabling for convenience and a clean look.
Auxiliary Furniture
Generally defined as pieces that serve in a helping or supplementary role, Auxiliary Furniture includes everything that aids the central purpose of a space. For a workspace, this can mean movable items like utility carts and lecterns as well as fixed pieces such as planters and recycling stations.
Carts
Utility carts, printer stands, flat-panel TV stands, and other freestanding products that hold and/or transport equipment or other items. Usually mobile with lockable casters.
Lecterns / Podiums
Lecterns are raised stands and tabletop products that hold a presenter’s notes on a slanted surface. Podiums are elevated platforms on which people stand when speaking or presenting.
Planters
Bring nature into your space with an array of planters that suit eclectic tastes. Materials include cast stone, brass, fiberglass, terracotta, aluminum, bronze, plastic, wood, concrete, resin, glazed pottery, and stainless steel. The aesthetic ranges from organic curves to geometric rectangles, streamlined, and modern shapes. They may also be custom branded and incorporated into indoor or outdoor seating.
Reception Stations
Desks or work surfaces, usually set within low-height walls or panels, that serve as welcoming sites in reception areas or lobbies.
Recycling Stations
Bins, carts, or other containers placed in areas where people can deposit materials to be recycled.
Building Systems
Undeniably the most important facet to great architectural and interior projects is the detailed design that goes into the building and construction. From facade systems, windows, and doors, to architectural woodworking and finish carpentry, building elements are constantly updated to be more durable, environmentally-friendly, and intuitive to the needs of our modern society.
Building Accessories
Integral to a building’s form and function, building accessoriesconstitute the details filling up the spaces between high-volume materials like concrete and steel. Examples include fasteners, primers, trimboards, pegboards, ridge vents, flashing, stair nosing, expansion joint covers, weather seams, and bar grating. Also includes adhesive products like grout, sealant, and mastic.
Concrete
As simple as water, aggregate, and cement, concrete has a plethora of applications for both exterior and interior use. Browse our selection of reinforcing products, chemicals, precast concrete, and maintenance material.
Doors and Frames
Beyond mere exterior doors, buildings and residences incorporate a variety of entrances and exits – garage doors, sliding doors, French doors, or patio doors made from materials like wood, glass, and steel are just a few ways to allow air, light, and energy to harmoniously flow throughout a building.
Engineered Wood
Made by fixing or binding strands, particles, fibers, or veneers of lumber in order to create structural members like beams, floor trusses, and roof trusses that are engineered to precise design specifications for strength and stability. Also encompasses finish products like flooring, ceiling panels, wall cladding, and countertops made by fixing hardwood veneers to a base of ply layers made of less expensive woods and reclaimed wood strands.
Exterior Glazing
From minimal interior renovations to large architectural facades, glazing can be more than a stunning visual. It's key for thermal performance, protection from moisture, acoustics, and safety. Laminated, tempered, tinted, coated, or insulated glazes may be used to guide a project and achieve the look or efficiency desired.
Exterior Sun Control
From simple awnings, roller shades, canopies, and pergolas to high-tech films and large-scale architectural features such as outriggers, vertical blades, brise soleil, and mechanized systems that maximize efficiency by adjusting to the sun’s intensity.Bar grilles, airfoils, and custom designs in perforated metal are popular styles for building facades. Materials include metal and extruded aluminum with finishes available in Kynar paint, powder coat, baked enamel, and anodized metal.
Facades and Cladding
A facade is the entire visible exterior of a house or building while cladding refers to the elements that make up the facade, excepting the windows. There are many types of cladding and a mix of materials is often used. Options include brick, wood, concrete, stone, vinyl, architectural terracotta, metal panels (including decorative perforated sheets, aluminum, steel, and copper), laminated transparent or opaque plastic, porcelain tiles, glass or ceramic mosaic panels, and living green walls.
Fiberboard and Particleboard
Made from captured wood waste and resin, fiberboard (often known as Medium Density Fiberboard or MDF) is made of uniform wood fibers pressed and glued under heat and pressure, while particleboard is made of different types of wood waste (including sawdust). Because fiberboard is denser and more uniform it is more versatile, while particleboard is less expensive. Applications includecabinets, decorative panels, window and door casement, baseboards, furniture, sound proofing, structural sheathing, and as underlayment for flooring and countertops.
Fireplaces/Mantels
Old-fashioned to contemporary, fireplaces are in style year-round. That's why rustic, wood-burning fireplaces and modern gas or renewable fuel-burning types are as popular as ever. Consider a new built-in wall fireplace or freestanding fireplace to accentuate the ambiance indoors or on an outdoor patio.
Insulating Concrete Forms
An alternative method to build foundations and walls. ICFs are parallel sheets of foam joined by small connectors to leave a large gap between the two (usually around eight inches). ICFs are stacked and then concrete is pumped into the cavity to create the foundation or wall. Used in both residential and commercial applications, ICFs have several advantages over traditional construction including strength; durability; safety; energy efficiency via improved insulation; and resistance to insects, mold, rot, and mildew.
Insulation
A variety of techniques and materials used to retain heat or cold and improve energy efficiency. Placed between wall studs or over floor joists, batt and blanket insulation is made of fiberglass, cellulose, wool, and green or recycled materials such as reclaimed blue jeans. Board insulation is rigid foam attached to walls or wood members with connectors. Sprayed/blown insulation features foam, wool, or cellulose fiber that is sprayed between walls, onto ceilings or foundation walls, or into cavities between floor and ceiling joists.
Interior Window Treatments
Draperies come in multiple materials and styles: natural fabrics like linen, wool, velvet, and cotton; polyester and polyester blends for easy clean-ability and antimicrobial performance that are ideal for healthcare and educational venues. Roman shades provide a classic look for intimate environments, while large mechanized shade systems modulate light and minimize heat gain to improve the energy efficiency of buildings.
Louvers / Grilles
Grilles are lattice designs made of wood or metal, typically used for air return or heat/AC delivery in HVAC systems. Louvers adjust to increase or decrease the opening in order to control the volume of air. Other uses include ventilation of cooking appliances, fire and smoke vents, and explosion and pressure relief vents. Architectural wood and metal grilles may be used for interior or exterior decorative features.
Preserved Wood
Wood’s vulnerability to insects, rot, mold, and decay can be reduced with a variety of preservation methods such as chemical infusion (typically copper-based), pressure, or kiln drying. Preserved wood comes in many forms: reclaimed wood from old structures, fallen trees, and new treated lumber. Applications include exterior siding, flooring, ceilings, and outdoor uses like decks and railings.
Railings / Fencing
From the classic white picket to industrial security applications made of metal, fences and railings can be purely functional, exclusively aesthetic, or somewhere in between. Materials like wood and wrought iron are common in residential use, while wire, metal, glass, and acrylic are often found in commercial venues. Synthetics that mimic the look of natural materials can offer a desirable look at a lower price point.
Sheathing
The underlayment beneath floors, roofs, and exterior siding.Common in residential construction, wood sheathing like OSB or plywood provides structural strength and a nailing surface for siding and floors. Glass mat sheathing is common in commercial construction. Cement board features a glass fiber mesh for heat resistance, making it ideal for masonry or tile. Non-structural sheathing (foam, foil-faced boards, and plastic) is used primarily for insulation and weather-proofing.
Structural Insulated Panels
Also known as SIPs. Most often made of a layer of foam sandwiched between sheets of OSB or plywood, Structural Insulated Panels are used for wall, floor, foundation, and roof systems. Compared to conventional framing, they provide enhanced insulation and decreased construction time. Alternative sheet materials include stainless steel, reinforced plastic, magnesium oxide, and fiber-cement. Some panels use a core of agricultural fiber such as wheat straw.
Weather Barriers
For preventing intrusion of moisture and air. Weather barriers form a continuous layer of protection to keep building components free of deterioration and mold. Proper sheathing with weatherproof-taped seams keeps out air, and house wrap repels moisture. Liquid and spray applied barriers provide monolithic protection across the entire exterior surface. Specialized wraps, foams, and flashing direct moisture away from the structure to protect vulnerable entry points like windows, doors, roofs, and foundations.
Windows
In addition to light, views, fresh air, and cross-ventilation, windows provide visual relief for a building’s or home’s facade. Units may be fixed, operable, or a hybrid between the two. Moisture protection and thermal performance are fundamental considerations, influencing the choice of materials for the frame, glazing, and perimeter details.
Ceiling Systems
Residential ceilings typically use flush mount coverings like standard wallboard, wood, cornice moldings, or ceiling tiles. Drop ceilings, common in commercial construction, use suspension or grid systems to place a decorative ceiling beneath the structural ceiling. This approach conceals mechanical and electrical components, plumbing, pipes, and wiring while allowing maintenance access. Materials for drop ceilings include decorative wood, mineral fiber, wool, fiberglass, gypsum, and metal. Specialized fabrics and felt tiles or panels may be used for sound control.
Drywall & Gypsum Ceilings
The workhorses of ceiling materials, drywall and gypsum are versatile, low-cost solutions for both drop ceilings and flush-mount finishing. Drywall provides flame-resistance and superior insulation. Gypsum is frequently used in grid-style drop ceilings for easy plenum access. It can also be fashioned into functional and decorative acoustical panels.
Fabric Ceilings
An attractive and affordable solution for drop ceilings where concealment of the plenum space is desired. Fabric may be loose draped in decorative configurations, wrapped around a PVC or fiberglass core as an acoustical baffle, or stretched to provide complete concealment and sound control. Fabric offers limitless creativity, as it may be shaped into everything from butterflies to waves, simple lines to diamond-like facets.
Metal Ceilings
Metal is surprisingly versatile. Advantages in ceiling applications include strength, moisture resistance, and lightweight, Metal tiles are effective in a grid system as they can be easily removed for mechanical access without fear of breakage. They’re also easy to clean. Options include steel, brass, copper, aluminum, and chrome, with finish designs in metal mesh, stamped tin, interwoven metal strands, and powder-coated paint. It may also be over-layed with wood laminate or plastic or adhered to an acoustical backing for excellent sound control.
Mineral & Wood Fiber / Wool & Fiber Glass Ceilings
Fiberglass reinforced plastic provides an exceptional strength/weight ratio and is easy to mold into tiles for grid systems. Made of completely natural materials, cementitious wood fiber and stone wool are sustainable solutions with excellent acoustical performance and inherent mold/mildew resistance, making them ideal for humid environments like swimming pools and rec centers. Options include grid installation and floating/suspension systems with decorative panels.
Other Ceilings
Innovative approaches with cutting-edge materials to achieve customized solutions. These ceilings may be flush mount or grid systems with excellent acoustical performance and modular capabilities. Materials include compressed polyester, melamine foam, recycled polyester felt, or polycarbonate. They are lightweight and durable, offering easy installation and options like customized shapes, coatings, and edge detailing.
Suspension / Grid Systems
Grid Systems offer convenience, reliability, and ease of installation. They are perhaps the most cost-effective solution for drop ceilings where easy access to the plenum space is desired. Most feature a galvanized steel grid for rust resistance. Options include choice of lay-in panels or snap grid and a variety of grid colors to coordinate with colored panels. Suspension / Grid systems may also accommodate drywall andindirect light coves.
Wood Ceilings
Combining a classic aesthetic with excellent acoustical performance, wood ceilings may be flush-mounted for a uniform look or suspended in intricate displays. Solid wood panels are beautiful statement pieces while veneers offer design versatility. Grilles, waves, linear configurations, and perforated tiles provide excellent acoustics. Suspended systems may be designed for maximum concealment or for an industrial look with an artful reveal of plenum infrastructure.
Flooring
Flooring covers a significant amount of square footage in any given project, so it goes without saying that it has substantial impact on the end result. Consider the desired level of comfort, durability, longevity, maintenance, and cost when making your selection. Wood flooring, laminate flooring, masonry flooring, vinyl flooring, and resilient flooring offer long-lasting solutions; carpeting is a soft alternative; and area rugs provide a less permanent option with a transformative capacity. Don't be afraid to mix and match.
Area Rugs
Whether large or small, area rugs provide an impermanent means of introducing color, pattern, and texture into a project: from hand-knotted rugs in traditional Oriental and Persian designs to wool/silk blend floral print rugs produced with high-tech machinery.
Carpet
Likely the most comfortable flooring (and the best insulator too), carpeting is widely used everywhere from hotels and homes to educational institutions and commercial settings. Modular carpeting (carpet tiles) allows for more customization and ease of installation than traditional broadloom.
Hardwood Flooring
Natural, beautiful, and easy to clean, wood flooring comes in many shapes, sizes, and species. Newly milled or reclaimed, local or exotic, wood floors vary in color from dark browns to rich reds, pale golds to weathered greys. With options like strip, plank, and parquet formats, as well as solid, antique, or engineered wood, wood flooring offers something for everyone - for commercial or residential spaces, in traditional, transitional, or contemporary styles.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring offers a less expensive alternative to the real thing, often mimicking wood (or stone) flooring in appearance. Multiple layers of synthetic flooring are fused together with a lamination process and topped with a photographic applique image under a clear protective layer. The inner core is generally comprised of melamine resin and fiber board compound.
Masonry Flooring
Known for its exceptional strength and raw aesthetic, masonry flooring is made from rugged stone and clay in its authentic versions of marble and slate, or in the manmade flooring of brick or terrazzo. Masonry flooring boasts a higher price point, but its heat retaining and pure aesthetic properties allow this tough flooring to maintain popularity.
Raised Flooring
Modular products that are installed on architectural floors to provide routing and easy access to wiring, cables, and / or HVAC.
Resilient Flooring
Boasting stain-resistance and durability, vinyl and resilient flooring are available at a variety of price points. The most widely known resilient flooring is made using linoleum, cork, rubber, and vinyl. Each option offers a natural shock-absorbing floor that is quite comfortable underfoot.
Specialty Flooring
From solid rubber to solution-dyed polypropylene to artificial turf, specialty floors are required in venues with unconventional demands and heavy use. Examples include sports stadiums, fitness/rec centers, and automobile showrooms. Rubber offers excellent strength and durability and a huge range of aesthetic options. Artificial turf not only carpets football stadiums but also backyards in drought-prone areas. Cork is a sustainable solution with a compelling aesthetic and excellent acoustics.
Stair Treads
Wooden stair treads offer a classically beautiful look and warmth underfoot. Common woods for custom treads include Tiger Maple, Birch, Ash, Walnut, and Pine. For durability and slip-resistance in commercial applications, molded fiberglass and metal treads may be installed over a cement or wooden sub-structure. Grate-style treads in galvanized metal act as boot/shoe scrapers, removing mud and snow to help keep indoor floors clean.
Terrazzo Flooring
A versatile and beautiful material that suits residences as well as upscale commercial venues with heavy foot traffic. The basic formula involves an aggregate of marble, granite, or quartz that is mixed with cement, poured in place, then polished. Epoxy matrix systems offer enhanced binding, enabling the use of materials besides stone (shells, recycled glass, and even plastic). The epoxy binder may also be dyed to match or complement the color of the aggregate, thus expanding terrazzo’s aesthetic possibilities.
Vinyl Flooring
An expansive category with many different incarnations, vinyl refers to a synthetic material made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is cost-effective and very durable. Homogenous sheets are a premium long-lasting product with a uniform material throughout its thickness, making it ideal for high-traffic. Heterogeneous sheets are made of different layers, thus providing design variability. Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) provides the look of real wood, stone, or ceramic. Woven Vinyl tile (WVT) uses a vinyl textile to create the look and texture of a woven material.
Healthcare
One challenge with healthcare furnishings is to find a synthesis between the high demands of the venue and aesthetic appeal, as studies show that a comfortable environment is linked to good patient outcomes. Manufacturers and designers are thus making efforts to introduce biophilic elements, bright patterns/colors, and furnishings with a residential feel. Common categories include overbed tables, caregiver stools, bariatric seating, treatment chairs, and sleepover seating. Technology carts and wall stations recognize the needs of providers – speeding up workflow while enhancing ergonomic comfort for doctors and nurses.
Bariatric Seating
Chairs and seating modules with increased weight capacities for use by heavily built people.
Caregiver Stools
Stools, usually mobile and height-adjustable, for use by caregivers during interactions with patients.
Healthcare Lounge
Comfortable seating for patients and their families to make the waiting room more welcoming and less stressful. Ideally, healthcare lounges are attractive and spacious with all the functional qualities needed for the venue: antibacterial/antimicrobial finishes, replaceable components, mobile and ganging options, and a wide variety of sizes and styles including single, double, triple, bariatric, and booth.
Hip Chairs
Chairs with elevated seats that lessen the need for people to lower their bodies into a sitting position.
Overbed Tables
Mobile, height-adjustable tables/trays that extend over a patient’s bed; may be used for meals, personal items, or caregiver tools.
Patient Chairs
Chairs that provide adjustable ergonomic support for patients; designed to allow easy access to patients by caregivers.
Patient Room Casegoods
Cabinets and dressers, often in matching surface treatments, for the storage of patients’ possessions.
Recliners
Patient-room chairs, for use by patients or guests, with reclining backs and adjustable footrests.
Rockers / Gliders
Chairs with rockers or gliding mechanisms that allow easy, healthful movement.
Sleepover Seating
Sofas or settees in patient rooms that can fold out to provide a place for guests to recline and sleep; storage drawers/compartments are often included.
Technology Carts / Cabinets
Carts, usually with lockable casters and height adjustability, and cabinets, either mobile or stationary, that support and/or transport laptops, PCs, flat-screen monitors, keyboards, and CPUs.
Technology Wall Stations
Wall-attached products that support computer stations for shared use among clincians. May be height-adjustable.
Treatment Chairs
Adjustable chairs, usually with reclining backs and adjustable footrests, that allow caregivers to position patients for treatment.
Kitchen & Bath
The kitchen is the heart of the home while the bath plays a vital supporting role. Outfitting each requires sinks, faucets, and casegoods. Kitchens also require appliances like ovens, cooktops, dishwashers, refrigerators, and range hoods; while bathrooms need the extra infrastructure of bathtubs, showers, and toilets. Commercial venues have specialized needs like toilet partition systems and urinals.
Bathroom Faucets
Beyond style and finish options, bathroom faucets are available in single-hole, center set, widespread, or wall-mount faucet type.
Bathroom Sinks
While porcelain may be the most common material, contemporary bathroom sinks are available in stainless steel, concrete, quartz, and stone composite, as well as unconventional materials like resin, bronze, glass, and wood. Shapes and styles vary as well, with large rectangular slab style sinks popular in public restrooms and square, circular, or farmhouse sinks found in homes. Installation options include above-counter, drop-in, wall-mounted, and freestanding pedestal sinks.
Bathroom Vanities
Bathroom cabinetry, vanities, and console tables range from solid, storage-driven solutions to delicate, lightweight forms. From traditional to classic modern and utilitarian, bathroom furniture spans all styles. Consider space, storage, and style.
Bathtubs
Ranging from freestanding objects to sunken or enclosed basins, bathtubs come in a vast range of styles and sizes. Material choices include typical porcelain or poly-composites, copper, cast iron, brass, stone, wood, acrylic, and Cristalplant.
Bathtubs / Shower Faucets
Gone are the days of the conventional combo-style shower/bath. Contemporary faucets offer a seemingly unending choice of shape, style, finish, mounting type, and water performance features. Overhead rainshower styles are de rigueur for showers and waterfall spouts are popular for tubs. Mounting options include ceiling mount, wall-mount, deck-mount, and floor (tub filler). Detachable spray faucets are versatile and convenient. There are various choices for water delivery as well, including pressure balance or thermostatic valves, fast and slow massage, aerated spray, whirl, and soft drench.
Bidet Faucets
Bidets need faucets too! While they may be under-appreciated in North America, bidets are a staple feature of bathrooms throughout Europe, Asia, and Spanish-speaking America. Faucet options include thermostatic and pressure balance valves, single or dual-handle, and a variety of stylish finishes.
Drains
Watch water disappear from sight with a variety of drain plates and drain assemblies. For sinks, choices include pop-up drains (for basins with overflow) and simple grid styles (for basins without). Shower drains have become increasingly stylish and functional, with easy-clean options in square, circular, or linear styles, as well as materials to match the shower pan like Teak, ceramic tile, and stone.
Flushometers
Used in commercial venues, flushometers enable efficient, high-pressure flushing for tankless toilets. They include the handle as well as a mechanism (often concealed behind a wall) housing low and high-pressure chambers with a piston or diaphragm between the two. The flushing action equalizes the pressure and allows incoming flow from the water supply. Flushometers are used on urinals and toilets. Options include push button, touch-free sensor flushing, and eco-friendly modelsusing a turbine powered by water flow.
Garbage Disposal / Disposer
Garbage disposers work by directing food waste to a rapidly spinning plate that propelsit against the wall of a grinding chamber, breaking it up into tiny bits that get washed away. While the basic design hasn’t changed in some time, advancements include higher torque for superior grinding, sound insulation, and drain boost technology to help remove jams.
Kitchen Faucets
Traditional kitchen faucets have been outnumbered by contemporary, tech-savvy, functional kitchen faucets with innovative spray mounts, touch solutions, and water-saving features. While stainless steel and brushed aluminum remain popular, matte black and white offer trendier options.
Kitchen Sinks
Scale, depth, location, materiality: from simple single bowl, stainless steel undermount sinks to granite, porcelain, and fireclay options with drainboards and preparation zones, double bowls, and even innovative color ranges, there's a broad range of kitchen sink options.
Plumbing
A broad category encompassing the many ways we bring water in, consume it or use it for heating, cooking, and cleaning, and then dispose of it in the form of waste water. Subcategories include water heaters (traditional models as well as “instant” heaters that don’t require tanks), water filtration systems, heat exchangers that transfer energy from wastewater to freshwater, and eco-friendly use strategies like graywater systems and rainwater catchment and storage.
Shower Systems & Heads
Shower Systems are all-encompassing water delivery strategies for a spa-like experience in an enclosed shower space. They include a mix of several components including the showerhead, hand-held sprayer, body sprays, wall brackets, valves, and trim. They may also offer luxury features like programmable lighting and incorporated sound systems. Available finishes include chrome, steel, onyx, nickel, copper, and brushed brass.
Toilet Partition Systems
Fundamental for establishing a sense of privacy and safety in public restrooms. Styles include simple wall-mounted panels for urinals, ceiling-hung booth styles, and fully-enclosed closet styles for luxury environments. The material should reflect the demands of the venue. Good choices for high-use environments (schools, stadiums, and parks) include metal and high-density polyethylene. Luxurious louver-style enclosures made of wood are an attractive option for upscale hospitality venues.
Toilets / Bidets
Options abound for both toilets and bidets. Available shapes include elongated, compact elongated, and round; different heights from standard (low) to ADA compliant to relaxed (chair height) are offered; and tankless, water-saving toilets are common in commercial venues. Upscale features include tornado flushing systems, integrated personal cleaning wands, ion-barrier surface treatment for bacterial control, and heated seats. Most toilets are made of porcelain but different materials are available. Both toilets and bidets may be specified in nearly any color.
Urinals
We can thank Marcel Duchamp for bringing the urinal to the forefront. Despite its seemingly standard shape and form, it's been slimmed down and redesigned in recent years -- leading to new options for new (and old) spaces.
Washroom Accessories
A quick look reveals the many accessories in any bathroom: towel rings, towel bars, and grab bars; soap dispensers, TP dispensers, and towel dispensers; shelves, hand dryers, and miscellaneous hooks. Common materials for public venues include stainless steel and high-density plastic, while residential bathrooms may contain a mix of wood, tile, brass, bronze, and polished nickel.
Lighting
Lighting is a tremendously diverse category offering multiple opportunities to improve the function, aesthetics, and ergonomics of a space. Most locales require a mix of lighting typologies—from ambient lighting to task lighting to accent lighting. In general, residences will focus on aesthetics; workspaces will prioritize function; and hospitality venues will require a healthy mix. An effective lighting plan will consider the type, range, and frequency of activities in a given space and develop a strategy accordingly.
Accent Light / Track Light
Almost always adjustable, accent and track lights are designed to provide a focused beam to accent or highlight an object. Also called “adjustable” or “spot.” The fixture has optics and throws light.
Acoustic Lighting
Combining a light fixture with an acoustical material that improves sound quality, acoustical lighting most often features an exterior covering of wool or PET felt with integrated LEDs for a downward projecting lightsource. Many configurations are available—from baffles and beams to domed pendant lights to rings, stars, grids, and other geometric configurations.
Architectural / Linear / Suspended
The concept behind architectural lighting is that the illumination of a space should match its feel. The lighting should conform to the aesthetic and function of a building and be part of an integrated system. Linear lights provide a streamlined look and an even, comprehensive distribution of light. Suspended systems work well for venues with high ceilings, such as open workspaces, museums, restaurants, and retail.
Decorative Lighting
Chandeliers are the ultimate statement piece. With multiple heads and lamps, they create an impression of classic luxury, though they also appear in modern incarnations with intersecting rings, floral shapes, and asynchronous, other-worldly configurations. Bath and vanity lighting must match the décor while providing targeted, flattering light. Floor and table lamps illuminate a defined space while offering a personal touch.
Direct / Indirect
Luminaire designed to provide both uplight and downlight, sometimes with multiple lamp sources. Also called “up/downlight,” and “ambient.”
Downlight / Surface Mount
Luminaire designed to light an area directly below the fixture. Variable beam distributions/widths. Not adjustable.
Industrial
High-efficiency, fluorescent luminaire consisting of a strip light with side-mounted reflectors. Also called “shop light.”
Lighting Accessories
There are almost as many lighting accessories as there are types of lights. Ballasts regulate current for proper functioning of fluorescent, HID, and some LED lamps. Dimmer switches enable a desired brightness. “Lamp” is an industry term referring to the actual light source (bulb). Other accessories include installation infrastructure, power supplies, and motion detectors.
Linear
Horizontally Oriented. A Luminaire whose dimension along one side is significantly greater than its other dimensions.
Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting is available in many of the same designs as indoor lighting, but is built to withstand rain and wear. Outdoor ceiling lights illuminate spaces under the roof of a patio or porch. Outdoor wall lamps, floor lamps, and landscape lighting provide illumination throughout the yard or along a storefront.
Sconce / Wall Mount
Sconces and wall-mounted fixtures provide brightness at a particular location on a wall and marker lights provide targeted illumination of other surfaces or objects for decorative or way-finding purposes.
Specialty Lighting
For venues with specific needs or unorthodox requirements. Canopy lights are mounted to a ceiling, soffit, or overhang for parking garages. Exit/emergency lighting provides illuminated signs for way finding in a potentially dark environment. Teleconference luminaires offer glare control and targeted distribution for maximum visibility.
Step Light
Luminaire designed specifically for stair/ramp lighting applications, where the luminaire is recessed in the stair riser or an adjacent wall.
Task Light / Under-Cabinet
Luminaire designed to focus light directly on a work surface, mounted at or very close to the work surface itself. Types include desk lamps, under-cabinet lights, and under-counter lights.
Uplight
Luminaire designed to provide indirect lighting only. Also called “indirect” or “ambient.”
Wall Washer / Wall Grazer
Luminaire designed to light a wall from the ceiling. Wallwash applications and specialized luminaires include single wall, corner, and double (two opposing walls).
Multipurpose Surfaces
From countertops and vanities to cladding, featured walls, and art displays, multipurpose surfaces give spaces a compelling finishing touch. Creativity abounds in this category with a variety of material options including glass, metal, laminate, and resin.
Digital Solutions
Refers to any surface with an integrated digital display. Digital solutions includes interactive signage, interactive educational displays, interactive informational displays (as in a museum), and integrated monitors featuring specialized branding or advertisements. Video walls are a large-format digital display with several monitors or projectors tiled together to create a single screen.
Glass
Transparent, semi-transparent, smooth, textured, three-dimensional, single-ply, and double-ply – as simple as the material may seem, there are infinite types and variations. Other options include tempered glass, laminated glass, and float glass.
Laminate
A versatile and affordable alternative to wood veneer, laminates are made by fusing together thin layers of paper and plastic resins. Another advantage is the great variety of image, pattern, and texture, as laminates may duplicate the look and feel of wood, metal, leather, and stone. Uses include countertops, tabletops, and cabinet faces.
Metal
Customized metal materials and metal work can be produced easily and cost-effectively. Perforated metal is often used in cases where weight reduction, optimized acoustic properties, and improved heat dissipation are desired.
Resin Panels
Resin is a durable, chemical resistant, and versatile substance made from organic compounds and polymers. Many resin panels have a large amount of post-consumer material, meaning they’re an eco-conscious choice that helps keep material out of landfills. Panels may be opaque, transparent, or translucent. They’re available in a variety of colors, and some use a technique that embeds materials like paper, leaves, or printed graphics within a transparent panel for a unique aesthetic.
Stone Slabs & Other
Natural slabs like marble and granite offer a classically beautiful aesthetic. Engineered stone provides a comparable look at a better price point. Porcelain slabs are made from a plentiful material—they are cost-effective and durable with excellent water resistance. Slabs are principally used as kitchen countertops and vanities. Additional applications include shower surrounds, tabletops, and outdoor kitchens.
Tile
For exterior and interior applications, tile adds luxury and personality to a space. From large-scale outdoor fabrication in terracotta to detailed finishing work in kitchen and bathroom, tile is easy to maintain and clean.
Wood Paneling
Wood is a natural alternative with a warm, appealing aesthetic. Contemporary wood panels come in a variety of iterations—exotic and domestic, veneers and solid planks, even peel-and-stick options that use ultra-thin lengths of wood with an adhesive backing for easy installation. Reclaimed panels are an eco-friendly choice that offer the popular and versatile look of weathered wood. Uses include ceilings, walls, and decorative features.
Outdoor
Bring the indoors out with a variety of infrastructure to make outdoor living hospitable. Decking is a natural transition between interior and exterior that provides the foundation for outdoor living. Outdoor furniture can be every bit as comfortable as indoor furniture, while weathering the elements. Paving materials enable paths to explore the yard and surrounding landscape, and shade systems let you weather the heat.
Decking
Decking generally refers to wood, though maintenance-free vinyl and composite decking are also attractive options. For wood, choose from tried-and-true cedar or redwood – durable species with natural rot and insect resistance. Exotic woods like ipe, tigerwood, and mahogany have also come into favor. Fast-growing bamboo is a rapidly renewable and eco-friendly choice, and the safety of treated wood has improved substantially, making it another durable and cost-effective option.
Green Walls / Wall Gardens
Green walls and wall gardens beautify spaces and improve air quality without taking up square footage. Preserved moss is a maintenance-free option that requires no soil, water, or dedicated lighting. Living walls are made from a specialized matrix with individual plant modules. These are mounted on a vertical surface and the plants intertwine over time for a uniform look. Timed misters and pre-programmed grow lights may be incorporated to reduce maintenance needs.
Landscaping
Eco-friendly landscaping is on the rise among both homeowners and commercial property owners. Innovative concepts like Hydromulch offer solutions for erosion control. No-mow grasses and native wildflower mixes are attractive alternatives for eco-friendly, low maintenance lawns. Recycled products are also growing in popularity – in addition to tree mulch, loose crumb rubber and recycled glass present affordable, low-impact options to help create colorful and comfortable landscapes.
Paving
There are so many ways to make a garden path. Classic brick and stone have retained their broad appeal, but brick tends to break down over time and stone can be expensive. Composite pavers made of concrete aggregate can duplicate the look of natural stone or brick in a uniform shape that’s easy to install. Travertine is a good option for pools, and decomposed granite, river rock, or wood mulch provide an informal look for natural landscapes.
Site Furnishings
Furnishing a site not only means choosing tables, chairs, benches, and rugs, but also pragmatic infrastructure and decorative features. While every location requires weather-resistant furniture, private and public spaces have different needs. The former may specify statues, small water features, and poolside chaises, while the latter might require bicycle racks, trashcans, recycling stations, and large fountains.
Stormwater Treatment
In an urban environment, runoff from rain and melting snow/ice often contains pollutants. Stormwater treatment refers to methods that capture these pollutants, removing them from the runoff before it transfers toxic substances to natural waterways. Methods include capture of solids with hydrodynamic separators, filtration with various media or membranes, infiltration using engineered soils that capture specific pollutants, and retention ponds.
Umbrellas / Shade Systems
Umbrellas keep people shady and comfortable while they lounge outdoors. From standard single-pole umbrellas to contemporary shapes like leaves and waves, umbrellas today offer nearly endless variety. Umbrellas are also a great way to add a splash of color outdoors.
Paints, Stains & Coatings
Paint gives decorators and property owners a big bang for the buck – completely transforming the look of a space for very little cost. Stains maintain and enhance the look of natural wood while also providing protection from wear and U.V. light. Coatings include primers, urethane finishers, crack-fillers, and enamels.
High-Performance Coatings
Many surfaces require the use of some type of high-performance coating. Primers prepare surfaces for painting, assuring better adhesion while reducing the number of coats required. Urethane coatings preserve and protect stained or natural wood surfaces. Crack and block fillers even out the surfaces of porous materials like cement and masonry. Protective enamel is a specialty finish for metal, wood, concrete or masonry.
Paints
Energize a space with pops of brilliant color. Chill out with sedate earth tones. Paint helps set the ambiance and create a desired mood. Today’s paints are extremely user-friendly, offering consumers excellent color-matching technology and a variety of choices including interior and exterior; flat, matte, satin, and glossy finishes; and eco-wise “green” paints with low or zero VOCs.
Stains
Stains penetrate within the wood grain to protect against the elements. They also create a desired tint—darkening the surface while bringing out the best qualities of the particular species. Many stains include polyurethane, which forms a protective glossy outer layer. Eco-friendly stains made of natural resins and plant, earth, or mineral pigments provide a low-VOC product.Uses include decks, docks, fences, planters, siding, and interior wood features like casement and baseboards.
Seating & Chairs
As work styles have evolved, seating options have increased. With the rising trend of ancillary furniture, task chairs no longer dominate the office. Lounge chairs, settees, café chairs, and booth-style seating with privacy panels have joined the ranks of modular seating, benching, and multi-purpose stacking/nesting chairs.
Banquettes
Upholstered bench-style seating. Banquettes work well tucked into a corner or placed along a wall. They maximize floor space by accommodating several people and they also make excellent impromptu and private meeting spaces for small groups. Linear configurations are common, but curved and semi-circular styles are available as well. May be part of a modular arrangement with integrated tables and power/data.
Bench Seating
Typically used in lounge or reception areas. Benches seat people side by side.
They’re available with or without backs and with or without upholstered padding.
Education Specialized Seating
Specially configured or customized to accommodate students in education settings. Includes chairs with tablet arms, tripod bases, and swivels.
Fixed Seating
Typically used in auditoriums, concert halls, stadiums, and entertainment venues. Fixed seating is comprised of multiple adjoined seating units that are attached to the floor. They’re available with or without arms.
Lounge Seating
Typically used in lounge or reception settings. Includes sofas, lounge chairs, chaises, ottomans, and modular seating.
Modular Seating
Typically used in lounge or reception settings. Units, with or without arms and legs, that fit together as modules to form various configurations.
Multi-use Guest Chairs
Portable chairs that are used away from a desk for shorter-term sitting. Most often used in group settings, multi-use guest chairs are available with or without arms. They may have stacking or nesting capability.
Outdoor Seating
Typically used on patios or other outside areas. Outdoor seating is available in a variety of styles – with or without backs and padding. While much outdoor seating is weather-resistant, some is not but rather designed for easy transport and storage out of the elements.
Public Seating
Typically used in airports, bus/train terminals, courthouses, and other places where people gather and often wait. Ganging capability is a common feature as it enables compact seating and easy reconfiguration.
Self-supported Seating
Seating specially designed without backs or arms. Designed to improve posture and spinal alignment by encouraging users to engage their core muscles for self-support and balance.
Stacking / Nesting Chairs
Typically used in common meeting areas for shorter-term sitting. With or without arms. Can be stacked or nested when not in use.
Work Chairs
Work chairs are designed for comfort and good ergonomics during long periods of focused work. Executive chairs offer a traditional look with high upholstered backs and padded arms. High-performing chairs include features like tilt adjustment, lumbar support, and breathable mesh backs – all focused on maintaining the health of the sitter.
Storage
The myriad strategies for organizing essential items. Residential storage harmonizes function and aesthetics in the form of credenzas, bookcases, and open shelving. Workspace storage improves flow and enhances efficiency. Cubbies and lockers provide individualized storage of personal items. Mobile pedestals provide easy access to files and papers, and high-density systems are integrated with office infrastructure for a space-saving approach to large-capacity storage.
Bookcases / Open Storage
Products designed with shelves to hold books or other items. May include doors. Usually not lockable.
Credenzas
Typically a low storage unit with drawers and open spaces, credenzas provide functional and display storage in residential and commercial environments. From hand-carved wood to polymer plastics, credenzas come in many materials. With or without legs, credenzas can be used in dining rooms to hold dinnerware, in offices to store supplies, or in virtually any room for additional storage.
High-density Filing
Stationary shelving that provides large-capacity, high-density, space-efficient storage.
Miscellaneous Filing
Various filing products including lateral and vertical files as well as customized storage racks/bins for unconventional items.
Storage Cases / Cabinets
Cabinets may have drawers for easy access or shelves and glass fronts for displaying items like plaques, trophies, and other memorabilia. Cases have trays or dividers to store frequently used materials in healthcare and education venues.
Surface Accessories
Surface Accessories are the behind-the-scenes players that aid or enable finished surfaces. Examples include flooring adhesives, backer-board for tile, mortar, wall compound, and sealants.
Flooring Accessories
Sealants prevent deep-set stains by entering the pores of naturally absorbent materials (wood, stone, tile, or brick). Coatings offer surface protection against wear, damage, and degradation from UV light. Adhesives and grouts are used for tile and stone. Soft subflooring provides sound damping and comfort underfoot for carpet installations.
Multipurpose Surfaces Accessories
Accessory products that aid installation of a variety of surfacing materials including glass, metal, laminate, resin, and cork. Encompasses various mortars, grouts, and sealants as well as specialized adhesives for unconventional materials like metal and glass.
Wall Accessories
Moulding, window/door casement, and baseboards are decorative items that provide visual variation for walls. Doorstops and bumper rails protect walls in high-use venues like airports, schools, and hospitals. Fire-rated sealants are used for exterior venting of heat-generating appliances.
Tables
The humble table has evolved. Beyond traditional dining tables and side tables, the category now encompasses a variety of surfaces that aid both solo work and group collaboration. Café tables enable working on the go or in social environments. Conference tables may be permanent statement pieces or lightweight and mobile accessories for a dynamic workspace. Outdoor tables provide versatility to weather the elements while getting users closer to nature.
Cafe Tables
With today’s mobile working styles, café tables take on new importance. Beyond artfully accommodating a cup of coffee, café tables facilitate creativity and efficiency. They may be circular or square, seated or standing height, made of lightweight composite materials or classic wood. Most have a light, streamlined aspect and many incorporate eye-catching colors and unconventional materials like brushed metal or faux concrete.
Conference Tables
From statement pieces to more subtle options, conference tables vary in form and function. Choose from glass, solid wood, mixed materials, and more. Many contemporary conference tables feature integrated power and data.
Education Specialized Tables / Desks
Includes study carrels (partially enclosed spaces with a table or work surface), ergonomically designed student desks, and other tables tailored to education settings.
Occasional Tables
Designed for infrequent and varied use. Small, light, sometimes decorative tables of varying heights that can be easily moved as the occasion requires.
Other Work Tables
A variety of work-centered surfaces that may be chosen or customized to suit a given organization’s unique needs. They may be low for seated working, high for standing, bi-level, or adjustable. Some feature incorporated storage, integrated power/data, or rolling casters for mobility. Pull-up tables offer a compact surface that can be pulled up to any seat for an impromptu workspace.
Outdoor Tables
Designed for use on patios or other outside areas. Usually weather-resistant. May include casters or glides.
Training Tables
When mobility is paramount, training tables provide quick set-up and easy take-down/storage. Many models feature rolling casters and flip-up/nesting functionality. Some are also modular, with connecting/ganging options for large meetings or collaborative sessions. Markerboards and dividers may also be incorporated, and some offer innovative options like easy conversion into a recreation table for Ping-Pong or other table games.
Textiles & Leathers
Beyond aesthetics, textiles vary in strength and durability. These materials, made of interlacing fibres, include wool, silk, cotton, flax, jute, asbestos, glass fibre, nylon, polyester, and acrylic. Leather is inherently durable, created via the tanning of animal skin.
Leather / Faux Leather
Leather offers textural appeal as well as excellent modulation of heat and cold. Most leathers are made of tanned and dried cowhide, but other options include sheep, goat, snake, and alligator. Leather is widely known for its natural look, but it may also be dyed to any color. Made by covering a natural or synthetic base fabric with a polyurethane or PVC coating, faux leather aims to duplicate leather’s look and feel.
Textiles
Made from interwoven strands of yarn or thread, textiles are soft and flexible finished products used in a variety of applications including window coverings, privacy curtains, blankets, decorative panels, and upholstery. Sources for the yarn include animal (wool and silk);plant (cotton, hemp, and rayon);mineral (glass and metal fiber);and synthetic (polyester, acrylic, and nylon).
Walls
Walls delimit and define space, not only determining the configuration and the amount of usable square footage, but also substantially affecting a room’s character. Walls may be finished with plaster & gypsum board or adorned with a variety of decorative and acoustical wall panels. They may be covered with patterned paper or textured fabric. And they may be modular—easy to move and demount for reconfiguring a workspace.
FRP
Fiberglass reinforced panels are a versatile and cost-effective solution for high-use venues where durability and hygiene are paramount. Made of polyester resin reinforced with fiberglass, these thin panels adhere to most any surface (including wallboard, concrete, wood, or tile) with adhesive or plastic rivets. FRP provide a strong, stain- and scratch-resistant surface that’s easy to clean, making them ideal for restaurants, kitchens, medical facilities, and public bathrooms.
Movable / Demountable Walls
Space-delineating walls that extend from floor to architectural ceiling. Includes demountable walls, unitized movable walls, and movable frames and skins.
Plaster & Gypsum Boards
The workhorse of walls, plaster & gypsum board (also know by the brand names Sheetrock and Drywall) is the most common indoor building material in the U.S. Made of dehydrated gypsum sandwiched between paper sheets, gypsum board is low-cost, easy to install and finish, fire-resistant, lightweight, and non-toxic. The most common size is 4’ x 8’ x 3/8” thick, but a variety of dimensions are available.
Wall Panels
Whether you’re looking to improve acoustics, enhance durability, or provide a visual statement, wall panels offer a brilliant solution.
Wall Protection
A variety of flexible or rigid sheet products to cover and protect walls in educational, healthcare, or hospitality environments. Decorative fabric is a great choice for schools, offering a soft, child friendly surface and aesthetic options to match with the décor. PET panels come in many shapes, providing acoustical improvement as well as wall protection. Other options include peel and stick tiles, PVC panels, and vinyl sheets.
Wallcoverings
Deck the walls with a variety of finish materials that add decorative flair, provide protection, and improve function. Cork is an unconventional choice with a unique look and texture that’s great for featured walls in workspaces. Digital wallcoverings provide a customized forum for artistic expression. Wallpaper is a beautiful and versatile standby. And incorporated whiteboards are a productive and cost-effective way to use wall space.
Workspaces
The office has evolved and expanded into today’s dynamic spaces. Versatility is paramount, as the workplace must adapt to fluid working styles. Elements that support this new paradigm include sit/stand desks and other height-adjustable systems, modular workstations that may be individualized to support different degrees of openness and privacy, and fully enclosed pods that house individuals or small groups for focused work or collaboration.
Height-Adjustable Tables / Systems
Height-adjustable tables that allow the user to alternate between sitting and standing positions. May be part of a freestanding furniture system.
Integrated Technologies
Products that integrate technology within office environments; includes technology/video walls, teleconferencing systems, and sound-masking products.
Open Plan Workstations
For the modern office, open plan workstations are a necessity. Tight, isolating cubicles and closed offices no longer work for today's collaborative working environments. Choose modular and paneled systems that allow for workers to interact, brainstorm, and create new solutions.
Privacy Booths / Meeting Pods
A whole range of flexible solutions for on-demand privacy in the workspace. The choices range from sofa and booth style seating with optional high-backs for noise attenuation and a sheltered feel; to “nest” configurations with 300-degree enclosure and open ceilings; to completely enclosed pods with glass walls, soundproofing, air filtration, integrated power/data, and visual monitors.
Private Office
Today’s private offices make the most of valuable floor space with an array of strategies to integrate work surface, storage, and communication needs. Systems furniture synthesizes desks and storage, offering options like wall nooks, overhead cubbies, and coordinating credenzas. Many units feature cabling channels for seamless incorporation of power and data. Workwalls make use of wall space with low profile elements that integrate worktop, display units, and storage.