Clear-yet-subtle labels mark controls for water flow and temperature on Axor’s Select Thermostat.

Launching concurrently, Citterio’s Axor Universal Accessories collection includes brackets, wall-mounted shelves, and accessories that can be custom-arranged and used in both the kitchen and bathroom.

"To be a truly international company, you must consider sustainability: It’s no longer just the ‘green’ people that are thinking this way. Now, it’s a fact and necessity of life." —Antonio Citterio, architect

Portrait of the great Antonio Citterio.

A piece by John Belingheri hangs in the living room of the Bancroft family’s home, which is centered by an Antonio Citterio sofa and Robert Marinelli tables.

Velocity showerhead by Moen, from $247 Now available in a square shape, as well as a water-saving Eco-Performance model, this showerhead is powered by a self-pressurized system to give a consistent, substantial water flow.

Axor Shower Products by Front Design AB, produced by Hansgrohe SE.

“You see the fixture on the wall, but we’re also working behind the wall—with water as a medium, which, as everybody knows, is in growing shortage.” —Antonio Citterio, architect

The best-made axe we could imagine, Thomas Kay Axe is created by Best Made Company of perfectly weighted high-carbon US steel with an Appalachian hickory handle and includes a leather sheath. Made in the USA.

The Axor Bouroullec shower.

A high-end shower head, like the Nebia Shower System, transforms routine into a spa-worthy experience.

In the den, Lara and Cal read a Hardy Boys mystery on the Flexform Groundpiece sofa by Antonio Citterio while Chris works in his "office." The cozy room where the family spends much of their time once housed the kitchen.

Antonio Citterio, who began designing for Axor in 2000, has debuted his latest collections, Axor Citterio E and Axor Universal Accessories. Among the 37 products in the first is a single-hole faucet with lever handle. With his signature slender, geometrically minimal forms that feel elegant to the touch, Citterio aims to implicitly evoke the value and scarcity of water itself.

Philippe Starck’s eco-conscious faucet design for Axor took cues from nature for its organic form.

The kitchen is a miracle of efficiency, with Antonio Citterio’s Convivium system for Arclinea shoehorned into a tight galley layout. The built-in Miele oven has storage above, and the Sub-Zero drawers are far less bulky than a freestanding refrigerator. The Carrara marble countertop and backsplash were custom cut by Brooklyn’s Acme Marble Co.

Shower-head and bathtub from the Islands installation by Raw-Edges for Caesarstone. See at Palazzo Crivelli, Via Clerici 5, Milan.

1996 Antonio Citterio designs Dolly chair for Kartell.

We spotted the Axor Bouroullec line at ICFF in May, and the German company exhibited the new series on the show floor. Here's a shot of the tub.

Philippe Starck's line for Duravit was another highlight.

The master bath is clad in Bianco Venatino marble. The tub is by ADM; the showerhead is by Hansgrohe.

Michael Lewis playing the piano with one of his subjects on-set.

Starck Organic Faucet by Philippe Starck for Axor by Hansgrohe Chrome is given a softer look in this streamlined fixture, which integrates handles into the faucet body.

The Axor Starck V by Starck Network for Hansgrohe. The reason this glass faucet is extraordinary and deserves an award is clear (see what we did there?) but we’ll go into it anyway. For one thing, the faucet head detaches from the base to drain excess liquid. Secondly the entire faucet swings from side to side, adjusting for the user’s stance. Philippe, you win again.

“The Bad Axe Table gets its name from a lake in Minnesota, where I am from. I liked the name because of the split down the center of the table.”

A record player, wash basin, and glass storage containers fit together on one low Islands unit by Raw Edges for Caesarstone. Photo by Tom Mannion.

While Nature Pod pictured here has a showerhead installed outside, it is normally placed in the in the bathroom behind a glass door (or a curtain if the home is purchased without insulation).

We visited the launch of the Axor Bouroullec line earlier in design week and loved the playful and practical take on bathroom design. The German company won for Best Kitchen and Bath.

The maroon-tiled, walk-in shower has two showerheads and is well lit by a skylight from above.

Simple black tiles and a basic, exposed showerhead kept costs down, allowing other parts of the house to function as the showpieces.

A Zuma C Series bathtub sits under a Dornbracht showerhead in the bathroom, which is accented by the same walnut millwork seen in the more public areas of the home.

Thermory Wood lines the shower pan area in the smaller bathroom with an east-facing view. A Nebia showerhead reduces water use by 65% compared to traditional showerheads.

The vertical full-length window offers a slice of the outdoors in the custom-outfitted master bathroom (save for a tub and sink by Kohler; faucet and showerhead by Vola).

A wall of custom cabinetry unifies the kitchen and living room. The dining room features a Jiff Dining Table from Flexform as well as EL chairs by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia.

Glass elements not only allude to the ocean, but also lend a fresh look to some of the rooms. Here, Trend glass mosaic tiles brighten up the bathroom. Axor fixtures from Hansgrohe stand next to a minimalist radiator from Zehnder.

The bathroom features a rain showerhead available at Home Depot Expo. p. 194

The flooring in the master bath is vein-cut Ocean Silver travertine. The custom bathroom vanity is stained birch, the polished chrome fixtures are from Hansgrohe’s Axor Uno2 line, and the chair is upholstered in Checker by Alexander Girard for Maharam.