When sophisticated electronics pairs with outstanding design, the result can be impressive. With the sleek Nomos faucet introduced this month by the Italian design studio Fima Carlo Frattini, the kitchen sink seems almost an afterthought.
Indeed, the availability of a digitally-controlled kitchen faucet for the luxury market – and make no mistake, this is a luxury fixture – means that it probably won't be too long before we see something similar rolled out for the mass market by mainstream manufacturers. (It happened with temperature- and flow-controlled showerheads, so don't be surprised when you see it with kitchen faucets.)
But this article is about the Nomos, so let us shift our focus back. Just viewing a photo of the elegantly curved form invites one to imagine the feel of the ribbon of water cascading from it. Beautifully designed faucets for the kitchen as well as faucets and showerheads for the bath often define the style for the entire room.
On this Nomos faucet, the digital controls accessed by touch screen enable the user to specify just about everything about the water that flows from faucet: its temperature, force, and volume. The device displays large icons for simple, intuitive functionality, and of course, there would likely be a default setting that would require no thought whatsoever to activate the faucet – you would likely just "go with the flow" on many occasions. One other function of the Nomos faucet is to alert the homeowner if there is a malfunction, that is, if there is a leak detected.
While we are not suggesting that a designer kitchen faucet from Italy is suitable for every home or could even be a viable option for most budgets, we do believe that, like an excursion to an art museum, it serves to remind us of what is beautiful and what is possible. Aesthetics and innovation can keep us forward-thinking and alert to what may be in store for us in the future.
