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As I look back on this steadily-passing year, there is nothing I am more thankful for than the relationships I have formed through the Brizo & Delta Faucet brands. In fact, it is hard to believe that it was just February when I found myself (yeah . . . me) at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week – A guest of Brizo Faucet & fashion designer Jason Wu.

With it, and somewhat unexpectedly, I was ushered into a group of elite designers and bloggers, a fellowship. Four complete groups now that have made this trek to Brizo Fashion Week. My own group of nineteen, you have heard me mention them – the Dream Team, remains close.

My connections through this network reach beyond my group, though, not only now back before me, but also forward to those that have and will follow. By my count, there are 75 others — members of a Blogger 19; I know many, and for all of these folks, I am grateful.

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A Visit to the Dream₂O Showroom

It was a fantastic, fun week, a once in a lifetime experience. It helped open several other opportunities for this blog.

One such opportunity came when we were in Chicago last month.  We were fortunate enough to visit Delta/Brizo‘s Dream₂O Showroom at Luxe Home in the Merchandise Mart or just “the Mart” as the locals call it.  (And if you have never been, this place, the Merchandise Mart, is a must-see – a story in itself.)

Dream₂O aka “Faucet Heaven” (my term) — as presented by Showroom Manager, Kelly Litton is Delta/Brizo‘s flagship showroom.  Complete with working showers (you almost want to step in) and multiple wet islands/wet walls; it can be characterized as state-of-the-art.  You see most of both Delta‘s and Brizo‘s offerings in action, some including fave feature SmartTouch® (which I wrote about here). Delta’s version, the Touch₂O® with the latest proximity technology too.

Editor’s Note: To see SmartTouch® in action my mom installed a  beautiful Brizo Touch Faucet during her recent kitchen remodel.

Dream₂O’s Wet Wall & H₂Okinetic Technology

At the far end of the showroom, two large touch screen-controlled shower vignettes (I guess they are “vignettes”). You literally see how the shower heads stack up.  Most intriguing are those fitted with the H₂Okinetic Technology®.

Of this technology, the website says –

Delta Faucet‘s H₂Okinetic Technology allows you to conserve water without sacrificing your shower experience, using larger water droplets that retain heat longer for a massaging effect and a denser spray pattern for a feeling of drenching coverage; together these effects help the user feel more enveloped in the warmth of the water. The all-around experience is achieved with up to six body sprays in addition to an H₂Okinetic shower head.

H₂Okinetic Technology® is quieter than conventional showers and uses no moving parts. And the water savings can be substantial; 1.5 gallons of water per minute actually feels like 2.5 gallons per minute; this can result in a 36% decrease in water usage compared to a high-flow system.

Editor’s Note: For more on H₂Okinetic Technology®, we toured Delta’s Jackson, Tennessee plant in August, 2013.

Technology in Action

Barry and I were both lucky enough to get a shower head to try. But I think for both Barry and I the biggest Wow! of the entire showroom was the 9-foot long “iPad-syncable” touch screen. Kelly demoed.  That’s right, what you do on that big screen you can actually take with you, on an iPad, as you move around the showroom — Brilliant. We thought it was great use of tech.

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Update: Dream₂O has since re-branded as Brizo and Delta Chicago.

Brizo announces the Jason Wu Collection

Other big news from the Brizo camp came last week with the announcement of the Jason Wu for Brizo powder room collection.  This collection includes the Odin™ faucet, which features a unique and unexpected rotating handle.

Brizo‘s official release says of the faucet:

The Jason Wu for Brizo Odin faucet is equipped with SmartTouchPlus™ Technology, which allows users to start and stop the flow of water with a simple touch anywhere on the spout or handle. For a more intuitive experience, its hands-free mode activates the flow of water when hands are anywhere within 4” of the faucet.

Debuting on the Odin is an exclusive temperature control technology featuring a new temperature sensing indicator. A LED light display built into the base of the faucet uses shades of light, from blue to magenta to red, to indicate actual water temperature. The electronic valve built into the faucet also monitors the mixture of hot and cold water to help provide a consistent temperature for the user, while its high temperature limit stop offers an added degree of safety.

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For even more info on the collection, check Paul Anater‘s blog (the Blogger 19 “initiator”), here. For more about Building Moxie‘s Trips & Tours to learn about leading brands, please see our category – Tours.

Thanks for reading all, and please have a very thankful and giving Thanksgiving.  Enjoy!  ~jb