KEN ROHL

Every time I head to Europe I am excited by the prospect of uncovering yet another design or product that will resonate with the American market and particularly our customers. Much of our success is the result of studying what products of an earlier time can be adapted to the functional and style wants of contemporary America. I’ve been inspired as often by the decorating in a Paris apartment as a villa by the sea or a mountain retreat in the Dolomites. Certainly another bi-product of my travels has been the associations and inspirations with and from people who truly represent the heritage of their communities and have stories that have evolved them into what they are today.

Our original Allia fireclay sink was inspired by a Euro-styled kitchen sink, which for 40 years had functioned in a Paris apartment now belonging to the Le Jemtel family. Amazing how far we’ve come with fireclay sinks. Similarly, our Original Shaws sink and Perrin & Rowe kitchen faucet were first seen in the painting of a Cotswold kitchen by Armon Gasperian, noted impressionistic artist and personal friend. In the Piedmonte area of Italy from which our ROHL Country, Cisal and Shower Collections emanate, the “bell shaped” escutcheons are reproductions of bells made for churches. Pre-20th Century, Lago d’Orta was the capitol of bell making for all of Europe. When building churches and bell making fell by the wayside, the townsfolk didn’t leave, they reinvented themselves into the “Village of Faucets.” To me this is the perfect description of Old World Heritage. It is also the perfect description of what ROHL products stand for – time honored tradition and the making of quality products in authentic ways using the best materials available.

Old World Heritage is not a design trend. It is the provenance of ROHL. An investment in ROHL fixtures is more than just an investment in a particular faucet or sink - it is an investment in the preservation of craftsmanship and materials that others simply choose not to offer. You owe it to your customers to make these stories part of every ROHL product presentation.