2011
Role:  Inventor, Designer

The Kohler Moxie Showerhead is the first ever showerhead to incorporate an integral audio speaker that delivers sound directly through the water stream.  The portable speaker capsule magnetically docks in the center of the showerhead while the music pairs wirelessly to any Bluetooth enabled device.

For each shower rock star, can’t miss a play in the game, baby sleeping and shower needing, podcast addict, or morning news hound, Moxie enhances your showering experience and offers a sanctuary from the chaos of your household. With the assistance of a mere crescent wrench your shower can be transformed into an audible oasis.

Moxie was initially pitched as a fully functional 'skunk works' prototype at a Kohler leadership forum in Shanghai in the spring of 2011.  It gained immediate traction from top executives and then prioritized through the development process to meet the quickest possible launch date while meeting all the Kohler standards of performance excellence.  As part of the design process we thoroughly examined the interplay of sound and water to determine the correct fixture shape and location.  The speaker is ideally placed in the center of the showerhead to minimize audio distortion and maximize the acoustical capability for the user.

The result is an innovative showerhead designed simply and purely to emphasize its unique ability to bring personalized sound to the showering experience.

Images courtesy of Kohler Company.  
All rights reserved.

2011
Role:  Lead Designer, Concept Strategist

The Kohler Awaken Shower Collection – Series B + Series G are the first iterations in a series of showerhead and handshower designs offering premium showering experiences to the user at an affordable price point.

Symmetry, Rhythm and Beauty describe the purposeful patterns found in nature.  Our strategy was to harness these natural underlying principles and deliver water with a sense of intended order that is both considerate of and appropriate to the showering experience.

Integrated into each design are highly refined spray experiences tailored to fulfill key user needs such as everyday showering, forceful rinsing and an intensely focused stream for both soothing aching muscles and cleaning the showering space. 

The accompanying product families extend to an array of complimentary showering products including slidebars, hoses and supplies.

Images courtesy of Kohler Company.  
All rights reserved.

2011
Role:  Inventor, Designer

The Kohler Moxie Showerhead is the first ever showerhead to incorporate an integral audio speaker that delivers sound directly through the water stream.  The portable speaker capsule magnetically docks in the center of the showerhead while the music pairs wirelessly to any Bluetooth enabled device.

For each shower rock star, can’t miss a play in the game, baby sleeping and shower needing, podcast addict, or morning news hound, Moxie enhances your showering experience and offers a sanctuary from the chaos of your household. With the assistance of a mere crescent wrench your shower can be transformed into an audible oasis.

Moxie was initially pitched as a fully functional 'skunk works' prototype at a Kohler leadership forum in Shanghai in the spring of 2011.  It gained immediate traction from top executives and then prioritized through the development process to meet the quickest possible launch date while meeting all the Kohler standards of performance excellence.  As part of the design process we thoroughly examined the interplay of sound and water to determine the correct fixture shape and location.  The speaker is ideally placed in the center of the showerhead to minimize audio distortion and maximize the acoustical capability for the user.

The result is an innovative showerhead designed simply and purely to emphasize its unique ability to bring personalized sound to the showering experience.

Images courtesy of Kohler Company.  
All rights reserved.

2010
Role: Product Strategist

The SinuCleanse NetiCap provides instant relief for nasal congestion and sinus problems no matter your location and when safe and clean bottled water is preferred for nasal washing. The comfortable tip features a unique thread design that turns most water bottles into an instant Neti Pot allowing for easy, sanitary and immediate sinus relief.

The SinuCleanse NetiCap was an output of a strategic initiative undertaken to outline new opportunities for the SinuCleanse brand.  Being among the first to dominate the Neti Pot market, SinuCleanse had seen losses in market share to their leading competitor and sought fresh ideas to revitalize their product offering.

Qualitative and quantitative market research was performed that included interviews with both users and non-users and yielded valuable insights that we were able to integrate in to actionable concepts for SinuCleanse. We then outlined the market opportunities utilizing a ‘Step, Stretch, and Leap’ product strategy and provided conceptual designs to the SinuCleanse management team.  One of the many ideas that were met with great enthusiasm by SinuCleanse was the concept for a travelling cap that would affix to universal water bottles so as to provide a loyal user base the freedom to maintain their cleansing routines away from their home.  SinuCleanse then turned to their own internal development and manufacturing team to implement this idea and market it as NetiCap.

Images courtesy of SinuCleanse.  
All rights reserved.

2009
Role:  Designer, Product Strategist

Stak was a capstone project when Ken earned his Master’s Degree in Product Design and Development at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.  As part of a team, several Product Opportunity Gaps (POGs) were identified to outline potential opportunities in the home.  One POG was coined ‘My Garden’ and the  team developed it as a product considerate of market trends in food awareness for the discerning home chef mindful of budget and quality of ingredients. 

The output was a concept for an indoor growing product that encourages a healthy lifestyle while meeting the criteria of quality of craftsmanship, modern design, and emotional value. The vertical design facilitates multiple plants in a single sturdy footprint. Each pot is sized to allow for healthy root growth and a custom root guard provides the appropriate drainage.  An outward facing spout provides the outlet for plants to flourish as a lithium-ion rechargeable battery powers an LED grow light that projects an additional 4 hours of growth each night before turning off.

The team conducted market research to verify concept and branding, developed a marketing strategy, prepared a financial analysis with a 5 year IRR and NPV analysis, sourced a full BOM for offshore production, outlined a future opportunity product vector and pitched the concept to a group of venture capitalists, business owners and corporate executives in attendance.  The product continues to be in development.

Images courtesy of  Adori Design Group.
All rights reserved.

2009
Role:  Designer

This product line met a critical market need for Kohler providing classic, refined, modern geometry that is demanded by architects, designers and consumers.  Loure showcases Kohler’s first single control bath filler and introduced their new dry stem valve technology, UltraGlide™. The complete collection offers a design solution that provides a cleaner deck space, intuitive actuation and simplified installation for the plumber. A Rite Temp bath/shower trim fitting on a newly designed pressure balance valve with diverter actuation was designed to have an ergonomically correct push/pull mechanism for ease of use to the consumer.

Building a family of 18 products in a minimal aesthetic required a multitude of iterations and modifications of the form to meet the challenges of the internal mechanisms and waterways.  Unique opportunities presented themselves such as integrating flipside technology into a shower arm and developing a gracious sheetflow water delivery befitting the Kohler Brand.  The constant balance of forms manifested into a cohesive design family that result in a sleekly profiled faucet with enhanced utility for the consumer.

Images courtesy of Kohler Company.  
All rights reserved.

2006
Role: Designer, Material Product Strategy

The humble existence of glass has persevered for nearly 7000 years.  It has endured the advent of a multitude of competitive materials, yet it still retains a sense of fascination and adoration. As a material, glass is a stage for the celebration of light, color and reflection - a dancing ground for visual perception.

By designing a new material competency at Kohler we had a fresh slate with which to approach this material in a unique light. This began as an Advanced Development (AD) effort and the task was to prepare an opportunity roadmap that would build our design and manufacturing capability as part of a 5-year strategic plan.  To assist in design and development, knowledge was gained by enrolling in an intensive glass production course at the UW-Madison to learn the inherent qualities of glass and draw out a distinct perspective that would hold the Kohler Brand.  Casting hot glass was chosen as the first manufacturing method for reasons such as design impact, ramping up manufacturing capabilities and speed to market.

Being inspired by both the view of the Atlantic Ocean from 35,000 feet and the natural chill that glass produces when it is cast against a cold surface, a design perspective was pursued that focused on the interplay of the material and the light it pulled from the ambient environment.

Images courtesy of Kohler Company.  
All rights reserved.

2007
Role:  Designer, Material Product Strategy

Kohler's second offering of glass lavatories focused on introducing pattern into the manufacturing process to elevate the aesthetic by further exploring light refraction and projection.  By imprinting the cast iron molds with a carved relief it transformed the vessels into conduits of light and shadow.

Images courtesy of Kohler Company.  
All rights reserved.

2008
Role:  Designer

The Strela Ensemble balances proportions with fluidly organic surfaces.  With the aim to de-clutter the functional bathroom space, consumers demand bathroom products that appear clean, and through consumer research it was learned that the perception is that “if it looks clean, it is clean.” No one wants to see the toilet trap, so the goal was to design a fully skirted, water saving, dual flush toilet that resonated with contemporary design desires.

All surfaces were considered to facilitate ease of cleanliness and function was subtly realized through form decisions such as curling the front edge of the bowl downward allowing the user to raise the seat without touching the bowl. Shallow sink surfaces are interrupted by subtle ridges to soften the water’s entry and minimize countertop splashing issues.

Key design elements were inspired by naturally curling paper and the way fabric assumes the form of an object it covers.

Images courtesy of Kohler Company.  
All rights reserved.

2007
Role:  Designer, Material Product Strategy

Warm glass manufacturing was brought into Kohler’s product offering as a 3rd iteration of the glass production facility.  With a crowded market in this lower price position, a strategy to differentiate Kohler’s designs by incorporating preformed pattern into the underside of the slumped glass was pursued.

The result is a subtle, yet elegant effect that distinguishes the sinks in the marketplace by alluding to the intricate characteristics of fabric and textiles in the designs.

Images courtesy of Kohler Company.  
All rights reserved.

2006
Role: Designer

Complementing the Kohler glass vessel collection and their larger product portfolio, a series of grid drains were designed.  A specific design was achieved to play off of the refracted patterns of light produced by the cast Antilia lavatory vessel.

2005
Role: Designer

Kamala's inspiration comes from ancient tribal rain drums. Rain drums are common to many cultures across Southeast Asia and are considered sacred symbols that epitomize aesthetic beauty. The basin of this lavatory is covered with a low relief pattern that begins at the vessel's edge and covers the surface with alternating bands of elevated dots, ridges, scrolls and links. Towards the center of the basin, a ring of columns direct the water's flow toward the integrally cast drain.

Kamala was a material exploration that was achieved through a partnership with a Utah based foundry to achieve the level of craftsmanship and finish in the bronze casting that was required.

2006
Role:  Designer

Fountainhead was a full line bathroom suite that was designed in 2006.

Prior to full design approval the design team was unable to receive approval for a cast iron vessel lavatory that was scoped as an iconic element of the suite offering.

This Cast Iron vessel was designed to complete the offering and launch with the entire product line.

2005
Role:  Co-Designer

The intent for this project was to re-introduce a series of bathroom sinks as an extension of the Iron Tones product line and evolve Kohler's overall Cast Iron portfolio by highlighting its unique material properties.  The design goal became to modernize Cast Iron and re-invent the material by keying in on its inherently beautiful characteristics of texture, form and color. As a result of ongoing grooming research, flat corners were incorporated on the edges of the sink where users could securely place a cup of water, soap dispenser or other items that would help contain the water within the work space.

Images courtesy of Kohler Company.  
All rights reserved.