What do you remember about school recess? For me, that celebrated fifteen minutes of freedom that occurred at approximately 9:30 and 1:45 every day was like a ritualistic microcosmic enactment of Lord of the Flies, where chaos reigned and an ethos of kill or be killed prevailed. Thankfully, there was also the calm respite of the school bathroom, which—though it left much to be desired, aesthetically speaking—had the occasional virtue of providing authentic solitude. I like to think that AFNY’s Recess Lav references this sociological phenom, as this basin’s slim design and narrow profile recalls the lavatories of my youth.

The Recess Lav. Designed by AF New York.

Integrated Washbasin, Backsplash, and Storage

Of course, we’re really talking apples and oranges here, as the Recess Lav eschews the grim utility of school bathrooms for clean contemporary lines and an excellent use of space. Foremost among the Recess Lav’s spatial innovations is its sunken backsplash, which fits neatly flush with the backside of a standard wall stud. This nifty recession equips the Recess Lav with minimal clearance (the basin projects a mere 12”). Its other perk is that the single-piece construction eliminates the need for a tile. The combination of the Recess Lav’s durable resin finish and compartmentalized back makes it functional and fitting—it easily captures and contains the aqueous detritus of all of life’s daily hand washings and face splashings. That, and its accompanying mirrored medicine cabinet recommend it highly. Highly enough, in fact, that it won the 2010 Good Design and Idea Bronze awards.

Via InteriorDesign.net.

About the Manufacturer: AF New York is one A&D minded company that’s not afraid to mix business and pleasure. That is, if the pleasurable component of this equation is creative execution of conceptual design. The manufacturer boasts 30 years experience as a premier purveyor of kitchen, bath, tile, and architectural hardware to the A&D community. Their products are known for their expert synthesis of artfulness and high function, and their company is known for its cutting edge concepts in sales, marketing, and distribution: “Through specialized services such as sales consultation, technical training, knowledge of industry codes and approvals, and custom design, the company offers a seamless experience from specification to fulfillment.”