By: Nigel F. Maynard
Native Trails, a San Luis Obispo, Calif.-based company that specializes in artisan-crafted kitchen and bath products, has added the Avalon 66 freestanding bathtub to its collection of concrete-based plumbing fixtures. The 66-Inch tub, the company says, is the complementary “medium” size to the available 62- and 72-Inch curved tubs.
Made from NativeStone–the brand’s proprietary concrete blend of cement and natural jute vegetable fiber–the tub has soft, rounded form and smooth, deep interior. It provides proper insulation to ensure a hot, deep, and relaxing soak, the company says.
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Avalon 66 joins Avalon 62 and Avalon 72 as the perfect middle ground in the brand’s NativeStone Bathtub Collection. “True to Native Trails’ commitment to the planet, Avalon 66 is also another step towards sustainable living,” the company explains. The reinvented concrete mixture produces bathtubs that are 40 percent lighter, much stronger and far more sustainable than traditional concrete products. “They generate less waste, require less energy, are easier to install and are less expensive to ship than traditional concrete tubs,” the company says.
“The process of forming Avalon 66 is a multi-day, intensive undertaking,” Native Trails says. “The artisans build their forms to Native Trails’ specifications and design, then hand fill the forms with the proprietary concrete blend that are then left to dry for 24 hours. Once taken out of the mold, the newly formed tubs cure for five more days before the hand polishing phase. After polishing, each Avalon tub is sealed using NativeStone Shield, which penetrates the concrete on a molecular level to create a protective yet integrated barrier against stains and scratching.”
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Avalon 66 is offered in neutral colors that include Pearl, Ash, Slate, Earth, Charcoal and Sand, as well as earthy hues such as Ocean, Sage, Forest, and Terracotta. Sand, Sage, Forest and Terracotta (four finishes introduced this year) “foster a sense of calm and a connection to nature, inspiring homeowners and designers to create peaceful sanctuaries that seamlessly balance modernity with a timeless, organic aesthetic for a truly refined and purposeful experience,” the company says.