In the late ’70s, something started to happen in the design world: A new kind of bathroom arrived. Builders and architects were embracing a new company called Waterworks. For a long time, I thought it was British and that the products came from there. The aesthetic looked just like my favorite hotel bathrooms—the Hyde Park Hotel in London or the Dolder Grand in Zurich.

Masses of marble and chunky shower fittings were a departure from the pale pink or green bathrooms of the day, and it changed how we designed bathrooms forever. The person responsible for this was Barbara Sallick. In the years since, her collections have grown to include all manner of bathroom fixtures and accessories, and recently, she has moved into the world of kitchens. The Waterworks name has become synonymous with high style in the design world.

Barbara Sallick received the Innovator Award at this year’s CTC&G Innovation in Design Awards held at the Greenwich Country Club. Barbara now acts as a company spokesperson and writes a weekly blog, The Perfect Bath, documenting her travels and vast design inspirations. Barbara is also the author of The Definitive Guide to Designing the Perfect Bath (self-published, 2006), as well as Waterworks: Inventing Bath Style (Clarkson Potter, 2001).

The Innovation in Design Awards showcase Connecticut’s finest design projects in the categories of architecture, interior design, garden design, kitchen, bath and product design. Many of our past winners have gone on to become celebrated in their fields, and we are delighted by their success. As you review their projects in this issue, perhaps you can identify some future celebrities of design!