Smart fixtures latest trend in the kitchen and bath

Technology has changed almost every aspect of how we live, work and play. There are few careers that do not require the use of computers, smart phones or other high-tech devices designed to make jobs easier to complete. And after a long day, many people return to houses with security systems, lighting and televisions that can be controlled with voice commands. 

The trend is continuing into the kitchen. Imagine working on an intricate recipe. Your hands are dirty with the ingredients, but you need to measure an exact amount of water at a certain temperature. New digital fixtures allow you to do that just by talking to the faucet. 

“Whatever you call out, it does it for you,” said Steve Drew, the showroom manager of Dublin Winnelson, demonstrating a smart faucet on display in the company’s showroom on Airport Road. “The purpose of this is to keep everything clean. Less touching means less cleaning.” 

For those not yet comfortable with speaking to inanimate objects, advanced motion sensor faucets allow the user to turn on and off the tap, and even adjust water temperature, with the wave of a hand. 

“Ever since COVID, there’s been a big push to make everything touch-free,” Drew said. 

If you’re not tech savvy, but more old-fashioned, if you will, rest assured there are still options available. In fact, old fashioned is in, Drew said, with vintage-style bridge-type faucets with optional cross-handle taps a big seller for new or remodeled kitchens. 

Shower stalls are also going high-tech. Drew said many homeowners are moving to smart showers, activated by voice or phone controls, with steam units that allow for aroma therapy and Chroma therapy, the use of different light colors and settings to improve your mood. 

“So you can be sitting on your couch and you’re ready to take a shower,” Drew said, “You pick up your phone or tell Alexa to ‘turn the shower on.’ When it gets to temperature it’ll let you know.” 

All these items and more are available at Dublin Winnelson, a plumbing and irrigation supply wholesaler that has been serving local homeowners and contractors since 1982. The company is celebrating a decade at its current location at 507 Airport Road in Dublin, which opened in 2014. 

Present throughout the company’s history is Dublin Winnelson President Tom Dominy, who started as a truck driver before taking the business’s helm in 1985. Winnelson has a unique bottom-up corporate structure that allows for local ownership and control, with support services provided by the nationwide, Ohio-based company WinSupply Inc. 

Dominy has overseen growth in the company throughout his tenure, expanding to electrical supplies and water works and utility components. Those parts of the business grew enough to break away into independent companies, both now located adjacent to Dublin Winnelson on Airport Road. The presidents of those two companies both worked and trained under Dominy.

“That’s the beauty of this organization,” he said. “There’s a lot of company presidents that started as a truck driver. You have the chance to grow your company and your people.” 

Dominy said he had seen a lot of changes across the plumbing industries during his more than 40-year career, including the moving away from metal piping, like galvanized steel and copper, to plastic-based PVC and CPVC pipes. 

The biggest change, he said, came in efforts to conserve water and energy. 

“When I started, toilets flushed five gallons of water,” Dominy said. “Now 1.6 gallons is the standard. And with tankless water heaters, energy isn’t being used constantly heating water.” 

Now Dominy isn’t eyeing business expansions but retirement. He intends to step down as company president in 2026, then work another year assisting in the leadership transition before fully retiring. 

“Any further growth will be up to the next guy,” he said.