In the world of luxury interiors, some design innovations feel less like product launches and more like creative revelations. Kohler’s newest finish, Pearlized, fits firmly into that category. It’s a surface that responds to light, motion, and perspective with expressive beauty. Debuting on the Kohler Derring Carillon Artist Editions sink, this iridescent finish brings a sense of poetry to ceramic craftsmanship.
As someone who studies both functional design and the emotional power of materials, I find Pearlized to be one of the most compelling new introductions of 2025. It’s the kind of finish that invites you to slow down, look closer, and appreciate the artistry behind everyday rituals.
Where Art and Material Science Intersect
Kohler’s strongest innovations have always been rooted in collaboration, and Pearlized is no exception. The finish emerged from the creative partnership between Kohler and multidisciplinary artist David Franklin, whose work spans native sculpture, street art, and public installations.
Franklin’s artistic journey includes:
Years spent as a graffiti artist, sharpening his skills in form and movement.
A 10-year sculpture apprenticeship.
Numerous large-scale commissions across the United States.
Two residencies with Kohler’s prestigious Arts/Industry Program.
It was during his time as the inaugural resident of Kohler MakerSpace that Pearlized began to take shape. While constructing Once and Forever Lake Michigan — an installation featuring 1,600 sculpted ceramic fish — Franklin collaborated closely with Kohler engineers to experiment with PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) on ceramic surfaces.
The result:
A pearlescent finish that shifts with the light.
An iridescent surface reminiscent of rainbow sheen.
A living, expressive material never before used at this scale in ceramic bath design.
This finish is more than an aesthetic choice. It’s the outcome of creative risk-taking, technical discovery, and artistic intuition.
Innovation Rooted in Artist-Led Discovery
The beauty of Pearlized is not just its glow, it’s its origin in experimentation. There’s a certain romanticism in the idea that an everyday object, like a sink, can be transformed through the curiosity of an artist and the precision of an engineer.
Kohler’s long-term commitment to supporting artists through the Arts/Industry Program is a major reason innovations like Pearlized exist. When artists are invited into manufacturing spaces — given access to materials, tools, and technical expertise — boundaries melt away. That collaborative ecosystem is how functional design becomes art and how everyday objects gain an emotional layer of meaning.
An Installation That Brings Pearlized to Life
For its global debut at Design Miami, Kohler enlisted visionary designer Harry Nuriev, founder of Crosby Studios, to translate Pearlized into a full sensory environment.
Photo Credit: Jenia Filatova
Nuriev is known for his bold, experimental work, often playing with:
Reflective materials
Color gradients
Ultra-modern shapes
Surreal spatial experiences
His immersive installation for the 2025 theme Make.Believe is designed to embody movement, imagination, and transformation, the same qualities that define Pearlized itself.
Visitors will be enveloped in a rippling display of light and color, echoing the finish’s fluid, dreamlike nature. This is not a standard product reveal; it’s an artistic encounter that bridges design, technology, and emotion.
A Conversation About Imagination + Innovation
To further explore its creative origins, Kohler is hosting a Design Talk on December 2 titled “The Alchemy of Making: From Imagination to Innovation.”
Panelists include:
David Franklin, Artist
Harry Nuriev, Creative Director of Crosby Studios
Michael Seum, VP of Industrial Design, Kohler
Together, they will share insights on the experimental process, the challenges of merging art with industrial production, and how imaginative thinking leads to groundbreaking design.
Divine Design Take:
Why Pearlized IsPoised to Influence Interior Trends
From a designer’s perspective, Pearlized taps into larger trends shaping luxury interiors. Here’s why it stands out:
1. Surfaces Are Becoming More Emotional.
Pearlized brings a sense of movement and depth that shifts bathroom design from static to expressive.
2. Iridescence Is Emerging as a Microtrend.
We’re seeing it in lighting, tilework, sculpture, and glassware. This finish elevates the trend into high-end bath fixtures.
3. The Emotional Experience of a Home Matters More Than Ever.
Homeowners want spaces that evoke calm, wonder, and sensory delight. Pearlized supports that.
4. It Embodies the Fusion of Craft + Technology.
It’s rare to see PVD, a highly technical process, used to create something that feels this poetic.
5. It Signals a New Era of Art-Centered Bathroom Design
Bathrooms are becoming personal sanctuaries. Pearlized supports that transformation beautifully.
A Signature Thought from Nakeya Divine
“As designers, we look for finishes that tell a story, something that moves beyond the ordinary. Pearlized does exactly that. It reacts to light, expresses emotion, and turns a functional object into an artistic experience. It’s a reminder that beauty and innovation can live in the same space.” — Nakeya Divine, Divine Elements of Design & Decorator’s Voice
Earlier this year, I reviewed the Kohler Karing Smart Toilet, another example of Kohler’s commitment to blending luxury with thoughtful technology.
These two innovations — Pearlized and Karing — showcase Kohler’s ability to design for both beauty and experience.
Learn More
To explore high-resolution images, product details, and Kohler’s Design Miami presence, visit: Kohler.com/DesignMiami
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