Crystal Creations freshens up the bathroom

WEST PATERSON, NJ — Three years after its initial entry into the bath ensemble category, Crystal Creations has added shower curtains, shower curtain hooks, scatter rugs and resin and ceramic products to its ever-growing line.

"We want to show people that bathrooms don't have to be boring anymore," said Karen Levinson, vp. "I think a bathroom should be appealing to both men and women, especially women since we spend so much time there putting on makeup and fixing our hair. It should be a very fashion-forward room."

Crystal Creations, which has its New York showroom on the 16th floor of 230 Fifth Avenue, introduced more than 13 new collections that each include a tumbler; toothbrush holder; lotion pump; soap dish; cotton puff/swap box; boutique tissue; wastebasket and bowl brush holder. Most of the collections include a coordinating shower curtain, shower curtain hooks and scatter rugs.

The new constructions are a silk-screen polypropylene line titled Frosty Metallic Checkerboard, seven resin lines, three ceramic lines and assorted free-standing acrylic products.

The resin-made lines are Shangri-La, a textured gold leaf pattern; Tuscany, a multi-colored textured leaf pattern; Harlequin, a pearlized black-and-white diamond-shaped pattern; Safari, featuring an elephant motif; Ming, a pagoda pattern in blue and white with a linen-textures background; Rambling Rose, featuring a stone-textured background and a lavender or green rose; and Delicious Colors, a pattern featuring 13 colors that intensify from bottom to top.

The ceramic-made lines are Chestino, a lattice on a white background with accent shades of green and lavender; Retro, featuring a black background with accents in lavender and pink and a contemporary design with shapes; and Parisianne, a novelty look with bright colors and an abstract design.

All the new shower curtains are made of 100 percent waterproof polyester; the bath rugs are hand-tufted 100 percent cotton with latex backing; and the hooks are resin.

All the bath products are imported from throughout Asia, except shower curtains, which are produced in the U. S.

Price points for shower curtains, shower curtain hooks and bath rugs have not yet been determined, Levinson said.

But Levinson did add that the retailers Crystal Creations is aiming to attract are independent, mid-tier, specialty and department stores.

"We are expanding because we've had an excellent response from our initial line," Levinson added. "We've gotten a great response. And the thing is, our products are not so high priced, so that if a customer gets bored she can move what she has into her attic and buy something new without having to spend a lot of money for a new look."

Crystal Creations is also now doing direct-ship container programs for large customers, Levinson said.