Kohler Co. Wins Two Prestigious Industrial Design Awards.

Business Editors

sok(a) overflowing bath awarded Gold IDEA

and laminar-flow bath filler earns Silver IDEA

Kohler Co., a global leader in kitchen and bath design, announces today that its sok(TM) overflowing bath and laminar-flow bath filler are the recipients of prestigious Gold and Silver Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEAs), respectively, from the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). To be awarded this July at IDSA's national conference in Monterey, Calif., the revolutionary home spa bathing products from Kohler were chosen from more than 1,100 entrants, from 16 different countries around the globe.

Co-sponsored by the IDSA and Business Week magazine to recognize excellence in design, the annual international competition spans 11 different categories, from business equipment and new car designs to home furnishings and medical devices. This year's winners were selected by jury of 16 non-affiliated designers, choosing winners based on performance in five different aspects of design, including: benefit to the user, benefit to the client/business, design innovation, ecological responsibility, and aesthetics and appeal.

"The sok bath and laminar-flow bath filler are terrific successes for our company in a variety of ways," said David Kohler, Group President-Kitchen and Bath for Kohler. "Both projects combined unique consumer insight with excellent design and technical execution to produce products that consumers around the globe are excited about. Designed to create a more relaxing bathing experience, sok has touched consumers both experientially and aesthetically. It is the essence of what we strive to attain at Kohler."

sok overflowing bath - a home spa centerpiece

Among an elite group of 41 Gold IDEA winners, KOHLER sok reaches the very pinnacle of providing homeowners with a relaxing and rejuvenating water experience. Reincarnating the ritual of the bath, sok is the perfect centerpiece in a luxurious home spa. The tub offers a deep-soaking experience for bathers nestled within a cocoon of chin-high warm water. Submerged from shoulders to toes and defying gravity, the bather is at eye level with a sleek plane of water that gently drops off the rim's horizon, while special air jets generate tiny effervescent bubbles that cling to the body and lightly caress the skin. For the bather's ear, the melodic sound of falling water relaxes and comforts the mind.

Kohler's attention to design is evident in sok. The 75" long acrylic tub with a 24.5" ultra-deep basin maintains a consistent water height and temperature. A sheet of bath water continuously spills over the tub's rim into a water channel and is recirculated back into the tub, conserving water. A 1.5-kW heater warms the water and a 1/3-HP, 230-volt pump sends the water through 11 special air jets to create tiny effervescent bubbles to enhance the bathing experience.

sok's understated, sleek design blends seamlessly into any decor. The bath's outside walls can be finished in tile, stone, wood, concrete and other materials to match the bathroom's color scheme. The tub is available in White, Almond or Biscuit and features a raised, molded-in seat that provides for comfortable support and natural leg extension.

Having originally launched sok in May 2001, Kohler unveiled a new wrinkle in 2002 for consumers by unveiling the luxury of chromatherapy (light therapy) to its celebrated bath. KOHLER sok with chromatherapy features eight hues - from soothing to stimulating - that are sequentially transmitted via four LED light ports positioned within the inner walls of the bath. A simple touch of the button starts the color sequence, displaying each approximately eight seconds washing over the bather. If the bather finds a color to their liking, a simple touch of the button will hold that color indefinitely.

Laminar-flow tub filler - enhancing the bathing experience

The Silver IDEA awarded laminar-flow bath filler projects a beautiful, pure, intact stream of clear water, providing a visually arresting and physically soothing experience. Kohler laminar technology essentially "straightens" the water by eliminating the turbulence and removing the air normally caused by the bends of pipes. Versatile for a litany of configurations, the laminar-flow bath fillers can be mounted to the floor, wall or ceiling and can be specified in a variety of KOHLER trim finishes, including Polished Chrome, Brushed Chrome, Vibrant Polished Brass, Vibrant Polished Nickel, Vibrant Brushed Nickel and Vibrant French Gold.

In selecting their winners, IDSA jurors were impressed with the design shift toward pure geometry and the sheer functionality of the products. Among the trends noted by jurors, several apply to the design of the KOHLER sok and laminar-flow bath filler. They include: - products that are visually appealing - a move toward pure, clean geometry, while migrating away from a

gadget syndrome - products that are fully formed in functionality and design and

configurable for more than one use

The IDSA will honor its award winners at a grand celebration Saturday, July 20, during its National Conference and Design Gallery at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, Calif.

For additional information about the KOHLER sok overflowing bath and laminar-flow bath filler or other Kohler Co. products, consumers may call 1-800-4-KOHLER or access the Kohler Co. web site at KOHLER.com.

Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Kohler, Wis., Kohler Co. is a world leader in products for the kitchen and bath, and one of the oldest and largest privately held companies in the United States. The company markets its kitchen and bath products under the brand names of Kohler, Sterling, Kallista, Ann Sacks, Robern, Canac and, in Europe, under the brand names of Jacob Delafon, Neomediam, Sanijura and Mira.

Editor's Note: To request high-resolution photography of these award-winning products suitable for publishing, please contact Todd Weber, Kohler Co. Kitchen & Bath Public Relations at 920-457-4441, 72707; [e-mail].

(a) Editor's Note: There is a macron accent (a bar over the letter) on

the letter "o" in sok. It will not transfer to all systems.