It ain't square

Is there anything cooler than a bathroom sink that looks like a geometrically perfect ice cube? Chris Dlutowski and Peter Occolowitz, a Manhattan couple who recently gave their pre-war apartment in the Chelsea area of New York a decidedly post-war makeover, didn't think so.

Working with New York architect Stephen Alton, they commissioned a local artist to create the mini-iceberg sink from poured resin. A floor-level built-in spotlight directly under it bathes the room in a refracted glow, warmed by the rosy tempered glass on the shower and door of this decidedly glacial water closet.

With one bathroom - and a compact one at that - the couple had a small amount of space to make a big statement. By creating a free-standing, one-of-a-kind sink, they've achieved a unique effect and a look that harmonises with the pared-down aesthetic of their home.

To compensate for storage space sacrificed for the cube, Dlutowski and Occolowitz installed extra medicine cabinets behind the mirrors and a brown lacquer cabinet to the left of the sink.

In these days of global warming an ice cube that can never melt is indeed a precious commodity. Poured resin (a combination of a polymer and a hardening agent) can be moulded into myriad shapes and sizes and works well in bathrooms because it resists mould, is easy to clean and difficult to scratch.