Kohler returns to Design Miami to debut its latest innovation, Pearlized, an iridescent finish that transforms ceramic surfaces into luminous works of functional art.
Pearlized was developed in partnership with artist David Franklin, the inaugural resident of Kohler MakerSpace and a two-time resident in the esteemed Arts/Industry program, a collaborative artist residency between Kohler Co. and The John Michael Kohler Arts Center.
Pearlized will be introduced on the Kohler Derring Carillon Artist Editions sink made by artisans in Kohler, Wisconsin, merging craftsmanship with advanced surface technology.
“Providing artists with the freedom to create in our factories has inspired some of our greatest design innovations,” said chief sustainable living officer, Laura Kohler. “This latest creative endeavor, initiated by David during his residency in Kohler MakerSpace and brought to life through his collaboration with our associates, has resulted in a luminescent product that not only serves a functional purpose but also tells a beautiful story about experimentation and the evolution of how we think about design.”
From Artist Discovery To Design Breakthrough
It was in Kohler MakerSpace that Franklin created the awe-inspiring sculpture “Once and Forever Lake Michigan,” composed of 1,600 highly detailed ceramic fish, now on display at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium. During that project, he and Kohler’s engineering team experimented with applying PVD technology—typically used on metal fixtures and faucets—to his ceramic fish, resulting in a gorgeous, pearly finish. That innovation and reimagination of PVD technology became the foundation for the Pearlized finish, now making its debut on the Kohler Derring Carillon Artist Editions sink.
“My work with Kohler has always been about discovery, finding new ways to express light, texture and form through materials,” said Franklin. “Seeing that moment of experimentation evolve into a design innovation for Kohler’s products is both rewarding and a perfect example of what can happen when artists and engineers create side by side.”
An Immersive Debut at Design Miami
To introduce the new finish, Kohler has partnered with Harry Nuriev—artist, founder and creative director of Crosby Studios—for an immersive installation inspired by Design Miami’s 2025 theme, “Make.Believe.” The activation brings the artistry of the Pearlized finish to life with a rippling, dreamlike landscape that showcases its origin story and highlights Franklin’s history of experimental iridescent works, discovered in collaboration with Kohler through its artist residency program, Kohler MakerSpace.
Nuriev is the natural creative partner to interpret Kohler’s new Pearlized finish for Design Miami. Known for creating bold environments that blur the line between art, architecture and sensory design, Nuriev transforms a technical surface into a living environment that shifts with every movement, reflecting light, motion and imagination through the iridescent surfaces.
“The Pearlized finish is more than a surface; it’s a living canvas, continually changing as we interact with it,” said Nuriev. “Our goal was to create an environment that captures the finish’s ever-evolving beauty and invite people to experience design as something fluid and alive.”
