Steven Mellini sells ''furniture for the bath.''

His contemporary vanities are designed in Italy under the brand name Priele, crafted in hardwoods in Thailand, and topped with tempered glass sinks from Germany.

The glass is ''as strong as stone,'' Mellini said. The lavatory is an integral part of the countertop, eliminating any dirt-catching cracks or crevices. The tempered glass is shatter- and scratch-resistant and can be cleaned with a microfiber soft cloth or a glass cleaner.

The vanities have other features as well. The sinks have ''pop up'' drain covers. Tap the drain cover and the drain closes, another tap and it opens. The faucets have a nozzle like a filter, mixing air with water and creating a steady flow with no splashing. Cabinets have built-in towel rods, self-closing drawers for cosmetics and racks for rolled towels.

''We sell to the [final] customer -- the homeowner, builders and plumbers,'' said Mellini, who grew up in Buenos Aires. ``We don't do installations. These vanities can be a do-it-yourself product if a person has some knowledge of plumbing.''

There are small vanities destined to grace powder rooms and corner units for unusual spaces. The Ondina vanity ($998) has a sink on the left side in one unit and a sink on the right in a companion unit, to be placed side by side in master bathrooms.

A complete unit -- vanity, faucet, installation-ready plumbing, hardware and mirror -- starts at $800. Mellini stocks 1,200 vanities in 50 styles in his 10,000-square-foot warehouse and showroom.

Mellini, whose British wife Clare works with him, started Priele Italian Design Bathrooms in 2004. He says sales are now $3 million a year.

Other products for the bath include ''water sense,'' one-piece ceramic toilets with a water-conserving double flush. Topped with a slow closing lid, they start at $226.

Mellini also sells panels for existing showers. The panels, equipped with massage and hand-held shower heads, hang on two brackets and start below $400.

Despite the slowing housing market, Mellini is optimistic about his business because remodeling usually increases when homeowners decide to stay put. And, even though upgrading a bathroom involves plumbing and electrical work, it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

''For less than $1,000 you can give a bathroom a face-lift,'' said Mellini. ``For $2,000 to $3,000 you can do a bath completely over.''

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