Kudos Shower Products has introduced a new matt black finish to its Inspire collection of over-bath screens, available from January 2023.
The Inspire over-bath screen is characterised by its minimalist frameless design and innovative click-to-lock hinges that hold the screen in place. All models are manufactured in toughened safety glass finished with LifeShieldÔ, an easy clean, protective coating and with twin element SmartSeal protection from leaking.
Available in 6 or 8mm glass and in single, two, three and four panel options the Inspire screens are larger than average, measuring 1500mm in height and from 850mm to 1250mm wide to provide a more generous showering area. All options come reversible for left or right hand fixing and feature an adjustment on the profile for out of true walls. Until now the collection was only available with chrome finish profiles but from January 2023 all 6mm glass options will be available in a new popular matt black finish.
Kudos Shower Products Ltd has been designing and manufacturing shower products at their Cumbrian facility since 1999. Their portfolio includes shower enclosures, shower trays, over bath screens and wet-room solutions sold via KBB showrooms and merchants across the UK.
BAGNODESIGN showcased its Bristol range at HIX Event. Drawing inspiration from the mid-20th Century to bring classical elegance to the modern bathroom, Bristol is an exciting new range focused on bridging the old and the new.
Combining a soft, industrial style with bold statement pieces, Bristol is the perfect choice for emulating the rejuvenating ambience of an urban spa, in the comfort of the home bathroom environment.
Featuring a distinctive vogue style, Bristol gives a choice of two handle options – linear and cross – and no fewer than five on-trend luxe finishes.
The brassware range is made up of a comprehensive selection of basin mixers, shower mixers, and bath mixers, available in Soft Bronze, PVD Santiago, Chrome, Brushed Nickel, and Matt Black. Combine these with concrete or trendy terrazzo to give a balanced appearance and create a finished layout that is aesthetically pleasing and suggestive of urban spa-like luxury.
With smooth edges running throughout and the series modelling refined finishes, the design also resonates with consumers looking for minimalistic chic incorporating a nuance of sophistication in a successful attempt to create the endlessly popular ‘ess is more feel.
Create a running theme with BAGNODESIGN signature basins, baths, and shower heads to match. BAGNODESIGN by SANIPEXGROUP is a trend-leading expert in crafting unique bathroom aesthetics with inspiring collections of luxury products.
Every range encompasses a standout look, combining elegance with high quality and durability, with Bristol being no exception.
BAGNODESIGN also showcased its new OROLOGY range.
For more details, contact Sanipex Group on 01924 233977 or visit www.bagnodesign.it
Features by Diane Larner founder and editor of Bathroom Review & Kitchens Review. Diane Larner launched both titles over 12 years ago and has been writing about the bathroom and kitchen interior design industry ever since, publishing regular features across the two sectors.
Designing a shower room demands a detailed analysis of its impact on the environment and its longevity. Every aspect of a new project calls for consideration, from its unavoidable imprint on the world around us to its ‘well-being or usability gauge’ for the end user.
Today we consider some of the options on the market, from accessible shower rooms to eco-design and space-saving options.
Future-proofing
Gone are the days of the unsightly handrail; today’s designers can incorporate inclusive features from the outset. For hotel design, some of the latest chameleonic options mean hotel rooms may be used as multi-purpose zones, quickly switched to aid clients that require accessibility, to all-purpose spaces when demand is high. For the home, features such as level-access shower trays and walk-in enclosures deliver design-led versatility for all users.
Stephen Maley, UK sales director, HEWI UK Ltd, explains: “Floor-level showers are very much in vogue at the moment, especially in accessible washrooms. They are accessible and, with the right floor space, also enable wheelchair users to shower independently.”
Extending independence further, HEWI’s newly launched seat family offers increased comfort and safety in the shower and the entire washroom. Its design is based on the well-known 950 stool and features a new, modern design language.
We are also seeing an increase in collections that offer a range of accessible products that work together in harmony, thus making it easier to create a cohesive, aesthetic design. Stephen Maley agrees: “It is not only the floor-level shower that makes the shower accessible; shower seats, grab rail, and many other products make a significant contribution to creating accessibility in showers.”
Mixing it up
Ideal Standard Navigo® technology
Energy and water-saving features are fast becoming fundamental to the design toolkit; products that efficiently help set water flow and temperature are in demand, not only for environmental reasons but also for personal safety, especially in multi-generational settings.
The German-engineered Navigo® technology from Ideal Standard features a simple push-and-turn movement to control water flow at your preselected temperature. This innovative temperature safety technology adds to the user’s well-being by automatically adjusting the flow of hot or cold water if pressure spikes or is lost. Meanwhile, the Cool Body technology works like a protective shield, keeping the controls and body cool to the touch despite the interior flow of hot water.
The continued popularity of complete shower systems is also because they offer a one-stop shop for designers who wish to incorporate various optional showering products, such as hand-held showers or overhead showers.
Ashley Smith, product manager (UK), residential brassware at Ideal Standard, explains: “Further flexibility is afforded for housebuilders and end users through shower systems with rain showers and hand sprays that allow end users to change between spraying modes for further customisation. Shower systems can also be paired with baths where space allows, giving the bathroom a diverse range of options while being cheaper than getting a new built-in shower installed.”
Guiding lights
Lakes Ambient light-up walk-in
Lighting changes our perception of space, and whilst brighter lights make us more alert, ambient lighting is diffused equally throughout the room, creating a sense of calm. With ‘cocooning’ having more than just a moment in the ‘trends chatter’; we are seeing an increase in showering options that provide gentle, ambient surroundings.
Mike Gahir, managing director of Lakes Showering Spaces, agrees: “Once considered a functional space, bathrooms have become private sanctuaries designed for mindfulness and relaxation. The quest to turn the home bathroom into a spa isn’t particularly new in itself but will be something we are likely to see more of next year. 2023 bathroom trends predict a move towards opening up bathroom spaces, removing bathtubs and replacing with larger, walk-in showers that ooze luxury with the addition of brass, copper and gold features for a subtle hint of colour and interest.”
Ingeniously designed to offer a calming, soothing and tranquil shower experience, the unique Ambient Walk-In from Lakes Showering Spaces (pictured above) features a PIR motion sensor that triggers a built-in LED lighting system along the edge of the glass panel, emitting a low-level soft glow.
Frameless chic
Kudos Pinnacle8 Shower Enclosure
As UK homes are becoming smaller, omitting the bath is one way to make the most out of a reduced floor area. Where there is enough space for a bath, walk-in showers, frameless designs or quadrant options, all help give the illusion of a larger floor space.
Kudos Showers is introducing some superbly stylish frameless, low-level access additions to its Pinnacle8 Shower enclosure collection. These stunning frameless models maximise space and light and include hinged and quadrant functionality in matt black and chrome profiles.
Personal choice
Kudos Pinnacle8Ideal Standard i.lifeHEWI Family Seat
Increasinlgy designers are asked to create bespoke compositions catering to individual styles and awkward or unusual shapes and sizes, such as sloping ceilings, cellar, and loft conversions. Manufacturers are, in turn, offering a vast array of choices regarding colour, finish, size and shape.
Nick Graville, sales & marketing director at UK manufacturer Kudos Shower Products, tells us: “Personalisation is the buzzword for bathroom design today and the choice of products has never been larger to facilitate it. This is certainly true in Showering where latest trends include a greater choice of enclosure profile finishes reflecting the metallic colourways popular in taps and showers.”
i.life S from Ideal Standard has a contemporary, space-saving, soft-square design and includes a range of products, including shower trays. i.life S complements smaller spaces and is perfect for ensuites and under-the-stairs bathrooms.
Staying grounded
Kaldewei Superplan Zero
As we become more climate-aware, purchasing decisions are under scrutiny. A 2021 surveycarried out by Leaders Romans Group (LRG) revealed that 70% of respondents across the UK would like their property to be more eco-friendly. Whilst YouGov research of 2,000 UK adults found that 52% of us inform our purchase decisions based on brands’ eco-credentials. For designers, products with sustainable credentials are undoubtedly a new necessity.
Adam Teal, Kaldewei UK agrees, “Classic style, quality workmanship and longevity within a circular economy is key, more than ever before specifiers are looking for elements that can be re-used, reworked and recycled.”
Kaldewei manufactures its sanitaryware using Bluemint steel reducing its carbon output by 70 per cent and enabling it to produce luxurious, sustainable bathroom solutions. The Superplan Zero is flat to the floor, with zero steps and zero edges making it ideal for bathrooms in both the hotel and hospitality sector as well as for homebuilders.
For the latest kitchen design features – visit Kitchens Review
The new seat family from HEWI opens up the potential for creative diversity and offers increased comfort and safety in the shower and in the entire washroom. Its design is based on the well-known 950 stool and features a new, modern design language. The highlight of the design is the delicate frame, which provides stability combined with visual and physical lightness. Thanks to the cross-series design and HEWI’s system expertise, the four seats integrate perfectly into any bathroom and can be combined with other accessories from HEWI.
Increased safety in the bathroom
Two stools and two bath chairs are part of the new seat family. They have small, special features such as a towel rail or various support options. A model with armrests is also available to provide a sense of safety in the bathroom. This safety is also reflected in the comfort of the seat. The stool and bath chair perfectly adapt to the body shape and support a stable sitting position. The small stool is particularly suitable for narrow bathrooms due to its small footprint. Thanks to the high quality of the products, they are versatile – both in private washrooms and outside. When it comes to colour, the models available in grey and black as well as in white tones integrate perfectly into existing room designs or can be used to create contrasting accents.
HEWI Care
HEWI reports its commitment to universal design and has been successfully developing products that focus on people and their individual needs for decades. At HEWI, intelligent functions and consistent design merge to create a single unit. The company says excellent design, high-quality designs and well thought-out functions characterise the sanitary systems and product ranges from HEWI. Comfort features and accessibility are integrated into every system at HEWI, enabling cross-generational use.
Ingeniously designed to offer a calming, soothing and tranquil shower experience, the unique Ambient Walk-In from Lakes features a PIR motion-sensor that triggers a built-in LED lighting system along the edge of the glass panel, emitting a low-level soft glow.
Once considered a functional space, bathrooms have become private sanctuaries designed for mindfulness and relaxation. The simplest way to create a tranquil spa-like feel is to add low level lighting and Lakes new Ambient Walk-in provides exactly that.
Thanks to the gentle illumination from the light strip housed in the profile which generates a soft light around the glass edge, you can relax in the soft glow of the LED lighting system, creating a soothing environment. Light sleepers will also not be disturbed by any night-time visits to the bathroom as the enclosure lights are automatically triggered when someone enters the room, removing the need to turn on the main lights.
Ambient is also a stylish option for multi-generational households. By adding a low threshold, non-slip shower tray, seat and reassuring grab rails, Ambient is ideal for people of all ages and levels of mobility living within the same household. The automatic lighting system also makes night-time bathroom visits safer for the whole family.
Lakes’ Ambient Walk-In also benefits from PureVueHD low-iron glass which reduces the green hue in glass making it dramatically lighter, brighter and clearer for superior clarity.
The Lakes’ Ambient Walk-In is available now from selected bathroom retailers and will add a high-end, luxurious finish to any bathroom.
All Lakes products are backed by a unique lifetime guarantee.
Roca showcased key products from its newly launched Ona collection. The collection comprises a series of versatile pieces suitable for a broad range of bathroom settings and features sleek organic shapes that pay homage to Roca’s native Mediterranean.
Roca’s gently curved Ona basins are made of Fineceramic®, and deliver a contemporary take on classic ceramic that boasts up to 30 per cent greater tensile strength. As a result, it’s possible to create sculptural basins with elegant sides just 8mm thick. Style options include ultra-compact, compact, standard and countertop, all of which are available in a glossy white for classic shine, matt white for a soft-touch texture and Supraglaze®, an extra-smooth surface that allows microscopic residue to slide off, stopping any build-up of dirt or bacteria. Ona basins are designed to complement Ona baths with white finishes for both drop-in and corner (left and right) models. Made from Stonex®, an anti-slip material that also allows for slender sides, the baths are super durable as well as easy to clean.
Hygiene is a key talking point of Ona WCs and bidets with rimless bowls free from angles or nooks for more efficient cleaning as well as the option of Supraglaze®. Added benefits such as a comfortable height, large flush button, soft-close seat and new hinges with push buttons for quick release ensure the ultimate in comfort and convenience. Options also include wall-hung, close-coupled, floor-standing and back-to-wall options in both standard and compact sizes.
It’s not enough for hotel mixers to make a statement – they need to play their part in water saving too. Mixers from the Ona collection certainly catch the eye with their slender cylindrical bodies and flat rectangular handles that work in perfect harmony with the shape of each spout. On a more practical note, they feature the innovative Cold Start system, which avoids unnecessary use of hot water [thus saving energy] and flow limiter technology that conserves water use. Available deck- or wall-mounted in a range of sizes [standard, mezzo and high neck], the mixer is available in black as well as in Chrome Titanium Black or Rose Gold.
Water guzzling WC’s, maybe as many as 300 million across Europe are wasting around 4 billion litres of water per year, says the UWLA on World Toilet Day.
UWLA MD Yvonne Orgill says, “World Toilet Day is held every year on 19 November and has been an annual United Nations Observance since 2013. Whilst World Toilet Day aims to raise awareness of the 3.6 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation, it is a good time to highlight, that in the UK alone, we waste at least 35 million litres of water every year, and as much as 4 billion litres across Europe by using old and inefficient flush systems.
“We know from research undertaken in the UK into the merits of a bathroom scrappage scheme that updating homes with a modern WC could immediately make this huge saving in water usage.
“Toilet flushing accounts for 1/4 of water used in the home today, and with modern dual flush models using as little as 2.6 and 4 litres per flush, it is one of the easiest ways to save water in the home.
“Dual-flush cisterns let the user choose how much water to use when flushing the toilet, so with better education, there is potential to influence behaviour and save even more.
“These modern WC’s are readily available, there are more than 3,000 WC’s that carry the Unified Water Label listed on the UWLA website.
“We want to raise awareness on this World Toilet Day to encourage people to look at their old WC and consider replacing it. By using a lower volume of water to flush the toilet we can dramatically reduce annual water consumption, and contribute to the protection of this valuable natural resource.”
More information about the Unified Water Label can be found by visiting the website www.uwla.eu
In response to living costs and energy bills increasing and many regions are now recognised as being in permanent water-stressed areas, Methven, global designer and manufacturer, has introduced an interactive online water calculator. The new calculator will support installers and architects in helping customers to achieve water and energy efficient shower installations.
As part of Methven’s commitment to making water-saving, possible for all, the online calculator enables users to select the shower head they wish to use and tailor calculations according to household water usage.
The recommended shower heads are optimised to operate at just eight litres per minute whilst providing customers with an invigorating shower that doesn’t compromise on performance, compared to shower heads that use an unrestricted 15 litres per minute. By using the calculator, Methven aims to help customers benefit from reduced water and energy use, and in turn, lower household energy and water bills by over £250 a year.
Whilst the water saving calculator can be used by homeowners to help reduce their water usage, installers, retailers, and specifiers can also benefit from the tool by using it to recommend the best shower heads to customers who desire energy and water efficient showering solutions.
Featuring a savings breakdown where customers can view the payback period for their chosen showerhead, the interactive calculator also provides tradespeople with an opportunity to recommend Methven shower heads as a worthwhile investment. Additionally, to assist new homeowners, specifiers can confidently position the interactive calculator as a means to reduce ongoing costs.
Chris Billingham, head of marketing, and innovation for Methven said: “In the present economic climate, homeowners across the UK are looking for ways to save money on their household bills and cutting back on water consumption is a key part of this.
“As customers strive to be more sustainable our online water saving interactive calculator will support industry professionals in helping customers choose water-efficient and cost-effective products, without compromising the overall showering experience.”
The water-saving calculator is now available to use on Methven’s website.
LIXIL, maker of pioneering water and housing products, started operations at its new global headquarters in Osaki Garden Tower today. While employees will continue to work from home on a regular basis, the new headquarters is designed to encourage closer personal interaction – redefining the office as a place to foster communication and collaboration.
Over the years, LIXIL has been transforming its working style to better embrace individual lifestyles and ways of working to improve engagement and productivity. Although some types of work require employees to be on-site, such as production and logistics, a wide range of positions are now performed from home. Today, only 8% of headquarter employees regularly commute to work.
With such developments, the role of the workplace has changed decisively for LIXIL. Communication and collaboration are focal to the new headquarters; the office is no longer a place where employees commute to a desk at a designated time to work on their own, but instead a space that sparks team-based productivity and creativity.
LIXIL President and CEO Kinya Seto commented, “At LIXIL we have embraced new ways of work that meet the diverse needs and lifestyles of our employees. We continue to build an inclusive working environment that enables everyone to reach their full potential by giving them control of how they structure their day. Moving to the new LIXIL headquarters is part of our workstyle transformation that will take us further on our journey to become an agile and entrepreneurial organization – it will be a place where open communication and lively collaboration is welcomed, just like a home for everyone.”
As part of fostering an inclusive work environment that helps employees manage their work-life balance, LIXIL is promoting “Activity Based Working (ABW)”, which enables employees to select a suitable place and time for the task or work at hand. Places of work have also diversified for employees who previously commuted to its headquarters. Thus, LIXIL has reduced its capacity and redesigned the office to meet evolving needs of employees. This includes securing separate sites in Tokyo designed for employees who require fixed seats and tools to work, as well as an R&D and Design Center for a wide range of creative work and product innovation.
GROHE & LIXIL
In 2014, GROHE became part of the LIXIL Group Corporation, a publicly listed company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. LIXIL is the global market leader in the sanitary ware industry and also Japan’s leading provider of housing and building materials.
UWLA MD Yvonne Orgill has urged the industry to respond to the government consultation on introducing compulsory water labelling, which closes in one weeks’ time on 25 November.
Yvonne says, “We must not miss this opportunity to make our views known or we risk having a mandatory label.
“Those that already support the Unified Water Label and know that it is robust, already established and growing, can reinforce our message to Government that a mandatory label is not the best solution.
“Our message to those that are new to the Unified Water Label, is please take a look at the website to find out more and understand why leading international retailers such as IKEA, Globus and merchant group PHG are supporting the label.
“We welcome the government’s commitment to reducing water waste but do not consider it necessary or cost effective to develop a new labelling system when one is already in place.
“The Unified Water Label that has been identified within the ISO Standard 31600:2022 as best practice, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (DEFRA), has stated in the consultation document that their approach is based on this standard.
“The Unified Water Label is the only label worldwide that covers 14 differing product categories. The database includes 14,000 individual products, which is regularly accessed by 10,000 architects and specifiers. The label has also been used on 150,000 building or refurbishment projects internationally.
“We believe that a mandatory label will be significantly more expensive for the industry than a voluntary one and that a mandatory system will take away the flexibility that the industry now has to operate a system that meets their needs. They will also be exposed to an enforcement body that will have the power to impose sanctions, under the proposed mandatory scheme.
“We are asking the members and supporters to work with us for the benefit of the industry, and respond before the consultation closes on 25 November.
“The consultation policy document can be found here.”
