The bathroom has become an extension of our living areas and a space to escape, unwind and relax. This means minimal design is here to stay, with an uncluttered, neat finish being the goal. Large slab format surfaces fit into this trend, creating a seamless impression in bathrooms and shower rooms.

Surfaces such as Ceralsio Ceramic and Inalco MDi from CRL Stone, are available in a large slab format and can be cut to an exact size to fit the space, achieving a bespoke solution with minimal grout lines and a seamless finish, even in awkwardly shaped spaces, with lots of corners and angles.

Importantly, the surfaces chosen for the bathroom need to work on a practical level in terms of ease of cleaning and durability too. Here again, Ceralsio Ceramic and Inalco MDi fully fit this brief. Both are non-porous materials that are highly scratch and stain resistant, so they stay looking their very best with minimal maintenance and aftercare – an important quality when used over large and visible areas of the bathroom.

Style is not compromised, however, but rather with these surfaces, it is enhanced, due to the wide selection available in each collection. Nature-inspired, Ceralsio Ceramic and Inalco MDi includes classic surfaces such as soft white, right through to sophisticated, strong designs such as Statuario and Meteora Gris (pictured).

The large format surfaces can be chosen as part of a bespoke shower solution from CRL Stone, incorporating glass, hardware and the surfaces themselves, all tailor-made to fit. By partnering with glass suppliers and fabricators around the country, CRL offers a completely new way of specifying showers, enabling retailers to provide consumers with a tailor-made option designed for the perfect fit, whether in the family bathroom or as part of an en-suite extension in an existing master bedroom.

For more details visit www.crlstone, or call CRL Stone on 01706 863 600.

Optidek, the wall coverings specialist, has partnered with Florim, the Italian porcelain stoneware brand, to launch the Magnum Collection, an exclusive range of 6mm thickness surfaces that come in large format 2360mm x 760mm Magnum slabs.  

The Magnum Collection features four colourways in matt and gloss marble finishes and is curated by Optidek to appeal to kitchen and bathroom designers, architects and interior designers that are either seeking a uniform aesthetic with co-ordinated worktop, splashback, upstand and shelving, or as surface materials for bathrooms or living spaces. Comprising a blend of natural clays and mineral colours, these recyclable high-grade porcelain surfaces by Florim are impervious and resistant to high temperatures, UV rays and atmospheric stress. They are also waterproof, hygienic and easy to clean.

Optidek is a leading supplier and fabricator of glass, bespoke art glass and quartz wall coverings. The Bath-based business features a wide range of ultra-fashionable surfaces for residential and commercial schemes. It recently launched its luxury Italian Artisan glass collection and it exclusively features bespoke art glass panels by artist, Sally Coulden, owner of Red Dog Glass Design. The company also partners with Cosentino to fabricate 4mm Dekton Slim panels. The new and exclusive Magnum Collection by Florim is available from Optidek from January 2023.

In an age when the subject of sustainability in building and home interiors projects is no longer a choice, but a necessity, Florim, which has manufacturing plants in Modena, Italy and in Tennessee in the US, has achieved the highest possible credentials, being B-Corp certified. The criteria for certification are generated by B Lab, a non-profit network dedicated to transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet*.

B-Corp certification is only awarded to those companies that demonstrate their positive social and environmental impact as part of a regenerative economy, and is adjudicated using a points process. Using a Benefit Impact Assessment (BIA) a company that exceeds a score of 80 or more can be B-Corp certified. Florim Italia scores 98.1 and is the only porcelain tile manufacturer in the world to achieve this accreditation.

Anthony Barker, sales director, Optidek says: “We are delighted to be entering into partnership with Florim, which manufactures such beautiful and versatile high grade porcelain surfaces. With our exclusive Magnum collection, we can now offer co-ordinated wall coverings and worktops; an aesthetic that is very on-trend in kitchens and bathrooms. As a growing business, we are also committed to working with manufacturers that have excellent sustainability credentials, and with B-Corp certification, Florim’s are among the best in the world.”

The Optidek Magnum Collection by Florim: Calacatta Naturale, Calacatta Lucido, Amani Grey Naturale, Amani Grey Lucido, Ceppo di Gre Naturale, Ceppo di Gre Lucido, Travertino Naturale, Travertino Lucido

*Source: B Lab