Diane, Author at Bathroom Review

*World Health Organization

Features by Diane Larner, founder and editor of Bathroom Review & Kitchens Review.
Diane Larner launched both titles over 15 years ago and has been writing about the bathroom and kitchen interior design industries ever since, publishing regular features across both sectors.

Accessible bathroom design represents a growing trend as architects strive to create spaces that are barrier-free, visually compelling, and future-ready. In addition, manufacturers are promoting design-led aesthetics that ensure the sector is no longer limited to bland institutional looks, but deliver stunning, adaptable designs that create a compelling focal point.

Advancements in technology also mean today’s inclusive bathrooms offer architects an opportunity to merge inclusivity with innovation, addressing the needs of an ageing population alongside everyday bathroom design.

In this feature, Diane Larner examines the latest products to reach the market – from touchless taps to slip-resistant surfaces.

The Magic Touch

Bathroom-Review-Gosfield-accessible-design — Fitzroy of London Gosfield Collection

According to the World Health Organization, over 1.3 billion people globally experience significant disability.* This represents 16% of the world’s population, or 1 in 6 of us. Rule 101 of accessible bathroom design is to specify products that are safe and easy to use. With this in mind, touchless taps with thermostatic controls are a desirable solution for preventing accidents and limiting the spread of disease. For hoteliers, housebuilders and the healthcare sectors, these fittings not only enhance hygiene and accessibility standards but also improve the user experience. Additionally, integrated sensors add an extra layer of safety, helping washrooms meet water-saving and compliance demands while delivering a clean, modern look.

Fitzroy of London’s head of product, Mark Shepherd, agrees, “There are a variety of innovations that we are seeing when it comes to the luxury bathroom environment. Thermostatic precision, enabled by modern valve technology, ensures the consistent delivery of water temperature, helping to prevent scalding or cold-water shock when there is a significant change in the incoming water pressure.

“There has also been a significant increase in the demand for touchless activation, whether it’s using infrared sensors on toilet cisterns or taps, or through voice activation and smart home application integration.”

The Gosfield Collection by Fitzroy of London features advanced infrared sensor taps, along with precise control over water flow and temperature, ensuring comfort and safety in both residential and commercial settings. All products are WRAS-approved and Regulation 4 certified, meeting stringent requirements for water efficiency and compliance.

The collection includes beautifully crafted deck and wall-mounted taps, contemporary handheld and overhead shower solutions, shower arms, and precise shower mixers.

Staying Grounded

Bathroom-Review-Kaldewei-Invisible-Grip — Kaldewei Invisible Grip

Incorporating a practical anti-slip shower floor into projects is a simple, forward-thinking solution that delivers safety and aesthetics without compromising looks. Anti-slip solutions are an ideal strategy when providing long-term support for clients as they improve durability, reduce liability risks, and contribute to a safer, more inclusive environment in hospitality and healthcare. It is all about fostering a sense of comfort and safety.

Adam Teal – country manager Kaldewei UK, explains, “When creating and crafting products that enable accessibility within the bathroom space, the design must also consider the dignity and autonomy of the end user. By doing this you can transform a daily ritual into an assertion of care, as well as making a positive design statement about inclusivity. In addition, this should not be about compliance; it’s about crafting spaces where everyone feels supported and empowered to move freely and safely.”

Kaldewei’s Invisible Grip is certified to quality class C for wet barefoot areas (DIN EN 16165), making it particularly suitable for barrier-free bathroom planning. It’s a solution that speaks to both the practical and emotional needs of users, ensuring that safety doesn’t feel clinical and that design remains aspirational.

According to Kaldewei, when designing with both safety and style in mind, Kaldewei’s Invisible Grip is a quiet revolution. It proves that accessible living can be beautiful, and that the future of bathroom design lies in seamless integration, not compromise.

Space & Time

Bathroom-Review-Ideal-Standard-Concept-Freedom — Ideal Standard Concept Freedom Range

Accessible design is no longer simply a box-ticking exercise in hospitality and healthcare; considered choices such as barrier-free flooring and wheelchair-friendly sanitaryware help to deliver a seamless spatial experience. Incorporating ample room for manoeuvre at the planning stage ensures users benefit from generous clearance around sinks, WCs, and the shower room. When architects and designers prioritise space as a core design element, the result is a bathroom that supports independence, as well as the needs of caregivers.

Ideal Standard’s Yiota Toumba, senior designer at Villeroy & Boch, agrees: “Accessible and inclusive bathrooms no longer mean compromising on style. Thoughtful layouts, wall-mounted basins, walk-in showers, and lever taps ensure safety, comfort, and ease of use for everyone.”

Ideal Standard’s Concept Freedom range, in collaboration with the renowned Studio Levien, features clever design elements that make it easier for those with mobility impairments to use. Wall-hung, back-to-wall, and close-coupled WCs include a design that is 25 per cent higher than average. This reduces pressure on users’ knees and helps to improve the user experience for those with mobility issues. The collection also features shower seats and chrome grab rails, giving a contemporary finish which enhances the overall design.

Love Language

Bathroom-Review-Keuco-Axess. — KEUCO AXESS Collection

Specifying products that are both beautifully designed and functional ensures the bathroom space fosters trust and emotional well-being, as well as a sense of comfort. High aesthetics, coupled with a welcoming design that celebrates diversity, help attract a broader customer base and increase profitability for hoteliers.

James Sketch – KEUCO UK country manager, comments: “Accessibility in the bathroom is not a trend, it’s a design imperative. When creating the bathroom, every element and fixture must be created to anticipate diversity. Although essential for practical purposes the products should be crafted with elegance and precision. True inclusivity means intuitive use without compromise: adaptive heights, tactile clarity.”

Developed in collaboration with the legendary Studio F. A. Porsche, the KEUCO AXESS collection brings a new aesthetic language to inclusive bathroom design. From the folding support rail and modular shower system to discreet grab rails and a freestanding stool, every element is pared back to its essentials, streamlined, sculptural, and purposefully unobtrusive. The result is a suite of products that integrate seamlessly into high-end hospitality, healthcare, and residential environments, without ever compromising on style.

Showered with Love

Grohe Sensia Pro LIXIL Dow Jones Index Sustainability — GROHE Sensia Pro

Shower toilets are the icing on the cake when it comes to inclusive planning. The latest ranges combine cleansing and drying functions, adjustable nozzles, and night lights, elevating hygeine standards whilst promoting greater user independence and a sense of wellbeing.

Lewis Neathey, leader, marketing & product management UK at GROHE UK, LIXIL Europe, agrees: “In both healthcare and hotel settings, shower toilets deliver exceptional benefits by combining hygiene, comfort, sustainability, and a luxurious experience. Cleansing with water is an age-old tradition that is still favoured in many parts of the world; however, shower toilets bring this natural form of cleaning into the 21st century with features promoting improved personal hygiene, accessibility, app connectivity, and personalisation.”

GROHE has expanded its shower toilet offering with the new entry-level product, GROHE Sensia Pro. Designed to meet consumers’ hygiene needs in one streamlined solution, shower toilets combine the benefits of a regular toilet with those of a bidet.

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Elevate everyday spaces with a simple tap update from Duravit

Simply replacing an individual tap can have a huge effect on how a bathroom looks. Exceptional finishes and clean shapes give the room fresh accents and add a contemporary flair. Skillfully combining elements can create a surprisingly stylish aesthetic, brimming with personality, with next to no effort.

Chrome: the classic of classics

Bathroom-Review-Duravit_Upgrade_Faucet_White_Tulip

Chrome has been a firm feature of bathrooms for decades. As a surface finish, it is unsurpassed in its timeless elegance, it harmonises perfectly with a range of styles, and lends itself to creative combinations. It is precisely this timelessness that makes chrome a true all-rounder.

It is not only the material itself that informs the aesthetic, but the shape, which is key. The White Tulip tap from Philippe Starck echoes the silhouette of a flower in bloom – an organic form that imbues the bathroom with a natural, elegant character.

Black Matt: urban elegance

Bathroom-Review_Upgrade_Faucet_Manhattan

A black tap produces a striking accent and brings a contemporary, expressive character into the bathroom. Whilst the interplay with white ceramic creates a fascinating contrast. The Manhattan tap in Matt Black perfectly embraces this style and interprets it in a clear, striking design language, making black taps an ideal match for urban residential concepts and loft designs – alternatively, they can bring a contemporary nuance to bathrooms with a more classical style.

Brushed Bronze & Polished Gold: gentle luxury

Brushed Bronze and Polished Gold are an exclusive choice that gives a bathroom the feel of a boutique hotel. These surfaces exude pure elegance while at the same time bringing a pleasant warmth into the design. The taps
within the Wave series combine soft curves with precise edges to create a design that is as extravagant as it is harmonious. In combination with the other elements, a coherent picture arises that showcases personality and transforms the room into a true statement.

Brushed Stainless Steel: natural restraint

Brushed Stainless Steel is the perfect choice to achieve serenity and clarity in design while retaining the finer details. The matt finish of the Balcoon tap by Patricia Urquiola exudes a sense of calm and elegance within the bathroom. Its restrained design adds a touch of class without being overly obtrusive. The contrast with gleaming ceramic is especially effective in creating a harmonious interplay of materials – natural, contemporary, and displaying a distinct sense of style.

KEUCO AXESS: Where design meets dignity

In a sector where functionality often overshadows form, KEUCO AXESS redefines what it means to create accessible bathrooms—proving that barrier-free design can be both beautiful and intelligent.

Developed in collaboration with the legendary Studio F. A. Porsche, the AXESS collection brings a new aesthetic language to inclusive bathroom design. From the folding support rail and modular shower system to discreet grab rails and a freestanding stool, every element is pared back to its essentials—streamlined, sculptural, and purposefully unobtrusive. The result is a suite of products that integrate seamlessly into high-end hospitality, healthcare, and residential environments, without ever compromising on style.

Design Without Compromise

AXESS is more than a product range—it’s a cross-generational concept. Crafted from premium materials and available in chrome, matt black, or aluminium-chrome finishes, the collection is engineered to support autonomy and comfort for users of all ages and abilities. Whether in a luxury hotel suite, a spa retreat, or a private residence, AXESS enhances quality of life through thoughtful design.

The folding support rail, for example, is a far cry from institutional predecessors. When not in use, it lies flat against the wall in a sleek, minimalist gesture. When lowered, it offers elegant support with a refined silhouette. Optional accessories, such as a retrofittable toilet paper holder with colour-matched roller stoppers, enable additional customisation whilst maintaining the overall visual appeal.

Function That Elevates

Each component in the AXESS series is designed to enhance safety and independence—at the washbasin, WC, shower, and bath. Wall fixings are discreet yet robust, ensuring stability without visual clutter. The shower rail system is fully adaptable, allowing planners and architects to tailor configurations to specific spatial and user needs.

This is barrier-free design reimagined: not as a concession, but as an elevated experience. AXESS turns the accessible bathroom into a space of dignity, comfort, and timeless appeal—making it a compelling choice for forward-thinking developers, specifiers, and private clients alike.

As demand grows for inclusive environments that don’t sacrifice aesthetics, KEUCO AXESS stands out as a benchmark in universal design. It’s not just about meeting standards—it’s about setting them.

www.keuco.com

Invisible Grip: Kaldewei’s elegant answer to safer, accessible bathrooms

Designing a bathroom for accessible living is no longer a niche consideration—it’s a design imperative. As homes evolve into multigenerational spaces, the need for thoughtful, future-ready solutions has become an essential consideration. Kaldewei’s latest innovation, Invisible Grip, provides an effective solution: a surface finish that enhances safety without compromising on style.

Over recent years, one of the most significant shifts in bathroom design has been the rise of floor-level showers. These seamless surfaces not only create a visually expansive environment but help eliminate trip hazards, making them ideal for users of all ages and abilities. For families planning ahead, they offer a subtle yet powerful way to future-proof the home.

But safety in the bathroom goes beyond layout. Kaldewei’s Invisible Grip introduces a new standard in anti-slip technology. Applied to the brand’s high-gloss steel enamel surfaces, this micro-structured finish remains virtually invisible to the eye—preserving the sleek, Alpine White aesthetic—while delivering exceptional grip underfoot. Whether wet or dry, and even when using soap or shampoo, the surface maintains its traction, offering peace of mind without sacrificing elegance.

Certified to quality class C for wet barefoot areas (DIN EN 16165), Invisible Grip is particularly suited to barrier-free bathroom planning. It’s a solution that speaks to both the practical and emotional needs of users—ensuring that safety doesn’t feel clinical, and that design remains aspirational.

Carefree showering and bathing with aesthetic aspirations is part of one’s daily routine and this fusion of glamour and functionality positions Invisible Grip as a benchmark in inclusive design.

Part of Kaldewei’s Luxstainability®World, the innovation reflects the brand’s commitment to sustainable, high-performance living. Recognised by the Bescheinigungsstelle Forschungszulage (BSFZ) for its research excellence, Invisible Grip is more than a product—it’s a symbol of design-led progress.

For those designing with both safety, and style in mind, Kaldewei’s Invisible Grip is a quiet revolution. It proves that accessible living can be beautiful, and that the future of bathroom design lies in seamless integration—not compromise.

Grant Westfield appoints customer experience, quality & training manager

Grant Westfield, a UK manufacturer of wall panels, has strengthened its Customer Experience team with the appointment of Joseph Gawne as customer experience, quality, and training manager.

Joe brings several years of experience within the customer service sector, with a strong background in quality assurance, team leadership and coaching. He has successfully developed and embedded quality assurance frameworks into daily business operations, driving improvements in service delivery and ensuring consistently high standards across teams.

Commenting on his appointment Gawne said: “I’m really excited about the opportunity to contribute to Grant Westfield’s journey toward delivering a world-class customer experience. I look forward to working closely with the wider team to identify areas for improvement and to ensure that every customer interaction we deliver is consistently exceptional.”

Donna Baird, head of customer experience at Grant Westfield, commented: “Joe’s role is a new and key addition to my leadership team. He will be responsible for reshaping our customer interactions by creating and implementing a new customer experience framework. This will align our teams around new service standards and scoring systems, helping us deliver world-class service.

We currently have around 100,000 customer interactions annually, and Joe’s role will support us in monitoring and enhancing these.

Joe will also be responsible for training our Customer Service team. His training will cover soft skills as well as a continued focus on building knowledge of our systems, processes and products.

I’m confident that Joe will play a pivotal role in our success, and I know he’s looking forward to joining us here at Grant Westfield.”

For more information, please visit: www.grantwestfield.co.uk

Heritage meets innovation at Dulwich Picture Gallery

After undergoing its most ambitious redevelopment in over 20 years, the Dulwich Picture Gallery is now home to the brand-new ArtPlay Pavilion, an interactive space for children.

The Villeroy & Boch Group has provided bathroom solutions that marry heritage sensitivity with modern innovation. Their products were chosen not only for functionality but also for their ability to complement the gallery’s historic architecture and contribute to a sustainable, accessible, and engaging visitor experience.

The refurbishment demanded products that respected the gallery’s neoclassical interiors while offering modern usability. The Villeroy & Boch Architectura and Onovo collections were selected to fit perfectly into this narrative.

Working within a historic building also meant managing constraints, such as compact spaces and the need for heritage preservation. That’s where Ideal Standard’s i.Life S range came in, offering compact, clever solutions that respect the intimate scale of the spaces without compromising on comfort or style.

Family-friendly areas were equipped with Contour 21 Splash WC’s, designed specifically for younger visitors, providing thoughtful design tailored for children.

Touchless, water-efficient Armitage Shanks Sensorflow 21 taps and toilets supported sustainability targets, delivering a fully sustainable solution with touchless technology that conserves water and supports hygiene, helping the gallery meet BREEAM Excellent requirements.

Constantin Von Boch, Head of A & D Sales Europe said: “It brings us immense pride to know our products now sit proudly within a listed building of great cultural significance. Supporting Dulwich Picture Gallery, a charity open to the public, brings real meaning to the architecture and design community.”

Navigating Challenges

Refurbishing a building of historical significance presents its own challenges. Many of the original gallery spaces were compact, requiring careful planning to ensure comfort, accessibility, and compliance with heritage considerations.

Chiara Barrett, senior architect from Carmody Groarke on the Dulwich Picture Gallery redevelopment, said: “Our work at Dulwich Picture Gallery reinterprets Soane’s pioneering architecture for a contemporary audience, creating new spaces that connect people with art, landscape, and light. Through careful design and a commitment to sustainability, we have strengthened the Gallery’s role as a place of learning, creativity, and engagement for generations to come.”

For architects, designers, and specifiers, the Dulwich Picture Gallery refurbishment is a clear example of how heritage and innovation can coexist. Villeroy & Boch Group affirms its solutions demonstrate how carefully considered design, sustainability, and user-focused functionality can elevate every aspect of both historic and contemporary spaces.

Luxury glamping pods at the NEC feature Kinedo shower cubicles

Kinedo all-in-one shower cubicles have been chosen for the striking new luxury glamping resort at Pendigo Lake, NEC, ensuring guests enjoy hotel-style bathrooms in a woodland and lakeside setting. Phase 1, launched in August 2025, unveiled 11 bespoke pods, with 59 to be delivered in total, including overwater suites, woodland bungalows and a presidential suite with hot tub.

Created by AvantGlamp and manufactured by The Pod Factory, the pods feature Kinedo’s Brooklyn Factory and Kinemagic Design cubicles. Both combine style with complete, easy-to-install packages that eliminate the need for tiles, grout or silicone. Offering a focal point in each bathroom, they set a new standard for glamping accommodation. The resort will be ready ahead of the 2027 Invictus Games.

The industrial-style Brooklyn Factory features modern black profiles with classy white internal glass panels and black Crittal-style external glass doors and panels, along with a matching black showerhead, handheld shower, and shower valve. A statement cubicle for a statement project.

The Kinemagic Design is a design classic, featuring chrome profiles, a matching rain shower head and valve, white glass internal panels, and a low threshold entry. It offers the sophistication the project requires.

Alex Cash, the entrepreneur and managing director behind the Pod Factory, comments, “The NEC project demonstrates how we are becoming involved in larger-scale ventures. Each pod is designed to feel more like a hotel suite than a cabin, and we use our trusted suppliers to ensure we deliver accommodation solutions that meet exacting hospitality standards, tailored to AvantGlamp’s vision.

“We use Kinedo cubicles because they are an integrated package that includes internal and external panels, a door, tray, showerhead, valve, and all the necessary fixtures and fittings. They are quick and easy to install and ready for use without the need for tiles, grout or silicone. Importantly they offer a stylish focal point in the bathroom befitting the surroundings. The team at Kinedo bends over backwards to ensure we have what we need when we need it.”

athroom-Review-NEC-Glamping-Pods-Brooklyn-Factory-for-NEC-pods-

British Institute of Fitted Interiors Specialists officially launches

The organisation formerly known as the British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI) today officially becomes The British Institute of Fitted Interiors Specialists (BIFIS).

The name change marks an important milestone in the institute’s ongoing evolution and reflects its broadened role within the fitted interiors sector. BIFIS remains the only Government-sanctioned institute focused on driving positive change and improving installation standards across the industry, supporting all areas of the sector.

Damian Walters, CEO of BIFIS, said, “Today is about looking forward. For almost two decades, we have supported our registered businesses, stakeholders and the wider industry, and our new name reflects the breadth of that support. While the letters above our door may have changed, our commitment to driving standards, nurturing talent and building consumer trust remains exactly the same.”

BIFIS launches with a refreshed visual identity and a new brand toolkit, which has been circulated to all BIFIS stakeholders with a request to all registered businesses, partners and other stakeholders to utilise these resources to ensure their channels reflect the name change, delivering a smooth transition and alignment across the industry.

Walters added, “This is more than a new name. It’s a renewed commitment to the people and businesses we serve, and to ensuring that fitted interiors specialists are recognised for the skill and professionalism they bring to homes across Britain.”

To obtain the BIFIS brand toolkit or to obtain more information on the name change, please email comms@bifis.org.

Frontline Bathrooms & Smiths Briten appoint Anica Beet as special projects manager

Frontline Bathrooms and Smiths Briten have hired industry stalwart Anica Beet as special projects manager, a newly created role designed to support the companies’ continued growth plans.

With a proven track record in the KBB sector, having worked for market-leading brands such as Roca, Moores Furniture, and Ikea, Beet had previously stepped back from industry life but has been persuaded by Darren Allison, group managing director, to join the team at this pivotal stage. Working across both businesses, Anica will bring her experience and insight to support marketing and sales initiatives as the companies embark on an ambitious three- to five-year journey of investment and development.

Speaking about the appointment, Darren Allison says: “Anica is someone I’ve respected for a long time, not only for her knowledge of the bathroom and merchanting sector but also for the energy and perspective she brings. At a time when both Frontline and Smiths Briten are investing heavily in customer service, stock, and systems, having Anica on board to drive special projects and provide an extra layer of support for our marketing and sales teams is an enormous asset. I am delighted to welcome her.”

On her decision to return to the industry, Beet commented: “I had officially retired, but Darren’s passion for the direction of the businesses was infectious. The opportunity to be part of this next chapter was too compelling to resist. I’m looking forward to working closely with the teams at Frontline and Smiths Briten to strengthen our customer proposition and support the exciting plans ahead.”

CRL expands European presence with new Denmark service center

September 29, 2025

Laurence (CRL) has opened a new service centre in Denmark to supply customers in the Scandinavian countries and Baltic States from the newly founded CRL facility in Kolding, southern Denmark.

This third European location, alongside Manchester, UK, and Ilsfeld, Germany, marks the beginning of an ambitious expansion strategy in North America and Europe. In addition to the Danish location, CRL will open four new service centres in North America in the coming months.

“C.R. Laurence of Europe is growing significantly this year, despite a challenging market environment,” says Mark Adamson, CEO. “This is the right time for us to invest in bringing our CRL products and technical expertise closer to our customers in the various European markets.” Additional locations are planned for 2026.

CRL in Denmark stocks the entire European product range, with a local team providing customers with expert advice, technical support, and fast delivery.

T: +45 3672 0900

E: DK@crl.eu

For more details, call CRL 01706 863600 or visit www.crlaurence.co.uk