Diane, Author at Bathroom Review

Online building products merchant CMO Group PLC has increased the breadth of its portfolio with the acquisition of clickbasin.co.uk.

CMO says its growth and acquisition strategy supports its ambition to be able to supply every building product needed by the homeowner or tradesperson to build and fit out a home. This latest acquisition provides an entry into the UK’s sanitaryware market and perfectly complements CMO’s recent acquisition of specialist online plumbers’ merchant, JTM Plumbing, which was completed in October 2021.

Preston-based clickbasin.co.uk was founded in 2010 and operates an online-only model, offering a range comprising 320 SKUs including bathroom vanity units, bathroom cabinets, wall-hung basins, bathroom mirrors and other accessories such as taps and waste sets. Together with JTM Plumbing, the business will, in time, be marketed under the brand PlumbingSuperstore.co.uk.

Dean Murray, CEO of CMO said: ““Our strategic goal is to provide our customers with everything they need to build or maintain a home, through a simple, convenient and supported shopping experience. Our acquisition announcement of clickbasin.co.uk more than fits that model, taking our plumbing vertical into a new product area.

“Clickbasin and JTM Plumbing will combine to form the soon-to-be-launched plumbingsuperstore.co.uk, providing a platform on which to further penetrate the £800m online plumbing and heating market and use the power of our business model to provide leading choice and value to our customers.”

CMO’s further expansion into the bathrooms and plumbing market will complement the company’s already broad portfolio of online ‘superstores’ selling roofing, windows, doors, insulation, drainage, and tiles, and take the company’s overall offering to more than 100,000 products. Popular with both DIY customers and professional tradespeople alike, the websites showcase the company’s extensive product catalogue and offer a wealth of technical help and guidance along with full support from an experienced team of customer service advisors.

CMO reports the acquisition follows another successful year ending 2021 as results show revenue up by 46 per cent to £76.3m and adjusted EBITDA up by 42 per cent to £3.7m, year-on-year. CMO also says it has expanded its market share by 11 per cent, as sales continue to increase across all of the company’s eight online superstores which include Door Superstore, Roofing Superstore, Drainage Superstore, Insulation Superstore and CMO Trade.

For more information visit www.cmogroup.com. You can also follow CMOStores.com on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook for all the latest information.

Demand for design professionals grows as renovation spend hits four-year high

Home renovation activity and spend have reached the highest rates reported since 2018, according to the annual Houzz & Home survey of more than 3,200 UK respondents from leading home renovation and design platform Houzz.

More than half of homeowners renovated their homes in 2021 (53 per cent), up from 49 per cent in 2020. Homeowners recorded a 20 per cent jump in median renovation spend at £18,000 from £15,000 in 2020. This growth can be attributed to homeowners with higher budget projects (the top 10 per cent of spend) increasing their investment from £100,000 in 2020 to £128,000 in 2021.

Demand grows for home professionals

Homeowners sought help from professionals for their renovations in 2021 (92 per cent) more often than in the year prior (88 per cent). Homeowners relied most heavily on the expertise of speciality service providers such as electricians (58 per cent) and plumbers (53 per cent) for their projects. That said, builders (34 per cent) and architects (23 per cent) were the most hired professionals in construction and design-related services, and saw a significant jump in 2021 compared with 2020 (30 and 18 per cent, respectively). With recent homebuyers tackling more projects than their peers, it’s no surprise that they’re also the most likely to hire professional help (99 per cent), compared with short-term and long-term homeowners (96 and 89 per cent, respectively).

Continued activity is forecast

Home renovation activity continues into 2022, with nearly half of the surveyed homeowners planning to renovate (49 per cent) and more than half planning to decorate (55 per cent) this year. Homeowners’ planned spend sits at a record high, increasing to £10,000 for 2022 versus £7,000 for 2019, a 43 per cent jump. Homeowners with higher-budget renovations (the top 10 per cent of spend) are planning to spend £100,000 on projects in 2022 compared with £75,000 in 2021.

“Homeowners are clearly committed to investing in their homes despite heightened product and material costs driven by supply chain disruptions and are exploring diverse funding sources. This is especially pronounced among recent homebuyers, who rely heavily on cash from previous home sales to fund their projects and spend significantly more than the national median,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist.

New homebuyers drive growth

Recent homebuyers*, who accounted for 14 per cent of renovating homeowners in 2021, spent nearly double the national median (£30,000), surpassing short-term** and long-term*** homeowners (£25,000 and £13,000, respectively). Short-term homebuyers with higher budget projects (the top 10 per cent of spend) invested £170,000 compared to £130,000 by recent homeowners and £100,000 invested by long-term homeowners. This is likely attributed to the larger scope projects they undertake, averaging three to four rooms, as well as home systems, such as electrical and plumbing.

Cash from savings remains the most significant source for funding renovation projects (86 per cent), however, homeowners financing renovation projects with credit cards gained six percentage points (18 per cent). Savings and credit cards hold their ground as the leading forms of payment regardless of homeownership tenure. As expected, recent homebuyers and short-term homeowners were more likely to rely on cash from previous home sales (52 and 32 per cent, respectively), whereas long-term homeowners were more likely to use cash from refinancing in 2021 (eight per cent).

Switching up interiors
Investments in interior rooms remained the priority for three in four renovating homeowners in 2021 (75 per cent). Kitchens are both the most popular interior room to be upgraded and the room that commanded the highest spend at £12,000. Kitchens saw an increase in spend of 20 per cent compared with 2019 (£10,000). Interior rooms that saw the most dramatic increase in popularity from the previous year included an entrance or boot room (26 per cent), dining rooms (25 per cent), utility rooms (20 per cent) and home offices (18 per cent).

Securing the grounds
There has been an increase in home security upgrades among renovating homeowners in the past year. In fact, outdoor lighting (37 per cent), alarms or detectors (29 per cent) and outdoor security cameras (21 per cent) were among the most frequently purchased technology upgrades. Purchases of outdoor security cameras have risen by four percentage points since 2019. Home security system upgrades were most popular among recent homebuyers, followed by short-term homeowners and long-term homeowners (25, 22 and 16 per cent, respectively).

* Recent homebuyers are those who have not yet moved into their home or moved in less than a year ago.

** Short-term owners refer to homeowners who moved into their home between one and five years ago.

*** Long-term owners refer to homeowners who moved into their home six or more years ago.

The Houzz & Home Survey

The annual Houzz & Home survey is the largest survey of residential renovation, building and decorating activity published. The survey covers a wide range of renovation projects in 2021, from interior renovations and additions to home systems, exterior upgrades and outdoor projects. Data gathered includes historical and planned spends, professional involvement, motivations and challenges behind building, renovation and decorating projects, as well as planned activities for 2022. The 2022 study includes more than 3,200 respondents in the UK alone, providing insights into the home improvement activity of the millions of users of the Houzz site and mobile apps.

The Houzz & Home Survey was sent to registered users of Houzz and fielded March through April 2022.

Bethan Gray launches Lighting Series with Baroncelli during Milan Design Week

For Salone del Mobile 2022, Bethan Gray shared her ‘Inky Dhow’ universe, an installation of furniture, textiles, rugs, hand blown glass and ceramics, with those who visited Rossanna Orlandi’s eponymous gallery in Milan’s Magenta district.

The pièce de résistance at the show was, however, the debut of Bethan Gray’s collaboration with design-led lighting studio Baroncelli. Unveiled during the show for the first time, the ORION SWIRL and POLARIS SWIRL pieces feature individually mouth blown Murano glass spheres in blue, white and clear glass stripes, echoing the flowing lines of Bethan’s painterly Inky Dhow design.

The new collection enticed all the senses whilst demonstrating the exquisite craftsmanship and innovative techniques imbued into every piece Bethan designs.

“The new lighting is an adaptation of Baroncelli’s existing FLEXUS series – it was a design I thought went really well with our collection, in the way it combines traditional Murano mouth blown glass techniques with contemporary brass highlights, which sit perfectly alongside my own pieces,” says Bethan.

For Bethan, the striped shadow play that comes from light filtering through the sphere’s clear strips also perfectly ties the collection to where they are made, evoking thoughts of the swirling stripes of Venice’s candy-striped ‘paline de casada’ mooring poles, and Bethan’s own long-held love of stripes inspired by her travels, from the monochrome marble patterning of Italian cathedrals to 13th century Persian ceramics.

Making each individual sphere has been a feat of engineering within itself, given the volatile nature of glass and “the challenge of combining different colours with varying expansion coefficients, meaning each colour will expand at a different rate,” explains Giovanni Corrado, Creative Director of Baroncelli.

“First, a cylinder of colours is created by laying out alternate strips of blue, white and clear glass which is then placed on to a blowing rod and coated with a clear glass to give it a beautiful sheen,” he furthers. “Then the maestro starts to blow it out, evening out the texture and ensuring there are no faults in the glass; this is then placed within a custom-designed mould made of local pear wood to ensure each sphere is blown precisely to the right size, otherwise it won’t fit within its consequent metal frame.”

The lighting series completes Bethan Gray’s Inky Dhow universe, pieces that celebrate intricate, time-honoured techniques injected with a fresh, modern edge as executed through Bethan’s unique lens. Inky Dhow will travel to London for the London Design Festival where visitors will experience it in an entirely new setting.

Thomas Crapper joins Virtual Worlds

Iconic British bathroom brand, Thomas Crapper, has joined Virtual Worlds. Its familiar traditionally-styled WCs, cisterns and sanitaryware are now catalogued to include in designs created with Virtual Worlds’ market-leading software.

A lot has changed in bathroom design since Thomas Crapper was founded in 1861 and, by incorporating new technologies and embracing change, the brand has enjoyed continued success throughout the decades.

A forward-thinking approach shifts the brand up another gear, as its products can be easily incorporated into 3D and 4D designs by Virtual Worlds’ retailers. The market for classic and traditionally styled bathrooms remains as strong as ever and, by working with Virtual Worlds, Thomas Crapper can ensure its 21^st Century customers can continue to embrace this great British look in a very modern way.

“Virtual Worlds software puts a whole new perspective on bathroom design,” commented Paul Dwyer, Managing Director at Thomas Crapper. “With our products available on the Virtual Worlds catalogue, our customers can easily integrate Thomas Crapper products into their new bathrooms, mixing and matching the various product options until they arrive at their dream space.”

Virtual Worlds’ Managing Director, Nathan MacLean, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Thomas Crapper on board as we continue to increase our manufacturer portfolio. Our design technology plays an important part in the retail dynamic of the KBB world, providing an immersive planning experience and having this household name on our system seems like the perfect way to blend traditional bathroom styling with a very modern method of design.”

For more information on Virtual Worlds, call 01908 663 848 or visit www.virtualworlds.co.uk

BMA CE Tom Reynolds appointed to the board of the Construction Products Association (CPA)

June 16, 2022

BMA Chief Executive Tom Reynolds has been appointed to the board of the Construction Products Association (CPA). The organisation has played a vital role in helping manufacturers to navigate the UK’s departure from the EU.

Commenting on his appointment, Tom said: “With regulatory changes expected on both sides of the channel, the role of the CPA is set to grow even more in its to bathroom manufacturers. Compliance is at the heart of the BMA’s agenda, something we share with the CPA. I’m looking forward to working with Peter and his excellent team over the next few years.”

Ceramique Internationale revisits Country House chic with Cowdray collection

Tile distributor Ceramique Internationale has captured the timeless elegance of a Country House in its latest tile Cowdray collection.

Named after the West Sussex estate which features a magnificent Hall as well as being one of England’s most important early Tudor houses, the Cowdray range of 75mm x 300mm glazed wall tiles is available in a choice of six colours.

With the option of muted or bold tones, from striking blues and greens to subtle greys, Cowdray tiles can be used to bring tranquillity to bathrooms or brightness to kitchens, at a fraction of the price of the artisanal tiles they are inspired by.

Their surface has expertly crafted undulations that reflect the light in different directions, and the glossy finish is a full-bright shine, for a luxury feel.

Director of Ceramique Internationale, Peter Vann, said: “People love a country house and the Cowdray collection builds on our highly popular Harewood and Ragley series.

“These tiles, from our trusted Spanish artisanal supplier, bring a designer edge to a quintessentially English style and can create either calmness or a bright atmosphere to suit both mood and wallet.”

More information about the Cowdray collection can be found here.

Unidrain brings a touch of magic to a family bathroom

Charlotte Vrist Petersen and her family live in a house that was built in 1900, although the family bathroom has been updated over the years, it had come to the point where needed a complete renovation. Charlotte wanted to create a space that was unique to her family; she started to research her project, looking at colour palettes, finishes and products. During her search she fell in love with a blue Italian tile with a confetti pattern in terracotta, white and grey she had seen on Pinterest and this was when her project really began.

Today, the bathroom is a beautiful, practical, and unique space, two rooms were combined, the foundations were dug out, walls torn down, and the place totally re-wired. Charlotte and her husband were totally vested in the refurbishment and undertook a lot of intensive research to find just the right products, tiles, and fixtures.

As a brand advisor at a public relations agency Charlotte’s job skills proved useful as did that of her husband who works for a branding agency, as both their jobs involve working visually. To create their ultimate design their go to was Pinterest, they researched and collected mood boards, wish lists and material samples.

Charlotte had found her blue Italian tile and sourcing it wasn’t easy. The finished tiles are 120 x 120 cm size and although she had only seen a 10 x 10 cm sample, she still had the dealer place her order and now they cover the back wall and shower area.

When creating this space, Charlotte wanted the continuity to continue into the shower area; to facilitate this, they looked to Unidrain. Unidrain’s HighLine custom drain was perfect, as the award-winning drainage systems enabled them to insert a segment of the floor tile into the grove of the narrow drain. This creates the visual illusion that there is no break in continuity and that the same tile has been used across the whole floor. The Reframe wiper from Unidrain has also been included in the final design of the shower – as it magnetically attaches to the shower wall it is an elegant, unobtrusive and practical accessory.

A large mirror was installed on the opposite wall, it reflects the tiles and makes the room appear larger. The couple had considered tiling the entire room but preferred the visual illusion of space and reflected the colour palette that Charlotte wanted to feature. The striking, subtle base colour made it easier to select a toilet and the wash-hand basin in a more daring terracotta shade,highlights the same tone in the tile whilst adding vibrancy and contrast to the room.

We’re a family of five, two adults and three kids, so there is a lot of chaos, and we certainly don’t need any more of that. We wanted clean lines, calm, and muted colours. A spa feeling where you can shut the rest of the world out for a bit. We used to have a small bathroom, so it was important for us to create more space. Now we have two wash-hand basins to avoid morning quarrels – plus plenty of storage space to keep our things tidy and tame the clutter. With built-in cabinets and a large unit under the basins, our space issues have disappeared.”

The overall impression is now one of simplicity and elegance. Having completed her project Charlotte’s top tip for others looking to renovate their bathrooms – “Determine the element you want most (for me it was the tiles) and build everything else around that. It serves as a starting point and helps you find your style.”

Unidrain

Established in 2003 Unidrain has gone from inventing the linear floor drain to creating a
leading international brand, spreading Danish design ethics and Nordic minimalism to the rest of the globe.
From five star hotels in the Maldives, to the Award winning Herman K in Copenhagen Unidrain products and
accessories play a key role in the look and feel of the most stylish bathrooms on the planet.

GROHE continues journey to plastic-free packaging

With a tenfold increase in plastic waste pollution in the oceans since 1980 and the annual flow of plastic into the ocean estimated to triple by 2040 immediate action is needed to tackle the plastic pollution crisis.

While plastic-free solutions are increasingly demanded by consumers and regulators, options are still limited which is hindering global change across all industries. However, small steps can have an immediate and scalable impact. This is one of the key learnings of the ongoing journey towards plastic-free packaging by GROHE, a leading global brand for bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings.

In 2018, GROHE set itself the aim of removing all plastic from its packaging as one of the three core pillars of its Less Plastic Initiative. But the team involved in this task realised that this complete shift could not be implemented with the packaging options currently available. Factors such as the set-up of current recycling systems and the lack of plastic-free solutions, especially for delicate product surfaces, still pose a huge challenge not only to the GROHE but to all industries. However, with a dedication to continue this initiative, GROHE is now saving 37 million plastic items per year due to the elimination of all unnecessary plastic in its product packaging. This equals the average plastic packaging waste generated by more than 4,300 EU citizens over the course of one year.

“While a complete switch to plastic-free packaging has not been possible yet, we will continue to constantly reflect, challenge, and re-evaluate the status quo of our solutions,” says Jonas Brennwald, Leader LIXIL EMENA.

“To drive a plastic-free future forward, we’ll focus on taking action. A crucial part of this is encouraging innovation applicable for the mass market in the packaging sector and inviting partners to work with us together to create new opportunities.”

“Achieving reduced-plastic packaging could only be reached by a multidimensional approach, including new innovations and small modifications – quite literally thinking outside of the box. For example, our project teams in the plants used novel solutions such as moulded pulp inserts instead of expanding polystyrene or wrapping film solution. Moreover, some simple yet impactful changes were developed. A product part of the GROHE Rapid installation system is now used to stow other loose pieces. This small modification has resulted in a big impact, saving 26 tons of polybags per year.

“I am very proud of the creative ambition with which my colleagues have approached the issue in order to bring about change,” explains Peter Brendecke, Leader Quality and EHS Fittings, LIXIL International.

Hello colour! Bathrooms to Love reveals new collection

In response to the growing popularity of adding a splash of colour to the bathroom, PJH’s Bathrooms to Love brand has unveiled ELEMENTS, a new coloured collection of modular bathroom furniture.

As part of its ‘Mid-Season’ Bathrooms to Love new product introductions, the Elements range is available from this month (June) and features eight on-trend colour options across a choice of wall-hung and floor-standing basin units.

Including a variety of textured finishes – lacquered gloss, tactile matt and oak-effect – the colours have been carefully chosen to coordinate with the latest and upcoming interior trends. In addition, a choice of three sleek handles, in Matt Black, Brushed Brass and Chrome, can be combined with choice of cabinet colour to add a touch of personalisation to the desired look.

Within the range of colours is this striking MATT CONIFER GREEN shade, which brings a touch of the outdoors, ‘inside’, and is complemented with the decadent golden tones of a Brushed Brass handle, as well as other brushed brass products, such as the brassware, shower and enclosure – all from Bathrooms to Love. Other colourways featured in the Elements collection include calming grey, bold indigo and popular pastel pink.

The Elements modular units feature silent soft-close fittings, generous storage cupboard space and a crisp white ceramic basin.

With a width of 510mm, depth of 390mm and height of 518mm (wall-hung) and 848mm (floor-standing), the units come with a 5-year guarantee.

The full coloured collection can also be viewed via Bathrooms to Love QR codes, giving access to Augmented Reality and the opportunity for consumers to view the products in their own bathroom spaces, to help encourage sales.

For further information, contact Bathrooms to Love at PJH on Tel: 0800 8 77 88 99; or visit www.partners.pjh.uk and www.bathroomstolove.uk

More news and product information from PJH Group

Kaldewei teams up with German VOGUE at Fuorisalone

June 14, 2022

Kaldewei presented a whole quartet of productions at this year’s Fuorisalone, which took place from 7 to 12 June in Milan.

The bathscape installation by Cristina Celestino was a show highlight – in cooperation with VOGUE it appeared in the vibrant Brera district. This was followed by a presentation in cooperation with ELLE Decor Italia: At the “Design Forever” exhibition in the Palazzo Bovara, the premium bathroom manufacturer presented the free-standing OYO DUO bathtub designed by Stefan Diez.

Kaldewei also worked together with the furniture brand Paola Zani on the ALCOVA platform and is presented an exclusive selection of products as their fourth presentation at the H2Otto showroom, Via Molino delle Armi.

Kaldewei also celebrated a no less spectacular appearance in cooperation with ELLE Decor Italia. In the historic building of the Palazzo Bovara, the premium bathroom manufacturer presented the free-standing OYO DUO bathtub designed by Stefan Diez at the new “Design Forever” exhibition. Diez was inspired by Japanese porcelain art for the design. The concept of the exhibition was to bring the beauty of past icons and the avant-garde of the design scene together