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.”
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.
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.
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 2040immediate 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.
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.
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
The Marlborough range from Thomas Crapper features a wide selection of brass accessories inspired directly by genuine 19th century craftmanship.
The Marlborough range consists of 13 products with three finishes to choose from, utilising an original design scheme to perfectly recreate authentic Victorian pieces. The gallery shelf, with its twin tumbler holders, is adjustable for simplified cleaning and use, and the towel ring uses a solid metal composition for longevity and resilience. The toilet roll holder (pictured) is spring-loaded and easily detachable, while the lavish towel bars feature 18, 23, and 29-inch lengths to suit any space, from cloakrooms to en-suites to large bathrooms.
All products are made in the UK from first-rate brass and are available in polished brass, shiny and resistant to ageing and tarnishing; nickel plate for added lustre and wear resistance; and chrome plate for durability and hardiness.
The other accessories on offer comprise a rectangular tilting mirror, spare toilet roll holders, robe hooks, shower baskets for sponges and body buffers, tumbler holders, and delicate individual china tumblers.
British bathroom manufacturer Roper Rhodes will be debuting its Trade Solutions offering at this year’s InstallerShow at the NEC, Birmingham on 21-23 June 2022.
With a focus on ease of installation, quality and economy, Roper Rhodes Trade Solutions brings together an award-winning range of products specifically designed with plumbers and installers in mind. Push-button and bar valve showering systems, innovative flushing solutions and the newly patented SecureFix WC seat range are just some of the many products that will be available to view at stand KI81.
Simon Taylor, Marketing Director, Roper Rhodes commented “The push to create high-quality, easy-to-install products is always at the forefront of our minds here at Roper Rhodes and Trade Solutions is a direct result of that. Being one of the key events in the trade calendar, we are delighted to be making our debut at InstallerShow and launching Trade Solutions alongside some of the world’s leading innovators in heat, water and energy.
From striking black and white geometric patterns to natural textured effects, Utopia’s tile offering has been significantly extended with the addition of 14 new design families offering a total of 53 new tiles.
Utopia has long recognised the importance of selling a complete look through its imagery and showroom displays with tiles playing a key role whether to provide a dramatic backdrop, a neutral, understated background or indeed something in between.
Realistic natural effects continue to play a key role in the overall tile collection with effects such as the Sherwood wood effect porcelain wall and floor tiles and new textured stone effects like Pentire Strands, Barras Calico wall tiles and the Constantine Sands trio of complementary tiles. Adding visual drama are the striking Gotham wall and floor tiles comprising five stunning geometric patterns and three complementary plain tiles. Very popular at the moment are the thin rectangular wall tiles which can be arranged horizontally, vertically or artistically in a tessellated pattern, and Utopia has added a variety of ranges, colours and a choice of matt or gloss finish. Complementing these are the Harlyn wall tiles which offer a dedicated chevron effect.
Helen Clark, Head of Marketing at Utopia, comments “With these exciting latest additions, our tile collection offers an immense variety of colours, textures and sizes, including large format options. We hope our vibrant imagery together with our online Visualise design tool, which allows all of our wall and floor tiles to be viewed in any potential layout, will encourage consumers to be creative with complete confidence when it comes to tile choice.”
Utopia further supports its newly extended tile collection with a free sampling service for the end consumer.
HiB Novum has entered the fitted furniture market with the launch of the long-awaited Genesis range.
Promising stunning design, impressive versatility and straight-forward ordering and installation, HiB says the new Genesis range of fitted range sets a new standard for bathroom furniture within the industry.
Designed for ease-of-fit, with a range of configurations, finishes and complementing accessories, customers can create a complete look, from the arrangement of the units right through to the style of the handles and accompanying fittings.
Talking about his inspiration for the range, HiB Novum Category Manager Robert Pattern said: “Fitted furniture is often over-complicated, with an overwhelming selection of configurations that can be challenging to navigate. We wanted to rewrite the rule book with a simple and straight-forward approach. But for us combining that uncomplicated style from ordering through to installation, with the flexibility of design was key. We wanted to offer the customer choice, in terms of fit, aesthetics and function. Because of this, we were keen to make the units suitable for wall-hung and floor standing schemes, and create a carefully curated range of finishes for the units, countertops and handles and additions such as underlighting with optional PIR sensors, matching brassware and the Aero rimless WC.
“The new Genesis range is hugely exciting for HiB and we believe it will offer customers an accessible step-by-step process to achieving a stunning fitted furniture look in their bathroom, without the usual complexities of the current fitted furniture market.”
In order to achieve the level of customisation without added complexity, the new HiB Novum brochure has been structured to provide a step-by-step approach, taking the customer through each of the necessary components to make a truly stunning look.
Among the options available are open and closed storage, back to wall units, infill and end panels and plinths, all available in Midnight Blue, Dark Emerald, Carbon Grey, Sherwood Oak and Matt White. Customers can also choose from a range of semi-recessed and vessel basins, along with the Aero rimless toilet and a choice of worktops and handles. With the wider aesthetic in mind, customers can add a matching bath panel and LED underlighting to enhance the style.
HiB Sales Director Ash Chilver said: “The new Genesis fitted furniture range is a fantastic opportunity to maximise the bathroom’s full potential, using the wide range of unit configurations, open and closed storage and finishes. There are a fantastic number of options across each element of the range without making it complicated for the customer. Each component has been developed to complement each other and to allow the customer to express their individual style and desired look, with an attention to detail as well as an appreciation of the overall impact.
“We’re thrilled to be taking HiB Novum in this new direction and feel that the Genesis fitted furniture range will be a fantastic addition and a brilliant alternative to our already popular modular and cloakroom furniture options that we have established over many years. The fact that it has been designed with installation in mind, with carcasses being delivered pre-assembled, pre-drilled holes and all fixings included, means that it will really benefit both installers and customers and make the whole process far simpler.”
