Diane, Author at Bathroom Review

GROHE and Mosa are partnering to celebrate the return of Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW) with a series of events that showcase the movement towards a sustainable, circular future.

Returning after a two-year hiatus, Clerkenwell Design Week is a leading independent design festival. Throughout the week GROHE, a leading supplier of complete bathroom and premium kitchen fittings and Mosa, a leading supplier of contemporary tiles, will partner to host a programme of talks, CPDs and gatherings at the Mosa showroom on St. John’s Street in the heart of the Clerkenwell design district. Both companies will also celebrate the recent achievement of Cradle to Cradle Certified® at the Gold level for their respective products.

As part of the programme, an exclusive evening for architects and designers will take place with Dr Michael Braungart, the pioneer of Cradle to Cradle® design and a founder of Cradle to Cradle Certified®. The event will also feature keynote talks from Mosa CEO Frank Spikker, and GROHE Global Design Lead Patrick Speck.

CPD modules exploring the Cradle to Cradle® concept and highlighting ways in which industry forces can incorporate circularity into their projects are also on offer, and the week will reach a spectacular conclusion with a closing party celebrating Mosa and GROHE’s Cradle to Cradle Certified Gold achievements.

Patrick Speck, Leader Global Design, LIXIL EMENA, and GROHE UK said: “With our Cradle to Cradle Certified®n Gold Level accredited products, we’re placing a higher focus on working towards a circular economy and increasing awareness around the global waste crisis.

“As a leading manufacturer, it’s imperative we drive the transformation and innovative practices needed to mobilise the whole industry in becoming more sustainable and circular. We are pleased that the topic of sustainability is pushing further up the agenda and look forward to engaging in a dialogue with other industry leaders at Clerkenwell design week alongside our partnerships Mosa.”

Frank Spikker, MOSA CEO, said: “Sustainability and circular principles are taking on greater and greater significance across the building industry. We are delighted to use our return to London for Clerkenwell Design Week as an opportunity to showcase the ways in which suppliers like Mosa and Grohe can play a critical role in equipping architects, designers, and developers with the sustainable, circular products they need to create spaces that have a positive impact on people and planet now – and into the future.”

Visit the Mosa showroom at 56-60 St John St, London from 10am to 2pm on 24th – 26th May.

Villeroy & Boch launch stylish matte grey bath

Created by the designer Christian Haas, the Theano freestanding bath in the new matte colour of grey almost appears to have been carved from stone. The sculptural statement piece breaks away from the traditional white look in bathrooms with a monumental effect inspired by nature.

Warm grey shades are a top trend in modern bathrooms: evoking images of natural materials such as stone and rocks, they create a relaxing atmosphere for daily bathing routines.

The impressive freestanding monolith bathtub combines balanced proportions with geometric contours in a precise and delicate design. Despite its narrow edges and thin walls, the bath is extremely strong. This is thanks to the high-quality Quaryl® material, a blend of tried-and-tested sanitary acrylic and the mineral quartz.

Freely positionable and sitting directly on the floor, the Theano bath impresses with its understated beauty in a strikingly streamlined design that adds an elegant and natural touch to the warm matte grey – a perfect choice for extravagant bathrooms in which minimalist elements create a natural, urban homely feel.

MHS Radiators expands designer towel rail range

MHS Radiators has reintroduced its popular Comb towel rail. It is available in central heating options and a range of finishes featuring larger 38mm tubes, which the company says deliver impressive outputs. Its simple and open-ended design puts a twist on the classic ladder-style, while allowing towels to be hung with ease.

Providing design flexibility, Comb is reversible, so the vertical tubes can either be on the left or right side. The new towel rail also comes in four heights – 878mm, 1214mm, 1550mm and 1886mm – with a choice of two widths; the 500mm version offers varying outputs from 277 to 635 watts, while the 600mm sizes have outputs from 340 to 732 watts.

Comb is available in a range of stocked contemporary finishes – Polished, Satin and Sparkling Grey – selected by MHS Radiators to complement all bathroom styles. The towel rail can also be personalised, thanks to MHS’s extensive collection of over 80 colours and finishes. Options include glossy and matt shades, as well as hammered and special textures, including Denim Blue.

Alex Bradley, Operations Manager at MHS Radiators, commented: “The Comb is a stunning addition to our ever-growing portfolio of towel rails. It offers superb levels of practicality and style, making it the ideal choice for modern bathrooms. Plus, with such an extensive range of sizes and finishes to choose from, Comb can be made to suit a multitude of interior design schemes and room layouts.”

Comb is available from stock and comes with a five-year manufacturer’s guarantee for colour models and 10 years for Polished or Satin finishes.

For more information on MHS Radiators and its portfolio of designer, multi-column, traditional cast iron radiators and towel rails, or to download the 2022 Product Guide & Price List, please visit www.mhsradiators.co.uk or telephone 0345 521 5666.

iF DESIGN AWARD 2022 for White Tulip, D-Neo with faucets, and Duravit Magazine

The two complete bathroom series White Tulip and D-Neo, the faucets of the D-Neo bathroom series, and the News Magazine #13 by Duravit have won a design prize.

The two complete bathroom ranges White Tulip and D-Neo, the faucets of the D-Neo bathroom series, and the News Magazine #13 from Duravit have been honoured with the iF DESIGN AWARD 2022 from the internationally renowned design label. The iF DESIGN AWARD is bestowed annually by the world’s oldest independent institution for form and design, iF International Forum Design GmbH.

The complete bathroom ranges White Tulip and D-Neo were decorated in the “bathrooms” category – as were the faucets of the D-Neo bathroom range. In the “Publications” category, issue no. 13 of the Duravit News Magazine won over the 132-strong, independent, international expert jury. There were a great many applicants and the jury selects the winners of the coveted quality seal from among 11,000 entries from 57 countries.

The new priorities for the bathroom sector

May 5, 2022

Today, Tom Reynolds, chief executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association gives his comments on the state of play for the bathroom sector.

Following the turbulence of the last couple of years, we could be forgiven for being uneasy about the future. We are currently dealing with an exceptional economic landscape. Inflationary pressure is creating a surge in costs across the board, and business input and factory gate prices are soaring. In fact, they have been increasing for more than a year now, as a direct result of the pandemic and its associated supply chain problems.

In these kinds of circumstances, businesses pass the costs on, review their suppliers, reassess investment plans or embed efficiencies in their operations.

Economically, this is a high-risk place, with commentators saying it will impact consumer confidence and weaken our economy.

In the bathroom sector, having successfully bounced back from the pandemic lockdowns, we enjoyed a strong year in 2021, with record-breaking sales.

So far, 2022 has brought more positive news, with steady increases in total sales of BMA members in the first quarter.

And the latest sentiment from builders’ merchants about the prospects for 2022 are also positive. The Pulse, a monthly tracking survey of merchants’ confidence, produced by MRA Research, found that supply problems are easing.

April’s results show nearly one in two merchants expect sales to grow by 46% in the next three months, April to June, compared to the previous three, with 36% expecting sales to increase by up to 9%. A further two in three expect sales to grow by more than that.

Our industry has a track record of resilience, innovation and success. Whatever way you look at it, this is a seminal moment for business leaders across the UK, and in the bathroom sector we are in a strong position to move forward with confidence.

There has never been a more important time to improve our sustainability, embrace change, and create the energy and water efficient bathrooms the UK desperately needs.

The scale of the challenge means it requires a collective commitment, setting the tone for our upcoming BMA Conference.

The annual event for manufacturers, distributors, retailers, architects and designers, has been sorely missed in the last two years.

The 2022 theme, ‘Sustainability for the Sector’ and will focus on the climate crisis, setting a sectoral course for the years and decades ahead.

BMA members know we must re-write the rule book and overhaul business models and strategies. With renewed focus on decarbonising and innovating, we can redefine how people think about their bathrooms, and align with the new priorities of the nation.

Subtle & sophisticated, the new Trim mirror from HiB

May 5, 2022

Designed for those seeking a chic and minimalist bathroom mirror, the new Trim range from HiB offers style and convenience.

Available in two distinct shapes, two finishes and two sizes, the Trim mirror offers excellent versatility in the bathroom or as a mirror in any room of the home.

Choose from brushed brass or matt black framing to match other bathroom accessories and create a complete look. The Curve and Round options offer different aesthetics, suiting several trends and designs. Each mirror can also feature an optional heated pad to reduce condensation on the surface, ensuring that visibility is maintained after a shower or bath.

HiB Sales Director Ash Chilver said: “Trim offers fantastic flexibility and beautiful styling that so many customers are looking for, for their homes. It was important to us that when designing the Trim mirror, it had a high level of finish but also offered simplicity and versatility. Because it is not illuminated, Trim is ideal for pairing with additional lighting such as wall or pendant lights, to create a dramatic focal point.

“The brushed brass and matt black finishes have both been popular with customers so to be able to offer a non-illuminated mirror that seamlessly matches our accessories ranges is brilliant.”

The Trim Curve and Trim Round ranges are available in 40cm and 50cm options.

For more information about Trim and HiB’s other illuminated and non-illuminated mirrors visit https://www.hib.co.uk/product/curved-frame-bathroom-mirror

Acquabella’s new ergonomic bathtub and basin

Unveiled at KBB earlier this year, leading Spanish bathroom brand, Acquabella, is formally presenting its new Chrea range; comprising a stunning freestanding bathtub and basin.

The bath has a clever, ergonomic design to optimise comfort, practicality and enjoyment. The soft rounded shape offers a beautiful fluid look and is perfectly complemented by the gorgeous countertop basins.

The style informed large basins are moulded to deliver a contemporary sculptured look. Chrea is made of Dolotek, a resin and mineral material, renowned for its high technical performance, resulting in a super-smooth, impact-resistant anti-bacterial surface in purest white.

Product and POS available to Acquabella stockists in the UK

Lixil inaugurates Solar Park at its Albergaria Production Site

Lixil Corporation, parent company of the Grohe and INAX brands, has announced the opening of a solar park at its Albergaria production site in Portugal in line with the company’s global environmental strategy to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

2,270 photovoltaic modules will provide eight percent of the production site’s energy requirements with a total capacity of 1,500 kilowatts peak (kWp). It will also reduce the production plant’s CO2 emissions by more than 740 tons per year.

Duarte Cordeiro, Portugal’s Minister of Environment and Climate Action, and António Loureiro, mayor of the Albergaria-a-Velha Municipality, attended the inauguration of the solar park.

Duarte Cordeiro, Minister of the Environment and Climate Action said “I know that we will be able to accelerate Portugal’s transition to a carbon-neutral economy, while also promoting the competitiveness of our industry and our companies, through decarbonization, lower energy consumption and the promotion of endogenous energy sources.

“Portugal set the goal of increasing renewables’ share in electricity production to 80%, a target that was previously set for 2030 but that might be brought forward. This is the reason why our alignment with LIXIL is important. The inauguration of this solar park today is the perfect engagement we want for Portugal,”

Jens Harder, Leader, Manufacturing Fittings, LIXIL International, said, “LIXIL is innovating and scaling solutions to positively impact the planet. Using renewable energy sources is a key element to further reduce our carbon footprint. Since April 2020, plants in LIXIL International’s fittings production portfolio have achieved CO2-neutral operations, compensating for yet unavoidable CO2 emissions.”

The solar park consists of two sections: one with ground-mounted modules and the other with solar
shaders (carports). In addition to generating energy, the solar shaders will help to protect more than 270
parking spaces from sun and rain. Connections will also be installed for charging stations for electric
vehicles.

VitrA London expands specification team

VitrA Bathrooms has appointed Rebecca Lowe as a specification executive. Rebecca is based at VitrA London, the bathroom brand’s striking flagship showroom and creative hub in Clerkenwell, London.

Rebecca joins the team with a wealth of specification and design experience, having worked for Simply Bathrooms and Easy Bathrooms. Rebecca holds a BA in Interior Design and will be responsible for working with VitrA’s architect, specifier, and consumer customers.

VitrA London showroom manager Nicola Friel said, “Rebecca brings a fantastic record in bathroom design. Her all-round knowledge of interiors and expertise with Virtual Worlds and AutoCAD will be a huge asset to the team.”

VitrA London is a destination showroom for bathroom design for commercial and domestic applications. The space includes stunning displays of VitrA ranges, including the recently launched Liquid collection, designed in collaboration with Tom Dixon.

“Working with VitrA is a chance for me to build my experience. VitrA offers innovative solutions for all elements of the bathroom. I am delighted to join the team at such an exciting time.” says Rebecca.

www.VitrA.co.uk

Cevisama cancelled due to uncertainty in ceramic production

According to the organiser Fiera Valencia, it was “unfeasible” to run the event in June 2022 in Valencia, Spain, so it has been moved from February 27 to March 3, 2023.

The exhibition had already been put back from its original February dates to June because of the resurgence of Covid, but the rise in gas prices plus difficulties getting raw materials as a result of the war in Ukraine (which has seen prices of gas spike) has meant stoppages in production and adjustments to the workforce for ceramic manufacturers.

In a press statement, it said the reason for the cancellation was “because of the critical situation currently being experienced by the ceramic industry, which is facing huge uncertainty and unpredictable outcomes following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

In addition to the increased costs of energy, further complicating the situation, the majority of clay reportedly comes from Ukraine and Russia and it is recorded as the 12^th largest export market for Spanish ceramics last year.

Despite 25% more visitors having pre-registered for the show than in previous years, the number of exhibitors that pulled out of the event meant it was no longer commercially viable for it to take place.

Director of Cevisama Carmen Alvarez said: “We are very sorry for the problems that cancellation may cause, but what we have is an emergency situation that has arisen and that is preventing us from going ahead with the industry’s grand re-grouping we were so looking forward to.

“We do not want to let down the trade visitors who come every year from all over the world.”