Diane, Author at Bathroom Review

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) has announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with an affiliate of SIGNA and CENTRAL Group for Thompson Vienna, a stunning new sophisticated lifestyle hotel to be located in the Austrian capital.

The milestone development demonstrates Hyatt’s drive to expand its brands throughout Europe, along with a strong commitment to growing the Thompson Hotels portfolio.

Expected to open in late 2024, the 148-room hotel will be located on Mariahilferstrasse (Mariahilfer Street) in the popular retail area of Vienna, as part of an exciting development bringing a new KaDeWe high-end department store to the city. Thompson Vienna and KaDeWe together will create an immersive, cultural destination for tourists and locals alike, offering an all-encompassing experience that brings together global luxury brands, exciting dining and entertainment options.

“We are excited to be expanding our relationship with SIGNA and CENTRAL Group by introducing plans for Thompson Vienna, the third Hyatt property in the city,” said Felicity Black-Roberts, vice president development Europe, Hyatt. “Offering a refined residential feel, Thompson Vienna will attract visitors and locals alike with a dynamic social scene, all within the unprecedented development that will integrate high-end shopping, dining, entertainment, fashion and accommodations within one destination.”

World-renowned architects OMA and interior designers Tara Bernerd & Partners will design Thompson Vienna, creating a modern, edgy design inspired by the architecture and distinctive characteristics of Austria’s famous capital, complemented by the Thompson Hotels brand’s layered design, culinary sophistication and exceptional service.

“We are delighted to extend our collaboration with Hyatt on this exciting new landmark hotel for the Viennese social scene,” said Claus Stadler, COO SIGNA. “Together we will reimagine how retail and hospitality are intertwined to create a high-quality, lifestyle offering for our guests and visitors.”

The development follows Hyatt’s recent announcement of plans for the Thompson Hotels brand debut in Spain with Thompson Madrid.

Thompson Vienna will mark the third Hyatt-branded hotel in the city joining Park Hyatt Vienna and Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere.

About SIGNA Real Estate

SIGNA Real Estate has been developing and managing exceptional real estate projects in central locations in Germany and Austria for over 20 years. An experienced team of real estate experts manages all activities from a project’s acquisition to its completion, and it meets the highest standards with regard to profitability, technology and sustainability. Reliability, fairness and completion on schedule are at the forefront of the team’s cooperation with project partners. These values are anchored in the philosophy of the company, which was founded by René Benko, and they make SIGNA a respected partner.

Its portfolio includes the KaDeWe and the Upper West Tower by the Gedächtniskirche in Berlin, the spectacular Elbtower high-rise project in Hamburg’s HafenCity, the premium Alsterhaus department store in Hamburg and the Oberpollinger and the Karstadt development project near Munich’s central train station. In Austria, the outstanding portfolio properties include the premium Park Hyatt Vienna hotel and the Goldenes Quartier business district.

With these projects, SIGNA is making important contributions to the development of cities. SIGNA doesn’t just concentrate on individual properties; it re-conceptualises topics such as inner city development, sustainability, variety of utilisations, networking and mobility. For liveable cities – for all of us.

About Central Group

Thailand-based CENTRAL, owned by the Chirathivat family for four generations, is a leading multi-format and multi-category retail group focusing on physical and digital retail formats, hotels, restaurants and real estate across Southeast Asia and Europe. CENTRAL began its expansion into Europe with the acquisition of Rinascente in 2011. After acquiring the Danish department store Illum in 2013, CENTRAL partnered with SIGNA to jointly invest in and develop The KaDeWe Group in 2015, followed by Globus in 2020. As a result, Europe has become a key market and strategic focus for CENTRAL, with significant senior management presence across various locations, including London.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company guided by its purpose – to care for people so they can be their best. As of September 30, 2021, Hyatt’s portfolio included more than 1,000 hotel and all-inclusive properties in 69 countries across six continents, and the acquisition of Apple Leisure Group added 96 properties in 10 countries as of November 1, 2021. Hyatt’s offerings include the Park Hyatt®, Miraval®, Grand Hyatt®, Alila®, Andaz®, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt®, Destination by Hyatt™, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt®, Hyatt Ziva™, Hyatt Zilara™, Thompson Hotels®, Hyatt Centric®, Caption by Hyatt, JdV by Hyatt™, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Place®, UrCove, and Hyatt Residence Club® brands, as well as resort and hotel brands under the AMR™ Collection, including Secrets® Resorts & Spas, Dreams® Resorts & Spas, Breathless® Resorts & Spas, Zoëtry® Wellness & Spa Resorts, Alua® Hotels & Resorts, and Sunscape® Resorts & Spas. Hyatt’s subsidiaries operate the World of Hyatt® loyalty program, ALG Vacations®, Unlimited Vacation Club®, Amstar DMC destination management services, and the Trisept Solutions® travel technology platform. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.

Compusoft launches Global Inspiration Contest for kitchen, bathroom and office designers

Click the link to learn more.

2020 + Compusoft has announced the return of their Global Inspiration Contest for kitchen, bathroom and office designers. The contest provides a platform for 2020 Design Live, 2020 Fusion Live, 2020 Office, Winner and Innoplus users to be recognized among their peers for their creative, functional and aesthetic design skills.

This year’s contest is sponsored by 9to5 Seating, Caesarstone and ARAN Cucine. There are twelve categories that designers can submit to:

2020 Design Live
•   Kitchen
•   Bathroom
•   360° Panorama (Any Space)

2020 Fusion Live
•   Kitchen
•   Bathroom
•   360° Panorama (Any Space)

2020 Office
•   Educational Space
•   Large Office Space
•   Small Office Space

Winner and Innoplus
•   Kitchen
•   Bathroom
•   Showcase 360 (Any Space)

Multiple submissions are encouraged, however each submitted design must be unique. The winners will be chosen by a panel of guest judges, including Business of Furniture Editor Rob Kirkbride, NKBA Director of Member Relationships Alan Dove, KBB Review Editor Rebecca Nottingham, and President of ESPRITMEUBLE Gaëtan Ménard. Grand prizes will also be awarded by the sponsors as well as a Voters’ Choice prize based on votes.

The contest opens on April 20, 2022 and closes on May 23, 2022. The winners will receive Amazon gift cards varying between $500 and $1,000 (awarded in the winners’ country currency).

“2020 and Compusoft are thrilled to be hosting this year’s Global Inspiration Contest,” says Steve Hopkins, chief customer success officer at 2020 + Compusoft. “We look forward to all the wonderfully creative designs our customers come up with and we hope everyone enjoys the experience.”

To learn more about the 2020 Global Inspiration Contest, visit the 2020 Global Inspiration Contest.

Aqualisa introduces Downtown™ taps range in matt black

British bathroom specialist Aqualisa has introduced a range of matt black models to its premium Downtown™ taps collection. With a refined and contemporary finish, the matt black Downtown taps make a bold and punchy impact, adding contrast to any modern interior, and continuing the ongoing industrial trend for black bathroom brassware.

Each tap features an angular, soft square lever style with ultra-smooth movement, allowing precise and effortless operation. The matt black surface is both easy to clean and scratch-resistant, ensuring durability and longevity. Available from the end of April 2022, the new line-up includes a small and large pillar mixer tap, a deck-mounted bath filler and a bath shower mixer.

Aqualisa Downtown Matt Black Small and Large Pillar Mixer Taps
Available in small (130mm) and large (147mm) sizes, these elegant basin mixer taps are equipped with an integrated aerator for a softer, non-splash flow. Suitable for both high and low-pressure water systems, each model is machined from high-quality brass with a zinc handle, and comes with a matching, flush-finish metal click clack waste.

Bathroom_Review_Aqualisa_Downtown_Matt_Black_Deck_filler

Aqualisa Downtown Matt Black Deck-Mounted Bath Filler
Engineered to the same soft square design as the individual pillar taps, the Downtown deck-mounted bath filler incorporates dual levers for hot and cold water. Engineered from brass with zinc handles, this durable bath filler can be used with high and low pressure systems, and thermostatic technology ensures a safe temperature for family bathrooms.

Aqualisa Downtown Matt Black Bath Shower Mixer
Adding the convenience of a high-performance 65mm hand shower, this stylish shower mixer features a thermostatic brass body, zinc handles, a 1.25m matt black smooth hose and wall-mounted handset holder. The hand shower is equipped with rub-clean jets for easy maintenance. This unit is also suitable for high and low water pressure systems.

Aqualisa Midas™ 220 in Black with Downtown Taps Combination
In addition to the individual models, the Downtown large pillar tap will also be available as a combination with the Aqualisa Midas 220 in Black mixer shower, with a choice of overhead shower column and adjustable head, adjustable shower only or bath shower mixer.

All models in the Aqualisa Downtown collection are quick and efficient to install, with the reassurance of Aqualisa’s long-standing reputation for reliable and trusted bathroom solutions that are built to last. The full range is WRAS (Water Regulations Advisory Scheme) approved, and each product carries a five year manufacturer’s warranty after registration, plus the backing of Aqualisa’s in-house sales and service support teams.

For further details on the Aqualisa Downtown taps range – also available in chrome – please visit: https://www.aqualisa.co.uk/products/type/bathroom-taps/downtown-taps.html

Pricing and availability
The Aqualisa Downtown Matt Black collection will be available from the end of April 2022. For pricing and more information, trade partners can contact their Aqualisa representative or the Aqualisa Customer Support Team on 01959 560020 or 01 864 3363 (Ireland).

Utopia welcomes retail partners to newly refurbished showroom

As part of its recent major Spring product launch, Utopia has added an array of stunning new displays to the showroom at its Wolverhampton headquarters.

The newly updated showroom opened in March for a series of exclusive customer preview days to showcase the new product collections. In total, over 200 retailers have been welcomed on site to view key developments across the flagship Roseberry and YOU collections, as well as a multitude of new additions across the entire product portfolio.

Helen Clark, Head of Marketing at Utopia, comments “Our showroom is an incredibly valuable resource enabling us to present our new products in truly inspirational settings. Since we not only supply the furniture but also a large portfolio of complementary products, our showroom provides us with the perfect backdrop to execute carefully thought out and imaginative new displays, showing creative combinations of our latest furniture, sanitaryware, baths, brassware and tiles. The reaction to our latest product launch has been incredible.”

Bathroom_Review_Utopia_Roseberry_Showrroom

Compusoft + 2020 appoint Joerg Jung as CEO

April 14, 2022

Recently merged Compusoft + 2020 has announced the appointment of Joerg Jung to the position of chief Executive officer (CEO) for the recently-merged company.

With 1,900+ employees and 70,000+ customers across 100+ countries, Compusoft and 2020 merged in 2021 and provide end-to-end solutions that power design, creation, sales, manufacturing and services across the value chain of spaces for life which includes kitchen, bathroom, office, furniture, window and door industries. Mr. Jung’s official start date will be April 15, 2022.

The combined group now has cross-functional teams based across Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Asia Pacific.

“From the outset of the merger, the goal has been to take Compusoft + 2020 to the next level, increasing the company’s global footprint and capitalizing on our position as the market leader in our space,” said interim CEO, David Tombre. “To that end, myself and the Board of Directors felt it was imperative to find a CEO who was not only experienced in running the type of business we will become, but also shared our values in growing business, teams, and the company.”

Mr. Jung was most recently the President and General Manager International (EMEA & AJP) and Member of the Executive Leadership Team with Infor. He was responsible for all business, customer, employees and partners in that region. As the leader in industry specific cloud solutions, he was responsible for more than half of Infor’s global business and led the growth engine of the company.

“I am truly excited and honored to be joining such an amazing team and successful company. It is very impressive what the various teams have achieved already and it will be my great pleasure to be leading the digital transformation as the innovation leader in the industry”, said Joerg Jung.

Prior to Infor, he was the key driver behind hyper-growth businesses around the world during his tenures with SAP, Deutsche Telekom’s intelligent networks and cloud business, and Unit4.

Mr. Tombre will continue his more than 30-year career with the company as the new Chief Operating Officer, with a focus on key areas of the business, including product and service deliveries.

Luxury hotel in Antwerp (BE) opts for Vasco Beams Mono radiators

April 14, 2022

The Botanic Sanctuary is a boutique hotel located at the former convent site of Elzenveld, Antwerp. Having undergone a total restoration the historic grandeur of the building was restored whilst the interior underwent a complete metamorphosis.

Luxury and comfort are central to the overall hotel concept, right down to the bathrooms. Here the electric Beams Mono radiators by Vasco guarantees optimum comfort for the guests and their elegant design dovetails seamlessly with their aesthetic surroundings.

The Botanic Sanctuary is a very special place to stay; dating back to the Middle Ages, the historic convent building plus the infirmaries were rejuvenated and transformed into a luxurious five-star hotel with 108 rooms. Botanic Sanctuary is home to four gastronomic restaurants, a sizable conference center, a wellness center, and a botanical garden.

“The renovation focused on the façades and roofs; whilst the interior has been completely refurbished, with the exception of the floors and several historic ceilings”, says Johan Van Laer of project developer IRET Development.

All the materials met stringent quality requirements. The hotel rooms are heated with Vasco’s electric Beams Mono radiators. This aluminium design radiator combines all the benefits of electric heating with purity of design.

“A high-end hotel such as this holds itself to high standards”, says Paul Sas of Versani, distributor of the Vasco heating systems. “The Beams Mono radiators boast an elegant and sleek design. The vertical profiles are just 150 mm wide and the connections are entirely hidden from view. At the same time they have a large thermal capacity. In the end the choice was an easy one.”

To generate electrical resistance the small profiles of the Beams Mono radiators are fitted with additional fins to increase the heat output. A cover panel is integrated at the back, in the same colour as the front, where the electrical resistance is entirely hidden from view. As a result the radiator can be heated to high temperatures, naturally with the option of automatically regulating the surface temperature according to your needs.

“We offer our guests optimum comfort in the colder seasons as well the summer months so it was necessary to equip the bathrooms with additional electrical heating. From a price/quality ratio standpoint the Beams Mono radiators were our best option. They deliver exactly the thermal output we were looking for and their minimalist design is the perfect match for the aesthetic concept, which uses a maximum of natural materials”, Johan Van Laer explains.

Clerkenwell Design Week returns with its biggest and boldest show to date

This spring, Clerkenwell Design Week will return for its eleventh edition, taking over London’s most creative district from 24th – 26th May.

Since it made its debut in 2009, CDW has become one of the UK’s leading independent design festivals, providing a welcome platform for brands to showcase their products and for the 100+ resident showrooms to open their doors to new audiences.

Clerkenwell boasts a deep layer of historical heritage, from clock making to gin distilling, along with a vibrant network of architects, designers and creatives that add a rich dimension to CDW. For 2022, the new identity for CDW has been inspired by the printing and craft industries that have traditionally been part of Clerkenwell’s creative history.

This year CDW’s festival route has been extended to include Charterhouse Square which will see Orticolario’s Delenimentum installation taking centre stage. The gigantic version of the legendary Adirondack Chair created in 1903 by the designer Thomas Lee is a playful and photo-worthy addition to this year’s show.

Visitors can expect a show full of the latest designs, innovations and creative ideas, plus installations celebrating the fascinating history of Clerkenwell, as well as hundreds of design-led fringe events, pop-ups, workshops, talks and showroom presentations. Once again, CDW will host a series of talks in Spa Fields by leading designers and architects tackling topical and newsworthy issues.

Across EC1, there will be nine exhibitions, in both purpose built and historical venues. New for 2022 is Covered Sponsored by RAK Ceramics, an exhibition dedicated to interior surfaces.

Also new for 2022 is Contract where visitors can view the latest products for commercial interiors. Clerkenwell’s subterranean House of Detention, which was previously a prison in the mid-19^th century will showcase Light + Rising Stars where a host of new and upcoming designers will exhibit alongside leading lighting brands.

Pop, the former cold store turned nightclub will be essential to visit hosting brand activations and immersive experiences throughout the 3 days of CDW.

Each year CDW Presents showcases specially commissioned, site-specific street spectacles across Clerkenwell.

In a partnership that has spanned five years, CDW will once again collaborate with Scale Rule to present the NextGen Design Pavilion. This year’s design concept for the NextGen pavilion exemplifies human impact upon the earth and in turn mankind’s responsibility to protect and shape it for better, a highly topical issue following COP26 in 2021.

Bathroom_Review_CDW — *Render of Conversations at Clerkenwell Talks Space*

Conversations at Clerkenwell has always been a highlight of the show, with a specially designed venue in Spa Fields. Designed by Fieldwork Architects, the concept for the CDW 2022 talks space reimagines the traditional Victorian bandstand as a focal point within the park, a place for gathering, discussion, entertainment and shelter. Rather than a traditional forward facing seating arrangement, the nature of the bandstand form allows the focus point to be partially in the round and engage the audience as a discussion, rather than a presentation.

Showrooms

Growing in synergy over the eleven editions of the festival, Clerkenwell has flourished as one of London’s creative hotspots. From CDW’s humble beginnings with less than 40 participating showrooms back in 2010 to over 115 confirmed for 2022, this year’s show is truly bigger than ever before.

Exhibitions

CDW’s exhibitions are hosted in distinctive spaces around the area linked by a route running through the centre of EC1. There are nine exhibitions, each with a different curatorial focus, ranging from cutting edge international design, to emerging talent, lighting, luxury interiors and the best of British design.

Showerwall invests to increase acrylic printing capacity

Leading wall panelling brand Showerwall has invested in a new state-of-the-art digital printer that will increase manufacturing capacity for its popular range of high-end acrylic panels by 400%.

The new technology will speed up the printing process, which means faster turnarounds for customers. The printer also has two expansion tables allowing printing on larger panels up to 3.0m. The already impressive durability of the panels will be enhanced, thanks to the use of new water-based inks with high adhesion and scratch resistance.

The investment forms part of Showerwall’s sustainability commitments. The removal of UV inks, which required additional ventilation and safety equipment, means odour and airborne chemicals are no longer released into the atmosphere, benefiting the environment and staff. Employees are also no longer required to wear gloves during the printing process.

Showerwall’s Acrylic collection features some of its top-selling designs, which have soared in popularity in recent years, as homeowners seek a high-end finish and become bolder, braver and more design-oriented in their bathroom choices.

Steph Harris, Product Manager for Showerwall comments: “The contemporary glass-like finish of our Acrylic panels creates a stunning backdrop for showers, baths and vanity units, whether it’s bold brights, soft pastels or our collection of tile and wallpaper-inspired designs.

“By increasing our printing capacity, we can meet the rising demand for Acrylic. It was the right time to invest in this new technology, as we have seen significant double-digit year-on-year growth since the product launched in 2018. Reducing lead times will enable further growth, enhance customer service and help retailers and installers deliver dream bathrooms for their customers.”

Showerwall’s stunning Acrylic collection offer a library of stylish and bespoke designs, manufactured using a 4mm acrylic sheet that is rear printed to create a polished, glass-like finish. The panels don’t require the use of trims and can simply be joined with Showerwall’s acrylic panel sealant, which is available in 14 colours providing exact matches to a collection of its Acrylic wall panels.

The full Showerwall collection offers over 100 decors to suit all tastes, with panels available in sizes 600mm, 900mm and 1200 x 2440mm, backed by a guarantee of 30 years. For further information visit: https://www.showerwall.co.uk/

Mermaid goes interactive with Virtual Worlds

In a move that will help bathroom retailers offer consumers even more design possibilities, Mermaid has partnered with showroom technology company, Virtual Worlds.

Mermaid’s bathroom panels are now available on the CAD-inspired platform, allowing retailers to showcase the stunning surfaces in photorealistic 3D. Those using the 4D technology offered by Virtual Worlds will also be able to fully immerse customers in bespoke bathroom and wetroom environments designed using Mermaid surfaces.

While space-conscious retailers will benefit from being able to display a wider variety of products than the typical showroom can accommodate, the technology also allows customers to see the endless design possibilities the Mermaid panel ranges can create. With the Mermaid Elite range not requiring trims, a contiguous effect encompassing shower niches and enclosures, statement walls, and windowsills can also be created.

Keely Greenhalgh, National Sales Manager at Mermaid said: “Mermaid is thrilled to be joining Virtual Worlds. Offering our versatile range of panelling solutions digitally will allow retailers to provide a greater choice of products to consumers. By visualising in 3D what can be achieved from using the panels, bathroom planning is taken to the next level, opening up a world of design ideas that some may not have even considered possible.

“The brand’s inclusion in Virtual World’s product catalogue will bring greater exposure to Mermaid and the bathroom panelling category as a whole. When realised in photorealistic 3D or fully immersive 4D virtual reality, even the biggest advocates of bathroom tiles are likely to be swayed by the striking effect panels can create. With an impressive range of styles also on offer, including stone, marble and wood effects, it is even possible to recreate the aesthetic of tiles if that’s what the consumer desires.”

Nathan Maclean, Managing Director at Virtual Worlds, added: “We’re delighted to welcome the Mermaid brand on board to Virtual Worlds. The partnership enables retailers to easily include these products within their designs while offering the consumer even more choice and opportunity for creativity when planning their new bathrooms,

“Our design technology is playing an increasingly important part in the retail dynamic of the KBB world, providing an immersive planning experience where consumers are able to try before they buy and the constraints of the physical showroom in terms of floor space become a thing of the past. Increasing our manufacturer portfolio with the addition of these brands is an important part of this.”

For more information about Mermaid Panels and the complete spectrum of bathroom surfaces available, or to order a sample, visit www.mermaidpanels.co.uk.

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

More about Mermaid.

New appointment for Kinedo

The Kinedo sales team is expanding with the appointment of James Day as Area Sales Manager – South.

James joined in March 2022 – just in time for the start of the KBB Show, where he was able to connect with new and existing customers. Prior to joining the Kinedo sales team James worked in the plumbing sector for 18 years as Manager of two different merchants in Sussex.

His new role will entail generating displays, as well promoting general awareness of the Kinedo range of cubicles, enclosures and trays in the retail and merchant sectors. James has known the brand for many years, but was impressed by the latest additions to the range;

“I did some research prior to joining the company and the range has evolved a lot over the last couple of years. There are some really impressive models which will help me secure displays. The beauty of Kinedo is the level of support offered to customers including sales and installation training plus a dedicated point of contact from enquiry to sale. Kinedo is Europe’s largest shower cubicle manufacturer and has a great pedigree, so I am keen to really help it become a known brand in the UK.”