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With more homeowners concerned about hygiene than ever before, there has been a real focus on how best to design a safe environment that protects the health of all of those living in the household. Here, Scott Williams, National Sales Manager for REHAU Furniture Solutions, comments on the different ways to increase hygiene in the home:

The pandemic has really opened everyone’s eyes to the need to protect the health and wellbeing of those around us. In fact, as part of our  Designing Different report, REHAU commissioned consumer research which found that 67% of the 2,000 homeowners surveyed had more awareness of the bacteria on surfaces in the home. So, it’s essential that homeowners and designers are aware of the different ways to improve hygiene levels.

Interaction levels

Each day we all touch thousands of objects and surfaces, from personal possessions to items of furniture and door handles without thinking twice about it. It’s an integral part of our human nature and is something that people have now, unsurprisingly, become more conscious of since the pandemic. After touching these surfaces, we then tend to touch our face causing us to absorb any organisms lurking on surfaces, including bacteria and viruses, leading to potential illness.

This makes surfaces some of the biggest carriers when it comes to spreading viruses and bacteria, while we can’t just eliminate all surfaces to counteract this, we can make sure those in the home are specially designed to reduce the transfer of these bugs.

Rehau Hygiene

Safer surfaces

There are lots of options available to homeowners wanting to update their interiors with surfaces that look stylish and create a statement, while also protecting the household from infections.  

As such, surfaces which are easy to keep clean, such as non-porous options that don’t harbour bacteria, are growing in popularity as they provide better peace of mind. This is why it’s key to consider the materials used within homes to improve hygiene levels.

While opting for hygienic surfaces which are specially designed to keep germs at bay is important, this doesn’t have to mean creating a clinical look. REHAU’s RAUVISIO Noir, Crystal and Brilliant ranges are all available in the health.protect surface solution. These are antibacterial solutions which form a protective layer using silver ions, making it impossible for bacteria to attach to the surface. This destroys 99% of bacteria within 24 hours, making it ideal for worktops in the kitchen where food is prepared.

Gain an edge

Thinking about the materials and surfaces we come into contact with from a holistic point of view helps to achieve better protection. When it comes to kitchens and bathrooms, this requires looking at each aspect of the environment, not just the surfaces.

Easily overlooked, but just as important as surfaces when it comes to minimising germs in the home, are edgebands. The way these are joined impacts their level of cleanliness. For example, edgebanding which uses zero-joint technology to prevent germs building up along edges has become a more favourable option to those concerned about hygiene. Compared to the common adhesive solutions, the joints are closed towards filth and dirt which are often a breeding ground for bacteria.

Zero-joint technology edgebanding helps to minimise time spent cleaning – an important consideration with easy maintenance being essential to 91% of people when choosing a new kitchen or bathroom.

For those wanting a streamlined look in their home, REHAU’s health.protect surfaces come with matching zero joint edgebanding, so there’s no need to prioritise safety over style as both can be achieved.

In general, people have an increased concern over hygiene levels in the home, however they still want to create spaces with personality and style. Therefore, finding the balance between the two is vital. Opting for matching product ranges supports this aim while keeping everyone safe.

To find out more about the latest hygienic options, visit REHAU’s website here: https://www.rehau.com/uk-en/interiors.

A powerful black water pumping solution from Saniflo is helping to provide waste discharge solutions for buildings across Ireland.

The floor-mounting Sanicubic 1GR is a product from the Zehnder Pump range, now part of the Saniflo SFA Group. Highly rugged and durable and available as a single or three-phase option, the 1GR is designed to pump waste up to 39m from domestic and commercial buildings. The compact unit has a capacity of 55 litres and multiple inlets for connection to up to four appliances and is IP65 verified. A hard-wired control box is supplied as standard for early warning of any issues.

Just 3-mins away from Dublin Castle is Restaurant 777. With restaurants closed to indoor diners through the Covid-19 pandemic, the owner of the restaurant decided to convert a yard space to gain extra tables for outdoor socialising. A Sanicubic 1GR was used to take waste from a new toilet block to an existing waste in the car park below the yard.

HSE Clinic Tallaght, South Dublin has also chosen a Sanicubic 1GR to replace an older, long-serving, Sanicubic model. A representative from Saniflo Ireland met a plumber and HSE Manager on the site of the health centre which was undergoing refurbishment. The pump was required to discharge from 3 x WC’s, wash basins and a shower located in the basement of the building with the mains drains located at street level.

The Beaumont Hospital is another healthcare setting that is now benefiting from trouble-free waste discharge thanks to the installation of the Sanicubic 1GR. Used to discharge waste from a WC in the accident and emergency department; the key benefits required by the hospital plumbers was eliminating the issue of blockages and reliability. The high quality Zehnder grinder performance helped to secure the deal and the unit is now working efficiently in the public hospital WC.

At Ryan Air’s HQ in Dublin the waste water from the staff canteen needed to be pumped up 3m and along 40m to reach the mains drains. Located in the car park below, the kitchen the waste is discharged through standard pipework to the Saniflo pump and then lifted away to the sewer. 

The digital experience hub GROHE X has been awarded a Red Dot Award Brands & Communication Design 2021 in the category “Digital Solutions“.

Launched in mid-March this year, GROHE X has quickly proven to be a success with current visitor numbers currently topping 2,500 per day.

Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, initiator and CEO of Red Dot, emphasised the importance of digital solutions for the success of brands and companies, especially in today’s world. “As an award winner, GROHE has proven that they think ‘outside the box’. The brand knows how to act quickly in times of crisis and use upheavals for new design approaches. In this way, they master important challenges and also make a valuable contribution to the further development of society.”

With GROHE X, LIXIL in the EMENA region claims it has developed the first digital platform of its kind in the industry. GROHE X is a content hub tailored to the interests of industry target groups with zones dedicated to product, inspiration and know-how transfer alongside tutorials and specialist events, and opportunities to connect with brand experts, facilitates a unique user experience.

About the Red Dot Award “Brands & Communication Design”
With around 20,000 entries, the annual Red Dot Award is one of the largest design competitions in the world. Its origins date back to 1955 and the famous Red Dot award has long since established itself as one of the most coveted seals of quality for good design. From products, brand communication and creative projects to design concepts and prototypes, the Red Dot Award documents the most important trends worldwide.

Discover further information about the GROHE X platform here: grohe-x.com

The new CRYSTAL aerator from Neoperl, generates a clear laminar water stream from a tap or shower. Free of milky bubbles, often associated with water aerators, this crystal-clear water flow offers the benefit of being very quiet and splash-free, even when the water is falling from a great height.

This new range of Crystal retrofittable aerators offer optimal stream performance and comfort at flow rates of 15-25 litres per minute and are particularly useful in reducing the noise of running bath taps or showers. They reduce splashing too, so are very suitable for open showering situations where there may be more than one bather, as in a commercial shower or washroom. As the water stream stays compact, even when falling from a height of 2.5m, the water stays at temperature longer, effectively engulfing the bather in warm water.

Crystal aerator models are now available for shower heads, kitchen taps and bath taps and like most Neoperl retrofittable aerators can be simply inserted at the spout end of an existing tap, replacing any incumbent flow device, or in a shower, upstream of the outlet. For more advice on the correct model, please contact Neoperl UK on 01684-564869.

More news from Neoperl

D-Neo Monochrome
Semi tall cabinet in Oak Terra

The D-Neo range from Duravit now has a new Oak Terra finish. This range is extremely versatile with clear-cut styling. Each individual piece has been designed to appear to be perfectly positioned within the range.

D-Neo is available in numerous design options, offering furniture that perfectly complements any bathroom. Circular mirrors from the Light + Mirror range provide indirect light that guarantees pleasant, optimum illumination of the washing area. The series is rounded off by the matching range of faucets, characterized by the unmistakable narrow, vertically positioned handle.

D-NeoMonochrome – Pictured Top
The interplay between the new Oak Terra furniture finish (35) and the generously sized oval above counter basin (600 x 400 mm) lends the washing area an air of contemporary solidity. The combination of a wall-mounted D-Neo toilet and the A.1 actuator plate by Duravit underlines the coherent character of the range.

D-Neo Monochrome Duravit
The D-Neo washing area is rounded off with the
large, circular mirror which provides indirect
lighting to ensure pleasant illumination of the
washing area. Also pictured – the oval D-Neo above-counter
basin (600×400 mm) and D-Neo faucet.

About Duravit AG
Founded in 1817 in Hornberg in the Black Forest, Duravit AG is today a leading international manufacturer of designer bathrooms. The company is active in more than 130 countries worldwide and stands for innovation in the fields of signature design, comfort-enhancing technology and premium quality. In cooperation with an international network of high-profile designers such as Philippe Starck, sieger design, Christian Werner, Cecilie
Manz and young talents such as Bertrand Lejoly and Kurt Merki Jr., the company develops unique bathrooms that enhance quality of life for users on a sustained basis. Duravit’s product portfolio comprises sanitary ceramics, bathroom furniture, bathtubs and shower trays, wellness systems, showertoilets, tap fittings and accessories as well as installation systems.

CRL Stone is working alongside leading brand Inalco to supply more finishes and thicknesses than ever in its Ceralsio ceramic surfaces collection.

Ensuring it is able to offer a solution for any application, CRL Stone is working with Inalco for the supply of its MDi product. MDi surfaces which it says represent a whole new break through in architecture and design, thanks to an innovative production process.

With full digital technology used throughout the manufacturing process, total control of the end design is ensured, to deliver enhanced definition.

The qualities of Inalco MDi that result from its manufacture are already well-known to CRL Ceralsio customers; water absorbent, heat, scratch and stain resistant, non-porous, UV resistant, high durability. In fact, all the advantages that make the surface so suitable for use in the kitchen, bathroom and even outside.

Just some of the examples of the beautiful surfaces made possible with Inalco MDi include Ceralsio Umbria, Meteora Gris (pictured above) in a natural or textured finish and Ferro Vecchio, all available in three thicknesses of 6mm, 12mm and 20mm.

For more details call CRL Stone on 01706 863 600 or visit www.crlstone.co.uk

More news from CRL Stone

Julia Weise Hellum has joined Unidrain as a Key Account Manager and is setting out to build and expand customer relationships and networks in Europe and Asia. She has a solid knowledge of the construction industry and knows all about creating networks in foreign climates.

51-year-old Julia Weise Hellum is well travelled, having spent time exploring, living and working in the UK, USA, Italy and Chile, After many years of living abroad, she has returned to Denmark to take on the role of Unidrain’s new Key Account Manager. She will be spreading awareness of Unidrain in Europe and Asia; which means her workplace will once again take her across the globe.

“I’m looking forward to travelling the world with a Danish product in my hands. I’ve lived abroad for many years, so can definitely vouch for the fact that Danish design has an excellent reputation. Unidrain’s products fully live up to this standing and I look forward to demonstrating that to the outside world,” says Julia Weise Hellum.

Julia originally trained as a market economist, previously working with Danish and international brands within both the fashion and construction industries.

René Risom, International Sales Manager, said:

“Julia brings solid knowledge and experience from the construction industry. At the same time, she has lived abroad for many years, and thus knows all about building networks and making contacts abroad. We’re very happy to have brought Julia on board,” he says.

View Post

The experience of being successful abroad is something that Julia Weise Hellum herself sees as strength for her new position. “When you’ve lived abroad for as many years as I have, you find it much easier to accept that there are lots of different ways of doing things. I feel that the humility I’ve acquired through my time abroad is important when it comes to creating new relationships,” she explains.

Julia Weise Hellum lives in Faxe and has two adult children

Unidrain

Philippe Starck is the most searched-for interior designer in the world, new research can reveal. The renowned designer and architect, known for his eclectic transformations of hotels, yachts, and bars, rakes in 41,000 searches a year – five times more than the tenth most googled designer: Eric Kuster.

The world’s second most googled interior designer is Nate Berkus. The US-based designer and TV personality pulls in 32,000 searches per month – well ahead of the average searches for all designers on the list (20,990), including husband Jeremiah Brent.

The study, by creative resource Design Bundles, analysed 100 interior designers across the globe to discover the ten most sought-after in the world. It also ranked the top ten by their Instagram followers and earnings, to find the most powerful social media star among them. 

Bobby Berk is also among the world’s favourite designers. The Queer Eye star – who has a net worth of over four million dollars – has the third-highest average searches at 31,000 a month.

Jeremiah Brent – who co-hosts reality TV show Nate & Jeremiah by Design with husband Nate Berkus – saw some of the world’s highest average searches. The interior design guru rakes in 24,000 searches a month, making him the fourth most searched designer in the world. 

Celebrity designer Kelly Hoppen – based in the UK and famous for her classic East-meets-West style – saw some of the world’s highest average searches at 21,000, while Kelly Wearstler, who has crafted interiors for stars including Cameron Diaz and Gwen Stefani, achieved 21,000 searches.

Top ten most popular interior designers in the world

Interior Designer       RankAverage number of searches (per month)     
Philippe Starck  141,000
Nate Berkus   232,000
Bobby Berk  331,000
Jeremiah Brent   424,000
Kelly Hoppen522,000
Kelly Wearstler621,000
Axel Vervoordt  713,000
Jungalow   89,700
Marcel Wanders   98,400
Eric Kuster  107,800

When it came to ranking the ten most googled interior designers in the world by Instagram followers, Bobby Berk led the charge, with the biggest Instagram following (2.8 million) of the entire list. Berk commands an estimated $7,498 per sponsored post – nearly triple the average Instagram earnings of all ten designers.  

Kelly Wearstler has the next highest number of Instagram followers (1.6 million), making an estimated $4,408 per post.  

And while Nate Berkus may be winning when it comes to Google searches, his partner Jeremiah has a higher Instagram engagement rate (1.88% to Nate’s 1.07%), meaning Jeremiah makes slightly more from the platform – $3,106 per post.  

Interior Designer     RankNo of Instagram followers US $ per sponsored post 
Bobby Berk 12.8m$7,498 
Kelly Wearstler 21.6m$4,486
Jungalow 31.5 m$4,176
Nate Berkus 41.1m$3,097 
Jeremiah Brent 5774k$3,106
Axel Vervoordt 6408k$1,632
Philippe Starck 7273k$1,086
Kelly Hoppen8271k$1,076 
Marcel Wanders   9120k$476
Eric Kuster  10108k    $428

A spokesperson for Design Bundles, which commissioned the research, said: “When you look at search data, it’s fascinating to see who comes up as the world’s most in-demand interior designers. While we have iconic American and British favourites such as Nate Berkus, Kelly Wearstler and Kelly Hoppen, the presence of designers like Philippe Starck and Axel Vervoordt show a clear, continental influence”

Design Bundles offers high quality premium design resources and a marketplace that allows graphic designers to register and sell their products. 

International wood flooring specialist Havwoods has launched its newest RIBA-accredited CPD, the journey of wood flooring.

The newly accredited course explores the process of wood flooring fabrication, from sustainable and ethical sourcing through to a finished wood floor full of natural beauty. Looking at different wood species and groups of trees from across the globe, participants will look in detail at the individual properties of different grades of flooring.

Recognised within the industry for its impressive wood flooring solutions, the CPD will draw on topical issues to provide attendees with more of an in-depth understanding of sustainable forestry and the issues around this, including deforestation and a number of different certification schemes.

An ideal session for designers, architects and specifiers alike, Havwoods will share its invaluable expertise, offering insight into the manufacturing process and sharing tips for successful specification and installation of wood flooring.

Available for delivery in person, at an office, shared workspace or as a live online presentation, join Havwoods on an informative journey of forestry, craftsmanship and innovation by booking your place here: https://hvwds.co/bookCPD

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of a renowned industry personality, Richard (Rick) Morel after a long illness.

Rick was the owner of a long-standing industry bathroom agency called CMA and over the years had been connected with many of the leading brands that we all celebrate today.  Instantly, recognisable as a larger than life character (quite literally), he will be remembered by his friends for his humour and ability to share stories when meeting up at exhibitions and events as much as his outstanding industry connections and knowledge.

He joined his father in 1985 as an agent working with Gainsborough Showers, Aqualona (bathroom accessories) and Ariston steel baths, where he gained the nickname Rick the Bath.

Within five years the business had grown sufficiently that he needed help and subsequently was joined by Richard Moffatt and a few years later his dad retired. At this point CMA also ran a team of 4 merchandisers calling on the large sheds and DIY stores on a weekly basis taking orders.

Rick’s heart however, was always in top-end showroom products. He loved this side of the business and selling into the West End where he did most of his work and made many great friends. Rick was the first agent for Salamander Pumps, a company that he still represented up until two years ago.

During his 42 years as an agent, other companies that he worked for read like a ´who´s who’ of the bathroom industry including:

Salamander Engineering, Midland Stom, Amptec, Trianco, PH Pool, Koralle, Dornbracht , Crosswater.

Italian manufacturers in particular appreciated Rick´s skills, effectiveness and reliability and subsequently, over the course of the last 15 years, Rick had become a niche, go-to agent for many Italian brands including: Agape, Fantini, Tubes Radiators and Karasan.

Richard Moffat commented, “Having worked so closely with Rick for more than 30 years, life will never be quite the same again. I learnt so much and shared so many experiences both in the UK and abroad. My thoughts and sympathies go to Rick´s bereaved wife Jackie and children at this sad time.”

Industry friend Rob Nicholls, Chairman of PR consultancy Publicity Engineers said, “Rick was a one-off, a totally unique character, remembered by many as a bon-viveur, rugby player and astute businessman. Those a little closer to him though, will remember him for being a loving dedicated family man, with great faith and amazing fortitude which he demonstrated over and over again during his last few years. He will be a huge loss.”