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Recently, a number of 70s and 80s-inspired interior trends have been making a resurgence, with vintage, colourful bathrooms being the latest one. 

According to Mira Showers, one of the main reasons for the shift towards this style is people wanting to move away from the minimalist, grey and all-white trends of the past few years. Instead, people are wanting to switch up their homes to make them feel warmer and more individual – something the trends from these eras provide.

Other influences that have made people consider these design choices include TV shows and films from this era like The Rivals, Stranger Things and Saltburn, all of which have been popular in the last few years and have had distinct 70’s and 80’s influence.

To help people decide whether they should buy into the latest bathroom trend, Mira’s Bathroom expert, Emily Robertson, has provided some decision-making advice.

Is colourful sanitaryware a passing trend?

Emily says, “Coloured bathrooms aren’t just a trend; they are a part of a wider movement where people are setting out to create warmer, more inviting spaces in their homes. With much more importance placed on wellness in recent years, people are spending more and more time in their bathrooms, which means they are now more than just a functional space.”

Should you invest in a colourful bathroom suite?

Emily explains, “This shift, however, doesn’t necessarily mean homeowners should rush out and invest in a brightly coloured bath, basin or shower enclosure. Sanitaryware is designed to last, so it’s important you really consider whether you will still like your design choices in a few years before investing.

“Bathrooms are one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your home, so it’s worth thinking carefully before committing to a trend. While coloured bathroom suites can look good online on the likes of Pinterest and Instagram, many people don’t realise that design choices like that don’t suit every bathroom in the same way, so first you need to assess the space’s shape and size.

“If you have a large family bathroom, one brightly coloured suite can look lost in the space – because of this, it may be best to consider colour-drenching and co-ordinating the whole room, match the suite to the tiles, paint and fixtures to make a real statement. 

“Equally, on the other hand, adding a coloured suite to a small bathroom, like an ensuite, can run the risk of making the room feel overcrowded and dark. This is where you should consider pairing the suite with lighter and contrasting features as well as good lighting and mirrors to open up the space.”

How to style a colourful bathroom suite

“Colourful sanitaryware can create a stylish, luxurious bathroom if done correctly. The key is to avoid overwhelming the room by pairing deeper shades with lighter, natural materials, and brighter shades with neutral tones and timeless finishes. This way you can add colour and personality without overpowering the space.

“Good lighting is also an important consideration. Make sure to add mirrors and layered lighting like lamps and wall lighting to help make the room feel both open and warm and inviting.”

Other ways to add colour to your bathroom

Emily says, “If you’re interested in adopting the trend without committing to replacing your whole bathroom suite just yet, it’s far more cost-effective to start with replacing your fixtures and fittings.

“Try swapping out fixtures like your taps, shower or showerhead, cabinet handles, or lighting. Swapping these can help you completely transform the space without investing in a full bathroom renovation. Making smaller changes like these also gives you the flexibility to adopt other trends more easily in the future.

“Other ways to add colour to your bathroom are by updating the paint on the walls, adding coloured towels and accessories or considering some feature tiles; these are some much less permanent choices that can be easily updated later on and don’t involve having to mess with any plumbing.”

If you’re investing in a bathroom renovation, our advice is to think about what you consider to be a timeless choice and use fixtures, fittings and decor to adopt new trends. 

Emily Robertson is an in-house shower and bathroom expert at Mira Showers, with specialist knowledge across the brand’s showering and bathroom solutions. She provides trusted guidance on product selection, bathroom design considerations and the latest innovations, helping homeowners make informed decisions when planning, upgrading or renovating their bathrooms.

Emily’s author page: https://www.mirashowers.co.uk/blog/authors/emily-robertson 

The Bathroom Association has announced Ideal Bathrooms as a Gold Sponsor of its Connect Conference 2026.

Taking place on Thursday 8 October at the Grand Hotel, Birmingham, the annual conference will bring together businesses from across the bathroom sector under this year’s theme, ‘Stronger Together’.

With more than 40 years of experience in bathroom distribution, Ideal Bathrooms is one of the UK’s leading distributors. The company combines an extensive in-stock portfolio with national distribution and specialist support for its trade customers.

Its Gold Sponsorship follows the company’s recent decision to join the Bathroom Association, reinforcing its commitment to greater collaboration between manufacturers, distributors, merchants, retailers and other businesses involved in delivering bathrooms across the UK.

Ideal Bathrooms offers more than 20,000 bathroom product lines, spanning categories including ceramics, brassware, furniture, showering, heating and accessories. It provides next-day delivery to 99% of Britain and Northern Ireland, supported by online ordering, live stock information and specialist contract and estimating services.

The company’s involvement brings an important distribution perspective to the annual Connect Conference. Distributors play a central role in linking manufacturers with retailers and installers, managing product availability and helping the market respond quickly to changing customer and project requirements.

By joining the Association and supporting its principal annual event, Ideal Bathrooms will contribute its experience of logistics, product availability, customer service and trade support to the wider industry conversation.

Scott Cooper, managing director at Ideal Bathrooms, said: “Becoming a member of the Bathroom Association represents an exciting opportunity for Ideal Bathrooms to engage more closely with businesses from across the sector, and we are delighted to build on that commitment as a Gold Sponsor of Connect Conference 2026.

“As a distributor, we see every day how closely connected our industry is. Manufacturers, distributors, retailers and installers all depend on one another to provide customers with the products, service and confidence they expect.

“We are therefore particularly pleased to support a conference built around the theme ‘Stronger Together’. We look forward to sharing ideas, strengthening existing relationships and developing new partnerships at the event.”

Amy Kirk, marketing and events director at the Bathroom Association, said: “It is fantastic to see Ideal Bathrooms embracing Association membership by becoming a Gold Sponsor of Connect Conference 2026.

“Their decision to join the Association and sponsor our conference demonstrates a genuine desire to contribute, collaborate and help shape the industry’s future. We are delighted to have them involved.”

The Connect Conference 2026 will provide a forum for the bathroom industry to discuss shared priorities, learn from expert speakers and build relationships across traditional parts of the supply chain. The event will attract manufacturers, merchants, distributors, retailers, suppliers and service providers from across the UK bathroom sector.

The programme will feature Jez Rose as the morning keynote speaker, Vanessa Brady, Founder & CEO at The Society of British and International Interior Design, and Rob Law MBE as the afternoon keynote speaker, alongside panel discussions and networking opportunities.

Delegates will also be invited to attend an exclusive gala dinner and presentation of the Thirty-under-Thirty Awards at the Grand Hotel following the daytime conference, also sponsored by Ideal Bathrooms.

For further information and to book tickets, visit the Bathroom Association’s Connect Conference 2026 website.

Warm metallics have become a firm favourite in bathroom design, offering an alternative to cooler chrome and nickel and bringing warmth and character to everything from taps and showers to mirrors and accessories. But with both brass and bronze becoming increasingly popular, how do you decide which is right for your bathroom?

While they sit within the same warm metallic family, the two finishes can create quite different looks. Brass tends to have a lighter, more golden appearance, while bronze has greater depth, with warmer brown undertones and a more earthy quality.

Jeevan Seth, CEO of JTP, explains: “There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong choice between brass and bronze. What is important is the atmosphere you want to create and the other materials and colours you plan on bringing in. Both introduce warmth in quite different ways.”

For those looking to introduce warmth while retaining a lighter feel, brass is an easy choice. Brushed Brass in particular offers a softer alternative to highly polished gold-toned finishes and can sit comfortably within both contemporary and traditional bathrooms.

“Brushed Brass is incredibly versatile,” says Jeevan. “It works beautifully against marble, stone and timber and can lift darker colours, but at the same time it can bring warmth to a much lighter, neutral bathroom.”

It can also provide a contemporary update to more traditional fittings. Rather than recreating a period bathroom exactly, pairing classic silhouettes with Brushed Brass can bridge old and new, giving heritage-inspired schemes a fresher feel.

Something to remember: As a lighter, more noticeable metallic, brass naturally draws the eye, so it pays to think about where and how often it is repeated. Choosing coordinating taps, showers and accessories can make the finish feel well thought through rather than introducing isolated flashes of metal. Different manufacturers’ versions of brass can also vary in tone, so specifying coordinating products from one collection or brand can help achieve a consistent finish.

Bronze brings a completely different quality to the bathroom. Its deeper brown undertones create a richer, earthier appearance, making it particularly effective in bathrooms built around natural materials and warmer colour palettes.

“Bronze has a little more depth and character,” explains Jeevan. “It works particularly well if you’re using richer colours or materials such as timber and stone because it sits naturally alongside those warmer tones. It can make even very contemporary brassware feel softer and less clinical.”

Bronze can also be particularly effective when carried across several details within the room, from the basin and shower fittings through to smaller accessories and heating, creating a strong visual thread without relying on a single statement piece.

Something to think about: Because bronze has greater visual depth, it can feel heavier than brass, particularly in a small or very dark bathroom. Balance it with lighter surfaces or use it selectively where you want to introduce definition and contrast.

Not necessarily. Mixed metals can work, but there should be a clear rationale behind them rather than introducing several unrelated finishes.

“If you’re mixing metals, keep one as the dominant finish and use the second more sparingly,” advises Jeevan. “For example, you might carry bronze through the main brassware and shower while introducing another metal through lighting or smaller decorative details. The important thing is repetition. If a finish appears only once, it can look accidental.”

For homeowners who prefer a more uniform look, carrying the same finish across taps, shower fittings, accessories, radiators and other details is an increasingly popular approach and can make the bathroom feel more complete.

Images

  1. NEO Single Lever Basin Mixer in Brushed Bronze, £280
  2. NEO Triple Outlet Thermostatic Trimset for Universal Box in Brushed Brass,
    £805, (Universal Box £150)
  3. Grosvenor Freestanding Bath Shower Mixer with Kit from £1,050
  4. EVO Exposed Shower Head in Brushed Bronze, £750
  5. Vos Basin £795 and Kono 3 Whole Wall Mounted Basin Mixer £450
  6. EVO Radiator £210, VOS Mirror with Light £345, VOS Grade 316 Stainless Steel Top Basin £795,
    VOS Slim Bath/Basin Spout £150, and Grab Bar £150, all in Brushed Brass
  7. Neo Single Lever Basin Mixer in Brushed Brass, £195

At ISH 2027, taking place in Frankfurt from 15–19 March, the focus will be on how heating, cooling, ventilation, water, lighting and building automation can work together more effectively.

The move towards greater integration reflects the growing complexity of modern buildings, with planners increasingly looking at how individual systems – including water and bathroom services – can share data and operate as part of a wider building-management system.

Building automation is at the centre of this shift. In large buildings, thousands of data points can be generated across different systems. Dr Peter Hug, managing director of the Building Automation Association within VDMA, says large buildings can have 40,000 or more data points, many located above ceilings, in basements or on rooftops.

For planners and engineers, the challenge is no longer simply specifying individual systems. They also need to consider how those systems communicate, what data they provide and how they connect to wider control and management platforms.

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Nori Studio has transformed a Milan apartment owned by a young couple of collectors, reconfiguring the layout and introducing a contemporary design scheme that provides a considered setting for their art and design collection.

The project involved a complete redesign of the floor plan, with a configuration designed to maximise the living area, create a second guest bathroom, and a master bedroom with an en suite bathroom.

The stylistic choices focused on a linear graphic, designed to best accommodate and showcase the owners’ private art collection. What was retained is the large partition separating the living room from the kitchen, emphasised by two large, monolithic black steel portals, specifically designed to create a circular flow between these spaces. These are complemented by skirting boards, always in the same colour palette, a common thread throughout the project, which unifies all the spaces and creates a chromatic contrast with the chosen flooring, a light-colored natural wood.

Ritmonio_EB-Private-House_Pics-by-Gianluca

Many of the furnishings in the apartment are entirely custom-made and, in besides the design purpose, are functional in concealing utility areas.

The entrance opens directly into the large living room, which houses the relaxation area on one side and the dining room and clean, minimalist kitchen on the other; almost a passageway, it opens onto the corridor through a swinging glass door.

The house, conceived as a neutral volume with a high level of artistic and design content, finds a complete transformation in the guest bathroom. The dark petrol blue hue, the supermirrored steel ceiling, and the boldly graphic tiles create a space with a deliberately clubby feel, enhancing the style of the rest of the apartment through contrast.

In this context, Diametro35 in Black finish by Ritmonio stands out as a choice of elegance and character, giving spaces a touch of exclusive sophistication. A magnetic opposite: the color black contrasts forcefully with the light shades of contemporary furnishings, creating an irresistible interplay. Its bold silhouette captures attention, becoming a true focal point of the bathroom.

A metropolitan trend that combines functionality and style, giving spaces a lived-in and sophisticated allure. The essentiality and minimalism of Ritmonio solutions adapt perfectly to this design mood, transforming with eclecticism and versatility.

The other areas of the apartment, including the master bedroom and private bathroom, while maintaining the same architectural language, are seen as oases of tranquility. Clear lines, neutral colors, and just a fewsmall design objects create a private, more domestic space.

www.ritmonio.it

Image Credit: Gianluca Caldara.

Circa 50 hib employees have collectively covered almost 4,000 miles, the equivalent of travelling from London to New York, as part of a month-long fundraising challenge for Ronald McDonald House UK.

This summer, members of Team hib came together to take on the 79-Mile Challenge, raising more than £1,000 so far for the company’s corporate charity partner. From lunchtime walks and evening runs to weekend bike rides, hikes and swims, colleagues embraced the challenge in a variety of ways, all united by the same goal of supporting families with seriously ill children in hospital.

Ronald McDonald House UK provides free accommodation for families, helping them stay together and just moments from their child’s bedside during an incredibly difficult time. The challenge encouraged participants to walk, run or cycle 79 miles throughout the month. The distance represents the average number of miles families travel to be close to their seriously ill child receiving specialist hospital treatment, highlighting the vital support the charity provides.

Laura Bennett, corporate fundraiser at Ronald McDonald House UK, said: “The support shown by hib staff through the 79-Mile Challenge has been nothing short of amazing. Once again, we have seen so many of their colleagues come together to support our mission and it means so much to us.

“Every mile walked, run, cycled or swam, and every pound raised, helps families stay together and close to their child in hospital when they need each other most. Thank you hib for your continued support and for making such a meaningful difference to families across the UK.”

Deb Freeman, head of brand and marketing at hib, was the first member of the team to complete the challenge, finishing her 79 miles in just seven days. She said: “It was a fantastic challenge to be part of, especially knowing it was all for such an important cause. Completing the 79 miles in seven days and being the first to finish was a great personal achievement, but what really matters is what we’ve all been able to achieve together to support Ronald McDonald House UK.”

The initiative forms part of hib’s ongoing commitment to supporting Ronald McDonald House UK and the families who rely on its vital services.

There is still time to support Team hib’s fundraising efforts. Every contribution will help Ronald McDonald House UK continue providing free accommodation to families, enabling them to stay close to their seriously ill child while they receive specialist hospital care.

PJH has expanded its partnership with enclosure specialist MERLYN, adding 95 new products to its Bathrooms to Love portfolio and the PJH Partners Portal™. The new ‘Vivid’ enclosures and wetroom solutions are available in Brushed Brass and Brushed Matt Black with special introductory prices.

The expanded range builds on more than a decade’s worth of collaboration between PJH and MERLYN, giving bathroom retailers greater choice backed by MERLYN’s shower enclosure expertise and PJH’s nationwide distribution network and FIRST-CHOICE customer service.

The expanded MERLYN collection offers a broad choice of shower enclosure and wetroom solutions, including sliding, pivot and bi-fold doors, quadrants and offset quadrants, corner-entry options and flexible wetroom configurations. The launches reflect the continued shift towards more coordinated, design-led schemes.

Merllyn has been part of Bathrooms to Love for many years and is now an established part of PJH’s showering offer, spanning enclosures, wetroom panels and bath screens. The continued development of the collection combines MERLYN’s showering expertise with PJH’s distribution capabilities.

Kim Cooper, product & marketing director at PJH, said: “Our relationship with MERLYN is one we have built successfully over many years, and it continues to be an important part of our Bathrooms to Love showering offer.

Cooper highlighted benefits of PJH’s stockholding, nationwide distribution and customer service, which support retailers in accessing MERLYN’s range alongside the wider Bathrooms to Love collection.

She added, “MERLYN has an excellent reputation for quality, design and innovation, and these are qualities which align very closely with what we want to offer our customers. The continued expansion of the range, including the latest enclosure and wetroom products and new Brushed Brass and Matt Black finishes, gives retailers even more choice from a brand they know and trust.”

Selling points for retaiers include an easy-fit pre-assembled frame for easier installation, easy-to-clean Mershield Stayclear glass treatment, 6mm toughened safety glass, a tall 1900mm glass panel height, and a Lifetime Guarantee.

The expanded MERLYN range further supports PJH’s commitment to providing its customers with an extensive choice of the latest, quality bathroom products backed by dependable availability and service.

Eileen Slattery, marketing director at MERLYN, added: “Our partnership with PJH has been built on trust, collaboration and a shared ambition to deliver outstanding products and experiences to customers. We’re proud to see the Vivid range continue to grow, offering stylish, practical showering solutions backed by the quality that MERLYN is known for.”

MERLYN products are available to order through the PJH Partners Portal™, where customers can find product information, check stock, place orders and manage their account. Order fulfilment is supported by PJH’s next-day delivery service to store or home.

For further information visit www.partners.pjh.uk or www.bathroomstolove.uk or contact the PJH sales team on 0345 450 8932.

Tissino has expanded its Fiorti shower tray collection with the launch of Fiorti Smooth, a smooth-surface option alongside the existing Class 3 anti-slip range.

The addition gives retailers a choice between smooth and anti-slip surfaces within the same Fiorti collection, helping them specify the option best suited to individual projects.

For Tissino, that is an important distinction. Rather than simply increasing the number of trays in the portfolio, the business is extending Fiorti around the different requirements retailers encounter at point of specification.

Frazer Lewis, sales director at Tissino, says: “Retailers were asking us for a smooth Fiorti option, and that feedback was very clear. We already had a strong anti-slip proposition, but that isn’t necessarily the priority for every customer.

“Some will specifically want enhanced grip underfoot; others are looking for a clean, smooth surface that is straightforward to maintain. Giving the retailer both options makes Fiorti relevant to more of the briefs coming through the showroom.”

Fiorti Smooth combines a White, easy-care surface with 40mm gel coat resin construction and is available across square, rectangular, quadrant and offset quadrant formats.

Each tray is supplied with a colour-matched White grate and 27 litre-per-minute waste, with wet-room compatibility and optional riser and panel kits providing further flexibility at installation. The tray is also covered by Tissino’s Lifetime Guarantee.

Fiorti now offers 55 sizes across the collection, giving retailers options for a wide range of shower footprints and layouts.

The Fiorti expansion forms part of Tissino’s wider investment in shower trays for 2026, with the brand increasing its offer across different sizes, surfaces, finishes and performance requirements as it looks to build greater authority in the category. 

For more information, visit Tissino.co.uk

CEADESIGN collections have been specified throughout the bathrooms and kitchens of 262 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan’s NoMad neighbourhood. Developed by Five Points Development Group, the 52-storey residential tower was designed by Meganom, with interiors by Norm Architects, and comprises just 26 residences.

In the bathrooms, products from the GRADI, GIOTTO and EQUILIBRIO collections combine to create a consistent material palette in satin-finish AISI 316L stainless steel.

The GRADI GRA24IS free-standing progressive bath mixer features a swivelling spout and cylindrical hand shower with stainless-steel hose. From the GIOTTO collection, the GIO17S three-hole mixer incorporates a swivelling spout, with both products finished in satin AISI 316L stainless steel.

The EQUILIBRIO EQB32S electric bathrobe warmer power button continues the same material language, providing a discreetly integrated detail within the bathroom environment.

The choice of AISI 316L stainless steel is both aesthetic and functional. Highly durable and hygienic, the material is also fully recyclable and offers a long service life. At 262 Fifth Avenue, its satin finish has been selected to complement the Grigio Alpi marble used throughout the residences, creating a restrained contrast between the metal and natural stone.

The specification continues into the kitchens with the MILO360 MIL201S deck-mounted mixer, which combines a swivelling spout with a pull-out hand shower. Finished in satin AISI 316L stainless steel, it brings the same material quality and understated detailing to the kitchen spaces.

Natural stone and oak are central to the interiors at 262 Fifth Avenue, with the CEADESIGN fittings providing a consistent stainless-steel finish across the kitchen and bathroom areas. The selection also reflects the wider emphasis on durability and responsible material use within the development.

Conceived according to Passive House standards, the building combines high-performance technology with carefully selected materials and tailored finishes. Each residence occupies an entire floor, or two floors in the case of the duplex apartments, with floor-to-ceiling glazing providing extensive views across Manhattan.

The result is a cohesive approach to the kitchen and bathroom interiors, with CEADESIGN’s GRADI, GIOTTO, EQUILIBRIO and MILO360 collections integrated into the wider architectural scheme.

Photography is by Norm Architects, with the exterior captured by Hayes Davidson.

One of the UK’s bathroom distributors, Ideal Bathrooms, is joining the Bathroom Association as its newest member. The Association says the addition represents an important step in its work to bring together businesses from across the bathroom supply chain.

As a major link between manufacturers, brands, showrooms and trade customers, distributors bring valuable commercial experience and a broad view of the market to the Association’s growing community.

Behind every bathroom is an extensive network of businesses and professionals, but different parts of that network have too often operated in isolation. The Bathroom Association is seeking to address that fragmentation by creating one powerful community for the industry: a place where insights are shared, influence is amplified, and meaningful change happens.

Ideal Bathrooms’ membership will add an important perspective to discussions shaping the sector’s future. Its close relationships with leading manufacturers and trade partners give the business practical insight into product demand, customer expectations, stock availability and the challenges faced across the route to market.

Daphne Doody-Green, CEO of the Bathroom Association, said Ideal Bathrooms represented an ‘important moment’ and a strong endorsement of its ambition to represent the whole bathroom industry.

She highlighted the importance of the role distributors play in the sector, connecting manufacturers and brands with retailers, showrooms, installers and ultimately customers.

“Distributors occupy a crucial position within our sector,” said Doody-Green. “They give us a valuable perspective on how the market is performing and where change is needed.”

She added the industry is facing a rnage of challenges from regulation, sustainability, water efficiency, skills, consumer confidence and market growth.

“These cannot be addressed effectively by individual businesses or individual parts of the supply chain acting alone. We need everyone around the table, and I am delighted that Ideal Bathrooms will now be part of that community.”

Ideal Bathrooms has supported the UK bathroom market for more than 40 years. The company combines an extensive, in-stock product portfolio with national distribution, technical knowledge and specialist customer support.

Its portfolio includes more than 20,000 bathroom lines across categories such as showering, brassware, furniture, ceramics, heating, and accessories, sourced from many of the world’s leading bathroom brands. Its delivery network provides next-day delivery to 99% of Britain and Northern Ireland, supported by two distribution centres and the company’s Blue Van stock promise.

Alongside product supply, Ideal Bathrooms supports its trade partners with technical and installation information, live stock checking, online ordering and tracking, brochures, point-of-sale material and showroom displays. Its specialist teams also assist with premium specifications, complex installations, contract enquiries and large-scale projects.

Scott Cooper, managing director at Ideal Bathrooms, said: “Joining the Bathroom Association is a natural step for Ideal Bathrooms. We have always believed that strong partnerships are fundamental to a successful bathroom industry, particularly in a market where businesses are having to respond to changing customer expectations, economic pressures and an increasingly complex regulatory environment.”

Cooper said they also see value in learning from other members, and that sharing insights will help Ideal Bathrooms support its customers more effectively.

He said: “We are delighted to become part of the Bathroom Association and look forward to playing an active role in its community.”

Through its purpose of Insight. Influence. Impact., the Bathroom Association gives members access to market intelligence, technical expertise, policy representation and connections across the industry. It works with businesses throughout the bathroom supply chain to support market growth, raise standards and reduce the sector’s environmental impact.

The arrival of Ideal Bathrooms further strengthens the Association’s ability to represent the industry as a connected system, ensuring that the experiences of distributors and their trade customers inform the decisions, policies, and initiatives that affect its future.