Diane, Author at Bathroom Review

Acquabella unveils design-led shower trays

June 5, 2026

Spanish bathroom manufacturer Acquabella has expanded its showering portfolio with the launch of two new shower trays, Livo Slate and Acqua Zero, designed to bring together contemporary aesthetics, material innovation and enhanced functionality.

Developed around the brand’s philosophy of creating shower spaces where design, material and user experience exist in harmony, the new collections transform everyday functionality into a striking design feature for the modern bathroom.

Livo Slate: inspired by architectural geometry

The Livo Slate shower tray features a refined architectural aesthetic, with a design centred around balance, geometry and the natural movement of water. Finished in Acquabella’s Slate texture, the tray recreates the appearance and tactile qualities of natural slate stone, delivering an authentic and sophisticated finish.

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A distinctive feature of the design is the visual relationship between the water flow and the circular waste cover, creating a harmonious dialogue between two circular forms inspired by contemporary architecture. The circular grille is available in stainless steel or black, providing a subtle contrast against the textured surface while maintaining a cohesive design language.

Acqua Zero: minimalist design inspired by nature

Acqua Zero takes a more minimalist approach, drawing inspiration from the moment a single water droplet touches the surface and creates expanding ripples. This simple yet evocative concept has been translated into a permanent design feature, resulting in a shower tray that combines elegance with visual tranquillity.

Finished in Acquabella’s Zero microtexture, the tray offers a clean, contemporary appearance. Surrounding the integrated circular grille, crafted from the brand’s Akron material, a series of soft concentric ripples create subtle movement and depth without compromising the tray’s minimalist aesthetic.

The innovative design has already received international recognition, with Acqua Zero winning an award in the Product category at the prestigious iF Design Awards, one of the world’s leading design competitions.

By combining advanced materials, thoughtful detailing and contemporary styling, both Livo Slate and Acqua Zero demonstrate Acquabella’s commitment to creating shower solutions that elevate the bathroom experience through design.

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Duravit delivers texture to bathroom furniture design

June 3, 2026

Structure is increasingly defining the character of bathroom furniture, with texture adding a more sensuous, tactile dimension to contemporary interiors. Firmly established within living and lived in spaces in the world of interior design, groove and line structures are now making their way into the bathroom. Designer bathroom manufacturer Duravit is focusing on this design element in the bathroom furniture of the Balcoon, Zencha and Aurena ranges and applying it in an everyday context.

Vertical lines shape perception in bathroom design

Vertical line detailing has become a well-established design language within bathroom interiors. When applied to furniture fronts, fine linear grooves subtly alter the perception of volume and proportion. Large surfaces are visually broken down, creating a lighter, more refined appearance while introducing an enhanced sense of depth.

This structured rhythm also interacts with natural and artificial light. As light shifts throughout the day, shadows form and soften across the surface, meaning bathroom furniture appears to subtly change in character depending on viewing angle and illumination.

Haptic qualities elevate material expression

Alongside visual impact, haptic qualities are becoming central to bathroom design. Finely structured surfaces encourage a heightened awareness of materiality, bringing wood, décor finishes and glass fronts into sharper focus.

The result is a more expressive use of materials, where precision craftsmanship and surface detailing reinforce a sense of quality and permanence. These subtle enhancements allow bathroom furniture to feel more considered, more aligned with contemporary interior design expectations.

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VitrA returns as BIFIS advocate

June 3, 2026

The British Institute of Fitted Interiors Specialists (BIFIS) has announced the return of VitrA Bathrooms as an official Advocate of the organisation, reaffirming a shared commitment to professionalism, installation standards, and the long-term development of the fitted interiors sector.

VitrA rejoins a growing network of manufacturers, retailers and industry stakeholders supporting the work of BIFIS across the UK.

As an Advocate, VitrA will continue to support BIFIS initiatives focused on raising standards, supporting installers, improving compliance, and strengthening collaboration throughout the fitted interiors industry.

Damian Walters, CEO of BIFIS, said “We are absolutely delighted to welcome VitrA back as an Advocate of BIFIS. VitrA is a globally respected brand with a strong reputation for quality, innovation and professionalism, and their continued support demonstrates a shared commitment to improving standards across our sector. Our Advocate network plays a vital role in supporting the work we do for installers and installation businesses, retailers and consumers alike, and we look forward to working closely with the VitrA team on a range of important initiatives moving forward.”

Steve Breen, commercial director, Europe & UK managing director of VitrA Bathrooms, said “Rejoining BIFIS as an Advocate is an important step for VitrA UK and reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting excellence throughout the bathroom installation sector. We value the role BIFIS plays in promoting high standards, education and professionalism across the industry, and we are pleased to once again be part of a network that is focused on driving positive change. We look forward to contributing to future initiatives and collaborating with industry partners to help strengthen the sector as a whole.”

The announcement further strengthens BIFIS’ growing network of industry Advocates and reflects continued momentum behind the organisation’s mission to improve standards and drive positive change throughout the fitted interiors sector.

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How smart bathroom design helps reduce water consumption

June 2, 2026

Duravit shows how to combine comfort, design and sustainability in everyday life through bathroom solutions that help reduce water consumption while maintaining the performance, hygiene and user experience homeowners expect. As demand for more sustainable living continues to grow, intelligent technologies are making it easier than ever to conserve one of our most valuable natural resources.

Showering, hand washing and toilet flushing account for a significant share of daily household water use. On average, each person in Germany uses 126 litres of drinking water per day, according to the German Federal Environment Agency.

Smart technologies deliver significant water savings

Advances in bathroom technology mean that water can now be used far more efficiently, often without requiring any change in user behaviour. By precisely controlling flow rates and flush volumes, modern bathroom products help minimise water consumption while maintaining the performance consumers expect.

Duravit has long championed intelligent water and energy-saving solutions throughout its bathroom collections. One of the most effective examples can be found in its latest toilet technology.

While older toilets can use between nine and 12 litres of water per flush, contemporary models such as the ME by Starck Hero Edition require just 4.5 litres, while still delivering effective flushing performance. The toilet’s rimless design also improves hygiene and simplifies cleaning, while the innovative 2-in-1 DuraShield® protective glaze helps maintain lasting cleanliness and freshness.

The result is a solution that supports sustainable bathroom design while helping households reduce both water consumption and running costs.

Water-efficient taps and showers

Duravit has also introduced water-saving technology across its tap and shower collections. Washbasin mixers featuring MinusFlow technology reduce water flow from 5.5 litres per minute to just 3.5 litres per minute, delivering water savings of up to 40%.

Similarly, shower systems equipped with MinusFlow technology can significantly reduce water usage. Products such as the Shelf shower system can lower consumption by up to 40% for hand showers and as much as 60% for overhead showers, without affecting the overall showering experience.

For a typical two-person household, these efficiencies can translate into savings of tens of thousands of litres of water every year, alongside a noticeable reduction in hot water energy costs.

Sustainable bathrooms designed for everyday living

A truly sustainable bathroom combines longevity, functionality and resource efficiency. By investing in durable materials, timeless design and water-saving technologies, manufacturers are helping create bathrooms that not only look good but also support more environmentally responsible living.

Duravit’s approach focuses on developing products that integrate seamlessly into daily routines, enabling users to reduce their environmental impact without sacrificing comfort or style.

Small changes can make a big difference

While technology plays a vital role in reducing water consumption, everyday habits remain equally important. Simple actions such as shortening shower times, turning off the tap while brushing teeth and repairing leaking taps or cisterns promptly can all contribute to significant water savings over time.

Regular maintenance also helps maximise efficiency. Descaling shower heads and taps ensures optimal water flow, while using a toilet’s stop-flush function can prevent unnecessary water use.

By combining water-efficient bathroom products with mindful daily habits, homeowners can significantly reduce water consumption, lower energy costs and create a more sustainable bathroom environment for the future.

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Senior appointment to drive ecommerce & AI at The Roxor Group

June 2, 2026

Leading West Yorkshire manufacturer and distributor, The Roxor Group has appointed a new director of E-commerce & AI as the business invests in strengthening its digital infrastructure, making it easier for trade customers to work across its growing brand portfolio.

Gavin Smith has been promoted into the newly created senior role, bringing extensive e-commerce, digital trading and performance marketing experience from previous roles in major household retail.

Having joined The Roxor Group in October 2023 as head of ecommerce, Smith will now lead the business’ strategy across product information, digital assets and order intake, bringing ecommerce and applied AI together under one cohesive remit.

The appointment reflects The Roxor Group’s continued investment in digital capability and future-facing ways of working, as product data, imagery and ordering processes become pivotal points of difference across the bathroom and interiors sector.

In his new role, Smith will initially focus on improving the consistency and availability of product information across The Roxor Group’s brands and channels, giving retailers, merchants, installers and specifiers clearer access to the technical and commercial content required to order and sell products with confidence.

Smith will also lead on strengthening the management of digital assets, including product imagery and supporting materials, ensuring brand and product content is organised effectively across the business and its customer channels. Additionally, he will be working alongside the sales team, with a focus on simplifying how customer orders are received and processed across the business.

Discussing his appointment, Gavin Smith said: “It’s a really exciting time to be taking on this new role. The Roxor Group has a brilliant portfolio of brands and an ambition to keep evolving, so the focus now is making sure our e-commerce, data and digital systems can support the next stage of our growth.

“My background is in ecommerce, trading and customer acquisition, so I’ve seen first-hand how much digital experience influences the way customers engage with a business. In the trade market, that means removing friction, improving access to the right information and making every interaction work harder.”

“In today’s world, AI is part of that, but it has to have a clear and genuinely useful purpose. It’s not about adopting technology for the sake of it; it’s applying it where it can make a real difference for our customers and to the way we work. It’s a role I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into.”

Smith began his career agency-side, holding senior roles at Epiphany Search and Summit Media, working with major retail clients including Pets at Home, JD Sports and Lloyds Pharmacy.

He later moved in-house as group head of Search at JD Sports Fashion, before spending eight years at Buy It Direct. During that time, his remit expanded from acquisition into trading, conversion and performance marketing, eventually becoming head of trading and customer acquisition.

A spokesperson for The Roxor Group said: “Gavin has already brought a wealth of digital experience to the business, and this new Director of Ecommerce & AI role gives him the remit to apply that expertise where it can make the biggest difference to both our customers and our internal teams.”

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Utopia HEYU collection scoops Bathroom of the Year at Ideal Home Awards 2026

June 2, 2026

Utopia has announced that its new HeyU Collection has won the Bathroom of the Year award in the Ideal Home Awards 2026, a prestigious endorsement from one of the UK’s most respected interiors magazine with a distinguished panel of interior design experts.

Designed to offer exceptional flexibility and personalisation, HeyU is a contemporary collection that celebrates individuality through colour, texture and design. With four distinctive furniture styles – HeyU Smooth, HeyU Linear, HeyU Wave and HeyU Ripple, available in 13 stunning finishes, HeyU enables homeowners to create a bathroom that reflects their own unique taste and lifestyle. The collection includes everything from storage solutions to wash basin units, making it easy to design a cohesive and highly functional space.

Heather Young, editor-in-chief of Ideal Home, stated: “The best bathrooms are those that offer flexibility and versatility in their design, which Utopia Furniture’s HeyU Collection has in buckets. In 2026, bathrooms are more colourful than ever before, and the 13 shades in this collection offer a unique look for every home.”

Helen Clark, head of marketing at Utopia, says: “We are absolutely thrilled that HeyU has been recognised with the Bathroom of the Year award. The collection was created to give customers the freedom to express their personality through colour, texture and design, while maintaining the quality, practicality and craftsmanship that are synonymous with Utopia. To receive this level of recognition from Ideal Home is a fantastic achievement for the entire team.”

This is the fourth year running that Utopia has been privileged to be recognised in the Ideal Home Bathroom Awards. Previous accolades include Highly Commended awards for Roseberry and the Utopia Tile Collection in 2023, a Best Modern Bathroom Range win for Qube in 2024, and a Highly Commended award for the Chic Collection in 2025.

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CRL introduces Bellagio U Channel for premium glass installations

June 2, 2026

CR Laurence (CRL) is enhancing its premium Bellagio range with the launch of a new, precision-matched U Channel system, designed to deliver a superior aesthetic and cohesive finish across glass installations for bespoke shower enclosures.

The new Bellagio U Channel (code: BELSDCDxx) is available in the same 11 finishes as the wider Bellagio collection – Polished Chrome, Brushed Nickel, Matte Black, Polished Gun Metal, Brushed Gun Metal, Polished Brass, Satin Brass, Matte White, Brushed Bronze, Matte Brushed Copper and Polished Rose Gold – offering specifiers, designers, and installers an unmatched level of consistency across every element of a project.

Engineered with a stainless-steel sleeve over an aluminium core, the new U Channel provides a significantly improved colour match compared to traditional aluminium U channels currently used with the Bellagio range. While CRL will continue to offer its existing U Channel options, this latest innovation delivers a more refined, high-end appearance.

Each U Channel is supplied in a 2.4 metre length, suitable for 10 mm glass, and comes complete with two matching end caps for a clean, finished look.

The introduction of the Bellagio U Channel further strengthens the key selling point of the Bellagio system: a comprehensive suite of coordinated hardware solutions to create beautiful, bespoke shower areas, available in matching finishes. The range includes Bellagio hinges and clamps, doorknobs in both round and square designs, door handles, support bars in round and square profiles, and now fully matching U Channels.

This expanded offering allows for complete design continuity, enabling architects and installers to achieve a seamless, high-spec finish across all glass hardware elements.

With growing demand for design-led interiors and coordinated detailing, the Bellagio range continues to set a benchmark for versatility, style, and performance in glass hardware systems.

For further information call 01706 863600, email crl_uk@crlaurence.co.uk, or visit www.crlaurence.co.uk

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Ritmonio expands bathroom design possibilities with premium finishes

June 2, 2026

Ritmonio is showcasing its extensive range of design finishes, offering specifiers and homeowners new opportunities to create highly personalised bathroom spaces that combine aesthetics, performance and wellbeing.

Designed to enhance complete bathroom schemes, Ritmonio’s collection of finishes transforms taps and brassware into statement design features, helping to create bathrooms that deliver both visual impact and a sensory experience.

Developed through a combination of technological innovation and design expertise, the finishes are available across a wide range of colours, textures and surface treatments. From timeless chrome and stainless steel to contemporary brushed bronze, rose gold and natural brass, the collection allows designers to tailor bathroom projects to individual styles and preferences.

The finishes are produced using advanced coating technologies, including powder coating, liquid painting, electroplating and PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition). These processes are designed to enhance durability, colour stability and resistance to wear, scratches and corrosion, while maintaining a premium aesthetic.

Among the standout options are brushed champagne PVD, brushed copper stainless steel PVD and natural brass, which develops a unique patina over time to create an authentic lived-in appearance. The collection also includes black chrome, brushed gold, brushed dark bronze and inox concrete, providing designers with a broad palette for both contemporary and classic interiors.

According to Ritmonio, the design finishes collection reflects a holistic approach to bathroom design, where materials, colours and textures work together to create spaces focused on comfort, wellbeing and individuality.

Suitable for luxury residential and hospitality projects, Ritmonio’s design finishes provide architects, interior designers and bathroom retailers with greater flexibility when creating bespoke bathroom environments that balance style, functionality and long-term performance

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Frontline Bathrooms’ Aqua brand wins Best Bathroom Tap at Ideal Home Awards 2026

June 2, 2026

Frontline Bathrooms’ Aqua brand has won Best Bathroom Tap at the Ideal Home Awards 2026 for its Mineral Flute brassware collection.

The award recognises Mineral Flute as a commercially relevant brassware range that combines a current fluted design detail with the practical specification requirements needed for bathroom retail, showroom and project environments.

The collection features an integrated fluted surface across a restrained contemporary profile, giving retailers a design-led tap option that responds to demand for textured finishes and more detailed brassware without moving into overly decorative styling.

Mineral Flute is available across basin mixers, wall-mounted mixers, bath fillers and floorstanding bath shower mixers, allowing the same design language to be specified throughout a bathroom scheme rather than limited to one fitting.

The collection is offered in a wide choice of finishes, including chrome, matt black, brushed brass, gunmetal and brushed bronze, giving retailers flexibility across both cooler contemporary bathrooms and warmer, more tonal schemes.

Aqua brassware is manufactured from solid brass and uses ceramic disc cartridges for reliable operation. The brassware body is backed by a lifetime guarantee, with a five-year guarantee on internal cartridges. Selected finishes also incorporate PVD technology to improve resistance to scratching and tarnishing, while many models carry WRAS approval, confirming compliance with UK water regulations.

The Ideal Home Awards recognise products across the homes and interiors market, with the Best bathroom tap category highlighting products that combine strong design appeal with practical use in real homes.

Darren Allison, managing director at Frontline Bathrooms, says: “We are delighted that Mineral Flute has been recognised by the Ideal Home Awards. For retailers and installers, brassware needs to offer more than a trend-led finish; it has to be well made, straightforward to specify and suitable across a range of bathroom projects. Mineral Flute gives customers the textured detail they are looking for, while still offering the performance, finish choice and product breadth needed for everyday bathroom specification.”

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Duravit names Dr Bernt Ketterer senior vice president of strategy & innovation

June 2, 2026

Duravit has appointed Dr. Bernt Ketterer as senior vice president of strategy, innovation & product portfolio management, effective 1 June 2026.

The newly created role forms part of the company’s strategic realignment and strengthens its executive leadership team as it focuses on future growth, innovation and transformation.

Ketterer joins Duravit from the KOSTAL Group, where he served as head of corporate strategy and played a key role in the global technology company’s strategic transformation. His responsibilities included developing corporate strategy and expanding the business into future-focused growth sectors.

At Duravit, Ketterer will lead group-wide strategy and transformation initiatives, overseeing cross-divisional and international programmes designed to enhance growth, efficiency and long-term competitiveness. He will also drive key future-focused areas, including digitalisation and artificial intelligence.

In addition, Ketterer will take responsibility for the strategic direction of product and innovation management, helping to align the business more closely with market and customer requirements. The role will support Duravit’s continued focus on complete bathroom solutions, premium products and increased innovation across its portfolio.

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