With dark shades being a strong trend in interior design, RAK Ceramics has launched Black Beauty, a new porcelain surface that brings an air of sophistication and luxury to the kitchen, bathroom or living space.
Manufactured to be extremely durable, scratch and stain-resistant and very easy to clean, Black Beauty lends any setting a timeless charm. With all the elegance of marble combining with the practical advantages of porcelain, the surface can be used as a striking wall covering or worktop in the kitchen or bathroom.
Providing a brilliant contrast to lighter shades in furniture and fittings and working in harmony with on-trend brassware finishes such as antique brass and gold, Black Beauty displays elegant veins throughout that draw the eye and turn the surface into a centrepiece, wherever it is laid.
In a glossy finish that reflects the light to make the most of any sized space, Black Beauty can be chosen in a range of sizes, including 60 x120cm, 120 x 120cm and 120 x 240cm. The mega slab is ideally suited for installation over large spaces, creating a seamless and grout-free finish.
The Roca Group strengthens its position as a global operator with the acquisition of the German manufacturer Sanit, which specialises in sanitaryware installation systems.
German manufacturer Sanit is a specialist in sanitaryware installation systems (concealed and built-in) and has three factories. The Roca Group, a world leader in the design, production and marketing of products for the bathroom space currently operates in 170 countries and has 85 factories.
Sanit is the third-largest operator in Germany and the fifth-largest in Europe. Alantra has been Roca Group’s advisor in this transaction, and Allen & Overy has been the legal advisor.
The built-in installation systems category – which includes concealed cisterns, flush plates, and frames for WCs and other wall-hung sanitaryware – is growing rapidly, largely driven by the increasing use of wall-hung toilets. The global market for this segment is experiencing significant increases in all countries, reflecting the preferences of today’s consumers, who are increasingly opting for solutions that promote space, hygiene and comfort.
Sanit, founded in 1945 and headquartered in Eisenberg, is part of Aliaxis, a global leader in advanced piping systems with a presence in more than 40 countries. The company has three production sites in Germany, located in Eisenberg, Rödental and Wittenberg. These centres, which employ 378 professionals, export to more than 70 countries and manufacture, in addition to the aforementioned categories, accessories and complements for the assembly and installation of bathroom space products. The company’s turnover amounted to 74 million euros in 2020.
As part of the group’s strategy to set up specialised competence centres for different product categories in the bathroom, Sanit will become the development hub for Roca Group’s installation systems.
Roca Group`s CEO, Albert Magrans, highlighted the positive synergies of the transaction: “The acquisition of Sanit is a fundamental step in our strategy of integrating products into complete bathroom solutions and incorporating high value-added technology into our product portfolio, thereby strengthening our global leadership”.
The new IXMO shower series by KEUCO has been designed to offer flexible installation thanks to the ability to freely position fittings horizontally or vertically. IXMO’s range of functions has been efficiently combined to enable specifiers, designers and consumers alike to create a stylish shower area with the minimum number of visible components.
IXMO Online Planner
One of the key details when designing a showering space is the ability to visualise the area and how all the elements will work together. With IXMO it is possible to combine up to three separate water outlets; so for example the main showerhead, a hand shower with shower rail or wall bracket, waterfall shower and a spa hose can all be combined.
This can be easily demonstrated via the brilliant IXMO online planner, a system that enables designers and consumers to create a personalised showering solution. The results can be saved in pdf format providing both a detailed specification with illustrations and an installation guide showing component placement and pipework routings.
IXMO Verstile Fittings
Round or square fittings are offered and each provides a unique combination of functions. For example, a 3-way diverter valve, a hose connection and a bracket for the hand shower, have been combined into one.
The adaptable fittings may also be freely positioned to deliver design flexibility. The versatile mounting rail enables an easy and precise alignment of the components; whether you want to position the valves horizontally or vertically, they will always align with the help of the mounting rail. The IXMO thermostat fitting is also designed to account for any installation option, for example, if the waterways have been crossed during installation the cartridges can simply be switched over inside the valve instead of the costly ordeal of accessing the pipework.
IXMO depth-conpensator
Another intelligent feature of IXMO is the depth-compensator which ensures fast and safe installation. The depth compensator makes it possible to install IXMO showers into walls with depths between 80-110mm allowing for building methods both new and old.
The star of the IXMO series is the IXMO solo thermostat (pictured here). Created for single-function showering it easily surpasses conventional thermostat solutions as they require two wall-mounted elements to adjust the water flow and temperature and a third element for the hose connection. However, the IXMO solo thermostat compresses the shut-off valve, thermostat and hose connection into one single element.
The IXMO_solo Thermostat and IXMO_solo Single-lever mixer created for single-function showering cleverly combines shut off, flow and temperature control and hose outlet into one single fitting allowing for ease of use and speed of installation.
IXMO shower fittings have an elegant minimalistic design, they are available in six different finishes including; chrome-plated, aluminium and PVD stainless steel, brushed bronze, brushed nickel and brushed black chrome.
IXMO shower accessories also provide innovation; an integrated yet movable soap dish; a height-adjustable shower rail with an easily adjustable bracket that can be turned by 180° so it is ideal for both right and left-handed persons and can be moved with just a single hand.
Extending its well established traditional portfolio, Riviera by Burlington is inspired by the Art Deco and Style Moderne designs of the 1920s. Riviera embodies a style that continues to grace luxury hotels, grand public buildings and private residences to this day and delivers a design suitable for period properties and contemporary settings.
Drawing inspiration from the late 1800s into the early 1900s, Burlington Bathrooms embodies a complete collection of period-style bathroom ceramics, furniture, brassware and coordinating accessories, giving designers and homeowners notable choice to recreate their perfect traditional bathroom scheme. As the product of modern technology and product innovation, every collection by Burlington provides exceptional functionality to withstand continuous use.
With a commitment to offering inspirational and luxurious traditional bathrooms, the introduction of Rivera to Burlington ensures the continuation of Burlington’s dominance within the traditional market. For full collection details, please see the lookbook.
Houzz has announced a collaboration with Dulux Trade to embed its colour portfolio in new visualisation tools within Houzz Pro, the all-in-one business management and marketing solution for residential construction and design professionals. As part of this engagement, Dulux Trade will provide paint colours for the Houzz Pro 3D Floor Planner and Mood Board tools.
“Our Houzz Pro visualisation tools were developed to help design and construction professionals communicate their ideas and align with their clients on important project decisions early in the process,” said Alon Cohen, Houzz co-founder and president. “Colour helps homeowners to envision how a space will look and feel post-renovation and feel confident about moving forward with a project. We are excited to provide pros with a premium selection of paint colours through this collaboration with Dulux Trade.”
“We are so pleased to be collaborating with Houzz Pro on their new visualisation tools,” said Karen Wilkinson, Dulux Trade Lead. “It’s so important for professionals to have every tool at their disposal to ensure a smooth design process for their clients, and colour selection is a key place where homeowners and professionals can really benefit from being able to visualise the end result. By embedding our extensive colour range, designers will be able to bring their customers along on the journey, and really bring their projects to life.”
The Houzz Pro 3D Floor Planner allows pros to create accurate 3D interior schematics which can be presented in walkthrough or dollhouse views to give clients a realistic preview of the finished project. Pros can enter specific wall dimensions and ceiling heights, and resize windows, doors and furniture to match product selections. Floor finishes can also be customised to include a variety of tile, wood flooring and carpet options.
Houzz Pro Mood Boards are now available for designers and other pros to showcase a project’s look and feel through products, colours and inspiration photos. Products can be uploaded from a computer or added through the Houzz Pro Product Clipper, which captures and stores product images and information from any website where pros source products. Pros can edit product images within each mood board, including removing backgrounds, layering products on top of each other, and presenting the room with a 3D perspective to offer a comprehensive look at the space. Floor plans made with the Houzz Pro 3D Floor Planner can be added to any mood board and will automatically update in the mood board when they are edited in the Floor Planner tool.
To address pros’ need for accurate colours in their 3D models and mood boards, Houzz Pro enables pros to choose from thousands of Dulux Trade colours to customise 3D model walls and place paint swatches in a mood board. Once a 3D floor plan or mood board is approved, the pro can easily click on the paint swatch to order the exact paint colour from the Dulux Trade website or a decorator merchant stockist nationwide.
The 3D Floor Planner and Mood Board tools are completely integrated within Houzz Pro, making it the only platform that seamlessly addresses key business needs across the entire project lifecycle from marketing to management. Combining all of these tools in one place streamlines processes for designers, builders and other professionals, so they can grow and run a more efficient, profitable business from their office or on the go with the Houzz Pro app. Houzz Pro subscription packages, priced to fit any budget or team, also include premium profile features, website building services, and lead and business management tools. Free trials are available at houzz.co.uk/pro.
Houzz has more than 2.5 million active home renovation and design professionals around the world in more than 65 categories, including architects, interior designers, builders and landscape professionals, on the platform. Watch a demo videos of the Houzz 3D Floor Planner tool here. Download images that depict the tools here.
Luxury mirrors, storage and accessories specialist Bathroom Origins has been pivotal in the redesign of Idol Hair in the East End of London. Their luxury Tate Light mirrors take centre stage in every premium booth. These stylish pods have been cleverly designed by salon owner Marc Luickx and created by bespoke furniture makers Edwards And Bull in response to the pandemic.
Hairstylist Marc has transformed his salon by cleverly creating zen-like cocoons that allow clients to feel safe Bathroom Origins’ Tate Light mirrors complete this luxury look.
His inspiration for this clever redesign came from watching a TV programme on first-class aeroplane travel with sleeping pods during lockdown in May last year. As soon as Marc saw these booths, they created a lightbulb moment for him. He says: “I was looking for innovative ways in which to adapt my hair salon to work with the ‘new normal’.
“When I watched this show, the travellers said they felt quite safe getting into their pod with everything there – away but not isolated from one another. This concept stuck in my mind and I started thinking about developing individual units, hair pods, where you walk in, sit down and don’t have to move throughout your visit.”
Sofia Charalambous, co-director at Bathroom Origins, explains: “Many of us rely on our hair salons for a sense of community, self-care and wellbeing. So, we were delighted to work with Marc (my hairdresser for nearly three decades, a confidante and friend) to enable him to realise his dream redesign.
“I was invited to join some of Marc’s other clients in the interiors industry, to specify products which would complete the luxury salon look Marc had envisaged. I instantly knew our Tate Light illuminated mirrors, which feature super-stylish black frames, would be perfect. With 6000k cool lighting around every frame, this creates ideal illumination for each client and it provides an additional light source in this salon.”
Marc adds: “I’ve known Sofia at Bathroom Origins for 27 years and she has become a great friend. I’m delighted with our Tate Light black illuminated mirrors which enhance our industrial-style track lights. Their lovely cool 6000k light illuminates the face perfectly – they are stunning mirrors.”
Tarkett flooring was chosen in green and black due to its sustainable properties and this contrasts beautifully with Farrow & Ball‘s soothing Peignoir paint colour on the walls. Marc completed the look with a partial living ceiling of 200 plants, including air-purifying peace lilies. These help to add biophilic elements of nature, which are intrinsically linked with wellbeing, in his leading designer salon.
The Gap range from Roca is specifically designed to optimise the bathroom space. Delivering practical and customisable bathroom furniture, The Gap is introducing a new broad extension to the popular range.
Designed for a wide range of different users, The Gap furniture offers a contemporary and varied combination of shapes, finishes and dimensions with Roca’s outstanding level of quality, comfort and resistance.
Wide range of models to choose from
Whether it’s a compact vanity for a small bathroom that is needed or a family model that meets the storage needs of several people, The Gap now offers an even wider range with 31 different models. There are no less than 24 options of base units with basins available and 7 alternatives of vanity units with over countertop basins to choose from.
Finishing touches
To meet the needs of modern bathroom designs, The Gap offers real versatility with different finishes to suit a wide range of preferences and decor. Available in an extensive range of colour choices including Gloss White, Anthracite Grey, Arctic Grey, Nordic Ash and textured City Oak, the look can be perfectly finished with a handle in Matt Nickel or in Gloss Aluminium to complete the look.
Different dimensions to suit all bathroom spaces
The Gap offers cabinets with a width ranging from 500mm to 1200mm, so the right dimension can easily be found for every bathroom space. There is a choice of a standard depth of 460 mm or a compact version with a reduced depth of 380 mm. Designed to make storage easier regardless of the available space, the lower drawers of The Gap are also higher than conventional ones, allowing users to store bulkier objects and make the most of their capacity.
Configurations for every preference
In order to adapt to the needs and preferences of every person or household, The Gap offers the choice of different storage configurations and ways of installing the basin. Customise the cabinet with two or three drawers or by combining drawers and one side door. Homeowners can choose from an over countertop basin or a Unik vanity version, with the option of placing the bowl in the centre, on the right or left hand side or even have two bowls. Due to its great versatility, The Gap bathroom vanity is compatible with Roca over countertop basins, both in vitreous china and in Roca’s innovative Fineceramic®.
Accessories for easy storage
To make it even more practical, The Gap bathroom cabinet can be finished with accessories such as a side towel rail or convenient organising boxes that make storage in drawers easier. Finally, for those homes that need additional storage space, The Gap base unit can be complemented with a 1500 mm high column unit featuring two folding doors in a modern and extremely functional ensemble.
The Gap Onda
About Roca
Roca is a company dedicated to the design, manufacturing and marketing of products for the bathroom space, as well as ceramic floor and wall tiles for architecture, construction and interior design. The company operates in 170 countries with 84 production centers and a workforce of 24,000 professionals worldwide.
The family company is the market leader in Europe, Latin America, India and Russia. It also has a strong presence in China and the rest of Asia, the Middle East, Australia and Africa. Thanks to this, it is a world leader in its activity.
The Unified Water Label Association is calling on the European kbb industry to realise the importance of using water wisely on World Environment Day (Sat 05 June).
World Environment Day is an international event that encompasses global virtual gatherings, community clean ups, live social discussions, musical and film screenings. A virtual gala is also taking place welcoming the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, comprising inspiring messages from world leaders, activists, celebrities, and musical performances as well as Pakistan’s host country programme.
UWLA MD Yvonne Orgill says, “The theme for World Environment Day is working together with a strapline of together we can be #generation restoration
“Working together is also a key theme of UWLA’s communication strategy. We believe that everyonehas a part to play in making responsible water-saving choices. If those involved in designing, manufacturing, selling, installing and purchasing water using bathroom products, all work together to help each other, and consumers understand the issues around water scarcity, then we can drive home the message that for the sake of the planet we must use water wisely.
“We explored this at our recent Water Matters workshop, which was attended by an international audience of over 150 delegates representing manufacturers, associations, retailers, distributors and media from Europe as well as further afield from Australia and the USA.”
Carlos Velazquez, newly elected president of UWLA and Sustainability Director at Roca Group hosted the event. He said, “There is an increasing awareness of the importance of using water wisely, which is generating interest in the Unified Water Label. The Water Matters event provided a fantastic opportunity to learn more about how to communicate with customers on water efficiency and environmental issues.”
“I am looking forward to sharing our message at the Water World Forum For Life event which takes place this weekend to mark World Environment Day in Reguengos de Monsaraz, Portugal.”
“Those interested in finding out how they can become involved by supporting the UWLA or joining our campaign can find out more here.”
Sanifos is a range of underground pumps leading macerator supplier, Saniflo. Three original pumps with capacities between 110 and 500 litres were originally introduced to take the waste away from buildings with no gravity drainage by a pump that could be sited underground. Now, this range has been refreshed with two model upgrades and extended with a number of new models.
The Sanifos 280 replaces the original 250 and offers an additional 30 litres capacity, whilst the new Sanifos 610 provides a huge 110 litres additional capacity over its 500 litre predecessor. Both models have two macerating options – a grinder or a vortex impeller and can pump up to 14m and 16m respectively. All models feature a wired alarm for early warning of any problems, whilst the Sanifos 610 offers a choice of single or twin pumps, three-phase or single phase, stop and check valve and a SMART unit as standard on models with two pumps.
For public buildings or for multiple smaller buildings, Saniflo has introduced four large-capacity models starting with the Sanifos 1300 which can pump waste up an impressive 17m. This unit features two pumps mounted on a cast iron mounting base with stainless steel guide bars. A choice of inlet height position is available and a template is provided for this purpose. Three further models – 1600, 2100 and 3100 – enable customised lifting station solutions according to the project in hand. This includes single or three-phase, alarms and control boxes, covers, float and pump options, as well as multiple connections required.
Whether it is for a full house, an extension, a series of glamping pods or the installation of a washroom, the Sanifos pumps provide a solution when traditional drainage is not available or civil works are too costly and troublesome.
Roca Group has reached an agreement with Schneider Electric to define a three-step roadmap towards decarbonization, establishing a single, global strategy across the Group.
Roca Group operates in 170 countries, owns 85 factories and has a workforce of 24,000 professionals. Though the company has been actively working on the improvement of its environmental footprint for several years, it has decided to broaden its commitments and to establish a common sustainability policy with the help of Schneider Electric’s new climate change consulting services.
Schneider Electric’s isspecialized in the digital transformation of energy management and automation. The collaboration between the two partners will consist of three phases. In the first one, Roca Group will work with Schneider Electric to define its vision of the decarbonization process, analyzing the environment and setting new, more ambitious goals. During the second phase, Schneider Electric will study Roca Group’s plants to set commitments to reduce energy consumption and emissions, to implement sustainable energy generation in the factories and to compensate for those emissions that cannot be eliminated.
Finally, during the implementation phase, Roca Group and Schneider Electric will advance in the digitalization of the company’s processes and will proceed to the sensorization of the different production centers to monitor and optimize energy consumption in order to reduce costs and emissions. Schneider Electric will also help Roca Group to define its decarbonization needs so that, with its own resources, the Group can implement projects to reduce emissions and implement sustainable energy.
Roca Group is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and works to reduce the carbon footprint of its industrial activity, promoting the reduction of water consumption and continuously innovating in the production processes carried out in its plants. The figures back up the Group’s commitment to the environment. The Group cut carbon dioxide emissions by 8% in 2019 compared to the previous year, a figure that escalated to 22% in 2020 due to the company’s efforts and the drop in activity in a pandemic context.
In other areas related to the environment, water consumption in the Group’s plants was cut by 24% last year, and as part of its Zero Waste project, 28% less waste was generated, 71% of which is recoverable in other production processes. In addition, the products that Roca Group designs for the bathroom space incorporate the latest technologies to optimize both energy and water consumption.
“At Roca Group, we work hard every day to optimize our production processes by incorporating the latest technologies with the aim of reducing our environmental footprint, as well as to provide society with products for the bathroom space that combine wellbeing with respect for the environment. Far from being satisfied, we want to continue advancing in this strategy and offer all our divisions and factories a common framework that allows us to continue driving our decarbonization,” said Roca Group CEO, Albert Magrans.
“At Schneider Electric we are not only committed to decarbonizing our value chain, we want to become the digital partner in sustainability and efficiency for companies that are leading the change. And Roca Group is one of them,” said Josu Ugarte, president of Schneider Electric Iberia. In this regard, Ugarte pointed out that “companies that incorporate sustainability into their strategy are ahead of legislative requirements, attract more talent, have better access to capital and strengthen their brand and business, making it more attractive to multiple stakeholders”.
