Providing excellent customer service and support to its network of UK retailers, RAK Ceramics has welcomed a new face on board, with 33 years of experience in the industry, Neil Swallow joins the business as Regional Retail Manager for the South.
Looking after RAK Ceramics retailers in the southern part of the country, Neil brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in his new role. A stalwart of the bathroom industry, Neil’s 33 years in the bathroom industry has seen him in a variety of industry roles including Account Manager and National Sales Manager, Neil also managed his own showroom for six years, giving him an understanding of life as a retailer.
Prior to joining RAK Ceramics Neil was a sales agent for many leading brands, making him a familiar name in the industry.
Ideal Standard, best known as a manufacturer of bathroom and commercial washroom solutions, has launched ProSys®, a complete on-stop, three-step installation system for wall-hung toilets, basins, urinals and accessories.
Designed to make life easier for specifiers and installer the ProSys includes frames, cisterns and flush plates. The new range is the perfect match for Ideal Standard’s collections of toilets, washbasins and urinals and works across all of Ideal Standard International’s brands – including Armitage Shanks products.
The ProSys collection of WC frames comes in a variety of depths and heights. Full frames are available in 1150mm and 820mm heights. The 820mm frames are perfect for use in furniture applications or under windows and have the choice of either front or top flush plate installation. Half-wall frames, which exclude the cistern, are also available and are ideal to use when replacing a floor-standing WC with a wall-hung toilet, but wish to use an existing concealed cistern.
Ideal Standard offers specifiers a collection of 50 flush plates in a wide range of shapes, colours, functions. They are available with either mechanical, pneumatic, or electronic actuation and are compatible with most WC ranges from Ideal Standard International.
ProSys was developed to be easy to install, with a straightforward three-step fitting process.
Maintenance typically proves more difficult with in-wall frame systems. This range has been made simpler and easier with tool-free access to the ProSys cisterns.
All cisterns come with an Ideal Standard SmartValve, a unique water-reducing innovation which can save up to 63 litres of water every week. This corresponds to a 12% reduction in water bills*, reducing costs for end-users and contributing to overall sustainability.
Leanne Martin, Head of Product for Ideal Standard UK, said: “The system has been developed specifically to meet the needs of installers, building owners and end-users. The in-wall frame technology represents the ultimate in flexibility and versatility, with sophisticated features that work seamlessly with fixtures in front of the wall, guaranteeing superb levels of performance.
“The ProSys® system supports Ideal Standard customers in creating better bathrooms and washrooms, with easy installation, low maintenance and running costs as well as an enhanced user experience. ProSys is a great example of how we can all work together to shape the future of modern bathrooms.”
All products in Ideal Standard’s range have been built to last, with corrosion resistant frames tested to the highest noise, stability and build standards. All come with a 10-year warranty and 25 years of spare parts availability.
Flow regulators are devices that control the flow of water through our household appliances. They are manufactured here in the UK by Neoperl and are made in hundreds of sizes that can now be retro-fitted to taps and showers throughout the home, so everyone can now do their bit to save water and the energy that heats it.
Most taps will already include a flow control device at the end of the spout and it’s often only when in situ that one can identify whether the flow is too strong. We’ve all experienced a splashing cloakroom tap for instance where the flow is too fast for a smaller basin. Now the incumbent device can be easily removed and replaced with one that reduces the flow to a comfortable level. The same with showers, a valve shower often delivers far too much water and even a slight reduction adds up to a substantial water saving over the year.
Regardless of the prevalent water pressure, a flow regulator maintains a consistent water stream at the chosen flow rate. A typical flow regulator consists of three components, a housing, a seating area and a precision-ring. The flow is determined by the interaction between the seating area and the o-ring. As water flows through the device at a higher or lower pressure, the shape of the o-ring changes to restrict or release the flow of water.
As a spokesperson for Neoperl tell us, now is the time to look at both our own homes and advise your clients on this easy water-saving win.
“As clients spend more time working from home and adding home improvements in abundance, why not take the opportunity to talk with them about saving water too? Especially as we are all spending so much more time washing our hands resulting in many thousands more litres of water being washed down the plughole.
“It’s a really affordable solution to retro-fit a flow regulator, most consumers could do it themselves with a little advice. They simply need to be aware that flow regulators exist, obtain the right advice as to which regulator to fit to retain adequate performance and purchase a simple tool to fit it.”
Britton has announced the introduction of two new ceramic ranges, Curve2 and Trim. Crafted for space-saving functionality and minimalist style, these latest ceramics expand upon Britton’s offering of affordable luxury.
Providing homeowners with a practical and competitively priced bathroom scheme, each compact design has been crafted to complement colourful backdrops, marble surfaces and modern accessories,
Curve2 features thin-rimmed basins and slim toilet seats for refined style. The new Trim collection provides smooth aesthetics ideal for smaller bathrooms and busy family environments, with a selection of sizes to couple with full or semi-pedestals. Sleek and on-trend, the designs of both ceramics pairings can effortlessly complement the rest of the interior, all while enhancing modernity to its fullest.
Trim 600mm Basin with Semi Pedestal: £248
From downstairs cloakrooms to compact family bathrooms, the latest ceramics from Britton have been designed to fit into any space or style, promising straightforward affordable integration.
Pictured Top: Curve2 550mm Basin with Full Pedestal: £254
As part of our new series with today’s bathroom designers, we talk to Fernando Maceda, Product Design Manager for Acquabella, to find out his thoughts on bathroom design, lockdown, and what motivates himwhen he embarks on new design projects.
BR: What motivates you in your professional life?
FM: My motivation is to create new products to make peoples’ lives easier: functional solutions that make your day-to-day life more comfortable. Furthermore, I am motivated by creating pieces that transmit emotions and the capacity to generate unique experiences through textures, shapes and colours.
BR:Where do get your inspiration from when embarking on a new design?
FM: Inspiration is often found in everyday things such as social life, nature and also areas which are not related to the bathroom market. For example, I am particularly attracted to sports cars, whose designs are characterised by elegant lines and attention to detail.
BR:What do you enjoy most about being a designer?
FM: The capacity to influence peoples’ lives in a positive way.
BR:What is the one thing we will never find in your house or garden?
FM: Boredom! I have 2 young children and there are always games to play.
BR:What has been the worst thing about lockdown?
FM: Lockdown has been challenging, both professionally and personally. For me, it has been especially difficult not being able to see my closest family.
BR:What take-aways will bring with you when life returns to normal?
FM: I believe that I will give much more value to the little things that matter, and also to enjoy the present to the full because you don’t know when it might change.
BR:When we can travel again, where will you go first?
FM: To the places where we have wanted to go and we couldn’t since the beginning of the pandemic. I think the most important thing is not where, but the possibility of being able to travel again. That would be a great experience.
BR:Can you tell us about any projects you are working on at the moment?
FM: We are constantly creating and developing new ideas. We are currently fully focused on different projects that involve expandiing the Acquawhite collection – launched in 2020 and manufactured with our new material Dolotek-, as well as enriching the range of products manufactured with Akron – customisable in colour, texture and size. Currently, there is one I am particularly excited about, a design that brings us back to the origins of Acquabella. Watch this space!
BR:How has the pandemic changed design?
FM: Design must go hand-in-hand with our lifestyle. If these conditions change, the design has to provide solutions. Bathrooms are possibly spaces that have undergone the greatest changes. In these times when safety has become a priority, we want the bathroom to be as aseptic as possible, especially when it comes to bathrooms with higher transit of people. In the private sphere, the bathroom is the centre of well-being at home, becoming our refuge after everyday life.
BR:What design trends can we expect to see next?
FM: Design trends for 2021 are very much in line with those seen in the previous year. Nevertheless, I believe we are entering a period of renovation and change; people have spent a long time in their homes and they want to feel as good as possible.
Recently, Pantone presented the Colour of the Year 2021: Ultimate Gray and Illuminating Yellow. Whether you like them or not, the important thing is the idea they convey: a message of strength and hopefulness after a year marked by the Covid-19 health crisis. So that, I think we will see neutral, bright and warm colours that combine with each other while generating optimism, calm and relaxation.
In terms of product design, users generally require more and more simplicity of use, safety, quality, durability and sustainability. With regards to materials, we notice how the organic and natural look continues to dominate in interior design: fabrics, wood and stone. We will also see combinations of textures and materials like terrazzo and granite, or luxury materials such as marble and calacatta, all of them with a high level of detail.
Acquabella worktop with infinity shower tray and tempo Arabba panel
Great Scotland Yard Hotel will launch No.1 The Townhouse, a standalone private residence, this April.
Having undergone a full restoration, the Grade II listed building will be the first of its kind, providing guests over 2,000ft2 of seclusion whilst benefitting from the service of the luxury hotel next door. Inside, the five-storey, Georgian-fronted structure will celebrate the hallmark features of a classic British townhouse.
Entering through their own front door, guests will be welcomed with a hamper from Fortnum & Mason and greeted for check-in by the hotel team, who are available around the clock for the duration of their stay.
From there, they can relax in the drawing-room or a basement den featuring original log burners, oversized sunken sofas and Bang & Olufsen TVs, while a 10-seater dining room offers space for entertaining family and friends. Completing the 2nd and 3rd floors – which afford views across the capital’s rooftops – are two double bedrooms with en-suites boasting roll-top copper baths and toiletries from London perfumery Floris.
Catering ranges from a full meal service – which includes a choice of menus prepared by the hotel’s in-house chefs – as well as an option to have shelves and fridges packed with fresh, seasonal fruit and snacks.
The new GROHE Rainshower SmartActive hand shower combines maximum shower enjoyment with minimal installation effort. Thanks to smart functions and intuitive operation, users can tailor spray modes to suit individual needs or their current mood.
Installers can also benefit from offering easy shower upgrades for their customers with minimal installation work since the Rainshower SmartActive can be purchased with a matching shower rail that can be simply and easily affixed using existing drill holes.
Equipped with GROHE SmartTip control, a simple fingertip on the rear of the ergonomically designed hand shower is all that is needed to intuitively switch between three spray modes. In the centre of the shower head, round and star-shaped jets provide a powerful ActiveMassage spray. The Rainshower SmartActive, which can be paired with a matching shower rail with a streamlined diameter of just 22mm, has been designed with efficient installation aides to provide installers with a hassle-free fitting experience.
With a flexibly adjustable glider, GROHE’s practical QuickFix system which allows the upper and lower wall brackets to be adjusted to existing drill holes, and GROHE’s TileFix technology which sees tile levelling discs become a thing of the past, install time can be significantly reduced for installers.
Home and garden chain Homebase has announced that it is planning a series of new small-format stores in Walton-on-Thames, scheduled to open in Spring this year.
The home improvement retail giant currently has 151 stores and 15 standalone Bathstore stores employing over 5,600 people cross the UK and Ireland.
In Walton-on-Thames, the existing Bathstore showroom on New Zealand Avenue is set to be refreshed to include Kitchens by Homebase, after what the company says was a successful launch in Guildford earlier this year, combining inspiration and expert advice for those looking to make changes to their kitchens and bathrooms.
The unit next door will be transformed into DECORATE by Homebase, currently open in Cheadle and Sutton, providing everything customers need to bring their decorating projects to life. This site will also house Homebase’s first pop-up store to feature a selection of ranges yet to be confirmed.
The Homebase range of products covers garden, decorating, home furnishings, kitchens, bathrooms and fitted bedrooms, and everything needed for repair and maintenance. The company also has partnerships with brands such as Hearst UK, Dwell, ELLE Decoration, Villeroy & Boch, Bosch, NEFF and Roux Kitchens.
The new Ruy Ohtake countertop washbasin collection by Roca has been designed by Brazilian architect, Ruy Ohtake. The collection is available in two different designs and with six colours, including white, matt white, pearl, onyx, beige and coffee.
The elegant walls of the basins were created thanks to Roca’s Fineceramic® technology. The ultra-thin edges are only 5 mm, and up to 40% lighter than conventional basins. Fineceramic® is also up to 30% more resistant than most ceramics, meaning that the very thin, defined walls can be achieved without compromising durability.
In addition to their unique strength and design, being 100% ceramic means that the Ruy Ohtake basins are easy to clean, non-porous and resistant to abrasive cleaning products. This makes them a perfect addition to any stylish bathroom space, including family bathrooms, master en-suite or downstairs cloakroom.
Roca’s Savana countertops provide the perfect complement to the Ruy Ohtake washbasin collection. In keeping with the trend for modern, open storage in the bathroom, the Savana countertops offer a stylish alternative to a full vanity unit. The countertop is made from high-quality materials to ensure maximum durability, enabling it to be seamlessly integrated into any bathroom space. The Savana countertops provide an elegant, minimalist finish, which perfectly complements the basins and provides the perfect way to showcase the unique shape of the basin.
To finish the look, Roca’s Escuadra basin mixer taps are the ideal partner – either the smooth body extended basin mixer or the wall-mounted three hole basin mixer. The Ruy Ohtake by Roca collection, has already been awarded two major international awards: a respected International Design Award (IDA) and a Red Dot Award ‘best of the best’, the highest recognition of the prestigious German award. -ends-
This unique range was developed with organic lines and a timeless design, with inspiration taken from the elements of nature – the shape of the waves, the horizon line and the purest form of design, the egg. The result: a beautifully sculpted exclusive collection of basins, to transform any bathroom into an elegantly completed space. As Ruy Ohtake concludes “The beautiful challenge is to make the dialogue between geometry and nature, with its irreverent curves…”
