The Bathroom Manufacturers Association has joined the Furniture and Interiors Education, Skills and Training Alliance (FIESTA). The partnership body enables businesses of all shapes and sizes from across the different sectors that make up the interiors industry to stand united to address education and training issues.
The BMA’s Chief Executive, Tom Reynolds, will join the FIESTA executive alongside representatives from several other key trade associations and charities. BMA’s members will now be able to use FIESTA’s Skills Plus Approved Training Agency (ATA) – a service to assist with the management of apprenticeships. This service can also support companies, including SMEs, to take advantage of Government’s Kickstart initiative.
Gary Baker, Chair of FIESTA said: “FIESTA is about putting skills at the top of the agenda and helping the whole UK Furniture and Interiors industry recruit and retain the best talent on offer; we are therefore absolutely delighted to welcome into FIESTA the ‘voice of the bathroom industry’ in Tom Reynolds and his proactive team at the Bathroom Manufacturers Association.”
Tom Reynolds, Chief Executive of the BMA said: “People and skills are key to the long-term sustainability of the bathroom sector. Kickstart can help introduce a new generation to bathroom manufacturing roles and FIESTA’s skills plus service can help BMA members access that scheme. I’m looking forward to working with Gary and the team on the many other aspects of the skills agenda.”
2020 today announced the new release of their leading kitchen and bathroom design software, 2020 Fusion v8. This latest version delivers a diverse collection of new features and functions all intended to improve the daily working experience of 2020 Fusion designers.
Enhancements to Background Management have been implemented, including the addition of an import preview, image rotation, support of ‘panorama’ photos and more flexible brightness controls, all via a new panel added to the toolbar.
2020 Fusion v8 also includes a 360° Panorama ‘Gallery’, in which links to any previously published panoramas from the specific design are stored, allowing the user to quickly and easily relaunch the panorama, or to copy the URL for inclusion in an independently sent email. Users are now also able to choose the email recipients at the point of configuration.
A design preview has been added to the ‘Recent’ section that makes it faster and easier to recognise and reopen existing designs.
The Info Block configuration tool now includes a live preview showing the results of any modifications made before having to confirm them, making it quicker and easier for users to configure the Info Block in confidence.
Several time-saving enhancements have been implemented in the areas of dimensioning and annotation. These include the ability to apply manual dimension rails from one parallel line to another, to generate multiple arrows from a single piece of manual annotation and the ability to configure default dimensioning settings for virtual walls.
“2020 always aims to bring the most advanced, cutting edge applications to our customers, giving them every advantage in efficiency, productivity and quality,” says 2020 Fusion Product Manager Jim Smalley. “Many of the enhancements in this release directly result from feedback received from 2020 customers, underlining the fact that their voices play an important role in the ongoing development of the 2020 Fusion software.”
Deployment of Version 8 will commence shortly for all supported 2020 Fusion customers and will continue throughout the next couple of months.
Bette has been shortlisted in the SBID (Society of British and International Interior Design) Product Design Awards 2020.
The company’s new freestanding, circular, glazed titanium-steel bath, the BettePond Silhouette, has been shortlisted in the ‘Sanitaryware’ category.
Considered one of the most prestigious accolades in interior design, success in SBID’s awards programme is achieved purely for design, innovation and functionality of the entries, with finalists demonstrating the highest standards of design excellence for interior products.
Each entry undergoes a two-tier judging process, with leading industry professionals evaluating the entries, followed by a public vote, that makes up 30% of the results. Bette’s BettePond Silhouette was shortlisted by this year’s jury for both its technical standards and creative delivery.
Bette is now encouraging votes in the final stage at www.sbidawards.com with voting closing on Wednesday 30th September at 5pm.
Bette is a specialist in bathroom products that are made of a special metal in a unique manufacturing process: titanium steel sheets are shaped under high pressure and then finished with a thin coating that is related to glass – hence the name “glazed titanium steel”. This composite material is perfect for the bathroom (it is skin-friendly, hygienic, durable and robust), and Bette uses it to make its baths, shower areas, shower trays and washbasins.
The Bette family company was founded in Delbrück in North-Rhine Westphalia in 1952, and specialises exclusively in this manufacturing process, because it allows the products to be shaped smoothly with the maximum skilled precision. The manufacturing and administrative headquarters employs around 385 people. The CEO, Thilo C. Pahl, is a member of the owner family.
The range includes baths, shower areas, shower trays, washbasins and bathroom furniture, all made in Germany. Unique items that can be made in various colours and dimensions and open up inspiring interior design ideas for the bathroom. Bette’s assembly processes combine high-tech industrial production techniques with tailor-made manufacturing where it benefits the customer. More than half its products are customised to customer preferences. The company offers over 600 different baths, shower trays and washbasin models in a tremendous range of colours.
The natural raw materials glass, water and steel are used to manufacture high-quality products that are completely recyclable. They are verified to the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) as per ISO 14025 and to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).
About SBID (Society of British and International Interior Design)
The Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID) is a professional accrediting body for the Interior Design industry across the UK, Europe and around the world. Supporting professional trading standards of Interior Designers, Architects and manufacturers, SBID are committed to guiding and measuring the profession through practice, competence and education; setting standards for the industry at large to develop future growth.
Lakes has added two new ‘showroom exclusive’ showering spaces – Antigua and Aruba – to its premium Island Collection. The new products are designed to help stockist customers maximise sales and bring the wow factor to their displays as they reopen their showrooms.
The Antigua is an elegant 2-metre high slider with high specification design, while the Aruba has all the features of the Antigua with the addition of a side panel.
The Antigua Slider has got it all: an easy-glide door that closes effortlessly at the touch of a finger to a near-silent stop; concealed wheels for easy cleaning and a cooler look; a low threshold for easy and safe access, and a solid cast handle with smooth, rounded edges for supreme elegance. There’s an ultra slim gap between the fixed panel and sliding door, and a discreet Quick Release mechanism for the best in practical and aesthetic appeal. With its side panel, the Aruba adds the flexibility of a stylish showering space that’s ideal for corner settings. Both products have Lakes Glass – PureVueHD low-iron glass for superior clarity and AllClear® advanced glass coating for long-life looks. Glass thickness is 8mm.
Antigua and Aruba are designed with Lakes Definitions, the exclusive perfect finishing touch. Lakes Definitions is a new range of handle colours with matching profile caps, available in stunning rose gold, gold, nickel and matt black, with chrome as standard.
Sales & Marketing Director Mike Tattam says: “Attention to detail is a strong focus of our new product development and the Antigua and Aruba combine the best in performance and design. With a surge in home improvement activity and a shift to multi-generational households, we’re confident these new ‘showroom exclusive’ products will achieve maximum impact in showrooms and give our stockists more opportunities to sell showering spaces for today’s lifestyles.”
All of Lakes products are backed by a unique lifetime guarantee. To add Lakes’ new Antigua and Aruba to your display, call 01684 853 870. Download the brochure here: www.lakesshoweringspaces.com.
Armitage Shanks, an expert provider of commercial washroom solutions, has launched Sphero, its new collection of intelligent urinals. The elegant and comprehensive Sphero range has been designed with features which allow for greater levels of cleanliness, easier installation and maintenance, as well as water saving benefits for all commercial spaces.
Armitage Shanks worked with design studio, Studio Levien, to create the innovative Sphero collection which incorporates unique features to meet the current and future needs of installers and their customers. The range comprises three different sized urinals, Mini, Midi and Maxi with multiple installation options, all of which complement the modern washroom. The electronic Maxi e-hybrid model has built in smart technology (mains supply), which detects levels of salinity, optimising the urinal’s water usage by adjusting flushing according to usage patterns. Another key feature of the electronic models is the innovative spreader light which senses blockages and other maintenance issues.
Sphero’s unique circular, concave shape has been designed to minimise splashing while also improving the cleanliness, durability and efficiency of the urinals. The new rimless design adheres to contemporary trends, as well as helping to retain liquids within the bowl, aiding hygiene and cleaning regimes.
The Sphero Maxi model comes with an installation template with an incorporated rubber seal which eliminates the need to use sealant when fitting the product. The template includes a levelling slot, pre-holes and markings for ease of installation. The model also has an innovative, patented hinged maintenance bracket so installers can easily access the inner workings of the urinal.
Easy to specify, the Sphero range comes with all the key components expected from a urinal, under one product code. Its pioneering spreader nozzle delivers a hygienic flush which covers most of the urinal bowl. The top fixed waste feature allows for quick and easy access when using the supplied service key, making for effortless on-wall maintenance.
Tony Rheinberg, Senior Sector Marketing Manager, Armitage Shanks commented: “We believe in designing for people, but also innovating for the planet. This was the thinking behind our easy to install Sphero offering, which brings hygiene, user comfort and easy maintenance together thanks to intelligent designs and smart technology. Design and performance often seem incompatible, but this new collection features stylish aesthetics allowing for greater levels of cleanliness, and water saving capabilities. Water is our most precious resource and our next generation of products will help address the growing global challenge of climate change.”
For more information about Armitage Shanks, visit Ideal Spec.
Sleep & Eat Virtual will take place on 17 – 19 November.
Tony Chi, Founder of tonychi and Alison Chi, Managing Director and Co-Creative Director of tonychi studio – Designing to Contain the Chaos
Design maverick, Tony Chi, may have first coined the phrase: “Design is the organization of the chaos within” several years ago, but now it has clearly gained a new and pressing meaning. In conversation with Alison Chi, he will argue that before creativity becomes cohesive, it must have free-reign, before a team can harmonise, its members must dive into the asynchronous rhythms of their own expertise and before an interior becomes iconic, its designers will have drawn on inspiration from across time and space. Taking the audience through some of the studio’s most acclaimed projects, the pair will encapsulate the notion of designing to contain the chaos.
Lauren Rottet, Founding Principal of Rottet Studio – Clean Design
Lauren Rottet
As we move forward, we may speak about different levels of clean – clean, really clean and the perception of clean. In her keynote, Lauren Rottet, one of the most celebrated interior architects of our time, will explore how to create for the future, now. Digging deep into her understanding of her craft, she will seek to find answers to the meaning of clean, how they will manifest themselves in guest behaviour and what this means for design over the years to come.
Stefan Leser, CEO of Langham Hospitality Group – Delivering Luxury Hospitality in the Next Normal
Stefan Leser
With nearly 30 years’ experience in the travel and hospitality industries, Hong Kong based Stefan Leser will share his insights into how a luxury hospitality brand can manage to operate in the current crisis. He will consider what the new learnings have been, how guest expectations have changed, what might be embraced in the future more than ever before – and what may never return.
Adam D. Tihany, Founder, Tihany Design – Designer as Problem Solver
Adam D. Tihany
Adam D. Tihany has been solving problems through design for world-renowned chefs, hoteliers and restaurateurs creating spaces of wonder and awe that not only enlighten but also transcend. The world is currently facing a problem of immeasurable scale. What can designers and design do it uplift and soothe? Adam D. Tihany will offer his views as he looks back on his ground-breaking career to pave a way for a more hopeful f
Yann Bernard Lejard, Executive Chef at Ritz-Carlton Bahrain – Bridging Art and Gastronomy
Yann Bernard Lejard
Representing an extraordinary confluence of fine cuisine and artistry, chef Yann has created some of the most fascinating plate art in the world and helped to unleash global awareness of the possibilities of this art. Chef Yann’s motto is “to dare”, and looking at his plates, it’s easy to see what he means. His keynote at the Sleep & Eat Conference will provide an insight into the work and inspiration of this exceptional person.
In addition to the keynotes, insightful panel discussions are promised, including members of Women in Hotels considering sustainability from a development and financing perspective, a panel of leading hotel general managers and another of international design company principals. The designers of the concept Sleep & Eat Sets, which in this 15th anniversary year of the event are focused on guestroom design for the next 15 years, will share their thinking and inspiration, and resort developers from around the world will talk about the rise of wellness travel.
Sleep & Eat Virtual will take place on 17 – 19 November.
Low water pressure in the home remains an annoyance and pain point for many homeowners up and down the country. According to a recent survey commissioned by GROHE, more than a third surveyed (36%) said that low water pressure was the biggest annoyance whilst showering. And it’s not just showering that is affected but everyday tasks such as filling the kettle, washing your hands and doing the laundry.
As part of its vast product offering for the bathroom and kitchen, GROHE has several products designed specifically with low pressure homes in mind.
The Eurosmart range is a timeless favourite that will complement any existing bathroom décor. Its compact dimensions also make it ideal for smaller bathrooms like en-suites and cloakrooms.
This mixer has a minimum recommended pressure of just 0.2 bar!
GROHE Grohtherm 800 Cosmopolitan shower set
GROHE Grohtherm 800 Cosmopolitan shower set
The Grohtherm 800 is a brand new high performance shower system, with an advanced thermostatic design. It balances out temperature fluctuations in under a second whilst the thermostat also features a concealed rim on the back of the handle to improve grip when adjusting controls with soapy hands, alongside other safety functions. Low-pressure models of this product are available with a minimum recommended pressure of 0.2 bar.
GROHE Ambi two-handle kitchen mixer
Complete with a C-spout to create a classic elegant look, this kitchen mixer is suitable for homes with a minimum recommended pressure of 0.4 bar For more kitchen design ideas – visit Kitchens Review
The iconic St David’s Building on the University of Wales Lampeter site is Wales’ oldest University building. Built between 1822 and 1857 the Grade II listed building has witnessed great change over the last two centuries and today houses the campus reception, accommodation, conference facilities, Founders Library, Chapel and a range of multi-purpose meeting spaces.
An upgrade to the building is due to be completed before the University’s bicentennial celebrations in 2022 and will provide the most modern facilities for twenty first century learning and teaching. Local firm J&E Woodwork was appointed to carry out the renovation work. With its own team of carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters and groundsmen – who all live in close proximity of the University – the company has a brief to upgrade the building whilst being faithful to its architectural heritage.
Amongst the changes is the upgrading of the accommodation units to en-suite rooms. Daffyd Evans is a Director of J&E Woodworks and was looking for an integrated unit that avoided the need for tiling. After some initial research he approached local Builders Merchant, LBS Builders Merchant in Llandeilo for a recommendation. Based on his requested specification the Kinedo range from Saniflo was recommended as a cost-effective, time saving, yet contemporary solution and a demonstration was offered to showcase the speed and simplicity of installation. A technical engineer visited site and built a temporary unit for the J&E Woodworks team to see and, suitably impressed, 25 Kinedo cubicles were ordered including 17 Eden quadrant and 6 corner units; each featuring sliding doors.
On delivery of the initial units, a Saniflo engineer again attended and delivered a training session to the J&E Woodwork installation team. Daffyd was delighted at both the level of service delivered by Saniflo and the exceptional quality of the cubicles;
“The Kinedo Eden units were a perfect fit for the brief I gave LBS and feedback from my site team is that they go together really well and very quickly. The internal glass panels add a real touch of class but importantly the whole unit is easy to maintain and clean which was an important factor for the University. I will certainly be considering Kinedo for future bathroom projects. The service from my merchant and from the team at Saniflo was exceptional.”
Kinedo cubicles are supplied as a complete package and include showerhead, valve, handheld shower, tray, all fixtures and fittings and internal/external panels and doors. The units typically take less than half a day to install and are ready for use immediately as no tiling or silicone is required.
Houzz Inc. the leading platform for home renovation and design, today announced an 80 percent increase in UK project leads for home professionals during the month of July, as compared with the same period in 2019. Professionals working on outdoor spaces have seen an increase in demand, with July searches for landscape architects and landscape contractors up 127 percent each, compared with the same period a year prior. Home builders and architects also experienced an increase in demand during the month of July, compared with 2019 (129 and 113 percent, respectively).
In Cheshire and Greater Manchester, home professionals saw a 243 percent increase in project leads during July, compared to the same period last year. Other counties that experienced significant year over year growth in demand for home professionals include Essex, Hertfordshire and Greater London (240, 132 and 43, respectively). Within Greater London, the metro areas that saw the highest increase in demand include the boroughs of Ealing, Hillingdon and Hounslow and Barnet and Camden (up by 166 and 80 percent, respectively).
Insights on the types of projects homeowners pursued in July speaks to a need for more usable space inside and outside the home. Home extension projects more than quadrupled (up 331 percent), custom cabinetry enquiries tripled (up 263 percent), garden design projects more than doubled (114%) and interest in home remodelling grew by 26 percent, compared with the same period in 2019. Homeowners are also improving the design of their kitchens and bathrooms, with demand for these services up by 62 and 55 percent.
“There is an incredible rise in consumer interest for home improvement projects across the country, and people are coming to Houzz to find professionals for major projects such as home extensions and kitchen renovations, as well as for more modest outdoor improvements,” said Ines Cid, Managing Director for Houzz UK & Ireland. “Over the past year we’ve made many significant additions and improvements to how our platform helps homeowners find and connect with the right professional for their project — enabling people to directly schedule video meetings with pros through Houzz Pro is just one example — and we’re really seeing the impact of those investments in the number and quality of connections we’re making.”
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, contractors and landscape professionals, on the platform. Homeowners who are looking to begin a new project can find home professionals through the Houzz Pro directory, browse their projects, ask questions about their work and read client reviews. For home professionals using the Houzz Pro business management and marketing solution, homeowners can view the pros’ availability and book an initial meeting directly.
Launched in June 2020, Houzz Pro helps home professionals run an efficient, profitable business and makes it easy for them to reach new customers, all while delivering a standout client experience. Subscriptions include premium profile features, website building services, and lead and business management tools. Pros can manage their businesses on the go with the Houzz Pro app, available on iOS and Android devices.
Designers, builders, landscape architects and other home professionals can learn more about Houzz Pro and get started at houzz.co.uk/pro.
Fayers is the first independent merchant to launch Lakes innovative online showroom platform to its trade customers. and the first retailer to present the new shopping experience to consumers through the Just Add Water website.
Lakes, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of showering spaces, launched its virtual showroom concept in July as a pioneering selling tool for merchant and retail stockists and their installer and homeowner customers.
The online platform allows Lakes products to be viewed and favourited, helping merchant sales and showroom staff turn leads into orders, and upsell complementary products such as taps, showers, grab rails and shower seats. Accessed through the stockist’s own website, visitors to the Lakes showroom can also download joint-branded brochures and ask questions directly to the stockists’ staff via chat and email.
Fayers, a member of the Fortis buying group, was keen to include the Lakes virtual showroom platform on both its trade and Just Add Water consumer websites. Managing Director, and Fortis Category Director, Ken Beney says: “As a merchant and retailer, we often feature links to our trade partners and suppliers on our website, but these usually direct customers off our site and they don’t always come back to us to make a purchase. With the Lakes virtual showroom, we can offer our customers more product and technical information while keeping them within our site and hopefully securing the sale.
“As well as keeping traffic within our website and driving sales, the Lakes online showroom makes life easier for our staff as they can access it from our website – there’s no need to waste time logging in and out of websites. It’s a really exciting concept.”
After two years in development, the Lakes virtual showroom has been launched at just the right time, as online shopping has surged while access to physical showrooms has been restricted.
Lakes Sales & Marketing Director, Mike Tattam, adds: “With the current physical restrictions on visits to showrooms, stockists are keen to capitalise on the growing online trend – and that’s where our online showroom platform can help our customers grow their business. By offering an enriched virtual shop window, that integrates with stockists’ existing facilities and staff and doesn’t substitute them, our stockists can engage with more potential buyers and help their sales and showroom staff turn interest into orders.”
The online showroom platform was developed by MRA Marketing. Managing Director Lucia Di Stazio says: “We created this showroom platform to enable merchants and manufacturers to offer a personalised online experience to their trade customers, and for end user customers. Lakes has raised the bar on what manufacturers can do to help their trade partners sell. Our virtual showroom delivers an engaging, interactive online shop window to attract more visitors while providing the selling tools required to convert online traffic into orders.”
