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Unidrain 1970s bathroom transformation


It has often been said that the 1970’s was the time that style forgot; but not everyone agrees. To the north of Copenhagen, in Vedbæk you will find a large number of architect-designed classic homes from the 1970s. The transformation started in the late 19th century when the wealthy citizens of Copenhagen started to construct summer villas along the coastline. Vedbæk was just a small fishing village then; location was ideal close to the city yet surrounded by forests, fields and water.

Today the 1970’s designed houses with their beautiful yellow bricks and sharp, yet functional shapes line the leafy suburban roads. Among the lucky home-owners in Vedbæk, is 34-year-old Mads, a self-taught handyman, his wife and their daughter.

As well as working hard to get their holiday home at Rørvig into shape, they have now thrown themselves into doing up their house and they are documenting the changes in their blog.

The bathroom in his 1970s house in Vedbæk, it’s the most recent transformation – one of the largest of its kind the bathroom has had the full treatment. Everything has been replaced with new, exclusive materials crating a hotel style bathroom. The floor-standing toilet has given way to a wall-mounted model, the old skylight has been replaced with an electric roof window and Unidrain takes pride of place on the floor and on the walls.

Unidrain raises the bar
The shower cubicle, like the rest of the room, has changed dramatically. The shower area itself is enclosed by our GlassLine shower screen, which ensures that the water does not splash out into the rest of the room: “Unidrain has made an elegant glass wall for the shower; the glass is recessed into a frame so the joins to the floor and the wall are as invisible as possible. A really nice result and a high quality solution,” Mads writes in his blog.

Unidrain’s HighLine Custom drain was used; here the tiles merge with the drain, separated only by a narrow groove: “I think Unidrain’s Custom tile drain is an impressive feature in the shower, the drain is almost invisible and blends in perfectly with the tiles,” Mads continues.

The final touch to the bathroom is the Unidrain Reframe soap shelf, the attached shower scraper is held in place by a small invisible magnet.

Mads wanted to change this into a room that people wanted to spend time in and he definitely achieved his goal.

About Unidrain

Established in 2003 this design company has gone from inventing the linear floor drain to creating a leading international brand, spreading Danish design ethics and Nordic minimalism to the rest of the globe.

From five star hotels in the Maldives, to the Award winning Herman K in Copenhagen Unidrain products and accessories play a key role in the look and feel of the most stylish bathrooms on the planet.

More news from Unidrain


On Monday August 10, 2020, tennis star Dominic Thiem and Duravit signed a cooperation agreement at the Duravit Design Center Hornberg. For the next five years, the number three in the ATP world rankings will be an ambassador for the Duravit brand. The amiable Austrian sportsman and the designer bathroom
manufacturer from the Black Forest share a commitment to sustainability, a love of precision,
and expect the very highest from their own performance, making them a perfect match.

“I am really excited about the partnership with Duravit. It’s a company with a rich tradition and a
fascinating product portfolio. They set themselves high standards and really value precision. These are
also the key pillars for success in tennis – and their commitment to sustainability is inspiring.
This is going to be an exciting partnership for me!” said Dominic Thiem.

Duravit’s CEO, Stephan Tahy, added: “Dominic Thiem is a really popular figure and a perfect fit with
Duravit thanks to his commitment to sustainability and his high expectations for his own performance.
We are really looking forward to working with him!”

Dominic Thiem

After Thomas Muster and Jürgen Melzer, Dominic Thiem is the third Austrian to make it into the top ten of the world rankings. In addition, Thiem, who has enjoyed particular success on clay courts, was the
first Austrian to win an ATP title on grass and is currently ranked number three in the world.
Born on September 3, 1993, he grew up in Lichtenwörth, a small town in Lower Austria. He turned pro in 2012 and soon had his break-through on the ATP tour. His win against Nicolas Almagro in 2016 in Buenos Aires put him among the top 15 players in the world. In 2017 he won his second ATP 500 title in Rio.

In November 2017, Dominic Thiem achieved his careerhigh thus far as No. 4 in the ATP world rankings.
In Indian Wells Dominic Thiem won the 2019 final against Roger Federer – his first Masters title. At
the Barcelona Open he won his third ATP-500 title in the final against Daniil Medvedev.

Duravit’s involvement with the sport of tennis goes back a long way. The designer bathroom manufacturer sponsored Alexander Popp, another tennis great, at the start of the 2000s.

www.duravit.co.uk

UK manufacturer, Kudos, has created a new 28-page customer brochure that summarises its vast range of showering enclosures, screens, trays and wetroom solutions.

The new bijoux format complements the full 150-page perfect bound brochure that displaying retailers use as a reference guide when designing a new bathroom. The new addition is a great hand out to consumers showing an overview of each product group. It includes a step by step guide to choosing the perfect shower enclosure and compares ranges at a glance, offering sound advice for buyers to minimise mistakes.

Kudos has been designing and manufacturing shower products at their Cumbrian facility since 1999.  Visit their website kudosshowers.co.uk, call them on 01539 564040 or email info@kudosshowers.co.uk.

More news from Kudos

About Kudos

Designed in house by a specialist technical team, every Kudos product is hand built in its own factories by dedicated staff, tested to the highest European standards and are individually inspected before leaving us to ensure complete customer satisfaction.

Their portfolio includes shower enclosures, shower trays, over-bath screens and wet-room solutions sold via KBB showrooms and merchants across the UK. With complete control over all aspects of the components they specify and the manufacturing process, they are confident in maintaining the highest standards of quality and performance in all products that leave their premises.

Each product is made to deliver the very best in functionality, performance and value.

Saniflo UK is reporting immediate success with the launch of its Kinedo Kineprotect screens, designed to keep people safe in work and public spaces. The Kineprotect glass screens are mounted on aluminium profiles and feature stainless steel feet, making them durable, warp-free and immune to clouding from cleaning products, unlike plastic options. Kineprotect screens blend seamlessly into the working environment and don’t take too much working space,

Island Street Deli – an upmarket artisan coffee shop and delicatessen in the popular seaside town of Salcombe in Devon – opted for Kineprotect screens when it opened at the beginning of July.  Deli owner Mark Khaury was keen to ensure safe transactions between customers and employees, without spoiling the chic setting of the Café Deli.

Three Kineprotect screens have been installed on the serving hatch each featuring a gap through which to pass consumables and to take payments. The screens blend seamlessly into the working environment and don’t take up too much working space, providing Mark and his team with a great solution.

Kinedo Kineprotect

“We had been looking into the availability of screens in readiness for opening. We have socially distanced the tables in the coffee shop, but required some panels for the counter to separate customers from staff. To be fair the Kineprotect panels are very stylish and hardly noticeable, so it doesn’t affect the atmosphere in store at all. They are easy to keep clean and maintain which is a big plus. Customers have been overwhelmingly positive at all the measures we’ve taken and we are getting compliments about the screens,” says Island Street Deli owner Mark.

The team of employees at Island Street Deli have returned to work safe in the knowledge that they and their customers are adequately protected. Now, they’re all looking forward to a busy summer season.

For more information please visit www.kinedo.co.uk/kineprotect-glass

www.saniflo.co.uk 020 8842 0033

Oxfordshire based VitrA Bathrooms is part of one of Turkey’s most prominent industrial groups, the Eczacıbaşı Group.  Throughout the Global pandemic, the Group’s 13 production facilities have maintained supply of bathroom products for VitrA.   VitrA has grown steadily in the UK for over 25 years thanks to enduring design and hygiene features and benefits that have always been core to the company’s product development.

Turkish culture has a long heritage with health, hygiene, and well-being, all evident in the VitrA portfolio.  At a time when preventing the spread of Covid-19 has made cleanliness and handwashing critical for all, VitrA is fully equipped to meet the need for heightened hygiene.   All VitrA ceramic wear comes with a VitrA Hygiene glaze as standard.  Alongside this, many VitrA WC’s can include no-touch sensor control flushing.   The rimless designs on VitrA’s Rimex WCs also eliminate the nooks and crannies where germs can lurk. VitrA Fresh is another hygiene-enhancing product which dispenses detergent or disinfectant into every flush. VitrA Bathrooms portfolio has had hygiene at its heart for decades. According to VitrA, these features and benefits enable them to help their retail customers offer their consumers bathroom designs and products that are accessible, beautiful, and that will provide help to ease worry over hygiene in the home for years to come.

Hygiene at the heart of beautiful design

VitrA meets the Covid challeneg
VitrA Fresh WC dispenses detergent with every flush.

VitrA Fresh WC pans feature an integral tank that dispenses detergent with every flush and is available on WCs within the M-Line series. The detergent tank sits on top of the pan and is concealed by a removable lid, so refilling is easy. “Combined with the touch sensor flushing, it offers the ultimate in safe hygiene,” explains Margaret Talbot. 

Cleanliness is also at the heart of VitrA’s Rim-ex technology. Rim-ex WC pans are rimless, eliminating the area where germs, grime and limescale can gather and multiply, making cleaning faster and easier.

The VitrA Smart Panel is one of a host of no-touch flush plates available in an array of stunning designs. Specified in conjunction with a wall-hung (clear of the floor) WC and in-wall frame this creates  a secure, safe, and hygienic WC facility that makes cleaning easy and fast and means the user need never touch the unit. The VitrA Smart Panel can be linked to an app and controlled by either the user or housekeeping staff to flush and adjust flow rates.

VitrA Rimless Cleaning
VitrA Rim-ex WC pans available on selected WCs have no rim for germs to lurk.

The aerosol effect where bacteria can be carried in invisible drops of water from flushing has always been a concern where there is no lid to close to contain the spray. VitrA waterless urinals solve the problem and feature a new cartridge that speeds up the flow of urine away from the bowl. The cartridge is easy to replace. 

VitrA V-Care Covid challenge
V-Care pans feature VitrA’s Rim-ex design which means there is no rim around the inside of the pan for germs to lurk. V-Care is also perfect for multi-generational bathroom,

VitrA’s V-Care Comfort wall-hung WC features a sensor that opens the lid as the user approaches, adjustable washing and drying functions, a heated seat and more.  The integrated shower function puts an end to the need for toilet paper (an environmental benefit). It can be activated at the touch of a button on the remote control, which is intuitive and very easy to use. The remote can also be used to control the temperature of the ergonomic heated seat. Essential functions of the WC can be controlled via touch buttons on the right and left sides of the pan.   

Sento Furniture VitrA
VitrA Miniworx tiles which can be supplied with VitrA Shield, shown with VitrA Sento bathroom furniture range. 

Inevitably people touch wall surfaces in bathrooms and public toilets. VitrA Shield tiles are self-cleaning thanks to the photocatalytic features activated by light and humidity in the air while ensuring biocidal protection with their hygienic properties. The advanced technology of VitrA Shield eliminates unpleasant smells and airborne pollutants in spaces where the tiles are used.    www.VitrA.co.uk

More news from VitrA

RAK-Sanit from RAK Ceramics: Safety has always played an essential role in our choices but this is particularly true at the present time, driven by a genuine revolution in the way we organise our living spaces around post-pandemic lifestyles.

This transformation has obliged us to contemplate new hygiene measures that enable us to enjoy our living and working spaces in total freedom and safety.  

RAK Ceramics has now launched RAK-Sanit, the company’s own health and safety revolution.

According to RAK Ceramics, the research and development laboratories of RAK Ceramics were the first in the world to supply antibacterial interior design solutions as early as 2009, thanks to the development of special certified antibacterial glazes.  ‎

Today, with the new RAK-Sanit programme, RAK Ceramics offers an even wider range of solutions for floors, surfaces and sanitary fittings, produced with glazes that reduce the possibility of contagion and therefore contribute to creating safer environments, both in residential and commercial projects. 

RAK-Sanit provides an ideal solution for domestic dwellings, modern and safer schools, public and private offices, restaurants, hotels, laboratories and, indeed, all those premises in which hygiene is of primary importance. All those places generally described as “community spaces”, in which numerous people of different ages, genders and cultures make random encounters. Inside, toilet facilities destined for use by all and sundry are increasingly in need of strong, antibacterial elements with a long product life.   

RAK-Sanit RAK Ceramics

The RAK-Sanit bactericide action is permanent, guaranteeing built-in protection throughout the entire expected product lifetime, thanks to its constant action against microbial colonisation; this technology, which has proved its capacity to reduce or eliminate the quantity of bacteria up to 99.99%, including MRSA, E. Coli, Salmonella and Legionella, actively prevents the growth of microorganisms 24 hours a day.   

In more detail, the RAK-Sanit programme comprises:

  • Solutions for floor and wall coverings in gres porcelain and ceramic, treated with an incorporated glaze that is 99.9% effective in just 8 hours. The products for floor and wall covering solutions are tested and certified* in compliance with the Japanese Standard JIS – 2801:2000 and the International Standard ISO 27447:2019.
  • Solutions for sanitaryware (WC, bidets, washbasins, toilet seats and lids, rinsing systems) treated with RAK-ProTeK glaze fired at high temperatures onto the ceramic to guarantee a smoother antibacterial surface, unlike standard ceramic material with its rougher surface.  

The silver ions bind to the cells: once inside, silver denatures the enzymes essential to the production of energy. Being unable to produce energy, the bacteria are unable to reproduce. This technology is therefore able to reduce or eliminate the quantity of bacteria up to 99.99% and its action is effective against a vast range of gram positive and gram negative bacteria, as well as fungi. RAK-ProTeK glaze has been tested by the Artest laboratory in the Italian ceramic district of Modena.

*Certified effectiveness

RAK-Sanit tiles are tested by CERFRIT Laboratory – USA, according to the Japanese Standard JIS Z 2801:2000. This Standard specifies the testing methods to evaluate antibacterial activity and efficacy on bacteria on the surface of the products.

RAK-Sanit tiles are tested by METS Laboratory – UAE, according to the International Standard ISO 27447:2019. This Standard specifies the test method for antibacterial activity of semiconducting photocatalytic materials. 

Test method for the determination of the antibacterial activity of materials that contain a photocatalyst or have photocatalytic films on the surface, by measuring the enumeration of bacteria under irradiation of ultraviolet light.

www.rakceramics.com

About RAK Ceramics

RAK Ceramics is one of the largest ceramics’ brands in the world. Specialising in ceramic and gres porcelain wall and floor tiles and sanitaryware we produce 123 million square metres of tiles and 5 million pieces of sanitaryware per year at our 22 state-of-the-art plants across the United Arab Emirates, India and Bangladesh.

Headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, we serve clients in more than 150 countries through our network of operational hubs in Europe, Middle East and North Africa, Asia, North and South America and Australia. Across our global operations we employ approximately 12,000 staff from more than 40 nationalities.

It may not have been possible to gather in numbers, but the team at RAK Ceramics certainly had much to celebrate at a socially distanced viewing of BKU Awards 2020, held online for the first time.

The champagne was flying when RAK Ceramics were declared winners of not one but two prestigious industry awards, namely Best Tiling Brand and Best Sanitaryware Brand. The Awards aim is to provide a platform to recognise the very best in the kitchen and bathroom sector, and in normal times is marked with a glittering ceremony in London. This year the ceremony was held digitally, with Alan Dedicoat, known as ‘the voice of the balls’ on the National Lottery Draw, hosting the event and RAK Ceramics watched the event ‘live’ with the team enjoying food and drinks at their own tables at their HQ in Petersfield and at a satellite location in Ipswich.

Virtual BKU awards

Commenting on the double award in, RAK Ceramics UK Managing Director, Alvin Biggs, said: “It means a lot to the RAK Ceramics team to even be shortlisted, so to scoop two BKU Awards is a delight. These awards are quite special in that the votes are made by those within the industry itself, so those who know the brand and our products best.

“2020 has certainly thrown up its fair share of challenges for all of us, so it is very nice to have reason to celebrate and a positive footing for going forward with the remainder of the year.”

Contact:

RAK Ceramics UK

01730 237850

www.rakceramics.com/uk/

Utopia Bathrooms has introduced a striking new brochure to coincide with its Summer 2020 product launch. In pride of place on the front cover is the new Azure Blue finish, just one of 11 new door finishes introduced across several of its key ranges. 

In keeping with Utopia’s promise to offer an imaginative solution for any bathroom, no matter how small or awkwardly shaped, the 234 page brochure presents the entire collection of 11 ranges in a series of beautifully styled room sets, from the most spacious rooms complete with freestanding baths through to much more modestly proportioned bathrooms including en suites and cloakrooms.

Helen Clark, Head of Marketing, comments ‘With such a comprehensive range of fitted, modular and freestanding furniture collections and an extensive array of options in terms of colour and finish, we want our brochure to inspire and delight our customers, helping to guide them effortlessly towards designing the bathroom of their choice.  We’ve included a new, easy to use, pull out section at the front presenting all our finishes and we’ve also invested heavily in new imagery, incorporating a handy ‘get the look’ guide on each page.

The new brochure is out now and is also available to browse or download directly as a pdf file from the website (www.utopiagroup.com/literature).

More news from Utopia

German bathroom manufacturer, Bette, offers its baths, shower trays and basins in over 400 colours and has launched a new colour reference fan to help retailers demonstrate the wide choice available.

The new colour fan features Bette’s most popular colours, including its shimmering ‘effect’ colours and its range of 22 matt colours. It is available free to retailers, who can also find out more about Bette’s wide choice of colours at its new website address: www.my-bette.com

Bette can create its baths, shower trays and washbasins in over 400 colours because of the way its products are made. Each item is individually manufactured in titanium-steel, before its durable BetteGlaze enamel finish is applied and fired. Bette mixes colour pigments into the BetteGlaze enamel finish, prior to application, which is why such a huge range of colours, including gloss, matt, shimmering and glittering options, are available.

Bette’s unique finish not only allows over 400 colour options, but the glazed titanium-steel results in products that keep their good looks for many years, are easy to clean, 100% recyclable and come with a 30 year warranty, making them ideal for both residential and contract projects.

22 Matt Colours

Some of Bette’s most popular colours are its 22 exclusive matt options. These colours are often selected for Bette’s flush-to-floor shower trays, as well as its baths and basins. The colours take their inspiration from natural stone colours, and also include matt white, which is becoming increasingly popular.

Sven Rensinghoff, head of marketing at Bette comments: “Coloured products can provide eye-catching dashes of colour, for example, the spotlight can be put on the hand washing area by selecting the round BetteCraft washbasin in luminous green or a soft shade of blue. Eye-catching special effect colours, such as our Midnight black glitter colour, or the ever-changing Forest colour, can create impact and visual interest that changes as the lighting alters.

“In addition to innovative and eye-catching colours, Bette also offers a wide range of timeless, discreet shades including pastels, earth and stone colours and matt options. These can help to radiate a calming effect and convey a natural cosiness and are some of our most popular colours. For example, more than 40 percent of Bette customers currently choose timeless, natural, matt colours for their Bette glazed titanium-steel shower floors.”

To find out more about the wide range of Bette colour options see https://www.my-bette.com/en/inspiration/farben or telephone 0844 800 0547 to order a colour fan.

Sleep & Eat 2020, Europe’s leading design and innovation event for the hospitality sector, will be transitioning from a live event to an all virtual event format taking place in November 2020.

“For 15 years Sleep & Eat has been the place where the hospitality design community connects, and we understand the importance of this in the current climate.  With Sleep & Eat Virtual we are excited to create an event which will enable the industry to continue to gain inspiration, source new products, expand their knowledge and network with contacts old and new,” – said the event organisers.

Uniquely, Sleep & Eat Virtual 2020 will also co-locate virtually with Decorex, Europe’s leading event for interior design professionals, to bring the industry together on 3-5 November 2020. This co-location will offer new and exciting opportunities for both events, expanding the audiences, sourcing opportunities, and thought leadership.

“For the industry to bounce back quickly there is a real need for us to come together in 2020 and discuss our future,” said Sleep & Event Director, Mark Gordon. “There is still a huge desire for the industry to be united, to be inspired, share knowledge, and spark planned and ad-hoc conversations.  Sleep & Eat Virtual will give all the opportunity to achieve this and we are very excited.”

As one of the creative minds behind Designscape, Sleep & Eat has helped to design a creative event focused on hospitality, residential, and retail set to take place 11-13 August.

“We want to thank everyone in the hospitality family for their ongoing support,” continued Gordon, “We look forward to seeing everyone virtually in November and in person next year.”

For more information, visit www.sleepandeatevent.com

See the 2019 Show Review