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Sphero Urinal range joins Armitage Shanks portfolio

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.

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Sleep & Eat Virtual announces Keynote Speakers

Sleep & Eat Virtual

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

Sleep and eat Virtual
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.

To register, visit www.sleepandeatevent.com


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Top GROHE products for low-pressure homes

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.

Pictured top – GROHE Eurosmart Cosmopolitan basin mixer

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.

Low-pressure homes GROHE Ambi twi-handle kitchen mixer

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

More product stories from GROHE
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Kinedo showers included in University upgrade

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.

www.kinedo.co.uk

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Houzz reports 80% increase for project leads

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. 

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Lakes’ virtual showroom ushers in a new era for sales

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.”

Lakes Online Showroom is at www.fayers.co.uk/products and www.justaddwater.co.uk/products. To find out how your business can benefit, call Lakes on 01684 853 870.

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Market research reveals British showering behaviours

The demands on bathroom design have risen significantly, with the shower gaining a lot more attention,
being preferred over bathing by 64% of UK participants surveyed in a recent study by global market research institute, Explorare, commissioned by GROHE.

As many as 43% are now viewing the bathroom as an indulgent space for wellness and relaxation with 48%
using the shower to help them relax, the survey found.

Whatever our reasons for showering; whether it’s an invigorating way to start the day, a quick freshen up
after working out or for pure relaxation, our needs vastly differ from person to person and even day by day,
and showers need to be able to meet this demand.

Alongside flexibility in design and functionality, the survey results revealed that safety and sustainability are two key factors consumers take into consideration when it comes to showering. 78% said that having a shower surface that doesn’t get hot whilst they’re showering was a priority and similarly, 61% deemed a thermostat that can balance out fluctuations in temperature an important factor in their shower’s performance. Meanwhile, around half (51%) of Britons are actively trying to save water with 54% seeking additional sustainable functions from their shower to help them live more eco-consciously in their day-today lives.

The combined results of the study provide in-depth insights into consumer behaviour around showering and help bring to light some key customer profiles:

• The “Hygiene Pragmatist”, who showers after exercise like 55% of those surveyed, does not spend
much time in the bathroom and favours a practical shower system that keeps water consumption to
a minimum.
• The “Wellness Lover”, who is looking for intelligent shower systems with lots of innovative features
for a truly luxurious water experience
• The “Freshness Enthusiast”, who prefers a shower system with comfortable user-centric features
and high design standards.

New market research Grohe

The market research reveals the bathroom is no longer a purely functional room used exclusively for personal hygiene. Expectations have risen considerably which has been accompanied by the increasing complexity of bathroom design and furnishing. Retailers, designers and installers can really build an understanding of their customer’s needs by exploring individual customer behaviour and combining this with their product and industry knowledge to make informed, relevant recommendations. At a time when 40% of us are using the bathroom for some much-needed space and me-time, conveying the emotional added value of a product can create plenty of upsell opportunities, and ultimately result in a higher level of positive customer satisfaction.

With the new study results highlighting that 36% would like to replace their entire shower systems and 54% desiring a large rainfall shower head that provides full shoulder-to-shoulder coverage, GROHE is delighted to announce the return of its showers cashback promotion.

Customers can claim up to £100 cashback when they purchase one of the many showers included in the promotion, ranging from the award-winning SmartControl range to the brand’s Grohtherm systems.

GROHE SmartControl uses innovative push-and-turn technology that allows you to operate up to three different water outlets with multiple spray patterns, from a powerful jet spray to luxurious rainfall experience, delivering a shower perfectly tailored to your mood. Installation and aesthetic styles featured in the promotion include exposed and concealed systems, round or square trims and showerheads in both Chrome or Moon White finishes.

The promotion runs from 1st August – 31st October 2020 with all cashback claims to be made by 30th November 2020. To find out more about the offer and read the full terms and conditions simply visit www.grohe.co.uk.

Pictured Top GROHE’s award-winning SmartControl shower system.
Pictured Middle: GROHE’s new Grohtherm 1000 Thermostatic shower system (only select Grohtherm models are included in the shower cashback)

More news from GROHE


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Roxor Group chooses 2020 Ideal Spaces as lead-gen tool

2020 & Roxor Group

2020 – a leading provider of applications and enterprise solutions has announced an agreement with Roxor Group to implement 2020 Ideal Spaces as their online lead generation tool. 

Roxor Group is one of the UK’s fastest growing manufacturers and distributors of luxury bathroom products. Their success rests on market-leading brands such as Hudson Reed, Nuie, Old London, Asquiths, Bayswater and BC Designs. They have enjoyed significant growth across all brands, outpacing their competition. Roxor Group were specifically impressed with the simplicity and easy placement of core products into the customer floorplan using the guided steps in 2020 Ideal Spaces.

2020 Ideal Spaces is a cloud-based 3D space planning solution that provides an industry platform enabling omnichannel retail for consumers, home centres, retailers and manufacturers. It improves the consumer onboarding experience through every step of the buying journey, from inspiration to qualification to space planning to purchasing—resulting in higher qualified leads and conversions.

“We’re looking forward to launching 2020 Ideal Spaces and excited about the possibilities that the platform will provide for our retailers and their customers,” says Dave Cullen – CEO at Roxor Group.  “It’s been a delight to work with the 2020 team during the development stage of the project and we are eager to see the software go live to reap the benefits of what this inspirational tool will undoubtedly bring.” For more information about 2020 Ideal Spaces, visit: www.2020spaces.com/2020IdealSpaces

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Venetian Arte – surfaces are a functional work of art

Venetian Arte CRL Stone

Combining seamlessly with any colour scheme, from dark and dramatic, to bold and bright, and any style of room, CRL Quartz Venetian Arte has a timeless flair that brings a sense of luxury to the kitchen or bathroom.

Extremely easy to care for, CRL Quartz offers all the beauty of natural stones such as marble, enabling designers and consumers to embrace this trend, while providing many functional benefits that make this the ideal surface choice for high traffic areas of the home, such as the kitchen and bathroom.

CRL Quartz is an engineered surface created to meet the demands of modern living. Scratch, heat and stain resistant, Venetian Arte requires minimal maintenance and no need for sealing to keep it looking as good as new.

For more information, brochures and free samples call CRL Stone on 01706 863 600 or visit www.crlstone.co.uk

More news from CRL Stone

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Exclusive Solutions from Aqata – the perfect shower screen


When creating a perfect bathroom there are so many more decisions to make than the shade of the tiles. The position and size of the showering space is one that needs careful thought and planning. Whether it is for a family bathroom or a smaller ensuite; if the shower needs one door or two, should the doors to be sliding or bi-fold and is the shower placed in a recess or is it in a corner? The Exclusive Solutions collection from AQATA has the ideal shower screen.

The Exclusive Solutions collection from AQATA includes an extensive range of options for creating a showering space in the bathroom. The wide range of screen sizes are suitable for both corner or recess showers and are then matched with the appropriate door fitting for the style and size of the room. The choice of doors includes pivot, sliding, bi-fold and hinged all with ClearShield Eco-Glass and alternative coloured finishes as an option.

The ES240 and the ES245 are ideal for smaller spaces, they can either be located in the corner of a bathroom or a recess, but to both save space and ensure a clean minimalistic look the door pivots to open. The enclosure height is 1880 mm, but non-standard sizes are available with AQATA’s made to measure option.

Sliding doors such as the ES300 shown below are ideal for wetroom style recess showers.
The ES260 is a bi-folding door option – an ideal solution for smaller bathrooms.

The Exclusive Solutions and other shower screen options are all shown in the AQATA Look Book which
can be requested by emailing sales@aqata.co.uk or visit the website and download it directly –
www.aqata.co.uk/brochure

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