Canadian rock star and photographer Bryan Adamshas revealed his third creative campaign in the Kaldewei trilogy. This follows the first “Uncompromisingly connecting” with the Ming and Miena wash bowls in 2021 and the second was the staging of the Superplan Zero shower surface in 2022. The finale is “Perfectly sheltered” for the Meisterstück Oyo Duo freestanding bath.
Kaldewei aims to appeal directly to the end consumer. Within the new, well-designed visuals, the freestanding bath appears to become one with the elegant bodies within. The images the designer baths bring with them is a feeling of luxury, which is a key part of Kaldewei’s brand strategy – showing how its 100 per cent recyclable steel enamel is used to create elegant products, combining luxury and sustainability LUXSTAINABILITY®.
Freestanding bathtubs tend to be the focal point of a room and so the concept behind the shoot for the freestanding Kaldewei Meisterstück Oyo Duo bathtub was to make it the central focus, the star of the stage. Showing that people of all ages can be cloaked, sheltered and held within its walls providing a true refuge for both body and the mind. In his previous images for the Superplan Zero shower tray campaign, Bryan Adams had expressively staged the legs of ballet dancers whilst for the Ming and Miena washbasins, it was hands gently touching each other.
New campaign claim “Perfectly sheltered”
The bodies of the models shot in the premium bathtub are clearly visible, whilst their faces are deliberately hidden from the camera, devised to leave room for the imagination.
Bryan Adams shoots from a distanced perspective, so that the free-floating egg-shape design of the bathtub is recognisable, but not the entire body of the incumbent model. The images are crafted to give the impression that the naked arms and back appear to merge with the bathtub in a luxurious yet intimate spa moment. The campaign claim “Perfectly sheltered” refers to the perfect me-time.
In what has become annual tradition for the company, Knightsbridge has provided additional support to the homeless this winter with a significant donation to NOAH, a regional charity doing great work in the field.
NOAH Enterprise is local to Knightsbridge and seeks to help the most disadvantaged in Luton and Central Bedfordshire by providing a practical, empowering and caring service to homeless people, particularly those who are temporary or entrenched rough sleepers; and those who are marginalised, socially excluded or have fallen into poverty.
NOAH provides a broad range of support services, ranging from an emergency winter night shelter and a welfare centre providing hot meals and legal and health advice, through to outreach on the streets and the NOAH academy, which delivers education and training helping people with work experience and volunteering and so, ultimately, back into work.
Knightsbridge, a leading manufacturer of lighting and wiring devices, is closely aligned with the work of homelessness charities and is donating £9,500 from the December sales of its Weatherproof range sales to them.
Knightsbridge has over 20 years’ experience within the lighting and wiring accessories industry with more than 3000 quality products and is committed to supporting its customer partners with an award-winning customer service team.
Making the most of smart and stylish technologies to enhance the amenity and finish of any domestic, commercial or industrial space; the company has evolved to become a major supplier of the highest quality wiring accessories and innovative lighting on the UK market today.
To facilitate an improved service proposition to its showroom network, and to offer a next day delivery service across the UK, Duravit has appointed Ideal Bathrooms as its new Distribution Partner.
Primarily designed to assist with distress purchases, Ideal Bathrooms will be able to fulfil the best selling lines from the Duravit portfolio including D-Neo, Me by Starck, L-Cube, SensoWash D-Neo to existing Duravit dealers. The Duravit No.1 range of products will be available to all bathroom retailers through Ideal Bathrooms.
Martin Carroll, managing director of Duravit UK, comments, “We are delighted to be working with the team at Ideal Bathrooms to deliver the best-selling items from the Duravit brand more quickly to our showroom partners. Ideal Bathrooms have been synonymous with bathrooms for over 40 years, and we are looking forward to a very professional service and developing a long-standing relationship”
Will Hickman, sales and marketing director at Ideal Bathrooms, also comments, “We are very excited to be adding Duravit to our Ideal Bathrooms portfolio. The addition of Duravit reaffirms our status as the UK’s leading bathroom distributor offering an extensive range of products to our customers. Combining Duravit’s renowned high-quality items with and our exemplary service promise, I am confident this new relationship with be a successful partnership.”
Ideal Bathrooms will begin servicing customers from February 2024.
After eight years leading the Kbsa, CEO Uwe Hanneck has stepped down. Uwe has been instrumental in steering the Kbsa through a period of substantial growth, with retail membership up by 74% during this period, and continuing strong support from retail members.
Uwe led the association through the Covid pandemic, providing members and all KBB retailers with valuable support via its lobbying activities with government.
Kbsa national chair Richard Hibbert paid tribute to Uwe’s contribution saying, “Uwe has achieved so much during his leadership. He leaves the Kbsa in a position of strength, with more members, a greater range of business benefits than ever before, as well as an expanded head office team and a robust board of directors.
“Uwe will be a hard act to follow and whilst we have initiated the process, a new appointment will not be made immediately. We have a strong board in place that can drive forward our exciting plans for 2024 and beyond. I personally will lead the board, continuing to build on the successful KBB Industry Conference and delivering exciting new benefits and an updated and improved website.”
Uwe commented: “I am grateful to all those who have supported the Kbsa in recent years. The members, and those that have sponsored and contributed to the success of the KBB Industry Conference, which has become the must attend event in the KBB calendar.
“The Kbsa has a highly competent and professional head office team in place and has huge potential to extend its reach even further. I wish everyone involved all the very best for the future.”
Retail and Corporate membership director Malcolm Scott added, “On behalf of the team at the Kbsa I would like to thank Uwe for his positive influence not just within the Kbsa but the wider KBB community.”
Bathroom design company Acquabella is embracing the Pantone Color of the Year, Peach Fuzz, by introducing new customization options for its bathroom solutions. The adoption of this colour reflects Acquabella’s commitment to staying at the forefront of new design trends.
This soft peach tone is designed to express closeness and connection, transforming spaces into warm and relaxed environments. Peach Fuzz has the ability to create inviting spaces, paying tribute to the natural while maintaining elegance. Whether in shower trays, countertops, basins, or wall coverings, Peach Fuzz is the perfect choice for adding a touch of colour to your bathroom.
Pantone’s Color of the Year has a significant influence across industries, and the integration of Peach Fuzz into Acquabella’s products will resonate with design professionals and enthusiasts.
Customers can explore new customization options and immerse themselves in a truly unique bathroom experience. The application of this trendy tone in Acquabella’s products provide consumers with the opportunity to integrate the beauty of nature and current trends into their bathroom spaces.
Sanipex Group has announced the appointment of Lee Palmer as sales director for the UK and Ireland.
Lee brings with him a wealth of experience in the UK bathroom industry having spent 17 years with Vado, the last five as Sales Director.
His expertise in the specification sector will help focus on the growth in demand for the group’s BAGNODESIGN bathroom brand. Lee will also focus the team on growing sales through a selected network of contract merchants and committed retail partners.
Commenting on the appointment, Daryl Barker, Group CEO at Sanipex, said: “This is an exciting time for Sanipex, as we continue to expand globally with particular emphasis in the UK project and specification sectors, utilising our A&D centre in Clerkenwell.
The importance of light is not to be underestimated for both personal wellbeing and to create a cosy atmosphere – especially during the darker wintry months. As the bathroom is more and more often becoming a haven of regeneration and relaxation, the use of subtle, indirect lighting transforms a wet room into the perfect wellness setting.
Duravit explains how its bathroom ranges help create a refuge from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, fulfilling the need for retreat and sanctuary.
Vitrium: natural material combinations with strategically placed illumination
The defining feature of Vitrium from Christian Werner is the clever composition of different materials. Washbasins made from a tactile, softtouch cast mineral material are paired with console vanity units with a fine metal frame and fronts in back-lit glass, wood, or a range of décor finishes.
The natural-looking ensemble creates a warm friendly atmosphere which is accentuated by restful, indirect light sources. With the careful placement of cosy lighting the bathroom becomes an oasis of wellbeing.
Combined with the translucent fronts made from PARSOL glass, the Vitrium furniture brings warmth to the bathroom, transforming it into a space for personal relaxation.
Qatego: Linear furniture and softly rounded bathroom fittings
The Qatego bathroom by Studio F. A. Porsche is uniquely crafted with the focus on the balanced juxtaposition of geometrically designed furniture and rounded bathroom fittings. The eight colour options for the bathroom furniture are ideal counterparts to the white ceramic. Shades range from gleaming White through to the natural, restrained tones of Taupe Matt and Basalt Matt right up to the bold Graphite Matt with Wood hues completing the naturalistic colour spectrum of Qatego. Illuminated, open shelves soften the strict geometry of the furniture bringing an element of contentment and openness into the bathroom – the perfect place to showcase one’s favorite products or decorative bowls and vases.
KBB distributor PJH Group has launched an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a significant initiative to support the holistic wellbeing of all employees.
Working in partnership with Health Assured, the EAP forms part of PJH’s ‘always working with wellbeing in mind’ initiative and will help PJH employees deal with any personal and professional problems that could be affecting their home life, work life, health, and general wellbeing.
Offered through a complete and confidential support network, independent of PJH, the EAP brings expert advice and guidance 24/7, covering a wide range of wellbeing areas to support the mental, physical, and financial health of PJH employees. In addition, PJH employees benefit from an innovative “Wisdom” app, which provides personalised wellbeing content, including engaging videos, webinars, mini health checks, and health coaching as well as meal plans, recipes, and fitness goals – all tailored to the individual needs of each employee.
Speaking about the EAP, Jason Witton, HR Manager, PJH, said: “We’re excited to partner with Health Assured to enhance the support we offer our employees. The comprehensive nature of the programme, including the 24/7 helpline and the extensive resources available through the Wisdom app, ensures that our employees have easy access to the best possible support for their health and wellbeing, benefitting both them and PJH.”
This investment in staff through a partnership with Health Assured marks a significant step forward in PJH’s commitment to fostering a healthy, balanced, and supportive workplace, contributing positively to the overall productivity and satisfaction of its workforce.
With less than two months until the show opens its doors, kbb Birmingham reveals some of the biggest KBB design trends expected to make a splash in 2024. The sector continues to push the boundaries of design with new creative ideas and innovative products, a huge range of which will be showcased at the event. The increase in more sustainable solutions and technological advances are key themes which are driving consumer demand as well as supporting their changing lifestyle needs.
Bathroom Trends to look out for in 2024
By keeping interior design intuitive, we can make our bathroom environments look and feel harmonious through accentuated curve features, that are inspired by nature. By designing bathroom accessories and furniture with rounded edges and artistic curves, we can soften the bathroom for everyday living. Complementing these natural features with rich, earthy shades of rust, plaster, warm beige, and shades of green can further enhance the calm and sophisticated feel of the bathroom. Discover the new collections at the show from Acquabella (pictured top) and Roca, as great examples of this trend.
Through tactile finishes, consumers can step away from minimalism and add greater detail to their bathroom with slatted furniture, reeded bath panels, and fluted detailing on baths and basins. “Whether it’s through a vanity unit, wall panelling, vertically stacked tiles or details on the fittings themselves, texture is a key look to continue into 2024,” says Hayley Robson, Founder of kitchen and bathroom designers Day True.
Statement art in the bathroom in the form of bold furniture pieces or playful tiling can give the consumer more creativity through personalisation. Illustrative designs such as Ca’Pietra’s collaboration with one of its artists in residence Sasha Compton, push the boundaries and introduce something new into the bathroom.
In both the bathroom and kitchen sectors, sustainability remains a key feature in interior design projects as consumers are keen to make conscious choices. “It has never been so important to encourage consumers to make water-efficient purchases for their bathroom to reduce household consumption” says Tom Reynolds CEO of the BMA. Many bathroom brands are following suit, emphasising their consumer and environmental focus with water-saving fittingsthat greatly reduce water use, such as those from Nobili, Flova and Imex.
Kitchen Trends for the year ahead
We are seeing similar conscious efforts in kitchen trends with the perfectly imperfect kitchen, which adds a personal touch with reclaimed materials and second-hand pieces. By embracing the unique characteristics of old furniture, we can refresh its purpose and combine it with new solutions to keep the design fresh for years to come. This highlights another trend of using wooden furniture in the kitchen where the natural grain of the wood is showcased.
Homeowners are increasingly looking for creative ways of hiding spaces in the kitchen, whether to rid the room of clutter or create clever multifunctional storage solutions, such as those offered by exhibitor brands such as LochAnna and Rotpunkt (pictured above). Utility-first designcan help as “with busy lives, clients want their kitchen to work harder than ever, so the design needs to incorporate everything from a laundry area, coffee station, built-in bar and breakfast cupboard to a desk and a place where dogs can be washed and kids can dump shoes and bags”, says interior designer Nicola Holden of Nicola Holden Designs.
Similarly, blended appliances can enhance the seamlessness of a kitchen in an open-plan living space. Brands such as Franke and Caple have designed discrete appliances to blend into the home and appear decorative whilst still maintaining their high-tech functions or energy-saving benefits. For a clutter free and minimalist aesthetic on kitchen worktops, check out the very latest trends in boiling water taps, such as those from Quooker, who will be launching new tap finishes to their versatile collection.
We can see many of these features accentuated by high-drama surfaces from brands such as Konigstone, Quartzforms, and Cimstone. Statement worktops and splashbacks with dramatic colours and veining are rising in demand, as they offer a wow factor in any design scheme.
The latest design trends will be on show at this year’s kbb Birmingham, taking place from 3-6th March 2024 at the NEC. With over 250 exhibitors and an audience of over 15,000 visitors over four days, the event is not to be missed. Register for your free kbb Birmingham visitor pass here.
For all the latest news, check out kbb Birmingham’s new WhatsApp Channel where visitors can access the latest show news and on-site updates.
Shower designer and manufacturer Roman has sponsored the North East Bulls Wheelchair Rugby Club (NE Bulls WRC) through the County Durham Community Foundation to help the club fund new and existing players.
Roman has supported the County Durham Community Foundation for over 15 years and has sponsored many local people, initiatives, and charities.
Wheelchair rugby was first created as a sport for people with spinal cord injuries who were not physically functional enough to play other disability sports such as Wheelchair Basketball. All players at the club have impairments or disabilities effecting both their arms and legs meaning they struggle with a lot of day to day tasks. Wheelchair rugby is a sport that they can compete in equally and is adapted to their limited function. The NE Bulls WRC are one of two clubs in the north east and was first established in 2022.
Dale Thompson, Chair of the Committee, commented: “The club can be described as a lifeline for some of its members as without the provision of this sport, some members would be completely inactive. The NE Bulls would like to make the sport as accessible as possible for those with a disability and as such we raise funds on an annual basis in order to limit the financial impact our sport places on our new and existing players, especially during the current financial climate.”
The NE Bulls WRC use the funds donated to purchase wheelchairs which can be used by new players when they join the sport, and they also work hard to cover some of the financial burdens that come with playing the sport, e.g. wheelchair maintenance, competition costs such as tournament entry fees and overnight accommodation to attend competitions.
David Osborne, chief executive officer, commented: “We’re very closely engaged with our local community and are constantly assisting local projects and initiatives. When we heard about the NE Bulls WRC, we were keen to get involved and help the club to continue to recruit new players and support existing players.”
