Diane, Author at Bathroom Review

Blessed by Kreoo: Freestanding bathtub with two types of marble

May 30, 2024

The evolution of the Blessed collection maintains its aesthetic foundation unchanged. Now also available in a freestanding bathtub version, in elongated oval or rectangle, the range dedicated to the world of bathroom design by Christophe Pillet is characterised by the material contrast between the outer and inner surfaces, offered in two different types of marble.

The result is an elegant antithesis, not only in colour but also in the texture of the natural stone, with different veins and nuances meeting at the top edge, crafted to achieve a minimal and striking thickness. Bianco Carrara and Bianco del Re are the options dedicated to the internal silhouette of the tub, while the exterior can be customized in a wide range of marbles, travertines, and semi-precious stones.

About Christopher Pillet

Christopher Pillet is a celebrated French designer known for his sleek, elegant approach to furniture, interior, and product design. Born in 1959, Pillet studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD) in Paris and the Domus Academy in Milan, where he was influenced by masters like Philippe Starck. His work, characterised by clean lines and minimalist forms, spans collaborations with renowned brands such as Cappellini, Kartell, and L’Oréal. Pillet’s designs seamlessly blend modernist principles with a touch of French sophistication, making him a prominent figure in contemporary design and interior architecture.

Keep Reading

Homeowners allocate more finance to renovations despite slight dip in activity

May 29, 2024

A Houzz Survey has found Gen Xers lead in median spend, while Baby Boomers drive renovation activity as spend has surged in the last three years.

According to Houzz, a premier home renovation and design platform, the median spending has surged by 13%, rising from £15,000 in 2020 to £17,000 in 2023. The 2024 UK Houzz & Home Study, which surveyed nearly 1,800 participants, revealed that spending among the top 90th percentile has skyrocketed to £200,000, doubling from £100,000 in 2020. Although renovation activity remains steady with 48% of homeowners embarking on renovation projects in 2023, this marks a slight decrease of one percentage point from the previous year.

For the second consecutive year, Gen Xers** have led the way in renovation spending, with a median expenditure of £22,000. In comparison, Millennials and Baby Boomers spent £15,000 and £16,000, respectively. The top 10% of spenders within these groups invested significantly, with Gen Xers allocating £200,000 and Baby Boomers spending £180,000. Despite Gen Xers leading in spending, Baby Boomers are the most active in renovation projects, accounting for 54% of the activity, followed by Gen Xers at 34% and Millennials at 12%.

“Despite economic headwinds, investment in home renovations continued in 2023. Gen Xers, in particular, continued to lead the charge in spending,” said Marine Sargsyan, Houzz staff economist. “As homeowners finally had the means to upgrade their spaces, the reliance on professional help remained strong. Looking ahead, nearly half of homeowners are now planning renovations, highlighting a strong enthusiasm for enhancing living spaces.”

Along with this substantial investment, nearly all renovating homeowners enlisted the help of a home professional in 2023 (93%), with specialty service providers such as electricians (59%), and plumbers (52%), hired most frequently. Homeowners are also taking the time to both plan and save for their projects. Renovation planning is typically double the time the actual construction takes. Plus, “finally having the financial means” is the project catalyst for more than a third of renovating homeowners.

Considering that motivation, it’s no surprise that cash from savings continues to be the most common form of funding for renovation projects (86%), followed by credit cards and cash from a previous home sale (18%, each). Credit card usage jumped 7 percentage points in 2023 (10% in 2022).

Multi-Room Renovations

Homeowners consistently undertake multiple renovation projects simultaneously. Renovating homeowners on average target nearly three interior room upgrades and two or more outdoor projects during their renovations.

Bathrooms Lead in Project Activity

Bathrooms continue to lead as the most commonly renovated interior room (29%), closely followed by kitchens and living rooms (26% each). Following last year’s significant jump in median spend for bath and kitchen projects, these renovations saw increases of 39% and 16%, respectively, reaching £7,300 for bathrooms and £15,100 for kitchens in 2023.

Outdoor Projects Back in the Spotlight

Following a brief drop, outdoor project activity rose 17 percentage points in 2023 (51%, compared with 34% in 2022). Outdoor lighting is the most commonly updated outdoor system (28%). Security systems follow (15%, up nearly 2 percentage points from last year), as homeowners install cameras and sensors around their properties.

* Median spend is the midpoint level, meaning half of renovating homeowners on Houzz spent more and half spent less.

** Generational categories follow Pew Research Center’s age ranges: Millennials (25-39), Gen Xers (40-54) and Baby Boomers (55-74).

Keep Reading

Unidrain Pedal Bin awarded Three International Design Awards

May 29, 2024

Products worldwide compete in prestigious design awards such as the Red Dot, iF, and German Design Award. The Unidrain pedal bin has been recognised with several of these honours, including the iF Design Award for its “idea, form, function, differentiation, and impact,” the German Design Award for “Excellent Design,” and the Red Dot Design Award 2024 for its “excellent quality and outstanding design” in the Product Design category.

“We’re delighted that our new pedal bin is receiving recognition with these three design awards. When we develop new products for the Reframe range, the product has to stand out and preferably solve everyday problems in a more elegant way than other products on the market. I think we’ve succeeded here once again,” product manager Jacob Honoré enthuses.

The pedal bin is the latest addition to Unidrain’s Reframe Collection. Its timeless design features an elegant and simplistic exterior, which conceals carefully thought-out solutions for specific practical challenges. With clean lines and no external mechanics, the bin is easy to clean and ideal for standing freely and visibly in any room. Additionally, its height of 31.5 cm matches that of the toilet brush, enhancing the overall design aesthetic.

The pedal bin has been designed with a soft open/close lid, so it can be placed against any surface as the lid will not hit a wall when it opens, which avoids annoying banging noises, making it both silent and stylish.
The bin has a non-slip rubber foot which complements the specially designed spring-loaded pedal, this guarantees the bin’s stability during use whilst protecting again overloading, making it an elegant yet solid, sturdy bathroom accessory.

It has a handy and hygienic removable insert. This inner container is made of impact-resistant plastic, so it is easy to clean and stays rust-free. The inner container also has a ring of double-sided tape on the inside, which simplifies the fitting of bin bags.

The pedal bin is available in brushed and polished steel as well as copper, brass and black PVD finishes. It joins the other Reframe accessories, including the soap dispenser, shower shelf, screen wiper, hooks, corner shelf, toilet brush, toilet roll holder, plus spare toilet roll holder.

www.unidrain.com

Keep Reading

Basin frames make a stand for modern styling

May 29, 2024

Ceramic and porcelain brand RAK Ceramics has enhanced its popular RAK-Des and RAK-Valet sanitaryware collections with the launch of new basin frames and towel rails.

In response to the growing demand for classical, minimalist, and boutique hotel-inspired styling, the basin frames and towel rails are available in sleek matt black and elegant chrome finishes.

The basin frames are meticulously designed to complement RAK Ceramics’ wall-mount basins, offering a seamless integration that exudes modern elegance. Available in four sizes – fitting 120cm, 100cm, 80cm, and 60cm wall-mounted basins from the RAK-Valet and RAK-Des ranges – the frames ensure a perfect fit for various bathroom dimensions, leaving the floor visible and accessible.

The towel rails, available in two sizes of 76cm and 56cm, are designed to accompany the basin frames, offering convenience and style in equal measure. Whether for hand towels or bath towels, the rails provide a stylish solution for keeping essentials within easy reach while adding a touch of luxury to the bathroom space.

Contact: RAK Ceramics UK, 01730 237850, www.rakceramics.com/uk/

Keep Reading

VitrA’s keynote by Dr Leyla Acaroglu at London Festival of Architecture 2024

May 29, 2024

VitrA London presents a keynote with Dr Leyla Acaroglu on 13 June 2024, during the London Festival of Architecture (1 – 30 June 2024), titled ‘Creating for the Circular Economy’.

Dr. Leyla Acaroglu – an award-winning designer and sustainability advocate – will offer insights into her experience and contribution to the circular economy. Gökçe Ötkün, head of sustainability at VitrA Global, will deliver an introduction outlining VitrA’s sustainability mission and circular design principles.

‘Creating for the Circular Economy’ will see Dr. Leyla Acaroglu delve into circularity in design, addressing how the design and architecture communities benefit from being at the forefront of this economic transformation. Viewing circular design solutions as an opportunity for innovation, reinvention and regeneration within the design, Dr Acaroglu will acknowledge the increasingly urgent need for design to be more sustainable and will propose circular design as a solution.

“As a leading voice of change within her field, Dr. Leyla Acaroglu has been advocating for systemic life cycle sustainability as essential to a more sustainable future. We look forward to hearing her insights into how we can all strive for more sustainable design, seizing this not as a limitation on design but as an opportunity to fuel innovation” says Gökçe Ötkün, head of sustainability, VitrA Global.

Dr. Acaroglu brings a creative approach to the field of sustainability and the circular economy. As a designer, sociologist and educational entrepreneur, she encourages people to rethink the challenges of today’s society. Recognised for her significant contributions to advancing science and innovation within sustainability, Dr. Acaroglu was named Champion of the Earth by the United Nations and categorised as a Change-Maker by LinkedIn. As an educational entrepreneur, she founded The UnSchool, an experimental knowledge lab for adults, Swivel Skills, a corporate sustainability training platform and developed the Disruptive Design Method. Dr. Acaroglu also created the Circular Classroom and the Anatomy of Action in collaboration with the UNEP.

Doors open at the VitrA London showroom on Thursday 13 June at 6pm, the talk will start at 6.30pm, with an opportunity for discussions and refreshments from 8pm until 9pm.

Please note this event is strictly RSVP only – register your interest via the following link https://london.vitra.co.uk/event/talk-with-dr-leyla-acaroglu and a member of the showroom team will be in touch.

Keep Reading

Bathrooms to Love gets tactile with texture for new Ligne

May 29, 2024

The latest modular furniture range from Bathrooms to Love, the bathroom brand exclusive to distributor, PJH, is this effortlessly stylish new ‘LIGNE’ range featuring a unique geometric design.

A floor-standing range with elegant Maple solid wood ‘framed’ legs, the LIGNE furniture collection boasts a stunning aesthetic – with a textured finish of vertical and horizontal lines. Not only does this project a luxurious tactile surface but it is also finished in a supermatt, fingerprint-proof finish. The contrast between the textured matt finish and natural timber legs gives rise to a distinctive, stylish look, perfect for the discerning customer.

Bathroom-Review-BTL-by-PJH-LIGNE-CO-Matt-Smoke-Blue

A premium range, LIGNE – named after its linear patterned finish, is available in three on-trend matt shades; Smoke Blue (as pictured), Oat and Graphite Grey, with a choice of sleek handle designs in three metallics; Matt Black, Brushed Brass and Chrome. These can also be coordinated with the same metallic finished overflow rings, flush covers and seat hinge caps.

Boasting generous bathroom storage space, LIGNE is available in a range of two-drawer Basin Units as well as a wall-hung Tall Unit with shelves. It is also suitable for smaller bathroom spaces as the vanity units have a shorter than average depth of 395mm. Basin cabinet options include both units with a thin-edge, white inset ceramic basin, and units with a coordinating maple-effect top that can be teamed with a vessel basin.

Basin unit sizes range from 610mm to 815mm in width, and feature premium soft-close fittings for ultra smooth gliding action and longevity.

Now in stock and available to order from PJH, the stunning new LIGNE range comes with competitive display deals, product swatches and a package of showroom support. This includes QR codes with AR links for customer’s to view LIGNE in their own space, as well as this engaging new video: LIGNE by BTL

Supported with Next Day Delivery (to 93% of UK postcodes), including the opportunity to deliver to store or home, LIGNE can be ordered via PJH’s Partners Portal™ e-commerce website.

Bathroom-Review-BTL_PJH-Ligne-Matt-SMoke

Further information:

Bathrooms to Love by PJH: T: 0800 8 77 88 99 / www.partners.pjh.uk / www.bathroomstolove.uk

Keep Reading

KUDOS staff hit £5,000 MIND charity target

May 23, 2024

Staff at Kudos have completed many fundraising activities over the past year and hit their target, raising over £5000 for MIND, their chosen charity.

At the start of 2023, these dedicated staff at UK shower enclosure manufacturer Kudos rallied behind MIND as their corporate charity. Their journey was marked by a series of inspiring activities, including the 3 Yorkshire Peaks, where a team of people with varied experience in endurance walking committed to weeks of training for the 24-mile circular walk with a total elevation of 1700m and completed the walk in an impressive 10 hours and 52 minutes. Other fundraising activities included taking part in the Cheshire Tough Mudder, where a team of 10 completed a 5km obstacle course, raffles and (of course) bake sales. These collective efforts culminated in a significant achievement, with a total of £ 5127.75 raised by the end of April 2024.

The MIND charity has existed for 70 years, supporting people with mental health problems. They do this through public campaigns and influencing decision-makers. They have local services in communities across England and Wales that try to ensure everyone experiencing a mental health problem can access the support they need. In 2022/23 MIND responded to over 130,000 queries to their support and information helplines, £10 helps 15 people to receive support through Mind’s online peer support community, £500 helps to answer 25 enquiries to its Legal Line, £100 is enough to run a virtual school support session. Overall, they have touched millions of lives, but with 1 in 4 of us having mental health problems, their work continues. A little goes a long way for charities like this, and the team at Kudos wanted to show their support.

Kudos has just announced that the staff this year has voted to make The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital their corporate charity for this year, and fund-raising events are already being planned to support it.

Keep Reading

Living La Dolce Vita – Ideal Standard’s new range celebrates all things Italian

May 23, 2024

Bathroom manufacturer Ideal Standard has unveiled its new La Dolce Vita range, the latest addition to its design-led Atelier Collections. The new range has been designed by chief design officer Roberto Palomba and has been inspired by its famous namesake expression – the sweet life.

Whether it’s an ice-cold negroni on the Amalfi coast or a dive into the turquoise waters of Sicily, the Italian lifestyle is all about indulging in beauty whenever you can. In 2024, Ideal Standard is allowing its customers to bring that beauty into their homes.

The collection features a complete bathroom solution – from vanities and vessels, toilets, bidets and bathtubs to mixer taps, shower products and accessories. Furthermore, the collection seamlessly integrates with Ideal Standard’s furniture selection and broader product range, all thanks to its Singular™ philosophy. This ensures designers and customers can explore and select elements that perfectly align with their vision and requirements.

Bathroom-Review-Ideal-Standard-Dolce-Vita

Aesthetically, La Dolce Vita’s beauty is carefully balanced between geometric shapes and forms inspired by the natural environment. The tapered shape and curved edges of the ceramic vanities and toilets in the collection elegantly separate them from the crowd. At the same time, the deep, flower-shaped vessel basins are instantly eye-catching in both square and round designs. The accompanying vanities are available in six sizes, including standout asymmetric models with a practical storage surface. As a statement piece, the freestanding bathtub commands the space in any bathroom but still echoes the understated elegance of a relaxed Italian lifestyle.

Fittings and accessories follow the same lead, with basin mixers, vessel mixers, wall-mounted models, and bath and shower mixers sharing the same design DNA. The shower systems feature a sleek stem-like design with minimalist curves. They are available in classic chrome or Ideal Standard’s durable PVD colours: brushed gold, magnetic grey and silver storm.

It isn’t just style where La Dolce Vita thrives. Behind the elegant exterior lies innovative Ideal Standard technology. WCs feature AquaBlade® technology (or RimLS+® on wall-hung bowls) for excellent flushing performance and improved hygiene, while the FirmaFlow® ceramic cartridges in the taps ensure durability.

La Dolce Vita is now available, to find out more about Ideal Standard’s Atelier Collections, please visit: www.idealstandard.com

Keep Reading

300-year old ‘Etna’ volcanic ash product launches at UK Construction Week

May 23, 2024

A groundbreaking home decorating material, crafted from 350-year-old volcanic ash sourced from Mount Etna, made its world debut at UK Construction Week (UKCW) London this month.

Etna® is the brainchild of Sicily-based manufacturer Nikkolor Italia and is composed of volcanic ash from the Etna eruption of 1669, pure natural hydraulic lime, natural active ingredients and mineral aggregates.

Supplied as a dry powder, this innovative material transforms into a versatile plaster when mixed with water, allowing for a variety of stunning finishes and effects. Sustainable and breathable, Etna not only enhances aesthetics but also reinforces, protects, and restores both exterior and interior walls.

Etna® was the result of the REUCET 2018/2020 project (recovery and use of Etna volcanic ash) conducted by a group of researchers from the University of Catania and financed by the Ministry of the Environment.

Nikkolor Italia was among the 16 companies showcasing their innovations at the special Sicilian Pavilion during UKCW London, held from May 7-9. As the UK’s largest exhibition for the built environment, UKCW London provided an ideal platform for Nikkolor Italia to present its cutting-edge products.

The founders of Nikkolor Italia, Salvo Caniglia and Ierna Tiziana, said: “Visitors could not believe that we use volcanic ash that is older than any living creature on the planet. It was fantastic to use UK Construction Week London to launch our unique product to the world, and we hope this is the start of a promising relationship between UKCW and Sicily.”

Vito Ruscigno, Foreign Technical Sales Manager, Nikkolor Italia, added: “The reaction and feedback to the launch of Etna at our stand within the Sicilian Pavilion was brilliant – at some stages we had people queuing up to speak to us!”

Sam Patel, the divisional director – of construction, commented: “The launch of products like Etna at UKCW London helps to further strengthen the show’s international status and reputation, and it’s exactly what our event is all about – innovation, international collaboration and bringing the very latest products and learnings directly to those at the heart of the construction industry, from architects to contractors, surveyors to engineers.”

More exclusive launches and live demonstrations will take place at UKCW Birmingham, which runs from October 1-3 2024; UKCW London will return next year, from May 6-8 2025.

Registration for the Birmingham event is now live. click here to register.

Keep Reading

Bathrooms to Love adds texture with STRIATA fluted bath

May 22, 2024

The fluted finish bathroom trend is on the rise, leading PJH’s Bathrooms to Love brand to add a stunning new fluted bath to its lineup.

‘STRIATA,’ the newest addition to the Bathrooms to Love Free-standing bath range. This luxurious model boasts soft vertical fluting and a pristine white finish.

Expanding the variety of trendy fluted designs in the Bathrooms to Love collection, which also includes furniture, wetroom glass panels, and washbowls, the STRIATA Free-standing bath is crafted from high-grade acrylic. Its design features smooth curves and a striking appearance. The fluted exterior introduces a stylish new element, making it a standout centerpiece for any bathroom project or showroom display.

Measuring L1700mm x W750mm x H570mm, this luxurious bath boasts a 260-litre water capacity and comes with a pre-fitted integrated waste. Pair it with a floor-standing bath shower mixer, like the ‘Pescara’ model in brushed brass, or opt for wall-mounted taps. Bathrooms to Love also provides matching waste cover kits in finishes such as brushed brass and matt black, ensuring a cohesive look.

Tanna Molyneux, Bathroom Product Manager, PJH, said: “The latest fluted look is a great way of introducing new textures to bathroom schemes, allowing the light to bounce over the surface for added visual interest. It embraces this season’s Bathrooms to Love theme, ‘Nature’s Palette’, taking inspiration from organic shapes and textures.”

Now in stock and available to order from PJH, the new STRIATA Bath comes with a competitive display deal and a package of showroom support. This includes a QR code with AR link for customer’s to view STRIATA in their own space, as well as this handy new video: STRIATA by BTL Video

Supported with Next Day Delivery (to 93% of UK postcodes), including the opportunity to deliver to store or home, STRIATA can be ordered via PJH’s Partners Portal™ e-commerce website.

Further information:

Bathrooms to Love by PJH: T: 0800 8 77 88 99 / www.partners.pjh.uk / www.bathroomstolove.uk

Keep Reading