GRAFF exhibited for the first time this year at CDW’s Design Fields location.
The brassware brand showcased its new iconic MOD+ range (pictured below). Offering design flexibility, the range comprises 55 bathroom products for the washbasin, bathtub and shower areas. In all MOD+ offers over 63,000 possible combinations.
Harley pictured top, was also on display, the design of the contemporary collection takes inspiration from the classic motorcycle look, fusing an industrial aesthetic with the nostalgia of all-American icons. Created by GRAFF’s G+Design Studio, the faucet’s handle recalls a car steering wheel for a touch of eclecticism.
Commenting on the show, GRAFF’s CEO Ziggy Kulig states, “We are excited to be exhibiting at Clerkenwell Design Week. We are honored to meet industry professionals from all over the world and share the beauty of GRAFF with them. We relish the opportunity to present ourselves as the market leaders in luxury brassware.”
About GRAFF
Founded in the early 70’s, GRAFF’s aim was to create avant-garde bathroom products that championed innovation, quality, and unparalleled function – these values have underpinned GRAFF’s philosophy ‘The Art of Bath’ ever since. GRAFF continues to manufacture brassware for residential projects, hotels and restaurants all over the globe. Leading the way in timeless style, state-of-the-art technology and beautiful design, every shower, mixer and accessory is crafted to celebrate the luxurious art of bathing.
The three new handle options from The Shower Lab are skilfully crafted using highly specified quality materials, embracing techniques honed over the years.
The new handles combine a clever curation of the geological and the manufactured; striking a timeless balance between luxe and simplicity. The new handles offer the perfect finishing touch to a stunning shower space.
All the handles are offered FOC to The Shower Lab’s bespoke M2M customers and for standard spaces handles are charged at just separately.
Ideal Standard International S.A., a leading manufacturer of sanitaryware and fittings products in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, today announces that Jonas Nilsson, co-CEO & President Sanitary Ware Segment, will depart Ideal Standard effective June 30th.
Effective July 1st, Jan Peter Tewes (pictured left), co-CEO and President Fittings Segment will assume the role of sole CEO.
Jonas Nilsson joined Ideal Standard in 2019 as chief operating officer and, in 2021, was appointed as co-CEO alongside Jan Peter Tewes. Jonas will depart having led the successful reconfiguration of Ideal Standard’s manufacturing footprint and streamlining of our logistics networks.
Ideal Standard say under his leadership operational functions have significantly improved performance across all areas, and continue to target higher levels of quality, cost efficiency, and supply chain optimization.
At the same time as paying tribute to Jonas Nilsson for his significant contributions to the company, the Board and shareholders congratulate Jan Peter Tewes on his elevation to the position of sole CEO. As the Company’s co-CEO since 2021 and former chief commercial officer, Jan Peter Tewes is ideally placed to lead Ideal Standard in its further development, building on the leadership and vision he has already shown.
Shower screen and enclosure manufacturer, Majestic, exhibited for the first time at this year’s Clerkenwell Design Week.
Located at Stand D7a within the Detail exhibition, in The Order of St John building, Majestic presented its iconic shower enclosure, the Como Corner Demi Framed and a range of hinges, handles and glass options.
Visitors were encouraged to mix and match textures and finishes, demonstrating how architects and designers can create entirely bespoke solutions to meet any project’s objectives.
Majestic also presented its more user-friendly specifier sample box. The newly designed box included samples of the brands’ curated glass options including Mirrored, Opti Clear, Satin Etched, Grey, Bronze and Clear, as well as profile options in 20 different finishes. The glass samples within the box slot cleverly into the profile samples allowing architects and designers to combine both elements in order to configure solutions that are carefully tailored around individual project requirements.
Leading washroom manufacturer for the commercial and healthcare sectors, Armitage Shanks, is offering free onsite training on the use and maintenance of its Markwik taps to NHS trusts across the country.
Developed specifically for trusts using the Markwik range, the training sessions will be carried out by expert service engineers, who will share knowledge and best practice guidance for the upkeep and use of the mixers in healthcare settings.
Thermostatic taps like Markwik are an integral part of healthcare facilities, featuring thermostatic valves, which are essential in preventing scalding, decreasing the risk of waterborne pathogens, and minimising risks to staff and patients alike.
The programme addresses tasks including thermostatic tap purging, cleaning inlet strainers, and helping staff to better diagnose supply or temperature issues quickly and easily. After receiving the training, staff at clinics and hospitals will be better equipped to prevent issues and breakages and reduce maintenance costs.
Speaking on the training, Stacey Seagrave, senior product manager of Non-Residential Fittings, at Ideal Standard and Armitage Shanks, said: “We’ve been supplying hospitals and NHS trusts in the UK for decades, making sure staff and patients have the best fixtures and fittings possible. Having deep roots in the healthcare sector, we’ve developed a real understanding of where we can make life simpler for healthcare professionals, from clinicians to engineers and maintenance staff. We know that by giving teams the knowledge and equipment they need, we’re helping them to provide the best care to patients.
“When it comes to thermostatic taps, these fixtures have a real impact on the care people receive, as well the ability of staff to effectively do their jobs. Our Markwik 21 and 21+ thermostatic mixer taps have been designed to perform in the demanding, high-intensity environments of healthcare settings. So, by providing the training needed to make sure these taps continue to perform, we are helping to keep people safe and operations running more smoothly.”
The training has been developed to be as easy to access as possible, with attendees requiring a Markwik tap set up away from patients and a couple of spare hours with the relevant team members. Main beneficiaries will include estates departments, contract personnel responsible for safe water delivery and infection control and authorising engineers.
Sanitary industry professionals from around the world gathered in Lisbon, Portugal from 30th May to 2nd June to experience the GROHE X Professional Event.
Not only were participants able to visit the GROHE Experience Center in Lisbon and the plant in Albergaria, but also a dedicated brand space completed the customer journey. The brand space presented the GROHE Professional portfolio in four areas, from highlighting products such as the water-recirculating shower GROHE Everstream, the new colour Phantom Black and the new GROHE Tempesta hand shower, to the brand’s efforts to strengthen the industry with an exclusive comprehensive product, training and service package.
“We are delighted that the GROHE X Professional event was a great success. Direct contact with our professional partners is vital to us and it is important to come together as an industry to understand how we can support each other. We firmly believe that this is the foundation for sustained growth and innovation, and we will continue to invest in these relationships”, said Jonas Brennwald, Leader LIXIL EMENA.
The GROHE X Professional Event is the second installment of live events following the digital GROHE X Summit that took place in early March. The brand is taking a hybrid approach in order to deliver the best possible experience for its customers.
GROHE Professional presented in four areas
With GROHE Professional, GROHE has created a unique product and service proposition tailored to the needs of sanitaryware wholesalers, installers, showrooms, project customers and kitchen studios.
During the GROHE X Professional Event, partners could explore the broad offering in more detail. The dedicated GROHE Professional range encompasses over 700 products that the brand sells exclusively to the traditional wholesale channel. In Lisbon, customers got to know new innovations in the Novelties area, such as Phantom Black, the latest addition to the GROHE Colours Collection.
Other highlights were the new GROHE Tempesta hand shower, which features a simple switch function to activate different sprays at the touch of a fingertip, and the new softedged GROHE BauEdge ceramics, among others.
GROHE Everstream
The debut of the GROHE Everstream demonstrated how the home can actively and positively shape everyone’s personal impact on the planet and its resources. The water-recirculating shower GROHE Everstream has been designed to create the showering experience users expect but consuming as little fresh water as possible.
In its recirculating mode, the Everstream collects used water in a tank that is then pumped into a circuit which maintains the desired temperature and hygienically treats the water. This uses less energy and conserves water that would otherwise go down the drain.
How to support professionals at the point of sale?
This question was the focus of the Commercial area, where the recently launched GROHE Professional campaign was presented. This campaign celebrates the partnership between consumers and their professional partners in realising individual bathroom concepts. The area was rounded off by GROHE+, a loyalty program that actively supports professional tradespeople with a comprehensive training offering and makes day-to-day business easier for GROHE’s B2B customers.
The winners for each category will be chosen by the independent judging panel that includes Ainhoa Bilbao, Martin Gill, Andrea Hillier, Keith Myers and Adrian Stoneham.
Ami Fitzpatrick – Sovereign Bathrooms Winchester Ltd
Hollie Kerr – EKCO (Livingston) Ltd
Andrew Hewson – Dobsons
Martin Flanders – Alexander
Gabi Riseley – Henry Rose Interiors (2 entries shortlisted)
Young
Kaitlyn Bruce – EKCO (Livingston) Ltd
Andreya Popova – Lima Kitchens
Lucy Cunliffe – Diane Berry Kitchens Ltd
Sophie Owen– Qudaus Living Ltd (2 entries shortlisted)
Haydee Baker – Kitchen Living Ltd
Kitchen Concept
Sophie Owen– Qudaus Living Ltd
Chad Cooper – The Myers Touch
Araminta Glenn – Kitchens International
David Allen – Diane Berry Kitchens Ltd
Cristine Atkinson – Butler Interiors
Joanna Geddes – Kitchens by JS Geddes
Bedroom
Lily Lucas – Anderson Sinclair Ltd
Katy Pearson – The Kitchen Showroom Ltd
Mike Hughes – Mike Hughes Kitchens & Bedrooms
Kbsa national chair Richard Hibbert said, “Congratulations to all of our finalists, the quality of the designs submitted is once again outstanding, and our judges faced a difficult task.
“We wish all of our finalists good luck, winners will be announced at the Kbsa Designer Awards dinner which follows the KBB Industry conference on Wednesday 27 September, at the Belfry Hotel and Resort, West Midlands.
More details and booking forms are available from the website or call Kbsa head office, 01623 818808.
Design Director Henning Rieseler from Studio F. A. Porsche talks about the inspiration behind the creation of the Qatego bathroom collection, created in collaboration with bathroom supplier Duravit.
F. A. Porsche designed the Qatego bathroom series for Duravit and bring wood, ceramic, and natural stone together to create a harmonious bathroom design for an unmistakable homely atmosphere with skilfully accentuated niches. The rounded form of the sanitary objects is striking against the linear and minimalistic design of the cabinets, creating a holistic bathroom interior of effective contrasts.
Q1) Studio F. A. Porsche has always stayed true to its founder’s philosophy: maximum functionality with an honest design. Mr. Rieseler, how was this approach implemented in the Qatego bathroom collection for Duravit?
HR: When it came to Qatego and bathroom design overall, we opted for a completely new approach within our philosophy: the most significant function in a private area such as the bathroom is the feeling of comfort and wellbeing. It is these highly emotional “functions” that people seek in their private home, especially at a time when the outside world appears increasingly restless and maybe also a little discomforting. For that reason, Qatego focuses on simplicity and a very human touch that we have combined with softer forms, which are exceedingly minimalist and iconic overall. As a result, everything appears very natural and discreet.
Q2: What was the basic idea behind the development of the bathroom collection and what were you intending to achieve?
We wanted to design a product range that is in line with human needs and restores a more natural approach to the bathroom. We immediately liked Duravit’s main material – ceramic – with its natural tactility and softness. Instead of working against the material or introducing new, unknown materials into the bathroom, we saw ceramic as already being the best choice for our approach of the “new naturalness”.
A further objective was also to compile a very broad palette of products and materials, and we were able to realize that with Duravit.
Q3: Mr. Rieseler, Qatego stands out with its striking design – what do you consider to be the most important features of the bathroom range?
The most important design features are the soft forms at the upper edge of the products. All products can be recognized easily and immediately at first glance because we have mainly used elementary shapes such as squares and circles. Up close you feel the perfect balance as soon as you touch the products: soft details lend a sense of naturalness, without appearing to be too organic.
Q4: Qatego impresses with the interaction of natural materials such as wood, ceramic, and natural stone. How are these materials combined with one another?
Part of our design idea is that all materials and colours are harmonized with one another and can be combined in a variety of ways: the white ceramic of the washbasins combines with the furniture elements, which are available in wood décor and muted single colours, as well as with a stone console in three different materials. Faucets can also vary the look, of course. Combining white marble with a black faucet, for example, gives the product a soft overall impression, yet the colour contrast also lends the series a refined and exclusive look.
Q5: This is the first time that Studio F. A. Porsche has worked with Duravit – how did the design process of the new collection progress?
The process was exciting for us because Duravit kept the brief open. There were two stipulations that we found attractive and challenging: on the one hand the question of how customers’ requirements in a bathroom have changed. The second was explicitly not to design a collection that would only appeal to a small target group, but rather that should be attractive to a wide range of customers in terms of its design and variety. In this respect we conducted many constructive discussions within the design team and above all with Duravit and learned a lot from each other.
The entire development process, both in terms of the concept and the implementation, was characterized by an excellent, close collaboration as well as the strong motivation of everyone involved at Duravit and of course here at Studio F.A. Porsche. This can be clearly seen from the result.
‘Quiet Luxury’ is a trend into a movement that brings understated elegance into a space. This trend has been gaining recognition within the interior design sphere of late.
Influenced heavily by trending interiors that favour understated craftsmanship and quality design over mass trend-led styling and overbranded buys, ‘Quiet Luxury’ requires each design decision to be conscious, considered and refined.
In a recent YouGov study, it was found that 23% of UK adults view the environment as one of the top three most important issues currently facing the country1. Since their research began in 2011, YouGov noted that those acknowledging environmental issues as important matters have steadily risen over the past decade, from having hovered between 5%-9% until 2014 to consistently staying above 20% ten years on. The societal demand and continued awareness around sustainability is a key driving trend for manufacturers to provide premium performance showers that cater to an eco-friendly and environmentally conscious lifestyle.
GROHE lifestyle & portfolio
With quality, sustainability, and human-centric design at the core of the GROHE product portfolio, GROHE says it naturally embodies the ‘Quiet Luxury’ approach to design and specification. Alongside premium quality products created with expert craftsmanship in timeless designs, the portfolio is subtly equipped with GROHE’s innovative technologies to deliver the very best in experience as well as offering sustainable benefits.
GROHE & Caesarstone Collaboration
GROHE’s latest collaboration with premium quartz surfaces brand Caesarstone, for their brand-new Private Collections, is an extension of GROHE’s beloved premium models, Atrio and Allure Brillant. The collection provides a customisable design experience with a choice of colour, finish, material, and handle options.
Integrated within a number of the fitting’s body is GROHE’s water-saving technology, EcoJoy, which reduces the water flow by up to 50%, without compromising on performance.
Sustainable design
GROHE recently announced Spring 2024 as the market launch of its first-ever water-recycling shower GROHE Everstream. The shower system is currently being field tested and a training programme for installers is expected to start in the second half of 2023. In addition, GROHE is also aiming to have all GROHE concealed showers water-recycling-ready by 2030. GROHE Everstream has been designed to create the showering experience users expect but consuming as little fresh water as possible – and using far less energy. The Everstream system uses as little as a quarter of the water and a third of the energy typically required by traditional showers.
From 27-29 June, Saniflo, designer and manufacturer of pumps, macerators and lifting stations, will exhibit at the Installer Show.
This year, customers and prospects will be treated to a display of Sanifos underground pumps – popular with domestic and commercial customers – that feature multiple connection points to pump waste black and grey water from whole buildings when the building level is lower than the mains drains.
Also on display will be the new Saniflush, a modern WC with an easy-access, integrated macerator that can take the waste from a sink. The sleek, seamless design highlights the simplicity of converting an unused space into a stylish cloakroom or bathroom when gravity drainage isn’t accessible.
In addition, visitors to the stand will find a range of condensate, submersible, and shower pumps.
All visitors to the Saniflo stand can enter a special prize draw to win £100 Amazon Gift Voucher by answering the question on the competition entry form. One lucky winner will be chosen randomly at the end of each day.
Saniflo UK marketing manager, Amanda Mills, says: “We had a successful Installer Show last year and we’re looking forward to this one and having the opportunity to showcase the quality and durability of the Saniflo range of products to existing customers and prospects. We’re particularly keen to demonstrate the benefits of the Sanifos range and the success Sanifos is enjoying with domestic and commercial projects. The Saniflo experts will be on hand to answer all questions. We look forward to seeing everyone there.”
The Installer Show takes place at the NEC in Birmingham in Hall 5, Saniflo will be on stand B100.
