Leading supplier HiB has unveiled the new ‘Sound cabinet’, which brings the latest music technology to the bathroom.
Using integrated speakers and Bluetooth connectivity, users can enjoy their best-loved music, podcasts and audiobooks with ease. Boasting fantastic sound quality and simple operation, the ‘Sound cabinet’ enhances bathroom entertainment effortlessly.
Charging devices is also easy, thanks to integrated USB and 2 pin charging sockets, located inside Sound’s soft-close mirrored doors, which offer stunning LED illumination and include heated pads to reduce condensation on the mirrored surface.
Ash Chilver, Sales Director at HiB said: “Sound offers the perfect blend of clean, elegant design and technology that customers are looking for. Being able to listen to music in excellent quality whilst the bathroom is a real advantage, there’s no need for wires or additional speakers.
“Sound also has a clean, minimalist design that really showcases LED illumination at its finest. The lighting is operated using a touch switch on the side of the cabinet and because of the mirrored surfaces, the cabinet will suit any bathroom aesthetic.”
To maximise storage, Sound features adjustable glass shelving, to accommodate most everyday essentials. The cabinet is available in three sizes 50cm, 60cm and 80cm with the larger options featuring a central divide to enhance useability even further.
Features by Diane Larner founder and editor of Bathroom Review & Kitchens Review. Diane Larner launched both titles over 12 years ago and has been writing about the bathroom and kitchen interior design industry ever since, publishing regular features across the two sectors.
In this feature, we consider some of the options available to architects and designers, from crafty solutions that hide the accessories we would rather not see, to designs that add finesse to future-proofing.
Alternative endings
Ritmonio ELEMENTA
Planning accessories early on in the project is a safe way to ensure design clarity and continuity; however, this is not always foolproof, as change is inevitable in design evolution. Even the firmest of resolutions are subject to revision, which will impact each aspect, from surfaces to accessories. Selecting a range with a variety of finishes is one way to ensure leeway at any stage of the game.
HiB Atto Range
Ash Chilver, sales director at HiB, agrees: “Perhaps the most notable development of bathroom accessories over the years is the rise in popularity of alternative finishes. Though still a staple choice, chrome is no longer the only option and many designers and consumers are opting for alternatives such as black and brushed metals to enhance their overall look. This trend is set to continue with further options currently being developed.”
Options such as HiB’s Atto range are available in chrome, black and brushed brass finishes, offering versatility applicable to various trends. Pieces in the range can be matched with brassware and mirrors with the same finish, creating a consistent style throughout the space.
Ritmonio’s ELEMENTA collection (pictured very top and above) has also been created to deliver a ‘made-to-measure’ approach for design flexibility. Available in 19 finishes and various materials, including stainless steel and acrylic stone, the clean design means individual elements can be combined to create unique compositions for countless types of accessories.
Geo style
Scavolini Jemoetrica collection
Selecting products that will outlive current trends is key to creating design with longevity. Accessories that stand the test of time may be considered in terms of shape and colour. One option is to build in geometric styling; this centuries-old style plays well with a wide range of surroundings delivering elegance and flair.
James Sketch, country manager of KEUCO UK agrees: “Now more than ever before project managers and specifiers are looking for elements that have a practical aspect, and a design style that will last, and ensures the bathroom maintains a contemporary look for many years to come.”
Scavolini’s Jemoetrica collection(pictured above) is a perfect example of this. Created in collaboration with world-renowned designer Luca Nichetto it is heavily influenced by three iconic 20th-century designs: Ellsworth Kelly’s Sculpture for a Large Wall, Gio Ponti’s multifunctional wall units and Donald Judd’s three-dimensional structures. The wall panel accommodates a series of holes onto which shelves, containers and small accessories can be attached and moved as required.
Keuco REVAKeuco REVAKeuco REVA
Another alternative is KEUCO’s REVA accessories series; the collection has been crafted as a clear geometric shape – ideal for various styles and living environments, regardless of fashion trends.
Attention to detail
KEUCO REVA Shower Shelf
However necessary (and beautifully designed) accessories are, they must work hard to look good. Creating clean lines and an uncluttered feel can be difficult once you add shelving and accompaniments.
One way to combat this is to build in recesses or to include accessories that hide away. A squeegee will always be a little awkward, yet, KEUCO’s shower shelf (pictured above) has a hidden extra that remedies the problem – a glass squeegee is invisibly integrated into the design, a detail that is both creative and practical.
Unidrain’s REFRAME collection is also packed full of cleverly engineered designs. It has been created with keen attention to detail to guarantee the ultimate user experience. For example, the newly launched soap dispenser has a robust construction with a non-slip base which keeps it upright and stable, but the most noble design feature is the angled nozzle. This has been crafted to dispense a specifically measured quantity of soap and due to the angle, the soap lands in your hand and not on the washbasin.
HiB support barHiB foldable shower seatHiBshower shelf
Bathroom accessories are, by default, hands-on, and we know haptics play a significant role in our sense of well-being. This makes shape and texture a key consideration when planning accessories and is especially pertinent to future-proofing or accessible design; for example, a supportive, comfortable grab rail will deliver a heightened sense of safety.
HiB’s multigenerational accessories are an excellent option for families with many age groups living under one roof. Careful planning early on in the project is key when building an accessible design; products such as foldable shower seats can be a stylish but practical solution that aids mobility and access without imposing on the available space.
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Impey, best known as one of the UK’s market-leading wetroom manufacturers, has announced the introduction of four new colours of drain top to their portfolio. The shades Gold, Anthracite, Bronze and Black, have been chosen to complement the brand’s Aqua-Dec EasyFit and Aqua-Dec Linear range of wetroom floor formers. The Allure collection and new Paragon drain tops will be available from September 2022, throughout the brand’s nationwide retailer network.
Impey is renowned for its portfolio of wetroom solutions including its Aqua-Dec wetroom floor formers with inbuilt drainage gradient. In addition to the popular Aqua-Dec range, Impey has released an eye-catching new selection of coloured drain tops that offer enhanced personalisation options and will fit both the linear and square style of wetroom floors.
The new linear Allure range is available in both 600mm and 800mm sizes for the Aqua-Dec Linear floor formers. While the new square Allure range has been designed to fit the Aqua-Dec EasyFit.
In addition to the new colours, Impey will simultaneously launch two high-quality stainless steel drain tops ‘Paragon’ which will also be available in a brushed or polished finish. The pioneering new drain tops offer a minimalist aesthetic and customisation within any bathroom space.
Both the Allure collection and Paragon drain tops boast high flow rates, exceptional quality and are manufactured with a low carbon footprint.
Said Jessica Davis, Impey’s product manager, shower floors: “We are excited to launch the stunning Allure Collection and Paragon drain tops as an addition to our Aqua-Dec wetroom floor former drainage solutions. Giving specifiers and homeowners an opportunity to customise their wetrooms and coordinate perfectly with bathroom accessories or screen profiles. The colourful drain tops will sit alongside our existing wetroom floor former options and can be purchased as an upgrade to a complete wetroom solution or as a stand-alone item.”
Both new additions to Allure and Paragon are manufactured in the UK using locally sourced products and suppliers. Targeting sustainability, 100% of the packaging is recyclable cardboard and the Allure collection is PVD coated; the most energy-efficient coating process.
The Valesso Fitted Furniture range from Bathrooms to Love, one of the brand’s best selling furniture collections, has introduced a new finish to its family of fitted units; a bold new MATT INDIGO BLUE colourway.
Joining the current Valesso range which includes three high gloss finishes (Onyx Grey Gloss, Pearl Grey Gloss and White Gloss), this new inky blue matt option is a welcome addition to the range offering Bathrooms to Love stockists another on-trend choice to entice the consumer. What’s more, it satisfies the growing popularity of the use of the many shades of blue in contemporary bathroom design.
A fitted furniture range, Valesso features an integrated handle, which when combined with a flush fitted arrangement of both floor and wall units, boasts a clean, streamlined and extremely slick look. The tactile super matt tones of the Indigo Blue finish complete the design, pairing up perfectly with bright white ceramics and brushed brass taps and accessories.
Available in a range of standard and space-saving slim units (222mm reduced depth), offering plenty of flexible storage solutions, the Valesso Indigo Blue range includes Basin, Drawer, Tall, Wall, Base WC, Toilet Roll and Mirrored units. All come complete with Hettich soft-close door and drawer fittings, and are colour coordinated throughout.
All base units can be teamed with a range of worktops from the Bathrooms to Love collection, available in wide choice of stylish finishes, such as this slim White Slate High Pressure Laminate (12mm thick). The bathroom specialist also offers a large choice of complementing ceramics, such as the Amyris semi-recessed basin and back-to-wall WC, as shown.
Proud to be ‘Made in the UK’, the stunning new Valesso Fitted Furniture range in Matt Indigo Blue, is manufactured to a high specification so comes complete with a 5-year Guarantee.
For further information or to order this range, contact Bathrooms to Love at PJH on Tel: 0800 8 77 88 99; or visit www.partners.pjh.uk.
Inspired by America’s mid-century modern design movement, Crosswater has launched Canvass, a new furniture collection that balances traditional design elements with modern craftsmanship to offer highly functional and stylish bathroom solutions.
Canvass features classic silhouettes, calming palettes, and hard-wearing materials that work together to provide a timeless and durable collection that compliments both traditional and contemporary bathroom designs. The collection comprises a wall hung countertop unit that can be paired with coordinating height adjustable legs for a floor standing option. The Double Drawer Unit is available in four sizes, 485mm, 600mm, 700mm, and 900mm, and four flawless finishes, which include Sage Green, Deep Indigo Blue, Storm Grey Matt, and White Gloss. There is also a choice of three different handles, modern, knurled, and classic, available in a range of different finishes for a uniquely customisable offering.
Canvass features soft closing, push to open drawers and, for those that want optimum functionality and extra storage, an optional internal drawer. The Double Drawer Unit features a Carrara Marble Effect Worktop that pairs beautifully with Crosswater’s wide range of countertop basins, including Circus, Navona, and Castellon.
Available fully assembled for a quick and easy install, the Double Drawer Unit is crafted from sustainable sources and finished with a matt lacquered finish to protect the wood from bacteria, fingerprints, discolouration, and fading. The worktop is easy to clean, highly heat resistant, and impenetrable to dust, dirt, and bacteria.
With prices ranging from £1,090 to £1,785, Canvass is available from independent bathroom retailers throughout the UK, as well as several online bathroom retailers.
The Lambra Modular Furniture range, one of PJH’s best-selling bathroom furniture families from its Bathrooms to Love Collection, has been expanded with the welcome addition of a new matt sage green option.
With a tactile super matt finish and smooth curved edges, the new Sage Green colourway joins Lambra’s three other finishes; Matt Indigo, Matt Grey and Gloss White, thus providing Bathrooms to Love stockists with yet further options on this premium furniture range to entice the consumer.
Styled with an integrated handle, the new Lambra Matt Sage Green range is available as wall-hung and floor-standing, including 500mm, 605mm and 805mm width basin units, a tall unit and a WC unit. The basin units feature a curved integrated ceramic basin and two-drawers (wall-hung) or two-doors (floor-standing) – so storage space is in abundance.
Explained Julie Lockwood, product manager, furniture, Bathrooms to Love: “Introducing new colours into bathroom spaces through furniture continues to grow, especially green-themed hues, with links to the natural environment. This beautiful sage green shade makes for a classy bathroom statement, especially when teamed with Lambra’s streamlined and curvaceous form.”
With a colour-coordinated cabinet and soft-close drawer and door fittings, the Lambra units boast a high specification, quality build and finish, and are highly durable to stand the test of time.
The new range, now available and in stock, comes complete with a QR label – as shown in the current ‘Style’ Bathrooms to Love consumer brochure and on point-of-sale. This allows the customer to access further product information as well as Augmented Reality – and visualise Lambra in their own bathroom space, to help encourage sales.
REVA meaning – “the one which connects” is an elegant and functional range of accessories from KEUCO. Accessories are not always the first components that spring to mind when creating a bathroom, but if missing from the room it is immediately noticed. Bathroom accessories, especially free-standing, are more than just useful items, when thoughtfully and creatively designed they bring style, harmony, and individuality to every bathroom design.
The REVA accessories series has been crafted as a clear geometric shape that works with a wide range of furnishing styles and living environments, regardless of fashion trends. They are high-quality with a flawless finish, available with a chrome-plated, or matt black finish which creates a particularly striking finish.
The REVA range includes a harmonious selection of accessories, which are both elegant and extremely practical such as the lotion dispenser; with its practical single-handed operation and white satin-finish inverted glass for easy filling. It is operated from below, there is no risk of water drops dripping from wet hands onto the surface of the dispenser.
Towel holders are available in single and double-arm versions and the toilet paper holder is available with or without a shelf; the REVA toilet brush set with a white satin-finish inverted glass has a removable plastic insert, which is easy to clean, and the toilet brush is always dry due to the drip reservoir.
The shower shelf comes in white or matt black and has a hidden secret – a glass squeegee is invisibly integrated into the design; as details that is both creative and practical. There are two recesses on the side of the shelf, these can be used to hang bathing and showering toiletries. (The shelf is also available without a glass squeegee.)
The REVA grab rail acts as a sturdy support in the bath or shower; the towel holder is available in sizes of 600 mm or 800 mm providing towels of any size enough space to dry away from the wall.
The bath towel rail has a smart detail, a hook on the side of the reverse – not visible from the front can be used to hang items such as a bath sponge. Towels or bathrobes hang securely on the slightly inclined hook and thanks to their solid wall mounting, all KEUCO accessories guarantee comfortable use and durability.
Delivering design flexibility, the complete furniture range comprises 27 elements. Ideal for everyday use and available at a very competitive price, the timeless design of Ketho.2 suits any bathroom. The flush-fitting, 16mm carcass sides helps deliver a minimalistic feel.
Christian Werner describes Ketho.2 as “poetry of geometry, with beautiful proportions and eye-catching, continuous strip handles in Anthracite aluminum. The pared-down, elegant style will bring joy for a long time and won’t look ‘dated’ in the next fashion wave, or even the one after that!”
Continuous strip handles in Anthracite are integrated into the front and the collection is available in a wide choice of sizes, and finishes.
As a complete furniture range, the 27 elements include vanity units with a hinged door, pull-out compartments, or drawers in planning-friendly widths of 410 to 1600mm. They can be combined with washbasins from the ME by Starck, D-Neo, or Vero Air ranges, plus a complete range of above-counter basins for console solutions.
For convenience in everyday use, Ketho.2 features a premium drawer system that is quiet, has a high load capacity, and comfortable self-close and soft-close features. An optional, high-quality interior organising system is available for the drawers. Semi-tall and tall cabinets extend the range of storage space.
There is also a narrow wall shelf with two subdivisions available as a decorative element with storage area.
Mirrors and mirrored cabinets as a visual highlight
Sensor-controlled mirrors (with optional heating) and mirrored cabinets (with optional washbasin lighting) blend harmoniously into the overall picture. The two lighting strips, are slightly set back to the left and right, ensuring direct illumination of the mirrored surface. They emit a sideways, glare-free light of more than 300 lux onto the wall and can work as the main light source in the bathroom, whilst creating an atmospheric mood.
The LED light sources with a pleasant light colour have a service life of more than 30,000 hours and are especially durable. They are controlled via the smart Casambi app or an integrated sensor.
Finishes for individual customer requirements
Ketho.2 comes with a range of options with a selection of finishes. From white through multiple grey stages up to fine-grained wood, 15 décor finishes are available in a variety of price categories. The three Super Matt finishes in White, Taupe, and Graphite with easy-to-clean, anti-fingerprint coating meet the highest standards with their sophisticated aesthetics and refined feel.
In response to the growing popularity of adding a splash of colour to the bathroom, PJH’s Bathrooms to Love brand has unveiled ELEMENTS, a new coloured collection of modular bathroom furniture.
As part of its ‘Mid-Season’ Bathrooms to Love new product introductions, the Elements range is available from this month (June) and features eight on-trend colour options across a choice of wall-hung and floor-standing basin units.
Including a variety of textured finishes – lacquered gloss, tactile matt and oak-effect – the colours have been carefully chosen to coordinate with the latest and upcoming interior trends. In addition, a choice of three sleek handles, in Matt Black, Brushed Brass and Chrome, can be combined with choice of cabinet colour to add a touch of personalisation to the desired look.
Within the range of colours is this striking MATT CONIFER GREEN shade, which brings a touch of the outdoors, ‘inside’, and is complemented with the decadent golden tones of a Brushed Brass handle, as well as other brushed brass products, such as the brassware, shower and enclosure – all from Bathrooms to Love. Other colourways featured in the Elements collection include calming grey, bold indigo and popular pastel pink.
The Elements modular units feature silent soft-close fittings, generous storage cupboard space and a crisp white ceramic basin.
With a width of 510mm, depth of 390mm and height of 518mm (wall-hung) and 848mm (floor-standing), the units come with a 5-year guarantee.
The full coloured collection can also be viewed via Bathrooms to Love QR codes, giving access to Augmented Reality and the opportunity for consumers to view the products in their own bathroom spaces, to help encourage sales.
The Zencha bathroom collection by Sebastian Herkner was inspired by traditional Japanese rituals and combines above-counter basins with minimalistic furniture. The collection also includes a bathtub and mirror and can be combined with toilets from a range of Duravit lines.
Modular bathroom furniture
The modular Zencha furniture collection has the flexibility to be organised as open shelving or drawers with easy to operate open and self-close technology. Combined with an above-counter basin, they create a beautiful centrepiece in the bathroom.
As a storage area for everyday items, Zencha offers structure to the room and creates a feeling of calm. The furniture frame comes with an easy-to-clean surface and anti-fingerprint effect and is available in the subtle colours White Super Matt, Taupe Super Matt, and Graphite Super Matt.
The cabinet fronts add a playful element and are offered in a range of variants. While the options in Natural Oak and Oak Black produce a warm and tactile effect, white plate or black textured glass introduces a degree of sensual elegance into the bathroom.
“I’ve always wanted to develop a bathroom series for Duravit,” said the designer from Offenbach.
Above-counter basins
The above-counter basins are made from DuraCeram® and consist of two differently shaped above-counter basins: a curved square measuring 420 x 420 mm and a rounded rectangle measuring 550 x 390 mm – with or without a tap panel – in White, White Satin Matt, Gray Satin Matt, and Anthracite Matt.
The square variant of the above-counter basin with its ceramic cover is a particular talking point in the bathroom and is covered by Duravit’s lifetime warranty. It can be combined with toilets from a range of Duravit lines.
Bathtub
The free-standing bathtub is made from DuraSolid® and measures 1250 x 1250 mm. Bathers are invited to immerse themselves into the deep water, an experience reminiscent of a Japanese Onsen bath. The bathtub is available in two compact versions measuring 1600 x 850 mm and 1800 x 900 mm, optionally with the air whirl system integrated into the base for a gentle massage effect.
