Diane, Author at Bathroom Review

Wrapped up: 2021’s biggest trends in bathroom design

January 3, 2022

Research undertaken by Plumbnation has revealed the biggest trends in bathroom design.

The research looked at a comprehensive list of bathroom trends, as well as lists of bathroom colours, bath types and shower types and recorded their search volumes for 2021 using Google Keyword Planner, as well as recording the number of posts that each trend has on Instagram. It then ranked them accordingly to reveal the top trends in each category.

The most searched bathroom trend of 2021 is bidets. Bidets are a common fixture in many countries, especially in mainland Europe, but have not historically enjoyed equal popularity in the UK. Could this top result for the overlooked bathroom fixture be a response to the great toilet paper shortage of the early pandemic? It’s hard to say, but we do know that the bidet is booming and could be a great addition to any bathroom with the space to accommodate one.

Bathroom wallpaper is the second most searched bathroom trend of the year. Wallpaper seems to have taken a slight dip in popularity in recent years, however, the tide could well be turning.

There are endless wallpaper designs to choose from, including floral patterns, idyllic scenes, animal print or even textured options.

Terrazzo tiles are one of the most prolific design styles out there at the moment, being hugely popular in bathrooms all over the world. These tiles are highly versatile, adding texture to floors, walls and fixtures, softening the look of any room. Terrazzo tiles are also one of the most durable materials you can use, being resistant to stains and water damage.

Further findings:

The most popular bathroom colour on Instagram is white, with 73,860 posts.

Freestanding bathtubs are the most popular type of bath by search volume, with 1,249,333 searches.

Also topping the chart for popularity on Instagram with 81,009 posts is the freestanding bathtub.

Walk-in showers are the most popular shower type by search volume, with 1,420,000 searches.

The most popular type of shower on Instagram was outdoor showers, which had 107,357 posts.

Bidets are one of the most timeless additions to a bathroom which have remained in the top ten most searched-for bathroom trends out of all the trends in our study for the past four years.

Seeing by far the greatest year on year increase in interest was the Japandi bathroom, with searches jumping by 435.9% in the last year.

Search Rank	Bathroom Trend	Search Term	2021 Searches
1	Bidets	bidets	9,276,000
2	Bathroom Wallpaper	bathroom wallpaper	962,000
3	Terrazzo Tiles	terrazzo tiles	729,333
4	Bathroom Plants	bathroom plants	502,267
5	Round Bathroom Mirrors	round bathroom mirrors	280,533
6	Marble Bathroom	marble bathroom	264,133
7	Subway Tile Bathroom	subway tile bathroom	241,200
8	Led Lighting In Bathroom	led lighting in bathroom	229,200
9	Bathroom Carpet	bathroom carpet	205,067
10	Black And White Tile Bathroom	black and white tile bathroom	174,800

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BiKBBI director of marketing & communication provides an update from the organisation

January 3, 2022

Michelle Daniels – BiKBBI director of marketing & communication, delivers her roundup on 2021 as we look forward to 2022.

What a year 2021 has been!

This time last year, I think we were all glad to put the darkness of 2020 behind us and were hoping that 2021 would bring the promise of light at the end of the tunnel and a return to ‘normal’. And whilst it is safe to say that this year perhaps wasn’t entirely what we had hoped for, it was more a year of false starts than a clean start. However, there were some positive takeaways from the significant progress of the vaccine rollout down to the simple pleasures such as holidays abroad and a pint in an actual pub with actual real people. 2021 served up a slice of normality that we were all craving, and in order to keep moving forward, it’s important that we take the successes and hope of the past 12 months into 2022.

For me personally, 2021 was a year of huge change, leaving the only industry I’d known to enter the world of KBB. A far cry from Piccadilly Circus, on the banks of the Thames Estuary in Essex, who knew there was a small team of conscientious, dedicated, talented and totally determined individuals representing the vital, sometimes forgotten, installation community of the KBB sector. I have to say the culture of BiKBBI and the team within is pretty contagious, and after just three months, I don’t mind admitting I am totally hooked!

The organisation has achieved so much in 2021, and you would be forgiven for missing some of it. For those who want a refresher, it’s worth taking a look at our historical overview.

As the world grapples with the continued disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftershocks, helping our registered businesses, corporate members and the wider industry navigate the ever-changing landscape will remain at the heart of everything we do in 2022.

The New Year will kick off with our Annual Conference at the Houses of Parliament in February, where the agenda will focus on building a sustainable future for the KBB sector, including tackling the skills gap crisis, supply chain issues and environmental challenges impacting our industry. The conference will be followed by the sector’s first-ever awards ceremony dedicated to KBB installation, celebrating the very best talent – from young installers, installer of the year and installation business of the year – and we look forward to seeing many of you there on the night. If you’d like to join us but haven’t yet got your tickets, you can do so here.

Thinking further ahead in 2022, as well as continuing to support the industry with pandemic-related guidance, information and representation, we will continue to focus on the areas most relevant to driving change, ultimately benefitting our stakeholders and the wider industry.

We will continue our work on closing the skills gap, both in the long term with our work on apprenticeships and in the short term by growing our relationship with the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. We also aim to engage with 5,000 students across the UK as part of our Careers Roadshow.

Other key objectives for the New Year include the further expansion of BiKBBI Campus, our Learning and Development platform, publishing updated Standards and Guidelines to aid our stakeholders, introducing a number of digital solutions to our business, including a mobile app and Artificial Intelligence software making it even easier for stakeholders to engage and communicate with us.

Whilst there are no certainties of when the chaos of COVID and Brexit will abate and no guarantees that 2022 will see the return of the brighter days of yesteryear, what you can be sure of is BiKBBI’s continuous focus on leadership, improvement, collaboration and innovation to drive change in our sector.

From all of us here at the British Institute of KBB Installation, I wish you all health, wealth and happiness for 2022.

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£3.4bn worth of new homes sold so far in the last year

January 3, 2022

The latest research from Warwick Estates has revealed where the new-build sector made the biggest impact on the property market in 2021 based on transaction levels and the total value of new homes sold. The research shows that to date, 8,714 new homes were sold across England and Wales in 2021, accounting for 1.8% of total market activity.

The combined value of these new-build sales currently totals just shy of £3.4bn, 2% of the total value of homes sold across the entire market.

London remains the biggest new-build market in the nation where transactions are concerned. So far, 1,469 new homes have been sold across the capital in 2021 totalling 2.8% of all homes sold.

The East Midlands also ranks high where new-build transaction volumes are concerned, with new homes accounting for 2.3% of market activity, followed by the South East (1.9%), the South West (1.8%) and the North West (1.7%).

Wales has seen the lowest level of new-build market activity, with the sector accounting for just 1.2% of total homes sold in 2021. When it comes to market value, London also ranks top with a huge £935m worth of new-build property sold in 2021 – 2.6% of the total market value across the capital.

The East Midlands has also seen new homes account for 2.6% of total market value, followed by the North East (2.5%), the North West (2%0 and the South East (1.9%).

The East of England has seen one the lowest values of total transactions come via the new-build market. While £327.1m worth of new homes have been sold in 2021, this equates to just 1.5% of total market value. The £74.25m worth of new homes sold in Wales in 2021 also accounts for just 1.5% of total market value. New-build transaction levels and total sold values sourced fro

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Artist furniture collection from Crosswater

January 1, 2022

Artist by Crosswater delivers a range of bathroom storage in four sizes and three different finishes; Onyx Black, Cashmere Matt, Storm Grey and Matt White. The collection can be installed as a wall-hung unit or assembled with coordinating legs and finished with a signature oak worktop.

Combining innovative design with the latest bathroom aesthetics, this new range ensures high-quality storage solutions for bathrooms of all styles and sizes.

Finished with a solid Oak worktop and beech veneer legs, Artist is produced from sustainable sources and is specially formulated with an anti-UV varnish to protect the wood from fading. The unique nature of the real wood means that homeowners can achieve a completely natural appearance that will last for years to come.

Crosswater also offers a breadth of countertop or semi-inset basin options to pair with the furniture units alongside matching Artist towel warmers, back-lit mirrors and WC furniture units to create a unified and cohesive scheme. The units can be further complemented with two or four section dividers, ensuring a completely organised space for everyday bathroom essentials.

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REHAU’s Noble Matt Collection Wins ICONIC Award

December 31, 2021

REHAU’s Furniture Solutions division has been awarded the Innovative Interior award at the ICONIC Awards 2021, by the German Design Council, for its Noble Matt collection. This follows the achievement of winning three prizes at this year’s German Design Awards.

The ICONIC awards celebrate high-quality, innovative architecture and products. They are designed to link architects, product designers and property developers to the furniture industry, and highlight exceptional projects.

Awarded the ‘Best of the Best’ prize in the ‘Product Design/Furniture’ category, the Noble Matt collection was recognised for its impressive versatility and high-quality finish. Created in response to the increasing demand for matt surfaces, the range offers outstanding design in a variety of product solutions including surfaces, edgeband and storage. These options allow the finish to be continued throughout the room, creating a seamless aesthetic.

Each product continues the collection’s signature velvet feel, offering a colour-fast, UV and fingerprint-resistant finish, maintaining a premium look. With 12 complementary colours available, ranging from the light and airy Crisp White, through to the rich Deep Black, there is a finish to suit any style.

Scott Williams, National Sales Manager for REHAU Furniture Solutions division says: “We’re delighted that our Noble Matt range has won the Best of the Best, Product Design/Furniture award. It’s a wonderful achievement and reflects the truly remarkable features of the range.

“Not only does this award highlight the impressive, high-quality finish, it also recognises the flexibility of the range and its ability to suit any application – from kitchen to bathroom, through to utility room and home office.”

For further information about REHAU’s Noble Matt collection, please visit: www.rehau.com/sites-gb/noble-matt-collection

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AirPower by Hansgrohe: an indulgent shower with reduced water consumption

December 20, 2021

According to Hansgrohe, AirPower is a unique shower experience that ncreases the enjoyment of the shower whilst reducing water consumption. The innovative technology AirPower enriches each water droplet with air to produce plump droplets creating a velvety touch on the skin.

Hansgrohe recognises water is a valuable resource, extensive time and research has gone into establishing AirPower technology to help reduce water consumption. When using the shower, air is sucked in through the spray disc that stirs up the water. Enriched with fresh air, the droplets are noticeably lighter, creating more enjoyable showers whilst helping save both water and energy.

Showers

AirPower technology is featured in a vast range of Hansgrohe products including collections Raindance, Vernis, Vivenis and Croma through basin taps, overhead and hand showers and shower systems.

Wash basins

With AirPower, the basin taps from Hansgrohe encourage them to work reliably by adding volume to every droplet of water whilst noticeably reducing splashing. The soft water droplets make for a pleasurable washing experience, whether that’s washing hands, washing hair or caring for children’s sensitive skin.

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Roca specified at new INNSiDE Liverpool 4 -star hotel

December 20, 2021

INNSiDE Liverpool is the long-awaited, new 4-star hotel in the heart of Liverpool’s commercial district. The 207-room lifestyle hotel includes a contemporary destination restaurant and stunning double height rooftop bar on the 18^th floor with panoramic city views. All guest bathrooms and washrooms were delivered by contractor mac-group and feature products from Roca.

INNSiDE Liverpool by Spanish hotel chain Melia is based on Old Hall Street, inside the iconic former Liverpool Echo offices, offers a superb location just a short walk from the famous Liver Building and Albert Dock. The 18 floor hotel aims to be a major attraction for visitors to the city with 207 en-suite bedrooms, restaurant, panoramic 360 Sky Bar, expansive conference & event space and state-of-the-art fitness gym.

Open-plan hotel rooms with stylish bathrooms

The contemporary hotel bedrooms have been designed with a modern monochrome palette, using tones of black, white and grey. The large en-suite rooms include a mini-fridge, a large vanity area and 43-inch TV and high speed Wi-Fi. The guest rooms open on to the minimalist bathrooms specified with high-quality bathroom products by Roca.

Roca InnsideLiverpool The Townhouse Bathroom

The guest bathrooms feature Roca’s Prisma basin, in gloss white. The Prisma collection has a contemporary design that combines with easy functionality and is completed with Roca brassware – the L20 basin mixer in stylish chrome. Larger rooms include the Prisma double basin for added convenience.

The bathrooms also feature wall-hung WC’s from Roca’s Debba range with luxury soft close seats and complimentary chrome flush plates. The Debba collection has a wide range of solutions that, combined with its soft, square design, fit seamlessly into any bathroom space.

26 rooms feature Roca’s stunning Virginia freestanding bath in white, providing an impactful focal point in the bathroom. Its oval shape offers a sophisticated yet simple design and a luxurious bathing experience.

Also specified in some rooms, is the elegant, rectangular Contesa bath. Made from steel, it is hygienic and extremely efficient in retaining the water temperature, keeping the water warmer for longer.

Roca’s Victoria T shower columns are used in the shower areas, offering the added benefits of thermostatic functionality in order to maintains a constant water temperature.

Restaurant & Bar

A huge draw at the INNSiDE Liverpool hotel is stylish restaurant, Gino D’Acampo Old Hall Street, with an extensive menu of classic Italian dishes and premium drinks in a chic and contemporary setting. Further raising the bar for drinking and dining in Liverpool is Gino’s new 360 Sky Bar on the 18th floor of the hotel with unrivalled panoramic views of the city and beyond, set to be one of the city’s most desirable locations, with local resident DJ’s further elevating the atmosphere from day to night.

A bar this spectacular, calls for an equally impressive guest washroom specification. The chic guest washrooms feature a full range of Roca products, including the luxurious Inspira Round on Countertop Basin, delivering a minimal and modern design style.

Roca use the very latest and most innovative materials to produce the Inspira collection. The basins are manufactured in FINECERAMIC®, a high-quality ceramic material exclusive to Roca which facilitates precision and sophisticated design details, with the added benefits of being 40% lighter and 30% more resistant to abrasives than conventional basins. Deep, spacious bowls and smooth surfaces make Inspira basins both easy to use and clean.

The brassware specified is Roca’s touchless L20-E Electronic Basin Mixer in chrome for a contemporary and sleek finish. Roca’s range of electronic basin mixers feature an infrared sensor which activates the water flow when presence is detected and shuts off automatically when presence is no longer detected, avoiding direct hand contact. The lack of contact with the tap improves hygiene and prevents the build-up of droplets and fingerprints on its surface, resulting in a cleaner product for longer. Roca’s electronic basin mixers offer a highly hygienic and effective solution to fight the spread of viruses and bacteria and to reduce the use of water, making it a more eco-friendly choice.

The WC’s chosen to complete the guest washrooms are from Roca’s ever-popular The Gap range including The Gap clean rim wall hung WC, with luxury soft close toilet seat.

Sara Farina, Specification Manager for Roca comments:

“We collaborated closely with the Melia Hotel team and main contractor mac-group to ensure that our innovative and high-quality bathroom products were the perfect solution for the bathrooms in this exciting project. Roca has a long heritage of working on some of the world’s most prestigious hospitality projects and we were delighted to be able to utilise our expertise at the INNSiDE Liverpool hotel.”

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Accor: our future is about sustainable growth

December 20, 2021

Jean-Jacques Morin, deputy CEO & CFO, and Brune Poirson, chief sustainability officer, discuss the Group’s commitment to ESG, focusing on one of its key areas: net zero carbon.

Jean-Jacques explains “ESG challenges – i.e., Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria that enable extra-financial analysis – are now at the top of the agenda for companies worldwide, even more so since the beginning of the health crisis.

“To adapt accordingly, our Group is accelerating its transition to sustainable growth and affirming its environmental values. This is part of our commitment to deliver an ever-more sustainable hospitality model, making positive impacts, both locally and globally, ensuring we contribute more than we take. It’s our role to shape the future of travel and make it more sustainable, and this means integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria as fundamental to our strategy.”

Brune Poirson – chiel sustainability officer agrees “We need to be proactive, we need to be contributing.”

Among the key environmental ESG areas, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is a priority for our Group. Accor is aiming for net zero emissions by 2050 with intermediate targets and recently placed its first bond issue indexed to its sustainable development goals (Sustainability-Linked Bond).

Click the link to view to the discussion in full.

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Roca UK appoints new managing director

December 20, 2021

Rashpal Sidhu, currently UK finance and service director of leading bathroom manufacturer Roca UK, will succeed Alan Dodds as managing director from April 2022.

Rashpal Sidhu has over 15 years of experience on the Roca senior management team, driving the strategic direction of the business, and overseeing the company’s finance, customer service and warehouse operations to increase Roca’s performance and growth.

Rashpal Sidhu comments: “I am hugely looking forward to taking on my new role and maximising the opportunities ahead for the Roca brand. 2021 will be a record year for the Roca Group in the UK and we have exciting plans for growth in 2022. With a strong team, innovative new products and major new initiatives to launch, we are set for an encouraging and positive year.’

Following 22 years of leading the Roca Group in the UK and Ireland, Alan Dodds will step down as Managing Director from April 4th 2022. Dodds will continue to be closely involved with the business and will be moving into the role of Chairman.

Alan Dodds says: “I have worked very closely with Rashpal for many years and have absolutely no doubt that he will lead the company to an even more successful future. I am delighted to be staying on with the Group in a part time capacity, supporting Rashpal and the rest of the senior management team. During Q1 2022 I will work with Rashpal to ensure a smooth handover and transition, and I look forward to continuing our very successful collaboration”

For more information visit www.uk.roca.com.

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Opal Quiz launched in Pantone’s striking new colour of the year, 2022

December 15, 2021

Acquabella has responded to Pantone’s colour of the year by creating their Award-winning Opal Quiz in the highly acclaimed Very Peri.

“The unveiling of Pantone’s colour of the year is always an eagerly anticipated event but the truly stunning 2022 selection has definitely got our mouths’ watering!” said Aquabella.

It’s the first time Pantone has manufactured a colour instead of using a pre-existing archive and the global colour authority says this was a decision that was inspired by recent events: “The Pantone Color of the Year reflects what is taking place in our global culture, expressing what people are looking for that colour can hope to answer,” commented Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute.

For Home Decor & Interior Design, PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri injects a sense of playful freshness into home interiors, enlivening a space through unusual colour combinations.

Combining truly avant-garde geometric design with the new texture and a beautiful sculptured shape. The bath is available in the full Acquabella colour range, (Standard, Natural and RAL) and measures 180 cm x 55 with a width at its widest point of 80 cm.

RRP for Very Peri is £5731

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