Home and garden chain Homebase has announced that it is planning a series of new small-format stores in Walton-on-Thames, scheduled to open in Spring this year.
The home improvement retail giant currently has 151 stores and 15 standalone Bathstore stores employing over 5,600 people cross the UK and Ireland.
In Walton-on-Thames, the existing Bathstore showroom on New Zealand Avenue is set to be refreshed to include Kitchens by Homebase, after what the company says was a successful launch in Guildford earlier this year, combining inspiration and expert advice for those looking to make changes to their kitchens and bathrooms.
The unit next door will be transformed into DECORATE by Homebase, currently open in Cheadle and Sutton, providing everything customers need to bring their decorating projects to life. This site will also house Homebase’s first pop-up store to feature a selection of ranges yet to be confirmed.
The Homebase range of products covers garden, decorating, home furnishings, kitchens, bathrooms and fitted bedrooms, and everything needed for repair and maintenance. The company also has partnerships with brands such as Hearst UK, Dwell, ELLE Decoration, Villeroy & Boch, Bosch, NEFF and Roux Kitchens.
The new Ruy Ohtake countertop washbasin collection by Roca has been designed by Brazilian architect, Ruy Ohtake. The collection is available in two different designs and with six colours, including white, matt white, pearl, onyx, beige and coffee.
The elegant walls of the basins were created thanks to Roca’s Fineceramic® technology. The ultra-thin edges are only 5 mm, and up to 40% lighter than conventional basins. Fineceramic® is also up to 30% more resistant than most ceramics, meaning that the very thin, defined walls can be achieved without compromising durability.
In addition to their unique strength and design, being 100% ceramic means that the Ruy Ohtake basins are easy to clean, non-porous and resistant to abrasive cleaning products. This makes them a perfect addition to any stylish bathroom space, including family bathrooms, master en-suite or downstairs cloakroom.
Roca’s Savana countertops provide the perfect complement to the Ruy Ohtake washbasin collection. In keeping with the trend for modern, open storage in the bathroom, the Savana countertops offer a stylish alternative to a full vanity unit. The countertop is made from high-quality materials to ensure maximum durability, enabling it to be seamlessly integrated into any bathroom space. The Savana countertops provide an elegant, minimalist finish, which perfectly complements the basins and provides the perfect way to showcase the unique shape of the basin.
To finish the look, Roca’s Escuadra basin mixer taps are the ideal partner – either the smooth body extended basin mixer or the wall-mounted three hole basin mixer. The Ruy Ohtake by Roca collection, has already been awarded two major international awards: a respected International Design Award (IDA) and a Red Dot Award ‘best of the best’, the highest recognition of the prestigious German award. -ends-
This unique range was developed with organic lines and a timeless design, with inspiration taken from the elements of nature – the shape of the waves, the horizon line and the purest form of design, the egg. The result: a beautifully sculpted exclusive collection of basins, to transform any bathroom into an elegantly completed space. As Ruy Ohtake concludes “The beautiful challenge is to make the dialogue between geometry and nature, with its irreverent curves…”
New construction output figures published by the ONS today show a 2.9% fall in December, the first decline in monthly growth since April 2020.
Clive Docwra, Managing Director of construction consultancy and design agency McBains, said:
“Following a period of successive months of growth where output had been gradually picking up, today’s figures are hugely concerning. Output was 3.5% below pre-coronavirus levels in December compared to November.
“The reason for the recovery over the previous months was due in no small part to a strongly performing housing sector. But the imminent end of the stamp duty holiday could see a reverse, especially when today’s figures show that private new housing work already fell by 3% in December.
“New commercial work contracts remain at low levels, with today’s figures showing a 6% fall in private commercial work. This is in part due to the office sector deciding on what changes to make to its real estate as a result of the pandemic and the impact on working patterns.
“All this uncertainty means that continued government public spending commitments are necessary to support an industry that is still feeling its way back after the impact of Covid-19.”
Suitable for any bathroom, SOUND WAVE from Kaldewei is an acoustic innovation that turns a steel enamel bathtub into a resonant sound box. Compatible with all Kaldewei bathtub models, this bathroom audio system is installed at the same time as the bathtub and can play every kind of audio file via Bluetooth® from a smartphone, laptop, tablet or PC.
Bringing together the joy of bathing with the delights of music and sound was an obvious choice for Kaldewei. SOUND WAVE is the ultimate combination of relaxing spa and unique sound experience – above and below the water.
SOUND WAVE isn’t only a winner with spa lovers. Professionals like sound engineer Bryan Gallant from The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, Canada, are big fans of this Kaldewei innovation.
“We put in a Kaldewei sound bath tub for certain clients who decide they like a soak (a bath) after work, the great thing is, they can listen to the music they made while dropping the soap!” says the studio manager.
The Warehouse Studio
A sustainable steel enamel Kaldewei bathtub fitted with SOUND WAVE recently took up residence at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver. Opened by Bryan Adams in 1997, The Warehouse Studio consists of four studios of varying sizes and fit-out, housed in a historic building in the west coast metropolis. Rock greats have been regular visitors here for years: REM, Nickelback, Billy Joel, Muse, Metallica and AC/DC have all recorded tracks or entire albums at The Warehouse Studio. Bryan Adams himself has also made most of his recordings here.
After finishing work, the musicians can now enjoy the special mix of sound and relaxation and literally immerse themselves in their new songs – like in a symphony in enamel.
“Unfortunately a whole band can’t fit into the bathtub, but we’re talking with Kaldewei about designing one!” says studio manager Bryan Gallant with a twinkle in his eye. Bryan Adams has had a close connection with Kaldewei for some time: in 2020 the Canadian rock musician and photographer was asked by Kaldewei to present the subject of hand hygiene in pictures. With “Naturally Connected” he created an emotional visual rendering of connectedness in turbulent times.
How it works
Six acoustic panels and two transducers are attached to the outside of the bathtub; these remain entirely invisible behind the panelling. The chosen digital device then works as a remote control which is automatically recognised after the first sign-in. Up to eight devices and individuals – a biggish family, for example, or an entire band – can be pairedwith SOUND WAVE at the same time.
About The Warehouse Studio The Warehouse Studio is housed in a historic building in Vancouver. It was built in 1886 as a supply warehouse and wholesale grocery. After the great fire that devastated Vancouver that same year, it was subsequently used as a town hall, prison and morgue. Saved in 1988 from the wrecking ball and a future as a car park, the Oppenheimer building was restored and reborn as The Warehouse Studio in 1997.
About KALDEWEI KALDEWEI is a German family-run business that has now been devoted to its material, steel enamel, for over 100 years and four generations. The portfolio takes in bathtubs, shower surfaces and washbasins, as well as installation systems for project business and private clients. These superb bathroom solutions made of superior KALDEWEI steel enamel can be 100 per cent recycled when they come to the end of their long useful life.
The premium manufacturer is thus making a major contribution to eco-friendly building. KALDEWEI is also a long-term partner of the WWF marine conservation programme that is devoted to reducing plastic waste in our oceans. Because it takes its responsibility to the environment and future generations seriously.
As 1 in 10 apprentices lose their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic, Ideal Standard International has stepped in to fund a new UK apprenticeship scheme.
Working with the Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA), the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), and design education body FIESTA, the manufacturer aims to address the plumbing industry’s skills gap and attract much-needed new talent into the sector. This scheme comes at a time when plumbing apprenticeships have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Ideal Standard will provide funding for a number of apprenticeship positions offered by businesses within the CIPHE network to help young people gain the knowledge, skills and experience to begin a career in plumbing. Training will be carried out by some of the top learning providers in the UK, carefully selected from the CIPHE Approved Training Centre network. Ideal Standard will work with colleges to set the standard for training, ensuring that apprentices are fully equipped to succeed in the trade.
Ideal Standard will be providing hands-on support for local apprenticeships going through the scheme around its sites in Hull, Armitage and London and is calling for businesses within the sector to come forward to sponsor placements. The scheme uses funding from the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy and Ideal Standard is gifting a proportion of its share of this fund to provide financial support to smaller companies so they can take on an apprentice at this challenging time.
David Barber, managing director of Ideal Standard UK said: “This scheme is the first of its kind within the industry. It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity to lead the way in investing in young talent and apprentices as they begin their careers in the plumbing and heating industry. I hope that other organisations will see the benefits of the scheme and get involved in supporting our future plumbers. For employers who are concerned about any managerial obligations this may bring, the Ideal Standard team will provide support throughout.”
Kevin Wellman, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering added: “This initiative comes at a time when plumbing apprenticeships have been hit by the global pandemic and we were already faced with a skills shortage in the industry. Members of the CIPHE are in prime position to provide the necessary opportunities for new apprentices and, in turn, benefit from a level of support from the CIPHE and a major industry manufacturer that they could only usually dream of.“
The new app-controlled shower from Roca uses smart technology to provide a truly unique showering experience. With itscustomisable settings and simple interface, up to three users within the same household are able to pre-set their desired settings for shower duration, maximum temperature and flow rates.
The interface features a colour LCD display and touch sensitive controls with soft turn dials to ensure it is extremely easy to use and control. The Smart Shower system can install two or three outlets including a Raindream showerhead, handset and Puzzle Square Jets. If homeowners select the three outlet option, the clever design allows two of them to work simultaneously.
One of the smart benefits to the digital shower is that it can be controlled via an app. This means that users can simply use their phone or tablet from a bedside to conveniently turn on the shower and activate the warm-up function. The app also helps with energy and water saving, enabling users to monitor their water and energy consumption, to run your shower more efficiently.
For young families, the shower is equipped with a child safety mode so children can only turn the shower off and also allows for the control of flow, temperature and duration to provide peace of mind. This is reinforced by the temperature monitoring system which measures the temperature to eliminate the risk of scalding.
The Smart Shower solution also includes a Legionella cleaning programme to eliminate bacteria without the use of chemical products and a cleaning program to remove any impurities.
“It may seem like a luxury, but the Smart Shower is not just for convenience,” comments David Bromell, Head of Marketing at Roca. “In addition to providing a luxe showering experience, the intuitive system will actively work to reduce water wastage, making it a sustainable and eco-friendly choice for the bathroom design.”
This month we talk to Tom Reynold – Chief Executive of the Bathroom Manufacturers Association – to understand why the BMA has joined forces with FIESTA and what this means for the younger generation.
Recruiting and retaining the next generation of talent in the bathroom sector is a challenge which is being faced head-on.
For years, concerns have been raised about a skills shortage in the sector, particularly at the higher end of the market.
As the economic fall out of the coronavirus deepens, we know the younger generation is being hardest hit by the rise in unemployment, and there are opportunities for us to support them and attract the diverse and skilled talent we need to sustain our sector.
The Bathroom Manufacturers Association joined the Furniture and Interiors Education, Skills and Training Alliance (FIESTA) six months ago to address these issues.
As a Kickstart Gateway body, FIESTA enables businesses of all shapes and sizes from across the interiors industry to join forces, using Government schemes to tackle the education and training issues together.
At BMA, our members are working with FIESTA’s Skills Plus Approved Training Agency (ATA) – a service to assist with the management of apprenticeships to create new, fully-funded job placements. These are exclusively for 16-24-year-olds at risk of long-term unemployment.
BMA member, Ideal Standard is already capitalising on the opportunity, with four young people starting their new roles in the first wave of the Kickstart programme.
With more support and guidance for businesses, we can increase the number of apprentices across the bathroom sector, and I would encourage everyone to commit to this. We need sector buy-in to make an impact.
The theme for this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, “Build the Future” encourages everyone to consider how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge for a rewarding career. The onus is on employers to play their part, building a workforce with future-ready skills. At BMA we know working with FIESTA is the best way to do this, inspiring a new generation of bathroom sector employees, and solving the skills gap in our sector.
Alexandra and Alexander Hugenberg have recently converted a listed patrician house, Palais Wunderlich in Lahr in the Black Forest.
The municipal mansion was first owned by Carl Wunderlich, a colonial goods merchant and mayor who built this imposing residence in 1798.
The perfect place to unwind, this modern take on the historical mansion, upholds the history and tradition of the building. The comfortable apartments have been individually designed and offer guests a stylish interior with a feel-good factor.
The extraordinary design, with its combination of modern and vintage elements, generates a warm, cosy atmosphere. In keeping with the style of the mansion, washbasins and toilets from the Starck 3 range were fitted in each of the apartments. This bathroom classic, created by designer Philippe Starck for Duravit, harmoniously rounds off the interiors.
The location also features a restaurant, which can be booked for both private and commercial functions offering a range of options for individually planned events. The extensive garden with its terrace is an ideal venue for celebrations, as are the inner courtyard or vaulted cellar. The in-house library with fireplace is the perfect place for a small group to spend a cosy evening.
Founded in 1817 in Hornberg in the Black Forest, Duravit AG is today a leading international manufacturer of designer bathrooms. The company is active in more than 130 countries worldwide and stands for innovation in the fields of signature design, comfort-enhancing technology and premium quality.
In cooperation with high-profile international designers, such as Philippe Starck, sieger design, Kurt Merki Jr., Christian Werner, Matteo Thun and Cecilie Manz, the company develops unique bathrooms that enhance quality of life for users on a sustained basis. Duravit’s product portfolio comprises sanitary ceramics, bathroom furniture, bathtubs and shower trays, wellness systems, shower-toilets, tap fittings and accessories as well as installation systems.
Nuie Bathrooms has unveiled BLOCKS, its aspirational new modular furniture range.
With its geometrical styling, BLOCKS takes the front cover slot on nuie’s new 2021 bathroom collection brochure, the contemporary Blocks Furniture Collection features a different fascia design to the usual bathroom cabinet and boasts a tile-like pattern of ‘blocks’ of varying square and rectangular sizes on the drawer and door frontages.
The clean geometrical lines give rise to an ultra modern and efficient look and the collection is available in three beautiful satin finishes, white, grey and blue, enabling stockists to offer the consumer a colourway to coordinate with most bathroom styles.
Available in a comprehensive choice of unit sizes, cabinets include both wall hung and floor standing options and are supplied rigid for easy installation. Basin units, at either 500mm or 600mm in width, can be integrated with either a ceramic or polymarble basin in a choice of three profile depths, or can be teamed with a choice of countertop basins and vanity worktops.
Other furniture units in the Blocks range include a 500mm floor standing WC unit and a 300mm wall hung tall unit. The drawers and doors maintain their sophisticated look with a sleek curved brushed chrome handle, and all cabinets and drawers are soft-closing.
Perfect for eye-catching showroom displays, why not showcase this bold new furniture collection and take advantage of nuie Bathrooms’ highly competitive display deals.
For more information contact nuie Bathrooms, part of the Roxor Group, on Tel: 01422 417100 or visit the web site: www.nuiebathrooms.com
Astro has launched a matt black bathroom collection for the Autumn/Winter season.
Consistent with the brand’s creative ethos that good design demands simplicity, the matt black bathroom collection elevates the brand’s timeless offering to present an edit of classic, yet contemporary luminaires.
James Bassant, Co-founder and Design Director at Astro, says: “A contemporary vision of elegance, the collection is both delicate and striking, with a relevance that complements the growing demand of black brassware in the bathroom.”
Applied to existing collections and new season innovations, the tactile matt black finish has been carefully created to allow each light to stand-alone and be a supporting player within well-established designs.
Astro’s Mascali, Epsilon and Kappa designs are now available in matt black and feature streamlined silhouettes that complement surrounding architecture and provide essential illumination in minimalist form.
Taken as an opportunity to revive legacy designs for contemporary living, the new collection also welcomes updates to Sagara and Kyoto, spherical and cylindrical shapes that present a modern approach to essential bathroom lighting. For added drama, the British lighting designer presents a new season design in matt black – Tacoma and Tacoma Twin. Best paired with either a ribbed or smoked glass shade, the statuesque metal stem injects gothic style with a contemporary twist.
Reflecting the essential role lighting design plays within residential and hospitality settings, tone and texture were key in establishing a finish that sustained the enduring credentials of an Astro product.
“Light is often not looked upon for its essential human need,” explains Bassant. “Today, it provides a form of creative expression, using materials, colour, and texture to create both experience and function. With an Astro design, neither the light nor its physical form is compromised.
“We create strikingly beautiful luminaires that act as seamless vectors for what is in its pure form, light. Our latest matt black collection epitomises this concept, delivering well-designed lighting that is both bold in design and illumination.”
