Ritmonio is showcasing its extensive range of design finishes, offering specifiers and homeowners new opportunities to create highly personalised bathroom spaces that combine aesthetics, performance and wellbeing.
Designed to enhance complete bathroom schemes, Ritmonio’s collection of finishes transforms taps and brassware into statement design features, helping to create bathrooms that deliver both visual impact and a sensory experience.
Developed through a combination of technological innovation and design expertise, the finishes are available across a wide range of colours, textures and surface treatments. From timeless chrome and stainless steel to contemporary brushed bronze, rose gold and natural brass, the collection allows designers to tailor bathroom projects to individual styles and preferences.
The finishes are produced using advanced coating technologies, including powder coating, liquid painting, electroplating and PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition). These processes are designed to enhance durability, colour stability and resistance to wear, scratches and corrosion, while maintaining a premium aesthetic.
Among the standout options are brushed champagne PVD, brushed copper stainless steel PVD and natural brass, which develops a unique patina over time to create an authentic lived-in appearance. The collection also includes black chrome, brushed gold, brushed dark bronze and inox concrete, providing designers with a broad palette for both contemporary and classic interiors.
According to Ritmonio, the design finishes collection reflects a holistic approach to bathroom design, where materials, colours and textures work together to create spaces focused on comfort, wellbeing and individuality.
Suitable for luxury residential and hospitality projects, Ritmonio’s design finishes provide architects, interior designers and bathroom retailers with greater flexibility when creating bespoke bathroom environments that balance style, functionality and long-term performance
Frontline Bathrooms’ Aqua brand has won Best Bathroom Tap at the Ideal Home Awards 2026 for its Mineral Flute brassware collection.
The award recognises Mineral Flute as a commercially relevant brassware range that combines a current fluted design detail with the practical specification requirements needed for bathroom retail, showroom and project environments.
The collection features an integrated fluted surface across a restrained contemporary profile, giving retailers a design-led tap option that responds to demand for textured finishes and more detailed brassware without moving into overly decorative styling.
Mineral Flute is available across basin mixers, wall-mounted mixers, bath fillers and floorstanding bath shower mixers, allowing the same design language to be specified throughout a bathroom scheme rather than limited to one fitting.
The collection is offered in a wide choice of finishes, including chrome, matt black, brushed brass, gunmetal and brushed bronze, giving retailers flexibility across both cooler contemporary bathrooms and warmer, more tonal schemes.
Aqua brassware is manufactured from solid brass and uses ceramic disc cartridges for reliable operation. The brassware body is backed by a lifetime guarantee, with a five-year guarantee on internal cartridges. Selected finishes also incorporate PVD technology to improve resistance to scratching and tarnishing, while many models carry WRAS approval, confirming compliance with UK water regulations.
The Ideal Home Awards recognise products across the homes and interiors market, with the Best bathroom tap category highlighting products that combine strong design appeal with practical use in real homes.
Darren Allison, managing director at Frontline Bathrooms, says: “We are delighted that Mineral Flute has been recognised by the Ideal Home Awards. For retailers and installers, brassware needs to offer more than a trend-led finish; it has to be well made, straightforward to specify and suitable across a range of bathroom projects. Mineral Flute gives customers the textured detail they are looking for, while still offering the performance, finish choice and product breadth needed for everyday bathroom specification.”
Duravit has appointed Dr. Bernt Ketterer as senior vice president of strategy, innovation & product portfolio management, effective 1 June 2026.
The newly created role forms part of the company’s strategic realignment and strengthens its executive leadership team as it focuses on future growth, innovation and transformation.
Ketterer joins Duravit from the KOSTAL Group, where he served as head of corporate strategy and played a key role in the global technology company’s strategic transformation. His responsibilities included developing corporate strategy and expanding the business into future-focused growth sectors.
At Duravit, Ketterer will lead group-wide strategy and transformation initiatives, overseeing cross-divisional and international programmes designed to enhance growth, efficiency and long-term competitiveness. He will also drive key future-focused areas, including digitalisation and artificial intelligence.
In addition, Ketterer will take responsibility for the strategic direction of product and innovation management, helping to align the business more closely with market and customer requirements. The role will support Duravit’s continued focus on complete bathroom solutions, premium products and increased innovation across its portfolio.
Unveiled at Clerkenwell Design, bathroom brand Bagnodesign has introduced Ginza – a striking new collection that reflects the dynamic spirit of contemporary urban living into the bathroom space.
Drawing inspiration from Tokyo’s iconic Ginza district, where heritage craftsmanship sits alongside cutting-edge innovation, the collection demonstrates a refined balance of luxury, creativity and functionality. The result is a bathroom concept defined by bold architectural forms, tactile finishes and a distinctly cosmopolitan aesthetic.
Designed as a complete lifestyle-led bathroom solution, Ginza spans brassware, showering solutions, basins, furniture and accessories, allowing specifiers and designers to create seamlessly coordinated schemes across residential and hospitality projects. Characterised by sculptural silhouettes, considered detailing and a confident material palette, the collection brings a fresh sense of individuality and expressive design to the bathroom environment.
On display throughout Clerkenwell Design Week, Ginza captures the growing demand for bathrooms that move beyond purely functional spaces to become immersive, design-led interiors with personality and presence. Its versatility makes it particularly well suited to boutique hotels, premium residential developments and hospitality settings seeking a more curated and experiential aesthetic.
Tissino Bathrooms has appointed Neil Swallow as regional sales manager for North and East London, strengthening its sales structure in the South as the business continues to invest in closer, more responsive support for its network of independent retailers and specification-led customers.
Swallow joins Tissino with more than 30 years’ experience in the bathroom industry. His experience includes account management and national sales management roles, as well as six years running his own showroom, giving him first-hand insight into the day-to-day realities, opportunities and pressures faced by bathroom retailers.
Prior to joining Tissino, Swalllow worked with a number of leading bathroom brands, including RAK Ceramics, where he supported retailers across the South of England. He is a familiar and respected name within the industry, with a strong track record of building long-term customer relationships and providing practical, commercially aware support.
The appointment forms part of Tissino’s wider growth plans and reflects the company’s continued investment in its regional sales presence. The newly created role will allow Tissino to offer more focused support across London.
Commenting on the appointment, Frazer Lewis, sales director at Tissino, said: “Neil brings a depth of industry experience that is hugely valuable to our customers and to the wider Tissino team. Having worked across sales, retail and showroom ownership, he understands the bathroom industry from several angles, which means he can offer support that is informed, relevant and genuinely useful to our retail partners.
“London is an important area for Tissino and, as our customer base continues to grow, it is vital that we have the right people in place to support retailers closely and consistently. By creating this new role, we are giving both Neil and our wider sales team the time and regional focus needed to build stronger relationships, respond more effectively and help customers make the most of the opportunities in their local markets.”
Neil Swallow added: “Tissino is a business with a clear commitment to its customers, and that was a major part of what attracted me to the role. Having spent many years working with retailers, and having run my own showroom, I know how important it is to have reliable support from the brands you work with. My focus will be on building strong relationships across North and East London, understanding what customers need from us and helping them grow with the right products, service and day-to-day support.”
The appointment underlines Tissino’s continued commitment to strengthening its sales team as demand grows for dependable, well-designed bathroom products backed by knowledgeable regional expertise.
Frontline Bathrooms has become the first bathroom company to join Lighthouse Charity as a partner, marking a significant step for the KBB sector and its relationship with the construction industry.
Lighthouse Charity provides free, confidential, 24/7 emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families across the UK and Ireland. For Frontline Bathrooms, the partnership is both a statement of support and a recognition of responsibility. The KBB sector may have its own distinct identity, but it sits firmly within the wider construction industry, and that connection brings with it a duty to look after the people who keep projects, supply chains and installations moving every day. From installers, plumbers and merchants to retailers, warehouse teams, delivery networks, manufacturers and skilled tradespeople, the bathroom industry is part of the same wider community that Lighthouse Charity exists to support.
Frontline, which operates from its head office in Featherstone, West Yorkshire, supplies more than 6,000 products – including its exclusive AQUA brand – through a nationwide network of bathroom showrooms and plumbers’ merchants, giving the business a clear understanding of how closely the KBB supply chain sits alongside the construction workforce.
The decision to partner with Lighthouse Charity comes at a time when the pressures facing construction remain stark. According to Lighthouse Charity, every working day in the UK and Ireland, two construction workers take their own life, while the charity’s 2025 figures show 6,712 construction families supported, 8,714 counselling sessions provided and 3,781 people trained in Mental Health First Aid. The charity also reported rising demand in early 2026, with calls, safeguarding cases, trauma interventions, food shops and counselling sessions all increasing against the same period the year before.
Darren Allison, managing director at Frontline Bathrooms, says: “Becoming the first bathroom company to partner with Lighthouse Charity is something we are incredibly proud of, but more than that, we hope it prompts a wider conversation across the KBB sector. Bathrooms do not exist in isolation from construction. Every product we supply, every showroom we work with and every installation that happens in a customer’s home is connected to people working across the trade, and that means we have a responsibility to look beyond the finished room and support the workforce behind it.
“The statistics around mental health, financial hardship and crisis support in construction are impossible to ignore, but this partnership is not about standing back and acknowledging the issue; it is about playing an active part in helping to change it. Lighthouse Charity is doing vital work every day, offering support that can be life-changing and, in some cases, life-saving. As a sector, we can always do more, and Frontline wants to help lead that conversation in bathrooms.
“We know this is only the beginning. Being first matters because it creates momentum, but the real impact will come when more businesses across bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, merchants, showrooms and manufacturing recognise that support for construction workers belongs on all of our agendas. The KBB sector is built on trade skill, supply chain relationships and human effort, and we should be using that collective strength to help make sure no one feels alone when they are facing crisis.”
Through the partnership, Frontline will help raise awareness of Lighthouse Charity’s free support services across its network, giving more people in the bathroom and wider construction community access to information that could make a real difference at a moment of need. This includes signposting to the charity’s 24/7 helpline, text HARDHAT service, live chat, self-support app and training resources, as well as helping to normalise conversations around mental health, financial pressure, physical wellbeing and crisis support.
Sarah Bolton, CEO of the Lighthouse Charity added, “We are delighted to have Frontline on board as one of our company supporters. As well as supporting us financially, their pro-active stance in spreading the message of support promotes a positive wellbeing culture within the sector and creates an environment that encourages open conversations where people feel supported.”
Utopia Furniture Limited has expanded its national delivery operation with the introduction of four new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, further strengthening the company’s logistics capabilities and ongoing commitment to customer service excellence.
Following an extensive trial period across its transport operation, the new vehicles have now officially joined the Utopia fleet and are already delivering bathroom furniture and products to retailers throughout the UK.
The investment forms part of Utopia’s continued strategy to enhance operational flexibility, responsiveness and efficiency across its nationwide distribution network. The new additions complement the company’s existing larger delivery vehicles, enabling greater agility and improved service capability across a wider range of delivery requirements.
Finished in Utopia’s distinctive full-vehicle branded livery, the new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter models have been specially configured to support the demands of nationwide bathroom distribution. Each vehicle has also been equipped with enhanced operational technology, including advanced camera systems and vehicle tracking functionality.
The project was delivered in partnership with The Thomas Group who managed the vehicle supply and fleet package, while the full vehicle wrapping was completed by Creative Vehicle Wrapping.
Nikky Ball, transport coordinator at Utopia comments “Investing in our delivery infrastructure is an important part of our long-term commitment to our retail partners. The introduction of these new vehicles allows us to operate with even greater flexibility and efficiency while maintaining the high standards of service our customers expect from.”
The expansion reflects Utopia’s continued investment across all areas of the business as the company further strengthens its position within the UK bathroom sector.
Making its debut at Clerkenwell Design Week, Kaldewei participated in the festival from a stand within the historic Charterhouse, the remarkable Grade 1 listed building at the very heart of the event.
Amid amid atmospheric panelling and ancient works of art, Kaldewei displayed their Meisterstück Classic Duo Oval in the elegant new shade of dusky pink. The freestanding bathtub was flanked by two stylish wooden E15 stools; whilst the bath may have been the highlight of the show it was joined by the new AVELLINO washbasin, its slender silhouette lending the basin a delicate, almost floating lightness. Alongside this was the NUEVA – designed by Werner Aisslinger and shown in the new shade of dusky pink.
A selection of Kaldewei’s new CALIMA showertrays, were also shown on the stand these innovative new shower solutions demonstrate Kaldewei’s adoption of Solidlite™ material technology. The material’s core is made from recycled glass, and its construction is engineered to resist warping, cracking and breakage over time. In a market increasingly influenced by circularity, responsible procurement and product longevity, those attributes are fast becoming commercial considerations rather than optional extras.
Calima is the first shower surface to showcase this new generation of Kaldewei technology, and its design language is deliberately architectural. Step-free and flush to floor, it features a discreet waste outlet positioned on the short side and framed by a crisp design edge, helping to support efficient drainage while preserving a clean, uncluttered visual line – an increasingly important detail in open, walk-in shower spaces.
Available in 44 sizes and five contemporary colour options, Calima is positioned to serve projects ranging from compact en-suites to larger family bathroom schemes. More than simply another tray launch, it represents a product response to the practical, aesthetic and environmental demands now shaping the sanitary ware trade.
At Clerkenwell Design Week 2026, VitrA welcomed architects, designers and specifiers to its London Specification & Design Hub for three days of product launches, design conversations and networking in the heart of Clerkenwell.
A key highlight of the showroom showcase was V-Care 3, the next generation of VitrA’s smart toilet range. Combining intelligent hygiene technology, personalised comfort features and contemporary design, V-Care 3 demonstrates how innovation can enhance everyday wellbeing while integrating seamlessly into modern bathroom schemes.
Throughout the festival, visitors were invited to experience V-Care 3 firsthand alongside VitrA’s latest furniture collections, including Glora and Sareta. The showroom became a hub for discussion and inspiration, hosting a programme of talks featuring leading voices from the design community, including Terri Pecora and Anne-Rachel Schiffmann from Snøhetta. Alongside product demonstrations and thought-provoking conversations, guests enjoyed VitrA’s popular morning waffle bar, creating an informal setting for the architecture and design community to connect before exploring the wider festival.
Located on Turnmill Street, VitrA’s Clerkenwell showroom is designed as a destination for specification, collaboration and learning. Clerkenwell Design Week provided the perfect opportunity to showcase the brand’s commitment to design excellence, innovation and meaningful industry engagement.
As one of the world’s leading bathroom manufacturers, VitrA continues to develop products that combine cutting-edge technology, thoughtful design and sustainability. V-Care 3 exemplifies this approach, offering a smarter, more personalised bathroom experience while reflecting the evolving needs of contemporary living.
Features by Diane Larner, founder and editor of Bathroom Review & Kitchens Review. Diane Larner launched both titles over 15 years ago and has been writing about the bathroom and kitchen interior design industries ever since, publishing regular features across both sectors.
Smaller footprints in new-build properties, combined with the realities of urban living are placing greater demand on bathroom design than ever before. The Government’s ongoing focus on tackling shrinkflation in 2026 has also reinforced the need for homes that support health and wellbeing, with guidance emphasising good storage, privacy, ventilation, natural light and noise reduction. As a result, thoughtful space planning has become central to specification, with every element needing to justify its place.
For the bathroom, integrated storage, compact baths and flexible showering solutions mean architects and designers can focus on balancing practical design with a well developed sense of space. This feature looks at the products that ensure bathrooms feel coherent, usable, and thoughtfully resolved rather than compromised.
Storage solutions designed for compact living
PJH EDIN range
Furniture depth and configuration make a difference to the way a smaller bathroom performs day to day. Beyond providing essential storage, a well-considered design will reduce visual clutter, improve how users navigate limited spaces, and create a more cohesive scheme for complex layouts.
Julie Lockwood, furniture product manager, Bathrooms to Love by PJH, agrees: “Choosing compact or space-saving furniture is one of the best ways to maximise storage space and organise compact rooms. The less bathroom clutter on show, the more spacious and efficient a small space can be. The latest furniture collections, such as our Edin range, are versatile, design-led, extremely durable, and full of choices for personalisation.
“By selecting coordinated furniture, designers will be able to create tailor-made space-saving solutions for all room shapes, by mixing and matching floor and wall units for a flush and seamless appearance – and great storage capacity. Not only will this look smart and streamlined, possibly hiding any unsightly pipework, but by choosing favourite colours and finish, will create a truly individual look.”
Designed with flexibility at its core, PJH’s EDIN range offers a practical approach to compact bathroom planning. Available in both standard (318mm) and slim (218mm) depth options, it allows specifiers to balance storage capacity with footprint, supporting more efficient layouts without compromising on design coherence or finish.
Perfectly matched: basins, WC’s & storage
Ideal Standard i.Life S Collection
Designing within restricted parameters has also led to a more inventive approach to sanitaryware specification. Every centimetre must contribute to function without losing visual clarity. Rather than compromising on ambition, smaller bathrooms deliver an opportunity to streamline form and prioritise detail efficiency.
Yiota Toumba, senior designer at Villeroy & Boch, explains: “As newer home footprints continue to get smaller, potential buyers are becoming much more thoughtful about how they utilise space, especially in the bathroom. With bathrooms often compact, storage and sanitaryware are shifting towards smart, space‑saving solutions that work in tighter, more awkward areas, such as en-suites and cloakrooms.
“Wall‑hung designs are a popular choice, helping keep products organised while opening up the room and making everyday cleaning easier. At the same time, softer shapes and gentle curves are bringing a sense of calm and balance into bathroom design.”
Ideal Standard’s i.life S bathroom and furniture range offers sleek, space‑saving solutions for smaller bathrooms, integrating seamlessly into a variety of interior styles. The toilets within the i.life S range are deliberately compact, featuring a back‑to‑wall bowl design to minimise the overall footprint of the fittings. These are complemented by washbasins available in a range of sizes, allowing flexibility across different layouts. Soft‑square ceramic shapes add a refined design detail while helping to maintain ease of movement throughout the room – an important consideration in smaller bathrooms.
Shower and wetroom solutions for challenging layouts
Flair Showers Baby AYO
Designing for smaller or complex shower spaces calls for a careful balance between practicality and visual lightness, where every detail contributes to a more open and usable environment. Rather than relying on scale, successful schemes make use of considered detailing and integrated solutions to improve flow, enhance storage and maintain visual continuity.
Tammy Lane, interior design partner for Flair Showers, comments, “Designers and homeowners planning compact or bespoke showers should prioritise space-saving features that enhance openness and functionality. Wall-mounted fittings, recessed shelving and concealed drainage free valuable floor space while maintaining clean sightlines. Sliding or pocket doors reduce circulation conflicts in tighter layouts, while frameless glass and large-format tiles visually expand the room.
“Lighting is equally important: positioning illumination to reflect across mirrors and glazed surfaces increases brightness and amplifies the perception of depth. Integrated vertical storage and mirrored cabinetry further maximise usability without overcrowding smaller shower environments.”
Extending this focus on compact, adaptable design, Flair Showers has introduced BABY AYO, a reduced-height shower screen system developed specifically for smaller bathrooms and loft conversions, offering a tailored solution where standard proportions may not be suitable.
Smart bath solutions for small bathrooms
Victoria + Albert’s Lussari collection
Whilst bathroom footprints continue to shrink, completely removing the bath not only impacts resale value for buyers, it also makes properties less appealing to families with young children. This has led to a growing demand for compact bath solutions that maximise space without compromising on desirability. Manufacturers have responded with smaller-format models – whether freestanding or built-in – that deliver greater flexibility for those working within such challenging parameters.
Says Emma Joyce, head of product marketing at House of Rohl: “There is growing demand for beautifully designed baths that work effortlessly within more compact bathroom layouts. Architects, designers and housebuilders are seeking solutions that combine ergonomic comfort, premium aesthetics and installation flexibility, allowing them to create sophisticated spaces without compromise.
“Design-led built-in baths and compact freestanding designs that create the illusion of space by freeing up the wall and floor area offer greater freedom to maximise layouts, deliver cohesive schemes and meet the practical requirements of modern living and hospitality environments.”
Victoria + Albert’s Lussari collection, one of the brand’s best-selling ranges, is expanding to offer new built-in compact bath options in 1600mm and 1700mm sizes. With an elegant, oval shape that complements the Lussari freestanding and back-to-wall basins, the new baths can be paired with a Victoria + Albert bath filler and overflow, negating the need for bath taps.
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