Wall panel manufacturer Grant Westfieldhas revealed the winners of its ‘Spin-the-Wheel’ prize giveaway, which took place during InstallerSHOW 2026.
Building on the success of last year’s initiative, Grant Westfield brought back the interactive game, attracting strong engagement from visitors at the show. As well as a range of Grant Westfield branded merchandise and Greggs, Costa and Amazon vouchers, there was a different premium prize up for grabs each day.
Prize-winners included Bilal Hussain, who received the Makita Site Bundle on day one, followed by Mikail M, who took home a Veho Home Entertaining Bundle on day two. Nathan Bateman from Martin Shelton Plumbing and Heating won a Makita 18V Twin Pack C/W, 2x batteries, Charger and Case on day three.
The grand prize of £5,000 worth of Multipanel and Naturepanel panels went to Henry Pearce from Jonathan Charles Bespoke. Visitors to the Grant Westfield stand could also watch live demos showing how quick and easy Naturepanel and Multipanel wall panels are to fit, thanks to their unique Hydrolock tongue-and-groove system.
Elliott Fairlie, Grant Westfield’s product and marketing director, said: “Once again, we loved having the opportunity to speak to the installers who fit our panels week-in and week-out and educate others on how our products can save both time and money on projects without compromising on quality. We can’t wait for InstallerSHOW 2027!”
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.
Baths and basins lie at the heart of bathroom design, balancing functionality with consumer expectations around aesthetics and comfort. While the wash space is undergoing a period of creative freedom as we embrace double-basin designs, sculptural styles and built-in storage units, the bath is increasingly the subject of debate, with tubs being removed from homes in favour of walk-in showers, and some new builds omitting them altogether.
However, a recent report by Drench, The Great British Soak, revealed that 80% of homeowners with a bath still use it regularly, while 45% of those surveyed said ‘no bath is a dealbreaker’. So despite changing lifestyles, it appears the bath will evolve rather than disappear.
In this feature, manufacturers explore how these changing priorities are reshaping the market for baths and basins, with a focus on products that deliver expressive design, trustworthy durability, and space-saving solutions.
Space-saving baths for smaller bathroom layouts
Frontline Bathrooms
Whilst a freestanding bath remains, without doubt, one of the most desirable style statements in bathroom design, shrinking floorplans, changing lifestyles and a greater emphasis on practical needs make this option challenging for many projects. As a result, rather than focusing wholly on statement pieces, designers and homeowners are looking for design-led solutions that make the best use of available space while complementing overall schemes.
Darren Allison, managing director at Frontline Bathrooms, agrees: “The biggest shift in bathing is that the freestanding bath is no longer automatically treated as the aspirational choice. Homeowners are asking whether a bath earns the space it takes up, which is bringing compact, back-to-wall and corner formats into much stronger contention. Colour is developing too, but increasingly as part of the wider scheme rather than a standalone statement. For retailers, the opportunity is to start with the room and the customer’s habits, not with a single fashionable bath shape.”
Frontline Bathrooms is strengthening its bathing offer with a broader collection designed around the realities of UK bathrooms, rather than simply adding more freestanding shapes to the catalogue. At the centre is AquaKast, a nine-model collection developed with British bath designer Barrie Cutchie. It includes compact ovals, slipper baths, boat baths, back-to-wall and corner designs, giving retailers options for both statement schemes and more restrictive layouts.
Bringing playfulness into bathroom design
As bathroom design becomes more expressive, we see confidence flourishing when it comes to use of colour, finish and material combination. Rather than adhering to a spa-led aesthetic, designers are injecting a sense of curiosity into the bathroom space; the result is a more experimental approach to specification.
One collection that captures the shift is the new Ginza from BAGNODESIGN. Inspired by Tokyo’s Ginza district, it encourages designers to move beyond conventional bathroom schemes by offering coordinated product families for characterful interiors across residential and hospitality projects.
Extending the concept further, Ginza Junior introduces playful pink and grey finishes designed for family-friendly and inclusive spaces, reflecting a growing focus on balancing safety, functionality and aesthetics within the bathroom.
The rise of coloured baths
BC Designs Pink Bath
Once considered a bold design choice, coloured baths are becoming a bathroom staple. However, rather than being selected purely as a statement feature, colour is now being integrated more widely into bathroom schemes, which means designers and retailers can assist in creating spaces with more personality while maintaining a sense of longevity.
“Coloured baths are not a passing trend now; they have been part of the market for several years, and customers are becoming more confident about using them,” says Adam Smith, national sales manager at BC Designs. “The change is that colour is becoming easier to live with. It might be a soft peach, pale blue or muted green rather than something that dominates the room. Compact freestanding baths will continue to be important too, because people still want that focal point without giving up half the bathroom. The real test is whether the bath still feels right once the novelty has worn off.”
BC Designs has expanded its ColourKast offer with five new shades: Drifty White, Pale Peach, Rose Bloom, Aqua Blue and Minty Green.
Perfectly formed for elegance and efficiency
Duravit Balcoon Washbasin with Storage
Integral storage solutions play an important role in ensuring the bathroom space is effortlessly practical, as well as beautifully organised. In addition, increased self-expression means designers are exploring how these essential elements can also act as architectural features. The latest designs demonstrate a growing appreciation for standout forms and refined detailing that both create a focal point, whilst delivering a sense of calm and cohesion.
Martin Carroll, MD Duravit UK, adds: “A key trend emerging in bathroom design is washbasins created for efficiency, styled for elegance, and providing an additional sculptural centrepiece within the space. A key look is basins crafted as monolithic ceramic cuboids, seamlessly integrated into clean-lined furniture. A narrow rim traces the outline, creating a gentle transition from the flat vanity surface to the recess below. Generously proportioned surfaces create a calm, architectural presence, a true study in the interaction between different volumes and levels, providing each piece with its own sculptural identity and expressive form.”
Reflecting this trend, Duravit has extended its Balcoon bathroom collection, designed by Patricia Urquiola. The new collection now includes furniture washbasins, offering greater flexibility for residential and specification projects.
Building a more sustainable bathroom
Kaldewei Nuio Duo in Cool Grey
Against a backdrop of rising environmental awareness and increasing pressure on resources, sustainability is an essential consideration in bathroom design. Manufacturers are responding with a lifecycle approach, with products designed for longevity, reuse and recyclability.
One company that has championed this approach for many years is Kaldewei. With sustainability embedded into its manufacturing philosophy, the company views responsible production as an opportunity to grow whilst fulfilling environmental obligations.
“Sustainability is no longer optional in bathroom design; it’s now the standard. We’re seeing a shift towards circular economy thinking, where products are designed to be reused, recycled and reintroduced into production without losing quality,” says Adam Teal, country manager, Kaldewei UK. “Materials like steel enamel, which is 100% recyclable, lead the way, while independent certifications such as Cradle to Cradle set a new benchmark across material health, circularity, clean air, water stewardship and social fairness. Manufacturers adopting low-carbon steel and signing up to science-based targets show that environmental responsibility and commercial value go hand in hand.”
Kaldewei’s Luxstainability® ethos is the belief that luxury and sustainability can and do work in unison. Every product is crafted from steel enamel, is 100% recyclable, and more than 600 are Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver. To demonstrate its philosphy Kaldewei spent the first half of 2026 on something akin to a modern Grand Tour, taking its steel enamel bathtubs across Europe’s leading design events and, setting out a clear position on where bathroom design is heading: toward colour, craft and genuine sustainability in equal measure.
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FM Mattsson Group enters into an agreement to acquire Bristan Group Limited, the UK supplier of taps and showers in a move that exxpand its offering in the UK and broadens it portfolio of bathroom brands.
The acquisition complements FM Mattsson Group’s existing UK and Ireland business, Aqualla, which has a well-established presence in the retail and consumer bathroom market. Together, the two businesses will provide the Group with a broader offering and a stronger platform in one of Europe’s largest markets.
Bristan has established a strong position in the UK market over many years and is recognised as one of the country’s leading brassware suppliers. The company works with a wide network of profesional customers including installers, specifiers, wholesalers, and DIY retailers and online merchants.
“The acquisition of Bristan is a major step in line with our strategy to strengthen FM Mattsson Group’s international presence through strong brands. Bristan is established as the no. 1 brassware supplier in the UK and is known for its high level of customer service and broad product offering, particularly for the professional market. As the largest brassware supplier in the UK, Bristan gives us a significantly stronger platform in one of Europe’s largest markets for bathroom and kitchen mixers.” said Fredrik Skarp, CEO of FM Mattsson Group.
“We very much look forward to continuing to develop the business together with Bristan’s experienced management team and committed employees, whose expertise and drive have been crucial to the company’s success. Together with Aqualla, Bristan creates an even stronger platform for long-term profitable growth in the UK, combining complementary strengths across retail, professional and commercial project channels.”
Bristan’s CEO Jen Cassidy said “We are delighted to be joining the FM Mattsson Group, an organisation whose values and ethos align so closely with our own. We look forward to continuing to drive through our strategy focusing on our new product roadmap, demand generation and strategic supplier partnerships development with the support of our new parent company.”
Following the completion of the acquisition, Bristan will become part of FM Mattsson Group while continuing to operate as a stand-alone brand business under its own management team.
The deal is expected to broaden FM Mattsson Group’s geographical footprint and strengthen its presence in the UK, while creating opportunities to expand its product offering, develop customer relationships and enhance operational capabilities.
Damian Walters, CEO of the British Institute of Fitted Interiors Specialists (BIFIS), responds to the Prime Minister’s landmark technical education reforms.
BIFIS has strongly welcomed yesterday’s announcement by the Prime Minister introducing significant technical education pathways for 14-year-olds and putting vocational qualifications on an equal footing with academic degrees.
Speaking in response to the Government’s plan to open early access to skills training, work experience, and industry links from Year 10, Damian Walters, Chief Executive of BIFIS, commented:
“For far too long, our education system has operated under a misguided cultural bias that treated academic degrees as the default measure of success while viewing vocational trades as a second-class alternative. Yesterday’s clear message from the Prime Minister, that Britain will value the hard hat as much as the graduation cap, is a vital, long-overdue shift.
“Our sector, alongside the wider construction and home improvement industries, faces an acute skills shortage. We have an aging workforce, a generation of talented young people who were never introduced to the incredible opportunities within the trades, and over a million young adults currently disconnected from education or employment.
“Giving 14-year-olds hands-on experience, clear vocational pathways, and early exposure to real-world employers isn’t just good for young people, it is essential for the future of the UK economy. A career in specialist installation and skilled trades offers high earning potential, entrepreneurship, technology integration, and genuine job security.
“However, policy must be matched by seamless execution. As regional mayors, local leaders, and Ofsted reshape learning pathways, trade bodies and specialist employers must be placed at the heart of curriculum design. We need to ensure that the technical skills taught in classrooms directly align with modern industry standards and modern consumer demands. BIFIS stands ready to work alongside government, regional authorities, and educational leaders to bridge the gap between school classrooms and rewarding, lifelong careers in home installation.”
Key Industry Takeaways from the Announcement:
• Parity of Esteem: Formal recognition of technical and vocational training as prestigious routes into employment.
• Early Intervention: Introducing workplace exposure and technical subjects at age 14 (Year 10) to prevent school leavers from falling into NEET (not in education, employment, or training) status.
• Devolved Partnership: Regional mayors and employers leading local curriculum alignment to match regional economic needs.
Duravit has highlighted the role thoughtful bathroom design can play in supporting everyday wellbeing, exploring how form, materials, lighting and colour can influence the way bathrooms are experienced. As the bathroom continues to evolve beyond a purely functional space, the manufacturer believes carefully considered design can help create interiors that feel calm, balanced and restorative.
Drawing on the design philosophies behind collections created in collaboration with Philippe Starck, Christian Werner, Sebastian Herkner and Antonio Citterio, Duravit explores how considered design choices can contribute to more harmonious bathroom environments.
The bathroom is one of the few places where people can enjoy uninterrupted time alone. As the space where the day begins and ends, its design plays an important role in shaping everyday routines and the overall user experience. Even simple rituals, such as a morning shower or evening wind-down, can feel markedly different when the surrounding environment has been carefully considered.
Forms & materials
Soft radii, clean lines and carefully coordinated materials and colours create a cohesive overall aesthetic. Many contemporary bathroom collections embrace these principles, using organic forms, matt textures and warm tones to establish a calm and welcoming atmosphere.
Designers including Philippe Starck, Christian Werner and Sebastian Herkner employ a restrained design language, combining refined detailing with balanced proportions to create timeless bathroom environments.
Light & colour
Lighting also plays an important role in how a bathroom is experienced. Bright, focused illumination around the wash area can promote alertness, while indirect lighting creates a softer, more relaxed atmosphere.
Colour further reinforces this effect. Warm beige and wood tones introduce a sense of comfort, while green shades help evoke calm. Lighter finishes can make rooms feel larger and more open, while darker furniture and accent surfaces provide visual contrast and create defined focal points within the space.
The bathroom in everyday life
The bathroom serves as both a place of retreat and one of the most frequently used rooms in the home, making thoughtful design increasingly important. Clearly organised layouts and integrated storage create a sense of order, helping everyday routines feel simpler and more intuitive.
This is particularly evident in the wash area, where repeated daily rituals benefit from an environment that is uncluttered, functional and visually calm.
A new approach to bathroom design
For Duravit, contemporary bathroom design is increasingly focused on combining clean forms, balanced proportions and practical functionality to create spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and easy to use. The manufacturer’s collections demonstrate how considered design and everyday practicality can be brought together to create cohesive bathroom solutions that are visually striking while promoting a sense of calm and harmony.
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Bathroom with the look & feel of a living area: White Tulip by Philippe Starck combines light-coloured fronts with striking chrome handles for a gently structured washing area. The warm setting featuring wood and decorative objects lends the room an appealing, homely atmosphere. (Image source: Duravit AG)
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Compact clarity: Tight space with a homely feel. A compact console with above-counter washbasin and a harmoniously positioned mirror from the D‑Neo range by Bertrand Lejoly offers storage and shelf space. The green wall colour instills a sense of composure and creates a relaxed setting. (Image source: Duravit AG)
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Light and storage space: The mirror cabinet by Duravit combines lighting and storage in a single unit. With a mirrored interior and glass shelves, it keeps everything neat and tidy and provides for pleasant lighting in the washing area. Functional and sedate in appearance. (Image source: Duravit AG)
Kaldewei spent the first half of 2026 on something akin to a modern Grand Tour, taking its steel enamel bathtubs across Europe’s leading design events and, setting out a clear position on where bathroom design is heading: toward colour, craft and genuine sustainability in equal measure.
The journey began in Milan, where Fuorisalone’s Bubbles of Time installation at Palazzo Crespi paired the freestanding Meisterstück Classic Duo Oval, in Dusty Pink, with cinematic lighting and floating forms courtesy of Parasite 2.0 and Forgotten Architecture. In Madrid, Casa Décor saw architect Isabel López Vilalta explore balance and sensitivity through the Nuio Duo Zen Edition, introducing heat, sound and light to the bathing experience. Berlin brought colour to the fore with the bold Oyo Duo in Golden Sun for Kaldewei’s collaboration with e15, a shade that will move aside for Dusty Pink this September.
The tour’s most recent stop was London’s WOW!house at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, and saw Kaldewei partner with Ca’ Pietra and De Rosee Sa on a Mediterranean-inspired bathroom built around the Classic Duo Oval — a fitting pairing, given that both are family-run businesses with craftsmanship at their core.
Running through every stop is Kaldewei’s Luxstainability® ethos: the belief that luxury and sustainability can and do work in unison. Every product is crafted from steel enamel, is 100% recyclable, and more than 600 are Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver. The Calima shower tray, made using Solidlite™ technology, extends this thinking with a base of recycled glass.
What emerged across Milan, Madrid, Berlin and London is a consistent message for the trade: today’s bathtub is judged not only on form and finish, but on colour storytelling and material integrity — proof that sustainable manufacturing and genuine design ambition can, and should, sit in the same room.
Duravit has expanded its Balcoon bathroom collection with a new range of furniture washbasins designed by Patricia Urquiola. The original collection took its inspiration from architectural structures, and the new elements bring the option of an additional sculptural centrepiece to the series.
Available in four widths — 600mm, 800mm, 1000mm and 1300mm, the largest being able to accommodate two basins — the new washbasins enable a broad range of planning options, from compact private bathrooms to large-scale project specifications. Each is a crafted as a ceramic monolithic cuboid, with the basin seamlessly integrated into the unit’s clean-lined form. A narrow rim traces the outline, creating a gentle transition from the flat vanity surface to the recess below — a signature detail that lends the design its quiet sophistication. The generously proportioned vanity surface reinforces the collection’s calm, architectural presence and unique character.
Urquiola describes Balcoon as “a study in interactions between different volumes and levels,” and that dynamism carries through to the washbasins’ three finishes: classic White, a stylish Matt White, and Clay Terra Matt, this warm terracotta tone brings a natural, warmth to a room.
The washbasins are designed to complement Balcoon’s wider furniture concept, including storage units with plain drawer fronts or open, symmetrically divided compartments, and a semi-tall cabinet with open storage below. Textured surfaces in White, earthy Brown and Anthracite add depth and faucets in Chrome, brushed stainless steel or Matt Black, plus a round mirror with integrated lighting, complete the ensemble. Within the wider Balcoon range, the washbasins sit alongside coordinated ceramics, bathroom furniture, mirrors, bathtubs, faucets and accessories, creating a harmonious overall look. Balcoon is positioned firmly within the mid-price segment, bringing, high-quality design within reach of both private bathrooms and high-end project business.
Frontline Bathrooms is strengthening its bathing offer with a broader collection designed around the realities of UK bathrooms, rather than simply adding more freestanding shapes to the catalogue.
At the centre is AquaKast, a nine-model collection developed with British bath designer Barrie Cutchie. It includes compact ovals, slipper baths, boat baths, back-to-wall and corner designs, giving retailers options for both statement schemes and more restrictive layouts. Models such as Minuet suit smaller rooms, while Desire includes a practical tap ledge for deck-mounted brassware, with the option to pair it with a floorstanding mixer.
Each AquaKast bath is made from acrylic reinforced with stone resin. This gives the bath a solid feel and smooth finish, while keeping the weight more manageable for delivery and installation, particularly on upper floors or in older properties.
The collection is supplied in gloss white as standard, but every model can also be painted in any RAL or BS colour through Frontline’s custom service. This gives retailers an accessible way to offer personalisation, whether the customer wants a strong feature colour or a shade that sits more closely with surrounding furniture, tiles or paintwork.
AquaKast forms part of Frontline’s wider Aqua bathing portfolio, which also includes fitted baths, shower baths, corner models, solid-surface designs, bath panels and screens. This breadth allows showrooms to specify around the room, budget and installation requirements rather than treating a freestanding bath as the answer for every project.
All AquaKast models share a £1,600 RRP and come with a lifetime guarantee. Together with Frontline’s retailer network and stock-backed approach, the collection gives showrooms a clear, practical offer built around design choice, easier specification and reliable availability.
Ethan Phillips has joined the Ronal Bathroom Group as regional sales manager for Kudos Showers covering Wales and the south-west of England. He is part of the contract sales team at Kudos, looking after both contractor and merchant customers in his region.
Phillipsjoins the business after a decade ‘on the tools’ as a plumber, which has given him a strong practical understanding of the market he now sells into. This was followed by four years in sales within the bathroom industry, combining technical knowledge with building customer relationships and recognising business opportunities.
“I’m looking forward to building strong relationships with Kudos customers and to becoming someone they can rely on for support, service, and product knowledge,” said Ethan Phillips.
“I want to increase the visibility of the Kudos brand across my region by creating new opportunities, strengthening existing partnerships, and helping customers recognise the value and quality Kudos delivers. I intend to bring energy and a hands-on approach to the role to drive long-term growth.”
Phillips reports directly to Mark Batley, National Accounts & Contracts Manager for Kudos, who adds: “Ethan is already proving to be a real asset to the team. His practical understanding and skill set provide strong support for our customers and the rest of the team at Kudos. He’s also a very likeable colleague whom we all enjoy working with, and I have no doubt he will help further develop the Kudos brand.”
Kudos Shower Products has been designing and manufacturing shower products at its Cumbria facility since 1999. Now part of the Ronal Bathroom Group, the company’s portfolio includes shower enclosures, shower trays, over-bath screens, and wet-room solutions, sold via KBB showrooms and merchants across the UK.
REHAU has expanded the design possibilities of its RAUVISIO crystal range with the launch of the refreshed Strong Collection, introducing six new polymer glass decors inspired by natural materials.
Developed for contemporary bathroom and kitchen interiors, the updated collection has been designed to help specifiers create calm, cohesive spaces while making it easier to coordinate finishes across furniture, splashbacks and wall surfaces.
The range comprises six décors, each offered in both high-gloss and matt finishes. Vela, Torino and Onice draw on the look of natural stone, while Creta, Nube and Cortena take inspiration from other natural materials. Positioned beneath the RAUVISIO crystal polymer glass surface, the décors create subtle transitions, visual depth and a distinctive three-dimensional effect as light penetrates the material, adding texture without overpowering a scheme.
Suited for furniture fonts, wall cladding and other interior applications, the collection is available as a 2,800 × 1,300 × 19 mm with an MDF backed panel, or as a 3.7 mm glass laminate version for projects that require greater installation flexibility. The slimline panel can be fitted directly over existing tiles, making it particularly suited for refurbishment projects where installation speed and minimal disruption are key considerations.
Alongside its design potential, the polymer glass surface collection offers several practical advantages over conventional mineral glass. It is significantly lighter, more resistant to scratches and impacts and can be fabricated using standard woodworking tools. The easy-clean surface also incorporates anti-fingerprint properties, while the muted décors have been selected to work across a wide range of interior styles.
Jonathan Heginbottom, national sales manager at REHAU Interior Solutions UK, said: “The collection was redeveloped to capture the essence of natural materials in a calm, contemporary design language. The focus was on creating visual harmony through timeless aesthetics and a carefully considered palette that can be used across a variety of interior applications.”
To support the specification process, REHAU also offers Surface Select, an online platform that enables designers to browse its decorative surface collections and order samples for client presentations and project development.
