KITCHENS BATHROOMS INTERIORS
Highlights from the UK’s biggest kitchen & bathroom event
Prime Location
A showroom statement of intent
Formats, shapes and textures for a whole new creative edge
It’s a wonderfully sociable time of year, with a whole host of good reasons to get together. Last month’s kbb Birmingham was one such opportunity and it was a massively upli ing experience to hear so much positivity from exhibitors and visitors alike.
As well as the stellar products selected for our designerati Design Trail, there were countless other new creations presented at the show, demonstrating that the ow of ideas in the K&B sector remains as strong as ever. We showcase a few of our highlights from the kbb show in this issue, and hear from some of the brands with grand plans for the rest of the year ahead.
There was also a trip to Valencia last month for a visit to European tile showcase Cevisama. This is another market which is well and truly delivering when it comes to choices in designs, formats, materials and nishes. Check out our trends overview in this issue for a round-up of the latest in tile style.
This month is, of course, all about Milan and it is a fair that never disappoints. We’ll be scouring the show and the city’s showrooms, picking out some of the very best new designs presented in and around Salone del Mobile to gauge the innovations that are likely to in uence kitchen and bathroom design thinking in the months to come.
If you’re heading to Milan, do take a moment to share your own show highlights with us via our socials. In the meantime, enjoy the issue!
Martin Allen-Smith Editor, designerati
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Our round-up of the people, products, and places that ma er from across K&B design, including new surfaces from Neolith, essential induction from Gaggenau, and a look at Dornbracht’s Milan presence
Substituting three rooms to transform a dated layout into a contemporary heart of the home has created an idyllic and highly versatile kitchen for cooking, work, and fun
Embracing a positive outlook, the mood was upbeat at last month’s kbb Birmingham show. We round up a few of the highlights
Victoria + Albert has launched the Seros collection in collaboration with British sculptor, Sophie-Elizabeth Thompson
Ireland-based showering brand
Flair introduced its ETO, ILI and BABY ILI products, as well as the AYO wetroom collection at kbb
Boiling water tap manufacturer
Quooker presented its full portfolio at kbb, including its two new nishes, Rose Copper and Gunmetal, and latest Front tap
Brassware brand St James England looks to build on its heritage with a wide-ranging o ering
Appliance brand Fisher & Paykel has o cially opened the doors to its highly anticipated Experience Centre on London’s Wigmore Street, the rst for the brand to open in Europe
This year’s Cevisama tile exhibition in Valencia, Spain, impressed both in scale and creativity. We picked out a few highlights from the huge range of new options on show
A look at Gessi’s Ventaglio faninspired bathroom collection
AGA ERA is a mix of evolution and revolution. It’s where technology meets design and where heritage meets modernity. And it’s where glass is used extensively for the first time to create a striking, unified aesthetic that is beautiful, contemporary and fits perfectly into a modern kitchen.
Surface manufacturer Neolith has launched two new products as part of its New Classtone and Fusion collections. Inspired by Ancient Rome, Neolith Calaca a Roma pays homage to Italian Carrara marble, aiming to combine combining classic elegance with modern sophistication. Its ochre and grey veins stand out against the white background.
Neolith Cappadocia Sunset meanwhile takes its creative lead from the region in central Turkey known for some highly unusual rock formations.
Both products are made from sintered stone and can be used for countertops, furniture, walls and oors both indoors and out.
Neolith / neolith.com
Neolith Cappadocia Sunset
Across two levels and 260 sqm, Dornbracht will be presenting a new showroom space in the Brera design district at Milan Design Week this month.
Designed as an experience space to appeal to all sensory levels, the highlight will be the rst presentation of this years’ shower novelties. With two products, Dornbracht will be looking to inspire in the spa category as well as se ing new standards in the presentation of water.
Open from 10am during Milan Design Week (16-21 April 2024), the showroom aims to showcase how materials, textures, and colours can be utilised to exert a holistic and positive in uence on our wellbeing. A new sculptural shower has been modelled on a classic crystal chandelier design and is an eye-catching component within the space.
The entire upper area, which
also houses the new products, takes inspiration as its guiding principle. The variety of the shower range comes alive in a digital staging that visualises the manufacturer’s expertise in ow modes. Dornbracht Kitchen, a further focus for the brand, is also showcased in the ‘inspiration area’. Here, a central kitchen block acts as a communication hub inside the showroom, which brings together other components in cooperation with brands such as Cosentino, Occhio, and Poggenpohl.
The lower showroom area is devoted to the speci cation of the company’s services. Its x-tra service and concealed solutions are clearly illustrated here, as is Dornbracht ReCra ed. The exible and modular design of the entire area allows it to be used both as a presentation and event space.
Dornbracht / dornbracht.com
A contrast between both the deep black oak (melamine) and the ocean paint nish (silk gloss lacquer), along with the smoked glass cabinets and ceramic worktop forms the visual approach from Keller’s new Ocean Breeze kitchen.
The kitchen features carbon handle trims as well as LED lighting which can be controlled via an intelligent platform which can be connected to various home automation systems. Keller / kellerkitchens.com
Design and engineering. Since 1882 Bertazzoni appliances bring the best of Italian tradition to the kitchen.
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Appliance brand Gaggenau will showcase its Essential Induction cooktop in Milan this month. It was rst revealed in September 2023 and is set for launch in May 2024.
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MARTIN ALLEN-SMITH
The cooktop is designed to integrate with Dekton stone countertops – which can be selected in a choice of 60 nishes, designs and colours – and incorporates the ‘dot’, a smart centre light within the cooking zone which shows the user where to place the cookware, warns of residual heat and disappears when not in use.
CLARA PERRY MELISSA PORTER
Gaggenau has also developed removable magnetic surface protectors which not only mitigate any noise of the pan moving across the stone surface and safeguard the worktop but also ensure the conductivity of the induction modules to optimise cooking performance.
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Sven Baacke, Gaggenau’s Head of Design, said: “It’s about eliminating the boundaries between preparation and living. It o ers the ultimate freedom in kitchen planning, which is a revolutionary concept for designers and planners.”
The brand will be showcasing its appliance range in Milan at its ‘Elevation of Gravity’ showcase at Villa Necchi from 16-21 April. Gaggenau / gaggenau.com
sales@bathroom-engineering.co.uk www.bathroom-engineering.co.uk
The Boat House, Wirral Park Glastonbury, Somerset, England BA6 9XE
sales@bathroom-engineering.co.uk www.bathroom-engineering.co.uk The Boat House, Wirral Park Glastonbury, Somerset, England BA6 9XE
Substituting three rooms to transform a dated layout into a contemporary heart of the home has created an idyllic and highly versatile kitchen for cooking, work, and fun
Abode are known for design, quality and our service back-up. Our team of industry specialists design and develop our product range in the UK. We offer; an ever developing Pronteau instant hot tap collection, trend leading kitchen taps, functional kitchen sinks and beautiful bathroom brassware.
www.abodedesigns.co.uk
FURNITURE FINISH
“The kitchen furniture is from Lochanna Kitchens, one of our longest standing clients, said Susan Tydesley. “The founder Paul Jenkinson has been in the kitchen industry for decades and his kitchen o erings are outstanding, in both design detail and value. For us, the skinny shaker look of Elswick was just perfect for our aesthetic of modern with a traditional twist, hence the choice of handles too from Armac Martin.
“It is a joy to use, with the drawers sliding out e ortlessly and so many thoughtful design details. Around our sink, we have an amazing hidden bin and recycling unit, as well as two slim pull-out units which are ideal for keeping kitchen sink items accessible. The wall units work perfectly with the oating shelves and above the bar. The nish is clean with simple lines that enhance the space in a practical but beautiful way.”
Sports broadcaster Clive Tyldesley and his wife, interiors PR expert Susan Tyldesley, began renovations on their kitchen and dining room of their Berkshire cottage during the pandemic, with the aim of creating a social kitchen where they could entertain friends and family, but also a haven to work, relax and just have some ‘down-time’.
Enlisting the help of interior and architecture design expert Alessandra Rua of MILV and using Susan’s 20years+ knowledge and expertise in interiors and KBB in particular, they created a spacious and airy room, cleverly enhanced by widespread use of beautiful white quartz surfaces for walls, floating shelves and worksurfaces, an appliance suite with a subtle aesthetic, and incorporating a plethora of useful areas for work, play, cooking, eating and relaxing.
Earthy neutral colours help to create a canvas for a versatile space, along with splashes of green plants and personal touches like Susan’s striking portrait painting –a gift from Clive – and the glass door pantry, all adding personality and character to the contemporary space.
For Clive, a space where he can spread out his football notes for those long evenings of creating commentary charts was on his priority list. For Susan, founder of interior PR agency DMCPR, it was a chance
FULL SPEC
Other kitchen features include tap with ltered sparkling water from GROHE, induction hob and extractor from NOVY, oor tiles by Porcelanosa, and worksurface, table and oating shelves from Caesarstone.
Appliances in the kitchen include Fisher & Paykel ovens, co ee machine, in-column 76cm wide stainless steel fridge, and double DishDrawer. Susan Tydesley said: “I love that the Fisher & Paykel ovens suite is so subtle and understated. It enhances the design of the kitchen rather than overpowering it. Our biggest indulgence is probably the 76cm wide stainless steel fridge which is an incredible piece of equipment and our fresh produces lasts many days longer in it.”
to create a dream kitchen for her and her husband that she was so used to ‘PR’ing’ for others.
Working with designer Rua, who runs practices in both London and Lisbon, Susan and Clive looked to transform what was three separate areas – a dining room, a conservatory and kitchen – into one huge light, airy, seamlessly-designed space to relax, live, and socialise.
“We have a lovely ‘woodland’ style garden and we really wanted the garden and kitchen area to feel like one”, says Susan. “Alessandra’s plan totally opens up the house to the garden. When I relax on the window banquette it really feels like I could be outside.”
“It was major building work, but two walls came down and we now have a truly wonderful space that has enabled us to turn our dream kitchen into reality.
Rua added: “The interior design I developed for Susan and her family was to create a sophisticated modern but comfortable entertaining kitchen space, that would accommodate Susan and Clive’s day-to-day use with lots of surface areas and storage, but also practical and functional for social gatherings. We included specially-designed areas such as the seating bench in the conservatory, the bar and the pantry. The lighting design was critical to create the atmosphere that Susan wanted for her social kitchen.” MILV / milv.uk
The scheme includes under oor heating, utilising Wunda with Wunda Smart Controls. Susan Tydesley said: “It made total sense to incorporate under oor heating while the kitchen was being renovated. Design-wise, it meant we could lose the radiators and now I love the feel of the warm even heat emanating from our stunning Porcelanosa tiles on a cool evening.
“It will also save us money on energy compared with radiator heating. Everything is controlled by the smart controls which are in every room of the house, and each room can be managed individually from the app on my phone.”
Photography: Paul Craig
Control your cooking with the simplest gesture with the new NikolaTesla Unplugged extractor hob. Thanks to its beautifully weighted knobs, you can set the most suitable cooking mode and power with a single “click” to make even the most complex preparations simple. An incredible technological solution, with the unmistakable Elica design. Register your product on our website to include a 5 years warranty that lets you relax and enjoy a unique cooking experience.
Discover the full range at elica.co.uk
16
Last month’s kbb Birmingham certainly surpassed expectations, with its biggest visitor turnout in a decade as well as a wealth of new products on display. We round up a few of the highlights from an event that has set an upbeat mood for the months ahead…
As the UK’s largest dedicated kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms exhibition, kbb Birmingham can act as something of a barometer of the industry’s fortunes every two years. The latest edition a racted its highest visitor turnout in ten years across the four days of the show at the NEC, including over 7,000 retailers, visiting the 320 exhibitors from across 26 di erent categories.
The Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) provided an opportunity for the bathroom industry to gain valuable insights from its dedicated seminar talks programme. Hosted by Tom Reynolds, BMA CEO, the discussions provided insightful conversations across the four days, with talks from industry experts discussing a range of topics from innovative bathroom designs to emerging new trends. Reynolds said: “BMA was delighted to have an enthusiastic audience for the BMA’s Seminar Talks at kbb Birmingham, with some fantastic insights and expert advice shared by our panellists. The show has grown signi cantly and de nitely had a buzz for 2024. The stand builds from the brands present were very impressive and a great form of motivation for what’s in store for the year ahead.”
Richard Hibbert, National Chair of the KBSA, hosted a number of drop-in clinics and roundtable discussions speci cally for owners and managers from independent retailers visiting the
show. The sessions aimed to equip a endees with advice on a variety of topics such as starting a business, taking on a new product o ering and hiring rst employees.
As kbb Birmingham’s sustainability partner, The Used Kitchen Company (TUKC) promoted the reuse and resale of pre-owned and ex display kitchens, extending their lifespan and reducing waste. TUKC actively encouraged retailers to promote the concept of recycling their client’s old kitchens, through POS material and o ering incentives to showrooms. They also o ered the opportunity for exhibitors to sell their display kitchens from the show oor.
The show organisers also emphasised this message, promoting sustainability and working collaboratively with its exhibitors,
partners, and community to lead the way in driving positive change. The show’s ‘Be er Stands’ campaign aimed to reduce the waste that stands and booths at exhibitions can create, and many exhibitors featured reuseable and modular elements to their stands that can be repurposed for other events.
Jon Johnston, kbb Sales Director, said: “We would like to thank all our colleagues in the KBB industry who have made this year’s event such a success. The show has reached new heights with a broader range of exhibitors than ever before, who have presented innovative, multi-faceted stands, appealing to a wide reach of audiences across di erent sectors. We are delighted by the positive feedback we’ve had from visitors and exhibitors alike.”
Bathroom brand Sonas displayed its striking GAIA stone-e ect bath at kbb. Inspired by the ancient Greek goddess of Earth, the new freestanding bath aims to convey the strength and durability of natural stone. The concept draws inspiration from surfaces of beach stones shaped by the abrasive forces of the sea. The bath is scheduled for launch in mid-2024. Sonas Bathrooms / sonasbathrooms.co.uk
Blum presented a 22 sqm concept home on its largescale stand, demonstrating how to make the most of every millimetre through clever storage solutions. Among them was the REVEGO pocket system which neatly allows kitchens to be completely hidden from view a er use. Blum / blum.com
Königstone showcased KönigCeramic, a highquality sintered surface with printed designs that replicate natural stone. Available in eight di erent colours, the slabs are cra ed using natural minerals that are compacted to high density and red to a temperature of over 1,200 degrees. Königstone / konigstone.co.uk
Working in partnership, He ich UK and Utopia unveiled their rst bathroom concept featuring He ich’s FurnSpin technology at the centre of this creative collaboration. The door-free concept was conceived by He ich and enables the revealing or concealing of the contents of furniture with a simple 180-degree rotating movement. Perfected kinematics prevents any collision with furniture edges and cancels out centrifugal force to ensure that even light objects stay put.
Jonathan Hunt, Marketing Manager at He ich UK, said: “FurnSpin gives a glimpse into the possibilities of future furniture design. As collective innovators in the sector, we and Utopia are presenting this concept to spark customers‘ imagination. We want to explore how FurnSpin can play a part in the future of high-end cabinetry throughout the home.” He ich / web.he ich.com – Utopia / utopiagroup.com
VitrA showcased its M-Line range of furniture and washbasins. Consisting of two distinct styles, Edge and Pure, the collection integrates various forms, colours and sizes.
VitrA / vitra.co.uk
Rotpunkt’s stand featured the Memory RI range in Walnut with Zerox SY VER Lo Black Oak. It also showcased the solid brass furniture knobs, t-bar handles and pull-bar handles from its collaboration with Buster + Punch in a collection that comprises ve handles and four colour options. Rotpunkt / rotpunkt.co.uk
Sustainability was at the heart of the o ering from kitchen brand Schüller at kbb. Its stand featured the Materia kitchen range, manufactured with 100% recyclable front materials, 71% of which comes from the circular economy. Made using resource-friendly production processes, Matera is available in a total of six colours and was shown at kbb Birmingham in two displays – a ma Eucalyptus Green and a ma Steel Blue.
Alongside Materia, the manufacturer presented its OrganiQ sustainable interior ings range, made from 78% natural bres. With equal proportions of hemp and kenaf, this composite material is made from grasses that grow back quickly in nutrient-depleted soil, which helps bind CO2. Schüller / schueller.de
ASKO presented its Cra range of built-in ovens at kbb. The Cra 5-in-1 Compact features ve di erent cooking methods, including full steam, microwave, hot air, combination hot air/steam and combination hot air/microwave. ASKO / uk.asko.com
Poggenpohl has 17 points of sale throughout the UK & Ireland · uk@poggenpohl.com
For your nearest Poggenpohl Studio please go to www.poggenpohl.com
Victoria + Albert has launched the Seros collection in collaboration with British sculptor, Sophie-Elizabeth Thompson.
Shown at kbb Birmingham in March and due to be o cially launched at Salone del Mobile in Milan this month, the Seros collection has been created using Victoria + Albert’s proprietary material, Quarrycast, made from Volcanic Limestone. This stone composite gives designers the freedom to shape bold, sculptural forms and for this project the manufacturer took the process a stage further by commissioning Thompson to create a set of original pieces to inspire an entirely new style of bath design.
Thompson’s work has organic, uid forms, suggesting the energy and movement of water. The three pieces created for Victoria + Albert play with light and shadow, mimicking the surface of rippling water.
Victoria + Albert’s in-house designers fused the signature elements of these pieces into the Seros collection. The bath comes in
two sizes and has sculptured line work owing around the tub. It is asymmetric, with each angle o ering a di erent combination of shape and shadow.
The countertop-mounted vessel basin echoes the shape of the bath, o ering not just a complementary basin for the bath, but a distinctive showpiece for cloakrooms or shower rooms.
The podium basin – the rst that Victoria + Albert has ever made – is de ned by a twisting, elemental shape, with a bowl that gives the impression it has been carved out of the top. The podium basin stands 900mm high and conceals the pipework within its body.
As with all baths and basins in the Victoria + Albert range, the new Seros collection can be customised in over 200 RAL colours and is available in a gloss or ma nish.
Victoria + Albert Baths / vandabaths.com
Sophie-Elizabeth Thompson is a British artist, working from her studio in Barcelona. Her creative work is expressed in both sculpture and drawing. All her artistic output is a natural intuitive response to the world around her. Inspired by both natural and manmade forms and their physical relationship to each other in life. It is details that inspire her; elements of the whole, out of context, that can reference delicate bone forms, industrial architectural structures; uid forms and the o en ignored negative space between objects.
Thompson said: “When I am in my studio, during my creative process, there is a moment, sometimes a er only minutes of working and sometimes a er hours of working, where I suddenly feel completely at peace, where time appears to stand still in absolute tranquility.
“That sense of harmony that can only exist in the stillness and perfection of the present moment. This is the gap between thoughts, the moment that transcends time and space and our perceived reality where the purest of form and mark are created. It is an instinctive process where no thoughts can penetrate and the subconscious mind allows inspiration to ow into form.
“This presence, this calmness, lends itself beautifully to the design of a bathroom collection. I live by the sea, and took photos of how the sea rests against the sand; how the wind a ects and sculpts the sand. It leaves these beautiful, calm, owing indents. The feeling of the movement and the natural marks that are le , are what I tried to capture.”
Sophie-Elizabeth Thompson / sophie-elizabeth-thompson.com
Ireland-based showering brand Flair introduced its ETO, ILI and BABY ILI products, as well as the AYO wetroom collection at kbb
Flair Showers presented a host of new products within its Harmony Collection, encompassing a selection of shower enclosures, wetrooms and bathscreens.
In addition to new product previews being unveiled for the rst time at kbb, the imagery on the stand was the result of Flair’s brand evolution journey project ‘Waterfall by Flair’. The ambitious exercise – whose stunning photos might look like CGI but in fact are entirely natural and involved transporting and then se ing up the company’s latest products in a remote waterfall location – was the brainchild of Flair’s Marketing Director Mia O’Loughlin.
It sees the product depicted
through stunning imagery captured at Largy, an enclosed waterfall on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, as well as video content and new messaging to explain the company’s design ethos. O’Loughlin said: “We just have a real passion and desire to do something di erent. We have developed these beautiful products so wanted to come up with a way to di erentiate ourselves and convey our authenticity as a business. So, we thought we would utilise the beautiful natural landscape close to our base in County Cavan, Ireland to show the beauty of our product and the detail of what we’ve created.”
The company’s products have undergone a six-year cycle of design and development to ensure quality and ease of installation. “Our core values are genuine care, humility, and there’s an integrity in everything we do,” O’Loughlin says. “This runs through how we approach our design; we manage and control every stage of the process, and that sometimes involves taking it all back to the start if we’re not happy that it is 100% where we want it to be. It takes time of course, but for us the prime consideration is ge ing it right.”
Flair Showers / airshowers.com See designerati.co.uk for more on the Flair Showers story.Boiling water tap manufacturer Quooker presented its full portfolio at kbb, including its two new nishes, Rose Copper and Gunmetal, and latest Front tap.
See designerati.co.uk for more from Quooker at kbb Birmingham.
Stand visitors to Quooker were able to experience the products up close, testing out plumbed-in taps with their di erent water modes and safety features. There were also separate on-stand spaces for dealer and VIP customer meetings, alongside the brand’s timeline which showcases the company’s heritage of innovation.
Quooker also showcased its two new nishes across its Flex and Fusion ranges –Rose Copper and Gunmetal – alongside its existing nish range. Latest o ering Front tap was also on show, o ering customers new ways of operating the tap with an ergonomic on-spout hot and cold-water lever.
The brand is con dent that there is much more market potential to be exploited over the coming years. Stephen Johnson, Quooker’s UK MD, said: “We’ve been in the UK for 17 years now and we are seeing growing numbers of returning customers looking to replace or update their Quooker taps. Having lived with them, they would never been without. Plus, there are young people who have grown up in those households having never used a ke le, so naturally enough when the time comes for them to move into their own homes, they will choose a Quooker –people become bonded with the brand and it can be so powerful.”
He adds that it’s one of the only appliances in your kitchen that is going to save the homeowner money, given its energy-saving advantages over a ke le. It is a point that Quooker’s Global Director Walter Peteri believes renders talk of price point fairly irrelevant in the purchasing decision. He explains: “When I started, Quooker was always seen as too expensive. But the reason it was seen that way was because people thought they did not need it. Those that use it, realise they really do need it. When you think about the cost, you have to consider that it’s something you will get daily use out of for the next 10-20 years.”
Peteri adds that the future for the brand depends on continued innovation, including product functions, e ciency and sustainability, all core components of its o ering: “We have 60 R&D people in Ridderkerk [Quooker HQ, Netherlands], working every day to develop new products and new ideas. That’s the way for a leading brand to remain leading in the market.” Quooker / quooker.co.uk
See
Brassware
looks to build on its heritage with a wide-ranging o ering…
Having recently introduced a new brand identity and re ned portfolio, St James showcased its bathroom and kitchen brassware at kbb Birmingham, comprising a collection of design-led brassware including taps, mixers and showers, as well as sinks and accessories.
The brand now o ers three complementary portfolios: St James Traditional is inspired by Victorian elegance and hand- nished with bespoke details; St James Distinction aims to embody iconic British style with a contemporary twist; and St James Living is a range of bathroom and kitchen brassware and sink styles that looks to maximise aesthetic appeal.
Mark Davidge, Sales Director at St James England, said: “The St James brand was originally set up in 1969 and it perhaps remained under the radar for some people for many years. It became established in the higher-end traditional brassware market, a sector in which it remains strong today.
“Today’s o ering is far broader. As well as the high-end traditional, our Living range brings a wider range that’s well suited to the needs of speci ers, housebuilders, hotels and independent retialers. Being a brand new range, we also have full control on how we market it online and are supportive of the bricks and mortar showrooms so it’s not for ecommerce.”
The Living range comprises 13 brassware products with an emphasis on colour choices, with nishes in chrome, black, gun metal, brushed bronze, brushed nickel and brushed brass. The colours match neatly with the range o ered by sister company Flair Showers, enabling a co-ordinated approach. Davidge said: “Colours have been in the market for 12 years or so, but it’s really in the last two years that things have really taken o . But we’ve also been really careful not to make the colour choices una ainable with a huge cost premium so have kept price di erences as low as possible to make the desirable more a ordable.”
Davidge points out that the St James England portfolio o ers a wide selection of tap options from lower price point to topend, and with a kitchen collection too. He adds: “There are now relatively few brands in the industry specialising solely in taps as we do. I believe we o er one of the most comprehensive ranges in the sector.” St James England / stjamesengland.com
Distinction Arno shower valve in graphite
Right: Living range Bond bathroom tap in brushed brass
Below: Traditional freestanding bath ller mixers in chrome
The Sirius offering boasts distinctive Italian styling, along with innovative new technological and design features including anti condensation hoods. Sirius hoods are designed to be a high-end product in terms of design, materials, performance, and reliability, with a mid-range price point. explore the full range at siriushoods.co.uk
Appliance brand Fisher & Paykel has officially opened the doors to its highly anticipated Experience Centre on London’s Wigmore Street, the first for the brand to open in Europe.
Interior view of the Fisher & Paykel London Experience Centre with darkstained elm minimal kitchen, bespoke elm Fabric Care Space with Steam Care appliances, and wet bar with concealed wine care solutions
The fabric care space has been designed as a bespoke furniture element with integrated lighting and inlaid leather surfaces. F&P says the matching Steam Care washer, dryer and fabric care cabinet combine to create an ecosystem of steam-based solutions that aim to deliver customised care for precious garments
OUsing sequence-matched elm veneer, bespoke cabinetmaker Jacob Alexander has cra ed and re ned this minimal kitchen into an expression of rich, natural materialdriven minimalism. Monochromatic minimal style black appliances recede into the dark-stained cabinetry. Integrated column refrigeration and wine care cabinets are concealed, and both induction cooktops sit ush with the Pietra Grey marble worksurface
Open to consumers, architects, interior designers and trade customers, Fisher & Paykel’s new London show space at 98 Wigmore Street will welcome both pre-booked appointments and walk-ins from those looking for kitchen solutions at home or in their designs.
The experience centre honours its New Zealand roots by greeting guests with an o ering of Kawakawa tea prepared on a ‘hot rock’. The ceremonial tea is revered among Maori as being super healing and restorative.
Throughout the rest of the space, the design re ects the brand’s ‘Designed in
New Zealand’ ethos, which prioritises architecture that has meaningful connections to place and is respectful of culture, history and materials. The scheme has been designed in a creative collaboration between architects Brinkworth, bespoke cabinet maker Jacob Alexander, Fisher & Paykel’s design team, and Alt Group, the brand’s strategic brand partner.
“We design some of the best appliances in the world,” said Daniel Wi en-Hannah, Fisher & Paykel CEO. “We wanted to demonstrate the potential of our products in the world’s best kitchens, and through creative collaboration with Brinkworth
and Jacob Alexander, that is what these represent.”
Brinkworth has brought that concept to life in London through a re ned material pale e of elm, inspired by the site’s proximity to three of London’s famous green spaces, Portland stone, and deep brown glazed tiles, whose source of inspiration is the subterranean network of brickclad waterways that intersect the site.
Key spaces within the Experience Centre include a Minimal Kitchen, a showcase of how seamless integration of appliances li s the kitchen beyond utility into a cra ed and furniture-like space. An Apartment Kitchen shows that luxury need not be de ned by size. While the Fabric Care Solutions space demonstrate Fisher & Paykel’s laundry range which it says has evolved
beyond washing and drying to encompass bre-speci c tailored fabric care.
At the centre of the space is The Social Kitchen and dining space. In this subterranean area, in-house chefs will lead ‘Mastery of Temperature’ culinary experiences, bringing to life the insights behind the brand’s approach to food care and cooking.
Stephen Rickersey, Chief Operating O cer for Fisher & Paykel UK, Ireland & Europe, added: “From start to nish, every single detail of our Experience Centre has been meticulously thought out. Paying respectful homage to both our New Zealand heritage and London postcode, the space will o er a completely new take on the appliance research and sourcing process.”
Fisher & Paykel / sherpaykel.com
London design studio Brinkworth has opened up the space with a vaulted ceiling and lined the walls with deep red-brown hand-made tiles – both reference the Victorianera subterranean water courses near the site. The custom-made ‘social kitchen’ table has a weighty elm-slab top while the Hiroshima wooden chairs were designed by Naoto Fukusawa
The contemporary kitchen at Fisher & Paykel’s London Experience Centre is a demonstration space where inhouse chefs host Mastery of Temperature culinary experiences. The island’s ‘Jura Blue’ limestone surface has a ush- ed modular induction cook top with teppan surface. The freestanding cabinetry wall, with grid of combination steam ovens, sous vide vacuum drawer and built-in co ee maker, conceals a chef’s scullery
Fisher & Paykel’s new London Experience Centre at 98 Wigmore Street
This year’s Cevisama tile exhibition in Valencia, Spain, impressed both in scale and creativity. We picked out a few highlights from the huge range of new options on show...
The Spanish tile industry was out in force at this year’s Cevisama, showcasing a wide range of new ceramic tile designs and innovative new techniques for both residential and commercial spaces. Maria D Arráez, Director of Tile of Spain UK, and Clara Vicedo, Marketing and Communications executive at ASCER, round up their top six trends spo ed at this year’s show that will be leading the world of tile design in 2024…
EARTHENWARE COLOURS: “Rich and warm, this year’s colour pale e focuses on introducing the earthy colours of the natural world, both indoors and outdoors. From olive and moss greens to terraco a and clay, Spanish manufacturers have created a diverse selection of tile sizes, nishes and colours; from on-trend terrazzo to threedimensional brick tiles and distressed large format oor tiles. The result is an inviting space that will stand the test of time.”
Right: Micra Verde Zepto by Vives
Below: Croccante Menta Topping by Arcana
MIX & MATCH: “Whether pairing slender linear tiles with square tiles in the same nish or incorporating a tile design which includes both a ma and gloss nish, mixing tiles together was certainly popular among Spanish manufacturers. Adding new dimension and structure to spaces, the diverse tile combinations, surfaces and designs naturally draw the eye in and beautifully catch the light in di erent ways adding intrigue and interest to homes.”
Right: Zero Bold Chipper by Vives
Below: Mirror Zinc Mix by Apavisa
THE DISTRESSED LOOK: “From urban chic to modern farmhouse, distressed ceramic tiles were a popular appearance at this year’s show, with a range of ceramic tile designs for oors and walls in a variety of nishes and colours. Distressed tiles lend an age of authenticity to your décor, whilst o ering the amenities of a modern ceramic tile which can keep up with the demands of everyday life.”
Above: Lava by Aparici
FLUTED: “Ceramics lend themselves beautifully to 3D reliefs and varied dimensions and uted tiles are certainly leading the way. Whether positioned vertically or horizontally, Spanish manufacturers are introducing a series of new uted tile designs in a variety of nishes, colours and sizes. From larger panels and slabs for bathrooms to smaller, brick tiles for kitchen splashbacks, uted tiles can now take on any form – whether woode ect or three-dimensional.”
Above: Lune Concept by Ibero
TEXTURED SURFACES:
“Manufacturers in Spain are using new and innovative technology to optimise the latest printing and ring techniques to bring incredible new possibilities for ceramics, echoing the tactile textures of natural materials like wood, limestone and marble. From large to small format, these new ceramic designs o er a strong material appeal that will pair with traditional and modern interiors alike.”
Below: Brown Wash Mosaic Black & Cream Collection by Arcana
Poeme Concept by Keraben
LARGE FORMAT: “Large format tiles have seen an increase in popularity, particularly with commercial projects – not only for outdoor but indoor too. Replicating an array of materials, from concrete to marble, the versatile nature of ceramic and porcelain means customers have an incredibly broad range of ma , gloss and relief tiles to choose from. To add to this, homeowners are using large format to create an indoor-outdoor look, taking it from their living room or kitchen onto their patio.”
“THE LATEST PRINTING AND FIRING TECHNIQUES ARE BRINGING INCREDIBLE NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR CERAMICS”
[SEE THE FULL STORY AT DESIGNERATI.CO.UK]
First presented as a concept at last year’s Salone del Mobile in Milan and now launching to the market is Ventaglio by Italian bathroom brand Gessi.
The minimalist range was developed in collaboration with Milan-based Filipino architect and interior designer Michael Vincent Uy, who also partnered with the brand on the creation of the bathrooms of the Il Foyer restaurant at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan in 2020.
For the Ventaglio range, the inspiration has been drawn from the shape of a fan, known in China for centuries as a symbol of prestige and in 18th Century Europe as a source of coded language. This collection brings the shape into an expression of so surfaces and slender lines, combining overlapping shapes and varying sizes and dimensions.
The range has been created with aesthetic balance in mind, from the tapered lever of the tap to the conical base of its body.
Gessi / gessi.com
Solid wood will make an honest difference to any interior solution
At SPEKVA we are dedicated to creating kitchen worktops and furniture of the very finest quality from hand-selected wood. The finished product couldn ' t be anymore premium.
We cater for your every wish and have something to offer for every taste and purpose.
Contact Sales Manager Mark Williams on 07894698682 and visit us online.
