PROJECT BATHROOMS A round-up

Double the value

Innovative fittings become the focal point in a pared-back contemporary wet room or walk-in enclosure, so it’s worth looking for a standout design such as this geometric showerhead with light. Apollo ceiling or wall-mounted shower in black with IP67-rated LED light, £2,070, West One Bathrooms (westonebathrooms.com)

All the senses

Modular fittings give you the freedom to design your shower with a single or several mood-enhancing spa-style features. Architectural Wellness modular system with water jets, chromotherapy, Bluetooth speaker and atomiser, £POA, Hi-Fi thermostatic five function shelf mixer, from £3,853.20, Rettangolo hand shower, from £528, Gessi (gessi.com) So reliable

Thermostatic technology works to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout your shower. The latest valves have push-button or digital controls and temperature indicators. Beacon Dual thermostatic shower with self-powered HydroGlo light that indicates when the right temperature is reached, from £330, Mira (mirashowers.co.uk)

Using less, saving more

Eco showers and taps reduce consumption while retaining the feel of good water flow. Look for built-in flow limiters, aerators, condensed or pulsed sprays, plus cold start and timer functions. Pulsify overhead shower 260 2jet EcoSmart in matt black, £666.67, shower holder set 105 1jet, £84, ShowerTablet Select thermostat 400, £475, Hansgrohe (hansgrohe.co.uk)

For everyone

When designing for those with mobility issues, look for ranges that include lever and/or touch controls, cool-touch thermostats, temperature limiters, grab rails and seating. Keuco Plan Care grab bar and rail system with load capacity of 115kg, £548.28, Care handset, £489.69, ceiling arm and showerhead, £531.45, round thermostat with diverter, £1,215.12, Plan wall-mounted, foldaway seat with load capacity of 150kg, £736.44, all Bathroom Design Studio London (bathroomdesignstudiolondon.co.uk)

CHECK THE SMALL PRINT

Advice on labels and warranties from John Naughten, managing director of Bathroom Design Studio London (bathroomdesignstudio london.co.uk) ● Products certified by the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) guarantee conformity to British regulation standards and will have gone through stringent testing. Look for the WRAS- approved label or refer to the online database (wras.co.uk). WRAS-approved products are a legal requirement for new-builds. ● The European Water Label (europeanwaterlabel.eu) and the Waterwise Recommended Checkmark (waterwise.org.uk) indicate the latest eco-friendly products designed to cut water consumption. These voluntary schemes provide information on water efficiency and include brands such as Vitra (vitra.com), Roca (uk.roca.com) and Duravit (duravit.co.uk). They’re also useful tools for self-builders when complying with water efficiency regulations as set out in Part G of the building code. ● It is your installer who has a legal obligation to ensure that all brassware complies with any relevant regulations – in much the same way as a qualified gas installer does. ● Most bathroom manufacturers offer warranties of two to five years, while spare parts are usually available for at least ten to 15. In some cases, such as with Hansgrohe (hansgrohe.co.uk), they’re available even after a product has been discontinued. ● Warranties cover both the form and function of a product, and if there is an issue you will need to contact the retailer – not the manufacturer – within 30 days. If there is a legitimate problem such as a crack, then the manufacturer is liable for a replacement, unless the installation is faulty. Because most bathroom specialists have strong relationships with the manufacturers they represent, they may also be able to negotiate on your behalf if a problem should arise after the guarantee period.

Quite unique

Manufacturers such as Dornbracht (dornbracht.com), Fantini (fantini.it) and Grohe (grohe.co.uk) offer a wide choice of colours and finishes. Dornbracht and CP Hart (cphart.co.uk) have products with interchangeable handles and inserts. SO three-hole basin mixer in brushed gold with light wood handles, £1,958.26, CP Hart. Range available in eight body finishes and with 11 handle options

Clean solution

Improve hygiene with motion-sensor technology that allows you to get water flowing without touching the tap. Bristan (bristan.com), Vado (vado.com) and Grohe (grohe.co.uk) offer mains or battery-powered options. Toto’s taps generate power from water flow alone (gb.toto.com). Wall-mounted, self-powered Autofaucet in chrome, £612, Toto Always as good as new

The Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) process produces long-lasting surfaces that are incredibly durable and scratch- resistant with an enhanced colour and finish – whether matt or high shine. Ask suppliers for PVD product recommendations. Lineare single lever floor-mounted bath filler with StarLight chrome finish, £2,061.05, Grohe (grohe.co.uk)

A worthwhile investment

It is worth buying the best quality brassware you can afford. Designs with a solid brass or steel body are durable – check that the fitting has ceramic discs, which will ensure smooth operation for many years. Langbourn 3870 single lever basin mixer in unlacquered Satin Brass that ages over time, from £564.36, Perrin & Rowe (perrinandrowe.co.uk)

M Y G R A N D I D E A

Architect Stephen Tierney helped to shape a woodland home that has been almost 20 years in the making

Tell us about the house It belongs to my parents-in-law, Steven and Pat Haines, who are in their seventies. They wanted to replace their cold, dark cottage near Godalming, Surrey, with something that would fit unobtrusively into the clearing in the ancient woodland they own at the brow of a valley. Steven planned to build the house himself. — What was your role? I am an architect and my wife Nicola is a landscape designer. We met while studying at The Bartlett School of Architecture in London, and now run a practice together in Dublin. The project team consisted of myself, Nicola, my colleague James Casey and Steven, whose many years working as a surveyor gave him a huge amount of experience in basement construction, systems installation and timber work. — What about planning? We started the drawings in 2002 and gained planning approval in 2006. We were only allowed to add 10 per cent to the cottage footprint, so the ground f loor measures just 124sqm. But there were no restrictions on the size of any basement, so we excavated to create a 126sqm underground level. — How is it constructed? It is made from structural insulated panels (SIPs), which are lightweight, strong, well-insulated and easy to make airtight. An air-source heat pump and solar panels make the house a nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) and there are plans to install solar photovoltaics (PV) in the future. — Where is the timber from? Steven obtained a licence for woodland thinning, which allowed him to harvest oak for the exterior cladding and ash for the interior joinery. A team of horses did the heavy lifting, which is much less damaging to the landscape than modern mechanical extraction. Steven and Pat used a mobile sawmill to cut the logs into 25mm-thick planks, which were stacked and left to season in the open air for three years. They set up a joinery shop on site to cut the cladding and make the laminated posts and internal joinery. Construction of the house finally began in 2011 and continued until 2020. There was no hurry. We wanted to get it right. — How has it turned out? Steven and Pat are delighted to have a home that is low-energy, not just because it reduces bills, but because it is comfortable, bright, draught-free and a constant temperature. This was a feel-good project for us all. It may have taken a long time, but it was certainly well worth the wait. Tierney Haines Architects, tierneyhaines.com

ABOVE The four-bedroom, 255sqm house cost £530,000 excluding fees and labour LEFT Over time, the oak cladding will gradually mellow to match the colour of the surrounding trees