Kitchens & Bathrooms News February 2020 by Hamerville Media Group

KI TCHENS &

BATHROOMS NEWS THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR KITCHEN & BATHROOM PROFESSIONALS

FEBRUARY 2020

EXHIBITION PREVIEW What you can see at Kbb Birmingham

COLOUR IN THE BATHROOM How to inject and scale palettes

BIOPHILIC KITCHENS Why nature and wellbeing is impacting on projects

news ■ expert views ■ company profiles ■ products ■ competitions ■ SME support www.kandbnews.co.uk

NO 147 VOL 14 FEBRUARY 2020

contents NEWS & VIEWS 7

First word Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opinion

8 News Round-up of industry headlines

8 12 People Appointments and promotions

13 Inbox Reader feedback

14 Most Wanted Sales director of Arcot Interiors Toby Griffin chooses his three favourite products from our January issue

16 Talking shop MD of Coalville Kitchens & Bathrooms Luke Wedgbury explains why independent retailers should embrace the nationals

BATHROOMS 37 Coloured bathrooms Injecting and scaling palettes to create a living space

21 Kbb Birmingham preview We take a look at what the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest kitchen and bathroom exhibition is set to offer visitors

40 Just out The latest bathroom product launches

NECESSTIES

42 Bathroom ventilation Product marketing manager of Vent-Axia Tom Wodcke says consider air changes, noise levels and ability to monitor indoor air quality when specifying ventilation

BUSINESS 44 Reader profile

KITCHENS 29 Biophilic kitchens How designing projects with a greater connection to nature enhances wellbeing

32 Just out The latest kitchen product launches

Managing director of Pier 1 Bathrooms Angus Warner says his business is not just about selling bathrooms but enhancing lives and the local community

46 Company matters SME advice covering marketing, financial, management as well as legal issues www.kandbnews.co.uk K&BNEWS FEBRUARY

FIRST WORD

NEWS & VIEWS

It’s showtime! We’re only a month into 2020 and already the headlines are filled with doom and gloom, from Whirlpool recalling half a million washing machines through to companies falling into administration. And that’s if you’re not already concerned about teetering on the brink of World War 3, let alone Brexit (remember that?). It can be all too easy to get disheartened, focusing on external pressures and talking down project sales in the kbb industry. But taking a more balanced look at the industry actually reveals an underlying optimism. European companies continue to invest in the country, from VitrA announcing a flagship London showroom through to Falmec launching a UK subsidiary, as well as Swiss V-ZUG returning to our shores. There has been growth in UK businesses too, with the expansion of Harrison Bathrooms and Nymas. Plus bathroom retailer Victorian Plumbing has just announced a record turnover with a firm focus on further growth for 2020. It shows business is out there. Although, arguably, retail consumers may be more pricesensitive. However managing director of Coalville Kitchens & Bathrooms Luke Wedgbury says national retailer consumers can be won over by the value offered by independents. In fact, he recently converted a client with a £12,000 budget from a national retailer to buy a

£19,000 kitchen from his business. And what better time to consider how to tempt consumer hearts and wallets, than with the latest innovations from the UK’s largest kitchen and bathroom show? Yes, the behemoth that is kbb Birmingham is rolling back into town at the NEC from March 1-4. Featuring more than 400 exhibitors, it will showcase the latest product trends for both retail and contract markets, helping kbb professionals meet the ever-changing needs of their clientele. The show also provides a meeting point for discussions, enabling visitors to discover how suppliers will help support their businesses in the challenging marketplace. But, just as importantly, it offers a social network, the old-fashioned kind, with face-to-face dialogue between friends old and new. It allows independent businesses to come together, exchange views and ideas, and return to their premises invigorated – whatever the challenges ahead. Showtime? It certainly is…for everyone!

KBN LIKES ✔ …Triton has recognised its long-serving members of staff, which have a combined experience of 725 years! Congratulations from our team which is now feeling rather fresh-faced.

KBN DISLIKES ✖ …the Whirlpool Group is having to recall half a million washing machines but is pleased the organisation is taking prompt action

KBN WANTS ! ...to see you all at kbbBirmingham. Message us on social media during the show on Twitter or Instagram @kandbnews to meet up. You can also pick up the March issue at the Take 5 coffee stand in the bathroom hall

Philippa Turrell Editor

Email your views on this subject, or any other, to pturrell@hamerville.co.uk To be removed from this magazine’s circulation please call 01923 237799 or email circulation@hamerville.co.uk Editor Philippa Turrell e: pturrell@hamerville.co.uk Designer Donna Booth Production Assistant Stephanie Stapleton e: stephanie@hamerville.co.uk Group Production Manager Carol Padgett e: carol@hamerville.co.uk Printer Walstead Peterborough

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www.kandbnews.co.uk K&BNEWS FEBRUARY 7

NEWS & VIEWS

MAKING HEADLINES

Hotpoint and Indesit models made from October 2014 to February 2018 affected

IN BRIEF ■ UK manufacturer Triton Showers recognised 28 longservice employees, with a collective experience of 725 years, at its annual Loyalty Awards. Held at Triton Shower HQ in Nuneaton, the Loyalty Awards were led by managing director David Tutton and acknowledged the dedication of long-serving personnel. Four employees marked 35 years at the company, while a further 10 reached a milestone of 30-years’ service. In addition, Tutton commended seven colleagues for 25 years of service, 10 for two decades of service and three for reaching 10 years with the company. Read more at www.rdr.link/KM001

■ Trade association the Kbsa ended 2019 with the addition of four new members, two retail and two corporate. The retail members include Ascot Bespoke Kitchens from Derby and Cloisters Design from Hemel Hempstead. And the corporate members are Flo Marketing, based in Solihull, and Italian Luxury Surfaces in Berkshire. Read the full story at www.rdr.link/KM002 ■ Lancashire-based kitchen, bedroom and bathroom furniture manufacturer JJO now stocks and distributes Candy built-in appliances. The distributor had been considering an additional appliance brand “for some time”. Candy adds to the appliances already offered by JJO which include: Belling, Bosch, Caple, Neff, New World, Rangemaster and Stoves. See the entire story at www.rdr.link/KM003

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Whirlpool recalls more than 500,000 washers Whirlpool UK appliances has announced a recall of more than 500,000 Hotpoint and Indesit washing machines, which could pose a ﬁre risk. As reported on gov.co.uk, the door locks of affected machines could catch ﬁre due to overheating during the washing process. The recall covers models manufactured between October 2014 and February 2018, and could see up to 519,000 washing machines affected. It spans 42 models which include 39 Hotpoint washing machines and three Indesit models. Affected consumers are advised to unplug their machine and register with Whirlpool for a replacement. Under the recall, consumers with an affected washing machine will be entitled to a free replacement. Old machines will be removed,

and replacements installed, at no cost to the consumer. This safety announcement and recall follows urgent action by regulator Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS). Office for Product Safety and Standards chief executive Graham Russell said: “Whirlpool is recalling models of washing machines due to consumer safety concerns. “They have advised consumers with affected models to unplug their machine until it is replaced. “The Office for Product Safety and Standards will closely monitor Whirlpool to ensure the recall is carried out successfully.

“Our priority is to keep consumers safe and we urge affected customers to unplug their washing machines, contact Whirlpool and follow its advice.” Consumers can contact the helpline: 0800 316 1442. The company is doubling the size of its customer service team, hiring 100 additional engineers and seeking support from retail and logistics partners. Vice President of Whirlpool Corporation Jeff Nole said in a statement: “This is an issue we inherited from buying the Indesit Company, but as the new owner, it is our responsibility to keep our customers safe. “We are recalling these products because it is the right thing to do for people’s safety and we will do whatever it takes to put the situation right for our customers.” Read the entire story at www.rdr.link/KM004

“Most difficult trading conditions” of its 35-year history

Prentice Furniture falls into administration Prentice Furniture Manufacturers was placed into administration on December 20, 2019, following a “signiﬁcant fall” in its order book. Andy Turpin and Matt Hardy of insolvency practitioner Poppleton & Appleby, in Birmingham, have been named joint administrators. Established in 1985 as a manufacturer of bespoke kitchen and bedroom furniture, the familyrun business employed 70 staff at its Tamworth premises. The business has now ceased trading and all of its staff have been made redundant. According to an official statement Prentice Furniture had been affected by “some of the most difficult trading conditions” of

its 35-year history and cited increased competition, changing customer trends and shrinking margins. It further reported the current economic uncertainty had also seen a “signiﬁcant fall” in the company’s order book. Joint administrator Andy Turpin of Poppleton & Appleby commented on the administration: “This is a sad day for the business and the local community with many of the founding employees still working for the company.” He continued: “The trading conditions being faced were not untypical of many businesses where consumers were tightening their belts and putting spending

decisions on hold or deferring them indeﬁnitely.” The joint administrators are looking to sell the business assets and interested parties should contact them by email at info@poppletonandappleby.co.uk.

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Acquisition took place through a share sale

Sinks & Things acquired by Franke UK Franke UK has acquired Ashfordbased distributor Sinks & Things through a share sale completed on January 6, 2020. Sinks & Things is one of Franke’s original distributors since the 1970s, when the Swiss-based brand of sinks was ﬁrst introduced into the UK market. Founded by Mike Hayward and Mike Tate, with Mark Bristow as managing director since 2014, it serves customers in London and the South East. The distributor will retain its trading name and continue to supply the entire Franke portfolio including sinks, taps, waste

management products and decorative hoods It will operate as part of Franke’s distribution network which includes Waterline, Swift, Forth & Clyde in Scotland, Bodel in Northern Ireland and Kitchen Accessories Ltd (KAL) in the Republic of Ireland. From April 2020, PJH will be leaving Franke’s distributor network by mutual agreement. Neil Clark, managing director of Franke UK, commented: “Sinks &

Things are a long-standing and loyal partner to Franke and we want to strengthen our relationship and regional presence in London and the South East where Sinks & Things is well established. “The acquisition enables us to invest in the business to take it forward with enhanced customer service, delivery and operations and continue building on the heritage of our distribution partnership that has successfully

spanned almost 40 years.” Managing director of the Sinks & Things company Mark Bristow added: “The acquisition enables the business to continue providing its customers with access to all Franke products and taking the business to a new level through further investment and support.” Pannone Corporate LLP in Manchester provided legal support to Franke UK during the acquisition.

HQ, showroom and warehousing under one roof

Business occupies 110,000sqft of warehousing space

Saniflo relocates UK HQ

Harrison buys second site

Plumbing sector brand Saniﬂo has relocated its HQ, warehousing and showroom to Watford, Hertfordshire, to provide room for growth as the business expands. For the past 30 years, Saniﬂo has been based in an office block in South Ruislip in South West London and had separate warehousing and showroom facilities in Bedford. Its new premises now boasts office space, showroom and warehousing, bringing the business together under one roof.

Yorkshire-based manufacturer and distributor Harrison Bathrooms has acquired a second site in Leeds, on a 10-year lease, which will create 30 jobs over the next 18 months. It follows yearly growth of the company by 30-40%. The 68,000sqft site adds to the company’s existing offices and warehouse space in Keighley, and will be used for daily pick and pack operations as well as manage its ﬂeet of 20 vehicles. Family-run Harrison Bathrooms now occupies 110,000sqft of warehousing space and delivers nationally. With roots of more than 100 years in the bathroom industry, the company has an 80-strong workforce and supplies more than 1,000 merchants and retailers with bespoke product, as well as Scudo and Harrogate Collection brands. Managing director of Harrison Bathrooms James Harrison commented on the acquisition: “As

All Saniflo employees will be moving with the business to its new premises. MD of Saniflo Tim Pestell commented on the move: “We had outgrown our current premises in South Ruislip, so it was very timely when the building in Watford became available. “We will be far more productive as a result and this should translate into a more efficient customer service.” Saniflo will hold an open day for its customers in the New Year.

our customer base has grown to 400 deliveries a day, we needed a more centrally-based site to operate our ﬂeet from. “The newly-installed, narrow aisle racking system at the Leeds base has created an additional 8,500 pallet spaces, which will allow us to launch hundreds of new items in 2020 and push towards our turnover target of £40million by 2022.”

www.kandbnews.co.uk K&BNEWS FEBRUARY 9

NEWS & VIEWS

MAKING HEADLINES

Profit has risen by 188.6% (£3.5million in 2018)

IN BRIEF ■ Online retailer UK Bathrooms has launched its ﬁrst Design Awards, which is open to professionals and homeowners. Professionals can enter best architect/interior designer bathroom, best hotel/guest house/restaurant bathroom or best trades bathroom and win £500 worth of products from the retailer. Whereas homeowners can enter best design, where the prize is £500 worth of Love 2 Shop vouchers, or best traditional bathroom/best contemporary bathroom to win Villeroy & Boch tableware worth £500. Find out how to enter at www.rdr.link/KM005 ■ Wren Kitchens has launched a mobile app so customers can manage and track the progress of purchasing a kitchen. Reportedly the ﬁrst app of its kind launched by a kitchen retailer, it will enable Wren to equip its customers with real-time information. Available to download for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play, it will allow customers to manage appointments, track their order and delivery, as well as review and sign documents. Read the whole story at www.rdr.link/KM006 ■ Grohe has invested €5million into Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) machinery, which is used to create coloured showers. The aim is “to bring coloured showers to market faster”. Two machines were unveiled in Lahr, Germany, by global executives of parent company the Lixil Group in front of the site’s employees. Read the rest of the story at www.rdr.link/KM007

Victorian Plumbing achieves record turnover of £151million Online bathroom retailer Victorian Plumbing has posted its financial results for 2019, with a record turnover of £151million and profit of £10.1million. Its revenue has grown by 28% from 2018 (£118million) and profit has risen by 188.6% (£3.5million in 2018), in the financial year spanning September 2018 to September 2019. The company has outperformed expectations after predicting a

revenue of £145million for 2019. Victorian Plumbing cites a growth in brand awareness as a key factor in its success, with reportedly 54% of UK adults now recognising the brand, compared to 50% in 2018. This was achieved, in part, by an above-the-line campaign which featured Laurence Llewellyn Bowen. In addition, the company reports return custom from trade partners has also been a factor in

its growth. Victorian Plumbing was named by Retail Week as Britain’s most productive retailer. It was also named as one of Sunday Times Fast Track’s Top 250 private businesses in 2019. The company is planning further growth for 2020 with forecast sales of £200million. Read more at www.rdr.link/KM008

150,000 companies from 33 countries entered the competition

Acquabella wins European Business Award

Spanish bathroom manufacturer Acquabella has won the European award for Business of the Year at a ceremony in Warsaw, Poland.

It was chosen out of 150,000 companies from 33 countries who were in initial consideration. During the independent judging process, 2753 businesses were named “Ones to Watch” and, following a detailed review, 363 companies were announced as National Winners. Following a ﬁnal face-to-face judging process, Acquabella was named the overall winner. The company currently exports to more than 40 countries, has

tripled its revenue over the past six years and grown by more than 200 employees. Chairman of parent company Construplas Juan Jose Benavent, who collected the award, commented: “This award is in recognition of the business aspects that are so important to our company, such as ethics, innovation and ﬁnancial strength. “It drives us on to continue working on achieving new goals and constant improvement.”

Luxury UK brassware manufacturer unveils Shropshire site

Kanth Manufacturing opens factory Luxury brassware manufacturer Kanth and its long-standing supplier Smith Metal Centres have recently joined together to form Kanth Manufacturing and open a UK factory. Following a dissolved agreement with its previous distributor Kanth has received ﬁnancial backing and support from

10 FEBRUARY K&BNEWS www.kandbnews.co.uk

Smith Metal Centres to open the factory in Shropshire. The 10,000sqft Operations Hub features design and manufacturing capabilities, sales, distribution, assembly and service. Founder and innovator at Kanth Manufacturing, Karl Kanth commented: “My vision for the brand has been clear from the

outset - to produce exceptional shower systems which are truly built to last, by using only the highest quality raw materials, precision machining, British resources and timeless designs.” Kanth Manufacturing offers a 53-strong product range for interior designers and architects. Read more at www.rdr.link/KM009

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Part of a strategy to be closer to the market

Kitchens stronger than bathroom sales

Falmec launches subsidiary in UK as part of global strategy

Kitchen and bathroom sales resilient through merchants

Italian extractor manufacturer Falmec has set up a UK subsidiary, which will be responsible for all sales and marketing. Falmec UK Limited is headed up by Sean Drumm, managing director of distributor Showtime in Dublin, which has sold the brand in Ireland since 2007. Formerly handled by Euroline, which was its sole distributor in the UK, Falmec made the decision to have a direct presence in the UK as part of a global strategy to be closer to the market. The move is designed to sharpen the company’s focus on the UK market’s speciﬁc needs and to enhance the company’s product and service offer. Managing director of Falmec UK Sean Drumm: “Our objective is to shine a brighter light on the extensive appeal of this awardwinning collection and its many unique attributes. “We are fortunate to already

have a solid foundation in the UK – established by Euroline Sales & Marketing – on which to further develop the brand” Alongside Sean Drumm, the Falmec UK team will also include Ron Blount (formerly of Blanco & Inventum), who will be responsible for business development. Both are supported by sales managers from the industry, including Gary Butcher. Drumm commented: “Having worked closely together with Falmec for well over 10 years, I know there’s a lot of potential in this brand.” He added: “With excellent aftersales service back-up and PR expertise, we intend to be 100% focused on growing market share so that the Falmec brand receives the recognition it so richly deserves.” The company will be exhibiting for the ﬁrst time at Kbb Birmingham from March 1-4, 2020.

Total Builders’ Merchants’ value sales in October 2019 were down -4.4% compared with the same period in 2018, on an equal number of trading days. Categories showing a weaker performance year-on-year were Tools (-9.2%), Timber & Joinery (7.2%), Landscaping (-5.4%) and Heavy Building Materials (-4.9%). Workwear & Safetywear (+9.0%) was the best performing sector in October 2019 compared with October 2018, with Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (+0.3%) showing marginal growth. The combined category Kitchens & Bathrooms increased +4.1%, with kitchens performing more strongly than bathrooms. The picture was more positive month-on-month with total October 2019 sales up by +6.0% compared

with September. However, adjusted for the twoday trading difference, Total Builders’ Merchants’ sales were down by 3.2%. Plumbing, Heating & Electrical (+3.7%) was one of the few positive categories, while average sales a day in Kitchens & Bathrooms dropped -1.7%. Total sales over a rolling 12-month period (November 2018 to October 2019) were up marginally by +0.5% on the same period last year. October’s BMBI index was 126.0, with Plumbing, Heating & Electrical the highest at 141.5. The Kitchens & Bathrooms index for October was 127.6. Each quarter, BMBI Experts speak exclusively for their markets, explaining trends, issues and opportunities. For the latest reports, visit www.bmbi.co.uk.

www.kandbnews.co.uk K&BNEWS FEBRUARY 11

NEWS & VIEWS

PEOPLE

Position filled Appointments and promotions across the industry

CR LAURENCE

SMEG UK

HANSGROHE GROUP

CR Laurence has appointed Annette Godfrey as European marketing manager across the company’s architectural fittings and surfaces divisions, including CRL Stone. She has a wealth of experience, having worked across a range of industries including flooring adhesives, automotive and clothing for both consumer and trade markets. Godfrey will deliver a range of marketing to support the company’s sales and to raise the profile of the CRL Stone business.

Smeg UK has announced the appointment of Laura Jones as acting head of products, covering maternity leave, and will oversee all categories. She will focus on Smeg’s range cooking and built-in appliance ranges, making the most of her previous experience in these critical business areas. Jones joins Smeg with a wealth of industry experience, having previously held the position of product manager at Miele for eight years and, before that, homeware brand Le Creuset.

The Hansgrohe Group, including Axor and Hansgrohe brands, has employed Jay Wiltshire (left) and Dan Jones (right) as area sales manager and technical sales manager, respectively. Wiltshire will take on a newly-created sales territory outside of Oxfordshire and joins the company from Bathroom Brands Group where he held a similar role. He started his career as a showroom manager for Cambridge Bathrooms and moved into a sales role at Just Add Water.

BLANCO

marketing executive. It’s a wonderful opportunity and I’m really looking forward to continuing to contribute to the team of such a renowned company in 2020.” Price has joined the team from Modaily Systems where she was responsible for multimedia marketing operations. She added: “ I’m looking forward to utilising my skills and knowledge from my previous position, and building on them in my new role.”

BATHROOM BRANDS GROUP

Manufacturer of sinks and taps Blanco UK has expanded its marketing team with two appointments Sianie Stephens (left) and Summaiya Price (right). Stephens who joined Blanco earlier in the year, has 10 years’ experience across digital marketing, social media and PR roles within the KBB industry. She explained: “I’m thrilled to be able to showcase my skills within the Blanco marketing team in my role as digital

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Bathroom Brands Group has expanded its sales team, with the appointment of Steve Montague (left) and Brett Wraight (right). Montague has over a decade of experience, having previously worked for Bathstore. He commented: “I have been hugely impressed with the business in my short time with them.” Wraight started his career in the bathroom industry representing The Majestic

Wiltshire was then appointed as the kitchen and bathroom sales designer at Cambridge Bathrooms. After serving 12 years in the British Army, Jones went on to manage training for the Bristan Group, where he built his experience in the kbb industry. He will be tasked with delivering technical training and providing support with the rollout of in-store displays and POS. His role will include supporting the Water Wagon, a mobile showroom used by merchants and retailers.

Shower Company and also its sister company Mistley Bathroom Glass. He said: “Having represented a branddriven business in my previous role, I fully understand the expectations of the high-end market and the experience of dealing with customers in that field. Working within the industry, I have always been aware of Bathroom Brands and am delighted to have the opportunity to represent such an innovative brand.”

YOUR THOUGHTS

NEWS & VIEWS

TOP PRODUCTS

K I TC H E N S &

BATHROOM S NEWS

Most wanted

MOST WAN TED AWARD

Sales director of Arcot Interiors Toby Griffin selects his favourite products from our January issue and explains why he chose them

2. VITRA You can’t deny the great innovative spirit of VitrA’s Plura free-standing basin and applaud its beautiful shape and neutral colour palette. It seeks to re-invent the bathroom as an informal space, with organic shapes. If this comes to pass then a revolution in bathroom design could be coming, with concepts such as central islands (à la communal washrooms) - with the shared services of the WC, basin and shower - on the table. Discover the range at www.rdr.link/KM012

3 3. FRANKE

1 1. VADO Despite the vital CAD systems that we use, anything that helps clients visualise products in their own home and aid purchasing can only help. So comes the launch of Vado’s VIV app, which allows the user to virtually ‘bring home’ much of the brand’s range, and it’s a great idea! It features its lovely products too, including the newly-extended Omika collection - designed by Jo Love - with geometric patterned soft-turn dials. It offers a wonderful, on-trend geometric patterned accent to the brassware. Find out more at www.rdr.link/KM011

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With discreet black glass induction hobs becoming the norm in kitchens, the extractor is a great chance to give an eye-catching focal point to the room, and the Maris Free cooker hood from Franke is certainly unique. Designed by contemporary artist Dror Benshetrit, this would look best uncluttered by wall-units, and as a stand-alone piece of show-stopping functional art. With accompanying brassware to complement, Franke has laid up a brilliant accent style for contemporary kitchens. Find out more about the technical details at www.rdr.link/KM013

TALKING SHOP

NEWS & VIEWS

Embrace national retailers MD of Coalville Kitchens & Bathrooms Luke Wedgbury says love the ‘big boys’ of retail Let me tell you a story. It’s a normal day in the showroom and as the day draws to a close we get a walk in. How very dare he enter at 15:59 without an appointment! He’s clutching a quote in one hand and brochure in the other. Does this sound familiar? I see my designer slump in her seat. Why? Because she knows full well this client is doing the rounds and is looking for a deal. A tyre kicker. Call it what you like. We’ve all done it in one way, shape or form. It’s a natural human instinct. It’s how we’ve been programmed to shop and it’s ok! “Hi, I’ve had a quote from **** and was wondering if you guys could give me a comparison?” “No, we can’t” was the reply from us. The shock and horror across the face of this young man was priceless.

National can’t compete

“Our true value is in what we do, not what we promise. We have a unique opportunity to serve a client in a way no other industry can.” 16 FEBRUARY K&BNEWS www.kandbnews.co.uk

Now relax, this story is not going where you think it is. You might be thinking we explain we’re not interested and send him packing. But on the contrary and here’s why. I’ve trained my designers to embrace the nationals! I have a training document on this very subject. We love ‘em and so should you. Really? (I hear you ask) Yes, because they simply can’t compete with independents like us. In fact they can’t get anywhere near us. While this “walk in” thinks he’s shopping around, he’s not. He’s looking for the right company to deliver the right product that can solve his problems. He’s looking for his desired outcome. He’s looking to be educated. How do I know this? Because if the other kitchen companies had done their job, in the first place, he wouldn’t still be looking for a kitchen at all. “We can’t give you a comparison because what we offer is very different”. And so our pitch

begins. This perception that we, as independents, can’t compete with the nationals is utter nonsense. It boils my blood. Yes, sometimes they will beat us on price. But that’s it, nothing else. And if your clients are buying on price, then let the nationals have them.

Sell yourself Our true value is in what we do, not what we promise. We have a unique opportunity to serve a client in a way no other industry can. When you look at how much a new kitchen can cost its hitting the £30,000, £40,000 and £50,000 mark on a regular basis. It’s a massive purchase in a client’s lifetime. Could you go and purchase a brand new car from a Mercedes garage and get the owner of the luxury brand working on your order, personally looking after you, visiting your property and organising the whole shebang? No, you couldn’t. Impossible! But a client could purchase a kitchen from you and meet the business owner, have a coffee, bounce ideas off you and know that you’re investing your time in them. How bloody amazing is that? How reassuring is it knowing the top person is working every day in the business to deliver that desired outcome to all clients? Not just because they have to but because it’s their name above the door; they have a vested interest. Is that you? I suspect it is at some level. Anyway, my story ends with the client who walked in at 15:59 with a £12,000 budget and a quote from a national retailer and three weeks later is spending £19,000 with us. How? Because we educated him. We sold him our value. And boy did he need it. Stop selling kitchens and start selling yourself and that amazing business you run! Because the big boys can’t compete.

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

NEW & VIEWS

What to see at KBB We preview Kbb Birmingham, the UK’s largest kitchen and bathroom exhibition for industry professionals, which takes place at the NEC in March

1 Returning to the NEC in Birmingham, from March 1-4, the biennial trade exhibition kbb Birmingham is set to open its doors and showcase emerging trends and cutting edge products to industry professionals. Featuring around 400 exhibitors, it is expected to attract an audience of 16,000 visitors across the four-day event. And it will give attendees the chance to have business discussions, as well as networking opportunities. Kbb Birmingham will feature established exhibitors such as the likes of Caple, CRL, Blanco, Franke, Ideal Standard and RAK Ceramics, alongside debutantes. These include Alno, LochAnna Kitchens and Aqualla Bathrooms. Kbb Birmingham will also see a return of familiar brands to the 2020 show, such as Zanussi and Quooker. Speaking about a major theme at the show, director of Kbb Birmingham Mark Gordon commented: “This year there is a huge emphasis on personalisation and individuality. To reﬂect this trend, we want to provide retailers, architects, designers and developers with the knowledge they need to give their clients exactly what they want. Our exhibitors will be showcasing their own takes on this trend and we look forward to seeing what they have in store for attendees in 2020.”

OPENING TIMES Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

9.30-17.00 09-.30-17.00 09.30-17.00 09.30-16.00

Innovation Awards And visitors will be able to see many of these trends in the Innovation Awards, sponsored by ﬁttings manufacturer Blum. Shortlisted entries will be displayed across specially designed plinths, and will be judged by an expert panel. However visitors to the show will also be able to decide their own winner, with the People’s Choice Award, voting either using the event mobile app or onsite voting stations. All the winners will be announced on the third day of the show March 3. “The Innovation Awards is always a highlight of kbb Birmingham as it is a real indicator of all the exciting innovation in the industry,” comments Mark Gordon, adding “We look forward to seeing the high standard of entries, that this year’s Innovations Awards has in store.” So get ahead of the crowds and book your free ticket, now, for the event that will lead the industry for the next two years at www.rdr.link/KM014

1. BORA Stand: K130 Presenting its latest cooktops with extraction system, at kbbBirmingham, star of the stand will be Bora Pure - it’s most affordable model to date. It boasts a four cooking zone hob, which can cater for pans up to 240mm in diameter and features a central air inlet nozzle in a choice of six colours. It is operated by a central touch control panel which is practically invisible when the appliance is on standby mode. Watch the video at www.rdr.link/KM015

2. SANIFLO Stand C64 Hero product of the Saniflo stand at Kbb Birmingham will be the Kinedo Brooklyn shower cubicle range which comes in two colour options – black and grey profiles. It has been designed so it can be fitted without using silicone and predominately without screws. In addition, the company will be showcasing its ranges of shower trays and launching Smart Design Shower Enclosures. Find out more about the Saniflo brand and its products at www.rdr.link/KM016

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NEW & VIEWS

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

4 4. CDA Stand: H135

6. COSENTINO Stand: M90

Planning its biggest-ever launch for Kbb Birmingham, the line-up of products launched by CDA will include wine coolers, cooking, cooling, space-saving and eco-friendly appliances. It will be unveiling steam ovens and induction hobs, as well as a premium collection of wine coolers with climate controls. Find out more about the company at www.rdr.link/KM017

On a stand measuring 120sqm, Cosentino will be introducing colours across all its range including Silestone, which will replicate the look of cement, and Dekton. Its latest Sensa by Cosentino design Sensa Nilo will also be on show. This will be joined by Dekton Grip+ for flooring and Dekton Slim for cladding walls and furniture. Discover more at www.rdr.link/KM019

5. FRANKE Stand: H80

7. KESSELER Stand: N120

Kbb Birmingham show veteran Franke will be showcasing launches under its ethos of Make it Wonderful. It will include decorative hoods repositioned to span the mid to high-end sector. These will be joined by an extention to its Box Center sink range, and the launch of a next generation sink. Read more about the company and its products at www.rdr.link/KM018

Showcasing on the Kesseler stand will be its Vanquish 100 range, a Shaker concept and an extension to its choice of colours. Vanquish 100 is named after the lower plinth height of 100mm. It will be joined by the Vertical Shaker with fullheight tall cabinetry. And visitors will also be able to view eight paint colours. Discover more about Kesseler at www.rdr.link/KM020

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NEW & VIEWS

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

10 8. ROTPUNKT Stand: N110

10. CRL Stone Stand: F85

The story of the Rotpunkt stand will be Future of Sales for 2020 as it showcases its hero range of kitchen furniture, manufactured with a zero carbon footprint. The show will also see the unveiling of additional dimensions, surface and door textures including metal and stone effects, cube wall storage systems and a range of handles. Its 2020 portfolio will also include lighting, controlled through virtual digital assistants like Alexa or Siri: by voice or remote control. Find out more www.rdr.link/KM021

Following the launch of a host of new colours in 2019, CRL Stone will use kbb Birmingham to launch further additions to both its Ceralsio Ceramic and CRL Quartz surfaces at kbb Birmingham. There will be 11 additional colours to the portfolio, which will be introduced in response to design trends, such as Ceralsio Cosmopolitan Grey. The latest colours will be shown alongside its full range of surfaces. Read more details about all the CRL Stone collections at www.rdr.link/KM023

9. NOVY UK Stand: H81

11. LOCHANNA KITCHENS Stand: M155

Having launched the brand at KBB 2018, this year will see the addition of the Novy ONE Tower 780mm Combination Induction Hob and Downdraft Extractor, together with the Novy Up Draft extractor. These will be joined by Cloud in Black 1000mm recirculation Ceiling Hood and the Novy Panorama V4 880mm Combination Induction Hob and Downdraft Extractor. All will be shown on a stand with a large screen to showcase product films, recipe demonstrations and brand campaign videos. Find out more about Novy at www.rdr.link/KM022

Celebrating its fifth year of trading, LochAnna Kitchens is making its debut appearance at Kbb Birmingham 2020. The LochAnna stand will be designed to tell the story of how the brand helps dealers offer â&#x20AC;&#x153;affordable kitchensâ&#x20AC;? to attract consumers, and will showcase three collection launches. One of the heroes of the LochAnna stand will be the Durham collection (pictured) which draws on the trend for luxury, country inspired kitchens. Discover more about the company and its kitchen furniture offer at www.rdr.link/KM024

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11 12 12. INSINKERATOR Stand: H84 Investing in its largest stand to date, InSinkErator will be showcasing its specialist kitchen taps and food waste disposers. It will feature the InSinkErator premium Showroom Collection, including 4N1 Touch taps, which will have pride of place to attract independent kitchen specialists. Visitors to kbb 2020 will also be the first to see a selection of brand new products from InSinkErator. Read more about the company at www.rdr.link/KM025

NEW & VIEWS

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

12. AirUno Stand: M102 Taking the opportunity to showcase “the majority” of its products at the show, so visitors can get a feel for its range of designer extraction, AirUno will also be revealing its latest ceiling hood launches. These will include the Salieri Black Glass and Carmen Ceiling Hood model (pictured), which features LED perimeter lighting. They add to the company’s portfolio which spans a variety of extraction from downdrafts to island hoods. Discover more at www.rdr.link/KM026

13. IDEAL STANDARD Stand: A86 Part of the stable of brands at Ideal Standard Group, Italianinspired Sottini will unveil its latest ranges at Kbb Birmingham, including furniture additions to the Fusaro range, Rienza washbasins and Caffaro WCs. The Rienza range is made up of 10 basins, while the Caffaro WC range offers ﬁve soft square-shaped toilets. Completing the lineup is wall-mounted vanity and basin units as well as full column furniture adding to Fusaro. Find out more at www.rdr.link/KM027

14. ROMAN Stand: E70 Long-term supporter of KBB, Roman will be focusing on its launches which include innov8 sliders, quadrants and hinged doors in a matt black ﬁnish as well as silver chrome. In addition, it will be officially launching ﬂuted glass options on wetroom panels in the Liberty range into the retail market. These will be joined by its recent launches of black grid hinged doors with in-line panels which also slot into its Liberty range. Find out about the company at www.rdr.link/KM028

15. SENSIO Stand: K95 The Sensio stand at kbb Birmingham will be story of two halves, as it showcases hero products for kitchens and bathrooms. For kitchens the key theme for the stand is all around integration, customisation and promises “ﬁrst to market” products to make planning lighting into a kitchen easier, such as the Manta which offers worktop and cupboard illumination. For bathrooms, the company will showcase LED lighting and will have brand new concepts to showcase. Visitors to its stand will be the ﬁrst to see these. Read more about Sensio at www.rdr.link/KM029

16. CAESARSTONE UK Stand: J110 Returning to the show for the second year, Caesarstone UK will be showcasing its products, services and people at KBB Birmingham. It will be recreating the “warm and hospitable” atmosphere on-stand. Its Primordia and Empira White designs will take centre stage while a new, pre-launch product will be available to view in a private room to key customers. Find out more about the business at www.rdr.link/KM030

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15 16

ADVERTORIAL

LED.com

kbb 1-4 March 2020 NEC Birmingham Stand K125

SycamoreLED.com is a market leading manufacturer and supplier of LED lighting and control systems to the KBB market and lighting sectors. Established in 1998, Sycamore has built a strong reputation for offering unrivalled customer service and innovative products. Our stand at KBB this year will focus on our new and exciting smart lighting controls. This innovative new Wireless Kinetic Switching system allows users to control their kitchen, bedroom and bathroom lights via a switch, app or voice control. The Wireless Kinetic Switch uses advanced self-powering technology to revolutionise the traditional mains wired switch. Without the need for cables or even batteries, this switch module communicates with a relay receiver to control and dim lighting. The switch connects to a wireless receiver which is easily programmed to communicate with the lights in the users home. The wire free design of the switch has an IP67 rating so it can be installed anywhere in the home, including the bathroom, using the self- adhesive strips provided. The sleek modern design with large easy press buttons and a screwless front, is available in 1 gang, 2 gang or 3 gang and has a 30 metre range. Users can also control their lighting via the Smart Life app, this is available to download from app stores onto compatible SMART devices. This can be used as a standalone function or it can also then be connected to a voice controlled device such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home. Users can then group together their lighting to make it easier to control the different zones. For example “Alexa, turn on plinth lights” or “Alexa, dim cabinet lights to 50%”. In addition to this there will be a tunable option which will allow the user to change the colour temperature using the controls detailed above. For example: “Alexa change kitchen lights to warm white”

Visitors to our stand will be able to see a demonstration of the benefits of this system in situ, and have the opportunity to ask our knowledgeable technical team any questions they may have. We will also be launching a new bathroom collection at the show, including a selection of tunable & dimmable LED mirrors, some of which will feature a Bluetooth speaker. A new COB LED Strip will be installed on our stunning kitchen displays, which is perfect for today’s popular handle-less kitchen designs. The strip features a continuous run of LED’s in very close proximity to each other, eliminating the spotting effect without the need for aluminium extrusions or diffused covers. Three new catalogues will be launched at the show, featuring our new and exciting products for 2020. Stand K125 T: 0113 2866686 E: sales@sycamoreLED.com W: www.sycamoreLED.com

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BIOPHILIC KITCHENS

KITCHENS

Force of nature

1 Fusing the natural world with kitchen environments, we look at how designers can enhance consumers’’ homes, as well as their health and wellbeing, by adhering to the principles of biophilic design

1. ROTPUNKT

2. STORMER

German manufacturer Rotpunkt committed to produce 100% carbon neutral kitchens from January 1, 2020. Its Core DM range features fronts made from a real metal surface. The kitchen island offers space for fresh herbs. Read more at www.rdr.link/KM031

Ontario is pictured in a textured Halifax Oak wood with Como Snow White high gloss lacquer. The Halifax Oak finish is available across worktop and bespoke panels to create feature walls and open shelving. Discover more at www.rdr.link/KM032

Biophilic design, meaning a love of nature, focuses on human connectivity to the natural environment. Used in architecture, it is a term popularised by American biologist Edward Wilson in the 1980s when he saw how urbanisation was leading to a disconnect to the outside world and having a detrimental affect on peoples’ health. As people continue to migrate to cities, with an “always on” mentality to technology and the stresses that entails, the need for a relationship with nature is becoming even more important in home design. It’s not psychobabble, scientific studies have long made the connection between nature and healing. So incorporating elements of nature into homes can actually improve the wellbeing of residents. It can also reap financial rewards, too, as Oliver Heath Design Group points out: “Homes can become more calming and restorative, with 7-8% less crime attributed to areas with access to nature and can command an increase of 4-5% in property price.”

Using authentic materials Although the term biophilic design may be new and trending, the chances are kitchen designers may use its principles without even realising it. When the creation of house extensions featuring openplan kitchens became de rigeur, it marked the first

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KITCHENS

BIOPHILIC KITCHENS

palette made up of white and grey to brown and black, along with olive green undertones and shades of stone.” He adds: “We have HPL super matt doors in three brand new natural-inspired colour options in 2020.”

Lighting and extraction

3. CROWN Rialto is presented in earthy and natural tones with neutral metallic high gloss titanium wall units and is shown with dual islands framed in Textura anthracite ceramic effect. The Rialto kitchen collection is available in 13 colours and Textura is offered in two stone-effect styles and 11 textured wood finishes. Find out more details at www.rdr.link/KM033 tentative steps in biophilic design - “bringing the outdoors in”. But it has moved on from the location of the kitchen in the home to the design of the project, itself. Now the highly engineered kitchen must provide next-level comfort using authentic materials. Think of the trend towards timber cabinetry, whether plain or painted, alongside a raft of stone worktops finishes. Managing director of Industville Marketa Rypacek explains: “The natural world is having a greater influence on kitchen design whether it be classical or industrial style.” Most recently, manufacturers have even introduced planters into the kitchen providing food ingredients in the form of flora. Herb boxes feature in furniture and even in Falmec’s Spazia hood. Head of UK operations at Rotpunkt Matt Phillips comments: “Incorporating a combination herb box in the kitchen is perfect for injecting the natural world into an urban environment, as it is both sustainable and aesthetically pleasing. Although it is a relatively small detail in the kitchen, its overall impact is significant.”

Better than nature Such has been the demand for natural environments in the home, manufacturers have worked to broaden the market, diligently recreating life-like woodgrains and marble veining in a move called hypernature. Not only has this made the market for natural aesthetics

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more price accessible, but these materials can also offer additional benefits, such as nonporosity and stain resistance to name but a few. Matt Phillips of Rotpunkt agrees commenting the natural world “has certainly become more prominent as a design influence in general over the past few years due to a number of factors including a) improvements in technology, which have led to more super-realistic natural effect kitchen schemes to replicate genuine raw materials without the extra weight, price tag and more recently carbon footprint b) the desire to contrast finishes and materials in the kitchen and c) the design world’s fascination with industrial-style timber effects, wood panelling and dark, earthy tones.” He continues to explain how the natural world has influenced Rotpunkt’s portfolio, adding: “We are enhancing our Wood Unlimited collection of doors with new styles, including a timber effect with an eye-catching metallic finish which highlights the natural knots and whirls of the wood.”

Natural colour palette An indirect affiliation with nature can also be interpreted through the use of colour in the kitchen, inspired by the outdoors. Such has been the influence of the environment Dulux recently revealed Tranquil Dawn as its colour of the year; a shade of green inspired by the morning sky. In terms of kitchen finishes, Matt Philips adds: “In style for 2020 will be a sedimentary colour

But biophilic design is not simply about raw materials, colours and textures, it also needs to contribute to health and wellbeing. Consumers are increasingly choosing to adopt heathier lifestyles and products that allow them to do this - such as appliances that offer healthier prep options like refrigeration which prolongs the life and vitamins of fresh food, steam ovens and filtered water taps - also tap into biophilic kitchen design. Arguably less obvious but integral elements of kitchen design essential to wellbeing are lighting and air quality. Kitchen extractors are increasingly being designed with sensors to manage air quality, keeping the room free of pollutants such as odours and steam, while furniture manufacturers have looked at reducing off-gassing with low emission Volatile Organic Compound chipboard. And there is a vast array of products specifically created for task, general and mood lighting, as well as roof lights to flood extensions with natural light. Marketa Rypacek of Industville says: “The most common way to connect the natural environment in kitchen design is by using textures, raw materials and importantly lighting. Lighting plays a key part in the biophilic design trend and so should not be overlooked. Considering the placement of lights and layering different types of fixtures to create the illusion of plenty of natural light is key.”

Fundamental design principle With consumers now choosing to spend more time in the kitchen - cooking, eating, socialising and working - there will be even greater emphasis on creating a space using biophilic principles. This macro design trend will have more endurance than the latest appliance or furniture finish. It’s the view of Marketa Rypacek who says: “With so many benefits, and being incredibly stylish too, the biophilic design trend has real staying power and we see it becoming even bigger over the next few years; particularly in kitchen spaces where people spend a lot of their time.” And Matt Philips agrees, biophilic design will grow in importance for kitchens, as he concludes: “I think that biophilic design is here to stay and, in time, it may well become an established part of kitchen design alongside ergonomics, space planning and the overall construction of the kitchen.”

KITCHENS

PRODUCT ROUND-UP

2 3

just out 1. PRIMA

3. ROTPUNKT

Distributor PJH has introduced a collection of kitchen taps under its premium, Prima+ sub-range, which includes the Professional Brushed Copper Mixer Tap (BPR 722). The single lever kitchen tap requires a minimum water pressure of 0.5 Bar and is complemented by a matching brushed copper waste. The new range of Prima+ kitchen taps also includes 3-in-1 hot taps and coloured mixer taps in black, grey, gun metal and white. Find out all about the range at www.rdr.link/KM034

German kitchen furniture manufacturer Rotpunkt has launched a 910mm height base unit across its range of lifestyle furniture. Increasing the elevation of kitchen furniture by an extra 130mm, this taller unit offers up to 26% more cupboard space when compared to standard base units, reports Rotpunkt. It is shown pictured in the Umbra Marble kitchen concept. Discover more details at www.rdr.link/KM036

2. KUPPERSBUSCH

4. SAMSUNG

Premium German appliance brand KĂźppersbusch has introduced the DW 8500.0 cooker hood to its 2020 K-Series. Measuring 800mm, the chimney hood boasts an A+ rating, a 4-level digital display and extraction rate of 580m3/h with intensive power of 720m3/h. Using rim suction technology, designed with a reduced intake area to suck in air at a quicker rate than a standard hood, there is also the option to add a self-cleaning, plasma air filter. Find out all the technical specifications at www.rdr.link/KM035

Samsung has unveiled the latest edition of its Family Hub refrigerator, with features that automate meal planning and ease sharing of information. Family Hub for 2020 features AIenhanced cameras inside the refrigerator to update on items, provide meal planning based on the inventory, and offer recipe suggestions tailored to personal preferences. The virtual bulletin board supports video clips and can mirror connected Samsung TVs and mobiles. Watch www.rdr.link/KM037

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6 5. SYMPHONY GROUP UK manufacturer Symphony Group has announced the launch of a grey cabinet colour into its premium kitchen brands of Linear, Gallery and Milano. It features a matt textured linen finish and coordinating edging and is designed to complement silver or anthracite drawer boxes. This grey cabinet is part of the wider launch of kitchen styles, accessories and handles for 2020. Discover more details at www.rdr.link/KM038

6. BLANCO To maximise bowl and cabinet space, Blanco has introduced the rectangular Quatrus sink for undermount installations. This stainless steel sink features an off-set drain to enable the homeowner to make the most of the rest of the sink, for food preparation or soaking dishes, without blocking the drain. Available in two sizes, kitchen designers can choose from either the Blanco Quatrus 550-U or the larger model, the Blanco Quatrus 700-U. Read more at www.rdr.link/KM039

KITCHENS

PRODUCT ROUND-UP

7. COSENTINO

9. CAPLE

Surfacing manufacturer Cosentino has introduced a quartzite to its Sensa by Cosentino Protected Natural Stone Surfaces range. Brazilian quartzite Nilo joins the range and features Senguard NK anti-stain protection. Offered with a polished finish, this natural stone design embraces dark grey hues alongside faded grey veins. Find out more at www.rdr.link/KM040

Adding to its Classic Collection, Caple has introduced Kingsley which features a touch of contemporary in a traditional setting. This Shaker door features a slimline 65mm frame to offer a modern feature to the classical look and includes curved models with a radius post and cap. Kingsley comes in a choice of seven colours, including Anthracite and Dust Grey (as shown), Cashmere, Fjord, Grey, Mussel and White. For more information on the range visit www.rdr.link/KM042

8. AIRUNO Expanding its Salieri range of ceiling hoods, designer cooker hood brand Airuno has introduced a black glass model. The hood features an intensive speed setting with maximum extraction of 826 m3/h, making it Airunoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most powerful extractor to date. Measuring 900mm, Salieri Black Glass has four speed settings and operates at 50-63dB, although the internal motor can also be replaced with external or remote motor options to further reduce the decibel level. Discover all the technical details at www.rdr.link/KM041

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10. FAITH FURNITURE COMPANY Adding to its Evo Kitchen Collection, Faith Furniture Company has introduced five doors, including the Vallo J Pull handleless door. The range features 18mm solid back panels and 19mm MDF door in White, Cashmere and Dove Grey. The Evo Kitchen Collection range now boasts six door styles: Vallo Gloss J Pull, Greco Gloss Slab, Ellis Driftwood, Devlin Matt Slab, Mullan Matt Shaker and Conroy Cream Shaker. Download the brochure at www.rdr.link/KM043

COLOURED BATHROOMS

BATHROOMS

Hue and try Kitchens & Bathrooms News reports on the continuing move away from clinical white bathrooms and looks at scaling colour

Undoubtedly a trend to watch in 2020 will be the continued use of colour in bathrooms, from ‘pops’ to judicious splashes as the once clinical room continues to transform into a living space . It was evident at ISH, last year, with coloured baths, basins, brassware and even sanitaryware. Head of marketing and product development at Saniflo UK Ann Boardman comments: “Coloured sanitaryware was in evidence at ISH in 2019 and is certainly making a comeback.” But it could be argued colour has been tentatively making a return for some time. Managing director of

1. BETTE Combining colour and texture is the Bette Ornamental freestanding bath and basin, with a geometric pattern in Midnight Effect. However customers can choose from around 500 colours for any Bette product, which are made from glazed titanium. Read more at www.rdr.link/KM044

2. MATKI The Matki One Wet Room Panel is now available with a black framed effect digitally printed on to 8mm solid safety glass. It is available with a 1000mm wall brace bar or 2500mm ceiling brace bar and disc details in Chrome, Brass, Copper, Black, White, Red, Blue and Green. Watch the video at www.rdr.link/KM045

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3. GROHE Fully co-ordinated ﬁnishes are offered across showers, taps and accessories. Pictured is Warm Sunset, which features across the Rainshower Cosmopolitan 310, ﬂush plate and bathroom accessories. Discover more at www.rdr.link/KM046

4. KALDEWEI The ﬂoor-level Conoﬂat shower surface is shown here in City Anthracite Matt from Kaldewei’s Co-ordinated Colours Collection. It complements washbasins available in the same colour. Find out more about the colour co-ordination at www.rdr.link/KM047

4. DURAVIT

3 Duravit Martin Carroll points out: “The current trend for colour in the bathroom started to make headway a few years’ ago with the Scandi-style trend. Soft pastel elements could be seen within the bathroom sector.” But colours are now exploding on to the bathroom scene. Marketing manager for VitrA UK Margaret Talbot explains why it is growing in importance: “Consumers, who now see themselves as their own interior designers, collect colour inspiration from social media and print media, as well as their own visits to hotels, restaurants and holidays abroad.”

Industrial influence Interestingly, alongside the coveted industrial aesthetic, tones have started to take a darker turn. Consider Onyx sanitaryware from the Roca Beyond collection or Happy D2 Plus by Duravit in Anthracite Matt. It’s particularly true in the case of brassware where the once coveted high lustre chrome continues to be joined by the likes of matt black, nickel and copper in brushed options. However, product and marketing director of Vado Angela Neve points out: “While black brassware has been at the forefront of bathroom design for the last year, we’re actually noticing a palette of metallic ﬁnishes is most popular with our consumers. Most of our social media tags feature brushed gold, bright gold and brushed nickel bathrooms which have been the focus of our social output.” And senior category manager at Grohe UK Paul Bailey adds: “Copper and brass styles are seen as go-to ﬁnishes for

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The Happy D.2 Plus sanitaryware range features Anthracite matt basins, baths, WCs and bidets. It is shown here with complementary Starck T accessories. Find out more details at www.rdr.link/KM048

5 bathroom brassware” but he counters “it has been interesting to see consumers begin to explore darker tones like Graphite, which suggests that bold statement bathrooms are on the rise.”

Led by brassware In fact, industry experts continue to believe brassware will be the focus for the injection of colour in the bathroom. Certainly Grohe expects colour to be the next big thing, as it has recently invested €5million into the production of PVD ﬁnishes to “bring coloured showers to market faster”. Paul Bailey of Grohe continues: “We believe the growth potential for coloured bathrooms lies within brassware and the ability to co-ordinate all aspects; from taps and showers to ﬂush plates and accessories, all

perfectly co-ordinated in the same colour and ﬁnish. It allows consumers far more control over how they integrate colour into their bathroom space, allowing them to scale up or down as much or as little as they wish.” Ann Boardman of Saniﬂo agrees, adding: “Colour pops are a more cost-effective way to introduce colour into the bathroom.” She reports: “With regards to shower enclosures; a product that is currently attracting a lot of interest (as well as the black version) is the Kinedo Copper Kinespace.”

Scaling colour There are a variety of ways bathroom designers can inject and scale up in colour from the showering environment through to the bath and even the sanitaryware itself! Although currently, it appears coloured sanitaryware is very much

COLOURED BATHROOMS

focused on the premium end of the market. Certainly that’s the impression of Angela Neve at Vado who says: “Coloured sanitaryware remains firmly at the premium end of bathroom design and that’s unlikely to change.” So to democratise the use of colour, designers can select individual items in colour, instead. Head of sales at Kaldewei UK Adam Teal says: “Consumers don’t have to purchase their entire sanitaryware in colour, choosing a singular product, such as the Miena washbasin bowl or a coloured floor level shower surface, can add colour to the room and are furher enhanced when mixed with traditional white sanitaryware.” And head of marketing at Bette Sven Resinghoff explains how the use of colour

can even differ between bathroom spaces: “In ensuites, the use of a coloured basin can provide the pop of colour to help elevate the room into something special, while in the main bathroom one of the strongest uses of colour will be in freestanding baths. They are already used to make a statement and provide a luxurious focal point, but the addition of colour can further enhance this effect.”

Relaxing shades But what colours should designers contemplate for up-to-date schemes? Good news for retailers who have already invested in stocking colours, as it’s the same story as last year. “We think some of the most popular will be those that add

BATHROOMS

a relaxing warmth to the bathroom, such as darker shades, and also those that have been inspired by nature, such as greens and blues; calming colours that will help to satisy our need for tranquillity in the bathroom”, reiterates Sven Resinghoff of Bette. His views on nuances of colour are echoed by design director of BC Designs Barry Cutchie who adds: “People tend to associate the word colour with bright shades or what I like to call ‘obvious colour’, when in fact colour can be achieved through subtle ways. Expect concrete and cement colourways to have prominence but personalisation will be achieved through consumers’ choice of materials; tiles, ceramic finishes and brassware. They will all feature shades of grey and texture.”

Personalise and stand-out

Whether colour is used in a bold splashes or subtle nuances, it allows designers to add personality to a consumer’s space. And, of course, colour can add a point of difference to bathroom showrooms, creating stand out displays. Angela Neve says: “Displays are still vital for the sale of coloured brassware; they’re eye-catching, they create a talking point for the consumer and demonstrate that retailers are aware of contemporary trends and able to offer something different, even if the customer orders a white suite with chrome brassware.” Certainly industry experts believe going forwards, the introduction of colour will be staple in bathroom décor, as Neve adds: “Colour will always play a vital role in interior design and advancements in technology will only support that. I fully expect to see more variety in brassware finishes and more combinations of colour and texture.” And Paul Bailey of Grohe UK concurs colour will be a game-changer for future bathroom projects, as he concludes: “We really do see colours as the next big thing for bathroom design, which will eventually become the norm. It’s an evolution of the Avocado trend, achieved in a much more stylish, refined and sophisticated way.”

6. VADO The Individual Collection of taps, showers and accessories is shown in a Brushed Gold finish. It also comes in Brushed Black, Brushed Nickel and Bright Gold. Find out more at www.rdr.link/KM049

7. VITRA

Adding coloured sanitaryware to traditional white options, VitrA offers a matt taupe across its Outline basins, as shown. It also features in the Memoria, Sento and Plural collections. Read more at www.rdr.link/KM050

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BATHROOMS

PRODUCT ROUND-UP

just out 1. THOMAS CRAPPER Bathroom manufacturer Thomas Crapper has unveiled the Shevington console basin, which is designed to “add an element of sophisticated glamour” to bathroom spaces. It features Rubenesque curved lines and freestanding legs, and is manufactured from ﬁne ﬁreclay. Measuring 1000 x 600mm, Shevington is available with none, one or three tap holes to suit a variety of brassware. Read more at www.rdr.link/KM051

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3 2 2. SWADLING BRASSWARE

4. VICTORIA+ALBERT

Inspired by the Art Deco era, Illustrious is the latest brassware collection introduced to the Swadling Brassware brand. It features a cross handle design with a choice of four inserts: Black Glass, White Glass, Mother of Pearl and Black Lip Pearl. The Illustrious collection includes single, double and triple thermostatic shower mixers, hand showers, deluge shower heads, body jets, plus basin and bath mixer taps. Discover more details at www.rdr.link/KM052

Adding to its Kaali range of undermount basins, Victoria + Albert Baths’ has introduced three additional sizes and shapes to suit a wider variety of bathroom projects. The range will now feature two new oval basins – the Kaali 60 and Kaali 65 – and round basin, the Kaali 48, with each numeral indicating the diameter. All the models feature an internal overﬂow and ﬂat cut backs, to ease installation of taps. Discover more details about the Kaali basin range at www.rdr.link/KM054

3. AQUALISA

5. TOTO

Creating a mixer shower range exclusively for the trade, Aqualisa has introduced the AQ Collection for merchants and installers. It extends the company’s mixer shower offering with a square bar valve, single or dual outlet and concentric valves offered in single or dual control. The dual control shower can also be supplied as a concealed or exposed version, all in one box, and all models are covered by a ﬁve-year parts and labour guarantee. Find out more at www.rdr.link/KM053

RW Washlet, part of the Prime Edition, is the latest shower toilet from Japanese bathroom manufacturer Toto. The slimline model has been designed to include all the company’s hygiene features in one product, such as wand jet system, electrolysed water, air cleaning ﬁlter, heat dryer, premist function and sensor activated lid. It comes with a remote control which can store two users’ individual preferences. Watch the video at www.rdr.link/KM055

5 www.kandbnews.co.uk K&BNEWS FEBRUARY

NECESSITIES

BATHROOM VENTILATION

Clear the Air

Product marketing manager from Vent-Axia Tom Wodcke says consider air changes, noise levels and the ability to monitor IAQ When designing a customer’s dream bathroom the look and feel of the space is essential. But, the dream can be short-lived if ventilation is overlooked. Steamy mirrors, followed by condensation and mould, is no-one’s idea of bathroom bliss! So what should bathroom designers consider when specifying ventilation?

Air changes First up is making sure the fan you choose is up to the job. This means it meets the air change requirements for the room, to ensure steam and smells are removed at source. This not only prevents condensation and mould appearing in the bathroom, it also stops moisture migrating to colder parts of the house and causing damage around the home. For bathrooms, it’s recommended you should have 6-10 air changes per hour, with an extract rate of no less than 54m3/h at 15l/sec. Alternatively, a room must have continuous ventilation at 0.3l/s/m2 .

Healthy silence Households want to use their bathrooms in peace and quiet and this just isn’t possible with noisy fans. An average extract fan operates at 35dB. This is loud in a confined space. Fortunately, there are now fans on the market that are only slightly louder than the sound of a pin dropping. For example, Vent-Axia’s Silent Fan operates at just 12dB – 75% quieter than standard, intermittent bathroom fans.

Location, location, location

1. SVARA Able to run continuously or intermittently, the Svara has been designed for kitchen and bathroom installations. It features a humidistat and light sensor, so is activated when someone walks into a room.Its features can be altered using the Vent-Axia Connect app. See the video at www.rdr.link/KM056

42 FEBRUARY K&BNEWS www.kandbnews.co.uk

A bathroom fan shouldn’t be installed anywhere. Fans suitable for wall, ceiling or window installation make choosing where to locate the fan much easier. In larger bathrooms, a fan can be installed safely away from any sources of water spray. But in smaller rooms, such as an en-suite, this may not be possible. In these cases, a fan with an IP45 rating (for Zone 1) can be safely installed in the splash zone. Another feature to look out for is variable speed models, whose fan speed can be adjusted to meet the individual airflow needs of the project. This is especially helpful with long duct runs. Plus, variable speed models can be altered to achieve the required airflow at a sound level acceptable to an individual household.

“For bathrooms, it’s recommended to have 6-19 air changes per hour, with a rate of no less than 54m3/h at 15l/s.” Indoor air quality People are becoming increasingly aware of the problems of indoor air pollution. To combat this, installing effective ventilation that provides good indoor air quality (IAQ) is recommended by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in its draft guidance ‘Indoor Air Quality at Home’; and by the Government in its Clean Air strategy. A fan with sufficient airflow is a good starting point but there are other features to look out for to further improve IAQ in the bathroom. Odour Sense Technology detects strong odours and so increases airflow when the air is poor, neutralising the odour and helping ensure a comfortable and healthy living environment.

Smart ventilation With the nation’s love of technology, intelligent fans with app control are a sure-fire winner. For example, homeowners have control of their IAQ through an app with Vent-Axia’s Lo-Carbon Svara or PureAir Sense. Both fans unlock a range of functions and settings, such as silent scheduling and automatic cycles, offering ventilation to suit a household’s lifestyle. Intelligent, fully automatic humidistats are also a great addition in the fight against moisture. Fans with this feature learn to run only when they can make a difference to IAQ. They can also sense when someone is in the room and then activate the fan. These intuitive sensors can recognise room occupancy through light movement and shadows, but can distinguish between car headlights flashing and people moving about to avoid nuisance running. Additionally, the delay-on feature avoids the fan being triggered in the night during quick bathroom visits. Finally, an airing function is ideal for those who are away a lot, or for a guest bathroom. This runs the fan for an hour if it has been inactive for over a day, ridding the room of stale air and stuffy, musty odours. With a wide choice of bathroom fans on the market,it’s important to ensure the model is powerful enough to keep the room free from condensation and mould and provide good IAQ. Now it’s possible to choose a fan with silent running, good looks and smart features means the bathroom looks great and is healthy too.

2 2. PUREAIR SENSE Equipped with Odour Sense technology, the PureAir Sense bathroom fan automatically increases air flow when the IAQ is poor and features an automatic humidity sensor. Running from 19dB it features an LED touch panel control and can also be operated by the Vent-Axia Connect app. Watch the video at www.rdr.link/KM057

3. SILENT FAN According to Vent-Axia, the Silent Fan range is the quietest on the market, operating at 12dB, and has been awarded the Quiet Mark. The six-strong Silent Fan range boasts an IP45 rating, variable speed models, humidistat options and up to a 5-year warranty. Download the catalogue at www.rdr.link/KM058

3 www.kandbnews.co.uk K&BNEWS FEBRUARY

BUSINESS

READER PEOFILE

Pier ahead 1. FAMILY BUSINESS Managing director Angus Warner has created Pier1 Bathrooms to enhance his family life

2. HIGH STREET LOCATION Surrrounded by café society culture, trendy restaurants and lifestyle showrooms, Angus Warner believes Pier1 Bathrooms can help create a Design Quarter

44 FEBRUARY K&BNEWS www.kandbnews.co.uk

MD of Pier1 Bathrooms Angus Warner explains how his business is not just about selling bathrooms but enhancing lives and communities Having worked in bathroom retail with his brother, before embarking on a career in major engineering, Angus Warner has returned to the industry with a newly-established showroom Pier1 Bathrooms in Hove, East Sussex. Having worked around the world and the UK, but with a second home in Brighton used at the weekends, he decided the lifestyle offered by the seasidebased city was more conducive to family life. “Brighton is amazing and we wanted to make a life here”, says Angus, adding: “I stopped thinking about work as the priority and started focusing more on family life. We love being by the sea and thought we have a place down here, so why not?” Angus looked around at bathroom showrooms in the area, and says: “There was nothing that really captured the imagination and certainly not the kind of style you get in London. Brighton & Hove is the same population size of Wandsworth and the housing stock is not too dissimilar. But Wandsworth has West One Bathrooms, CP Hart and a bunch of high-end

shops, and here there is not that many.” So Angus made it his mission to create a retail business which provides bathrooms with a luxury appeal: “We can sell super high-end bathrooms, here, with a great design and we can do more basic-priced bathrooms. We do bathroom packages from £2,500. That doesn’t include tiles. But we also have bathroom displays worth £10,000 and £17,500. The showroom is designed to get the creative juices flowing. We can do bathrooms at £5,000, £6,000 and £7,000 that have a zing to them.”

Seamless service focus Backed up by his experience of managing engineering projects, the company focuses on customer service to deliver seamless design and fit experiences. “I think we have a good opportunity, here, to build a company that is able to support customers all the way through, so there are no nasty surprises”, says Angus. He explains: “One of the key parts of that is working closely with the fitters because they are the

3. COLOURFUL AND QUIRKY The front of the showroom is colourful and quirky with a concrete basin and showcasing the industrial trend ones who do the site visit and get a sniff of the situation. You can raise any issues to the customer in advance and end up with a nice and easy high-end bathroom.” He also believes a strong focus on service counteracts the need for discounting to attract customers. “If you want to get 50% off, go on the internet. If you want a great service with good products, tell us your budget and we’ll make you an awesome bathroom. Personally I’m over the ‘50% off’ sales thing and what I want is value and service. I think there are a lot of people who recognise that now.”

happening - I think that will take a while. But could local businesses collectively advertise to bring people from further afield? I think there’s no reason why not.”

it sounds, I want to change people’s lives for the better.” He continues: “It’s 2020; it isn’t about slaving in the workplace, it’s about doing a good job and creating value for the customer.”

Creating design quarter

Betting lifestyles

Emotional pay back

With the showroom created by the design team, because Angus would rather “people take ownership of the place where they are working”, Pier1 Bathrooms is stylish without being achingly cool. Angus adds: “I think we haven’t made it so super bling that people feel alienated.” And he has ended up with a showroom that is “better than I envisaged with a great atmosphere. Hopefully it gets over to customers a) they can understand how cool their bathroom can be but b) can see it’s designed to their budget and taste.” Situated on a high street surrounded by lifestyle showrooms, trendy restaurants and coffee shops, Angus chose the dual aspect showroom after being advised by his brother to seek a location with car parking. “We negotiated on the property and it’s not easy when it’s your first shop. The agents wanted a known brand to take the shop and we’re an untried business. It took around 7-8 months to sign the contract and to get where we are”, says Angus. But he believes the area could be promoted as a design quarter of Brighton & Hove. “If you want to refurbish your house this area includes every aspect from Bang & Olufson to kitchen and bathroom shops. People will travel an hour to get to this area. So I do think there’s an opportunity to promote it as a design quarter. Now whether the council are interested in that

And his bold vision includes not only expanding his business to have multiple showrooms but also to enhance his lifestyle and those of the local community. “I’m not doing this just for one shop; I would like to see us with 6-10 shops in the longer-term. I’m doing this a) because I want to spend more time with the children and b) I would like to see a decent place for people to work in, where they get looked after but understand the value of their work. I think about how I want to be treated in the workplace.” He adds: “I love being in Brighton and I want to be part of the local community and an important part of that is looking after employees.” He even points to a long-term vision of operating the business on a four-day week model. “I have no doubt we will be able to get there at some point. I would absolutely love it if we could do a four-day week for people, not pay impacted. How cool would that be? As corny as

Having invested “the kind of money you gulp at”, Angus believes the business will take a couple of years to become established but says, “emotionally speaking, with the business now up and running, I have already been paid back.” He admits “If you spoke to me two or three months’ ago when we first opened, I would have said ‘I think we have just lost a load of money’, but people are coming through the doors. It’s not super stellar - yet - but we’re doing okay.” His first priority is to ensure he stays in business as he emphasises the bottom line is that Pier1 Bathrooms “is going to change my family’s life for the better. And I hope we can make the same change for the people who work here and also enhance the local area. Because why else are we doing stuff?” Angus concludes: “It’s not just a shop selling bathrooms; it’s about serving the customer and the staff.”

4. NICHE IN DESIGN Created by the in-house team, the showroom demonstrates the design skills of Pier1 Bathrooms, such as the storage niches

5. SEASIDE HUMOUR The showroom features a nod towards cheeky British seaside humour, with a “Get naked” notice. It also boasts signage which highlights bathrooms are available from £2,500

www.kandbnews.co.uk K&BNEWS FEBRUARY

BUSINESS

SME ADVICE

Company matters Offering support for independent kitchen and bathroom firms because your business is our business We call this the ‘thread’ as this message will be woven through all marketing activity and bring cohesion to a strategy.

Identify your target audience

MARKETING Creating a marketing strategy Work out who you are One of the biggest errors a company will make is just jumping in and putting together an advert, or posting aimlessly on social media, without there being any form of message or purpose. The ultimate purpose of a marketing strategy is usually to gain more customers, or to grow a business. So before you do anything, you need to work out what makes your company stand out. Get together a team, or work with a marketing expert, take a step back and think about your company. Are you the only showroom in the UK supplying a type of product; does your company have extensive knowledge of the industry because it has been trading for a long time; do you have a particular service that a competitor doesn’t offer, or maybe you have a commitment to exemplary customer service? Expert: Peter Sutton Company: PMW Communications Background: Sutton is managing director of full service marketing agency PMW Communications. He founded the company 26 years’ ago and the team works with a number of kitchen and bathroom showrooms, property companies and builders merchants. Contact: www.rdr.link/KM059

46 FEBRUARY K&BNEWS www.kandbnews.co.uk

Once you know what you want to say, you need to work out who you are going to say it to. Do you want to speak to retail customers, and, if so, what type of demographic, or are you targeting trade customers? It can be beneﬁcial to carry out some market research to determine how your potential customers view news and advertising, or how they make purchases, as this can help you choose what marketing platforms to focus on. Your target audience and your thread should be in your mind whenever you start a new piece of marketing. Doing this work at the start will help you determine objectives and set targets.

Choose your platform This can perhaps be the tricky part. If your target audience tends to do everything online, then a digital campaign, which could include search engine optimisation, social media, online advertising and a wellperforming new website may be the way to spend your budget. Alternatively, trade shows are great ways to generate new business contacts, or a PR campaign spreading company news builds brand awareness. If one of your objectives is to drive footfall to a showroom, then lifestyle adverts in a glossy magazine, or new showroom visuals might be the route to take. The likelihood is a combination of more than one marketing element will be required to bring you the results you desire.

Review and analyse It’s important to review a marketing strategy regularly so you can identify if things start to stagnate, and subsequently evaluate and mix things up. However, many businesses think they will receive instant results after placing one advert. With any marketing campaign it can take six months or more to see the beneﬁts, so be sure to plan for the long-term.

MARKETING Unlocking home movers’ spending When people move home, they spend money. Around £7.2bn of UK retail spend is attributed to people in the home moving process. On average, we spend £8,000 in the ﬁrst six months after moving. And we’ll spend two to three times more on something if it’s for a new home. The opportunities for brands in the retail sector are clear, so understanding the mindset that triggers a move is a powerful marketing tool. Moving Minds is consumer research which groups home movers into eight attitudinal tribes. Developed with Ragdoll Research and behavioural scientist Professor Richard Crisp (PhD FBPsS), the study means we can use home mover archetypes to delve into the mindsets that inﬂuence their purchase behaviour.

1 – Seekers Seekers are modest earners, mostly living alone, in properties and areas chosen for affordability, rather than because it’s where they want to be. The area is an issue for them. In moving, they’re seeking an area with a community that better reﬂects them and their values.

2 – Nurturers Nurturers have young families and as a result their primary focus is on providing the best upbringing possible for their children. For them, the home is a critical part of ensuring their family is happy and contented, so they need a home with enough space for their family to develop and grow.

3 – Couplers Couplers are individuals who are ready to take the next step in their relationship. They’re committing to their ﬁrst home together. Mostly unencumbered by kids, they enjoy travel, socialising and styling their new home as an entertainment hub. They want to create a hub where

they can show off their new ‘couple life’ to both friends and family.

4 – Idealists Idealists have a long-held desire for a more tranquil and peaceful way of life. For many this means an escape to the country, but for others it is simply reaching the leafy suburbs. Having long sought their dream move, Idealists are incredibly house proud and keen to enjoy the peace, quiet and comfort of their new homes.

5 – Showhomers Showhomers are affluent individuals, relative to their peer group, who enjoy entertaining, travel, the outdoors, fashion and style. As families and income continue to grow, they’re looking for more space, access to better schools and to take further steps up the property ladder.

MARKETING Guest post pitching tips Pitching guest blogs to relevant publications can bring all sorts of benefits to your kitchen and bathroom business. This strategy can help to gain exposure for your brand, showing clients you’re an expert in your field. If you can secure a link, it will also help strengthen your site’s backlink profile, which can work wonders for your SEO. But getting editors to agree to publish your content is often easier said than done. However, it is possible to get their attention as long as you take the time to craft a really great pitch.

Make it relevant 6 – Balancers Balancers tend to be young professionals with no children; and their main motivation for moving is usually a change in jobs, which results in a requirement to relocate. As comparatively frequent movers, they don’t develop deep emotional connections with their home.

7 – Pragmatists Pragmatists’ main motivation to move is reducing their cost of living, often through downsizing. They’re looking for something lower maintenance and that costs less to run. Despite downsizing, home remains central to their lives.

When you cold-pitch with an idea for a guest post, you want to offer content relevant to their readership and your own expertise. You’ll need take a look at the publisher’s content, and devise a topic to complement articles already featured. Remember to choose an angle closely related to your own expertise, as editors are more likely to accept a piece if it offers information they couldn’t provide themselves. It gives you an opportunity to demonstrate the depth of your knowledge to potential customers.

8 – Reconnectors Reconnectors have a desire to move nearer to family and friends, so they can re-establish closer emotional ties and build up an extended support network. They adopt an active role in their new communities and seek to actively explore and enjoy their new environment. The tribe most likely to update bathrooms are Idealists with 49% stating they would do so (least are Seekers at 15%) While the most likely tribe to update the kitchen are Showhomers with 39% stating they would do so (least likely are Pragmatists and Seekers at 18%). Expert: Gareth Evans Company: Cogent Background: Evans is growth director of integrated marketing agency Cogent, which was established in 1930. He works with marketing leaders to explore ways to tackle communication challenges. This has seen him work on a number of research & insight projects delivering new perspectives on things like the role of emotion in shopping, consumer attitudes to product launches, and unlocking the spending power of home movers. Contact: www.rdr.link/KM060

Find the right contact Editors get lots of emails each day and will usually treat any pitches that are clearly templated or not directly addressed to them as spam. It’s always worth taking the time to find the right contact details and ensure your pitch is addressed to the right person.

Summarise the article After you’ve introduced your idea and explained why it’s relevant to the host site and your expertise, you’ll need to give the editor an idea of what the article will cover. You don’t need to go into exhaustive detail, just offer a preview of what they can expect from the finished piece. Summarise the main points of your article in a few bullet points.

Back up with research

The email subject line is the first thing an editor will see. That’s why it’s so important to come up with a subject line that will grab their attention. I find the most effective subject lines are ones that mention the target site by name.

In addition to giving a brief summary of the sort of topics you’ll cover, you also need to persuade the editor your content is worth publishing right now. Including relevant, up-to-date research or statistics can help to demonstrate your subject is topical and likely to interest their readership at the present time.

Personalise your pitch

Follow up

You’re more likely to get your guest post accepted if you tailor the pitch. Try to refer to their existing content in your pitch. If you’re pitching a piece about bath or shower trends and you notice they’ve published similar pieces, talk about how your content will work well alongside them. This will make it clear you’re offering bespoke content of value.

If you don’t get a response to your pitch or the editor goes cold after a few replies, don’t be afraid to follow up with an email to see if they’re still interested in the opportunity. It may be your email got buried on a busy day, or they got distracted and forgot to reply. Either way, a polite follow-up can sometimes help to get the ball rolling.

Write attention-grabbing subject

Expert: Hayley Reynolds Company: Glass Digital Background: Reynolds is a senior outreach executive with digital marketing agency Glass Digital. As part of the outreach service, she’s helped countless brands to gain exposure and build links using cold-pitching techniques. Here, she shares what she’s learned about crafting a successful pitch. Contact: www.rdr.link/KM062

www.kandbnews.co.uk K&BNEWS FEBRUARY

PRODUCT

SHOWCASE

To book a panel in this section please call Nina Goldberg on 01923 237799 or email nina@hamerville.co.uk SANIFLO

MUDD NEW MUDD S1 MAKES TILING EASY Due to popular demand, MUDD – the new brand of tiling from Building Adhesives Ltd – have launched a new rapidsetting S1 tile adhesive to its range. MUDD EasyFixer provides fixers with great benefits including 45 minute pot life, 20 minute open time and only 3 hour set for fast track installations! Highly flexible with S1 deformability, MUDD Easy Fixer is perfect for tiling onto any background including anhydrite, cement screeds, existing tiles, asphalt and even existing vinyl tiles. It is also perfect for underfloor heating and overlaid timber floors. So whatever your tiling job, be an EasyFixer with MUDD!

www.mudd-tiling.com

KELLER KITCHENS

SNICKERS WORKWEAR FLEXIWORK INSULATED JACKETS AND TROUSERS

NEW BROOKLYN RANGE FOR KINEDO Designed to bring the industrial trend to life, the new Kinedo Brooklyn shower cubicle range offers a desirable showering solution for mid to high-end specifications. Available in two colour options – industrial chic with a black version; and, grey profiles and chrome shower giving the traditional a modern twist – Brooklyn features transparent glass on the grey version and black silk screen printed lines on the black version. Its clever design and quality fixtures mean assembly is quick and simple, without silicone and predominately without screws.

See the new Kinedo Brooklyn on display at KBB Birmingham, 1-4 March 2020 on Stand C64. www.kinedo.co.uk 020 8842 0033

IDS MALMO ADDS TWELVE-STRONG SENSES RANGE OF REGISTERED EMBOSSED DESIGNS TO ITS RIGID LVT COLLECTION

EMBRACE SCANDI-STYLES AND CREATIVITY WITH KELLER’S NEW KITCHEN

Malmo has added the new Senses Registered Embossed collection to its Rigid Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) ﬂooring range. The 12 Senses designs replicate the look and feel of real hardwood ﬂooring, with the texture perfectly in line with the visual pattern of the woodgrain.

The new Pebble Beach model from Keller Kitchens embraces Scandinavian style with soft pebble tones and combines it with brighter contemporary trends to offer homeowners a chic, modern kitchen. The carcasses lend themselves to plenty of layouts, so homeowners can play around with galley styles, an L-shaped composition or a complete U-shaped look for the ultimate cupboard space. Whichever layout the homeowner chooses, Keller’s units can be arranged to create a breakfast bar with chairs or stools that complement the worktops and with numerous layout options.

The Malmo Senses collection spans a breadth of colours ranging from dark warm tones, through to classic oaks, on trend greys and whitewashed effects to complement a broad range of decors. As well as three plank sizes, it offers two multiwidth options that give the illusion of different lengths and widths for a vintage, reclaimed look for superior design scope.

For further information, please visit www.kellerkitchens.com.

Contact IDS on 08457 298 298, e: info@idsurfaces.co.uk or web: www.idsurfaces.co.uk

SURFACE CERAMICS

Senses is part of the comprehensive Malmo Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) range which offers 52 designs across Rigid and Stickdown installation options, all available for 24-48 hour delivery from all IDS branches nationwide.

HIB SURFACE CERAMICS TO LAUNCH NEW PORCELAIN

Surface Ceramics announces the UK launch of a new collection of designer-led porcelain by Florim Stone of Italy, one of Europe’s market leaders in worktop design and innovation. Florim Stone is a truly specialist porcelain that combines visible aesthetic prowess with excellent performance and the most advanced technology processes available. Creative versatility is the hallmark of FLORIM STONE, a company founded in the heart of the Italian ceramic district over 50 years ago and boasting proven industrial expertise. This luxurious porcelain product boasts a vast spectrum of totally original ﬁnishes, colours and patterns to offer complete freedom of design that is sure to satisfy the tastes and style of the most discerning of designers & consumers.

For further information on Floris visit www.ﬂorim.com

48 FEBRUARY K&BNEWS www.kandbnews.co.uk

SNICKERS

HIB LAUNCHES DESIGN-LED ACCESSORIES RANGE Bathroom expert HiB has announced the launch of its elegant new Accessories range, designed to complement its existing portfolio of mirrors, cabinets, furniture, lighting and ventilation. Including a comprehensive selection of bathroom essentials, the Accessories range typiﬁes the innovative approach which HiB is known for. Highlights include a toilet roll holder with smart device shelf, removable, easy clean shower baskets and a shower shelf with integrated magnetic squeegee and grab bar. Created to reﬂect aesthetics from classic contemporary to ultra-modern, the range offers four distinct looks, Hecto, Nano, Pico and Atto, each with its own unique take on bathroom décor. Within these, homeowners can choose everything from a towel holder to a toilet brush holder to match their chosen style.

For further information please visit www.hib.co.uk.

Superb insulation and full weather protection for optimal comfort on site.

Street-smart, stylish looks and market-leading GORE-TEX and 37.5® fabric technology make these jackets and trousers a must for winter on site or for outdoor leisure activities. You’ll stay warm and dry in this layered clothing that’s robust, waterproof and windproof too! The design and fabric combinations will keep your body in the optimum comfort zone as the weather conditions change on site.

For more information on Snickers Workwear’s NEW AllroundWork Jackets and Gilets, call the Hultafors Group UK Helpline on 01484 854788, checkout the website and download a digital catalogue at www.snickersworkwear.co.uk

AESTUS ‘GO FIGURE’ WITH FOG BY AESTUS Aestus, leading manufacturer of quality designer radiators and towel warmers, celebrate the graphic beauty of Fog: a highly-expressive heating design, made available in either a contemporary Matt Black or Matt White ﬁnish. Manufactured from Mild Steel, Fog is available in either a Matt Black or Matt White ﬁnish and is suitable for closed heating systems. Designed with a heat output of up to 842/2873 Watts/BTU’s, Fog is the ideal heating solution in a family bathroom, shower room or en-suite. Ultramodern in style and substance, Fog is priced from £603.60 including vat and is part of the Contemporary Towel Warmer Collection by Aestus.

For further information on Aestus Products & Services, please call 01902 387080, email info@aestus.co.uk or visit www.aestus.co.uk

SENSIO LIGHTING BEST IN GLASS NEW TRIOTONE DOWNLIGHTS Bathrooms are set to get a new look with the launch of Sensio’s two new ceiling downlights Cube and Circa. With integrated colour changing technology, the UK designed LED lights are packed with technology and offer the latest interior styling, featuring either a clear, or smoky tinted glass bezel surround with chrome rim, an attractive on-trend alternative. Both light fittings incorporate identical features and benefits; Cube is the new square geometric design and Circa the circular option. They are designed with integral Triotone LED technology enabling each fitting to be set at a cool, natural or warm white colour temperature and dimmed as required. The lights are both fire and IP65 rated for use in zones 1 & 2 in the bathroom so can be safely installed above a shower cubicle or over a bath.

For more information visit www.sensio.co.uk

MARKET PLACE

To book a classified in this section please contact nina@hamerville.co.uk Kitchens

Kitchen manufacturers

Design Software

KITCHEN COMPANY LTD

Worktops

For further information on advertising please contact Nina Goldberg on 01923 237799 or nina@hamerville.co.uk

T 020 77 23 51 31 E info@hackerkitchens.com W www.hacker-kuechen.com

KI TCHENS &

BATHROOMS NEWS

N E W S , I N S P I R AT I O N A N D L I F E S T Y L E The online destination for kitchens and bathrooms.

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ADVERTISEMENT INDEX Blum UK ....................................................................................................(page 23)

Saniflo Ltd ................................................................................................(page 20)

Caple ..........................................................................................................(page 25)

TK Components Ltd ..................................................................................(page 4)

Crown Products ................................................................(outside back cover) Electrolux Major Appliances................................................................(page 15)

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Franke UK ................................................................................................(page 33)

Mudd............................................................................................................(page 48)

Geberit ......................................................................................................(page 36)

Saniflo ........................................................................................................(page 48)

Hettich UK ..............................................................(inside front cover, page 3)

Snickers ....................................................................................................(page 48)

Hills Panel Products ................................................................................(page 6)

Keller Kitchens ........................................................................................(page 48)

Ideal Standard ........................................................................................(page 17)

IDS ................................................................................................................(page 48)

In Sink Erator ..........................................................................................(page 35)

AESTUS........................................................................................................(page 48)

KBB 2000 .......................................................................................... (page 18,19)

Surface Cermaics ....................................................................................(page 48)

Neolith ........................................................................................................(page 31)

HIB................................................................................................................(page 48)

Nolte Kitchen ..........................................................................................(page 28)

Sensio Lighting ........................................................................................(page 48)

Reginox UK ..............................................................................................(page 13)

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