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Architects and Designers Demand Style when it Comes to DDA

Bathroom brand Waterbury says that it works hard to ensure that the company has a stylish range to suit every scenario and its Proteus range is testament to this.

The Proteus range has been designed to include all the essential items needed to cover the recent Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) for bathrooms and washroom facilities. Both functional and robust, Proteus' stylish items ensure they add the finishing touch to a project rather than being specified as an afterthought to ensure the DDA guidelines are met.

Says John Armstrong, Director of Waterbury: ‘New laws with regards to disability need to be at the forefront of any refurbishment project, which is why we have developed the Proteus range. Our emphasis is always on quality and design and this has not been overlooked.’

The Proteus range incorporates folding rails that can be discreetly stored when not in use. Waterbury also offers its customers a bespoke, made-to-measure service to ensure that every detail and requirement can be taken into consideration.

In an industry where high quality is essential, Waterbury makes sure that all of its hand-assembled, British-made products are put through an extensive programme of rigorous quality procedures. This ensures they meet the exacting standards of architects and interior designers.

Tel: 0121 333 6062
Web: http://www.waterbury.co.uk

Showerlux Strengthens its Bathing Offering

As part of its new Bathing Experience collection, Showerlux has unveiled an improved product offering which strengthens its reputation as a bathing and hydrotherapy expert.

Consumers can now take advantage of a simplified and flexible ordering system which allows them to choose a bath from a selection of over 34 different shapes across six ranges. Then, should they require, they can choose from one of three hydrotherapy systems depending on their own personal requirements. Retailers can also offer a number of product upgrades to strengthen the package further.

Danielle Lillis, Marketing Manager at Showerlux comments: ‘We’ve simplified our bath names and range offerings and invested in a new supply chain software system which will make our ordering procedure simpler and more accurate. As our Hydrozone options are so individual, each dealer needs to be carefully guided through the various choices available using clearer options. The system will then be able to configure the manufacturing detail to customers’ specific requirements.’

All the ranges are detailed in the Showerlux Bathing Experiences brochure. Each hydrotherapy system and bath range has its own section in the brochure featuring a detailed product description and list of product benefits. The ranges are all accompanied by lifestyle and product photography.

Showerlux Bathing Experience Bath Range

Classic
This collection of baths offer the consumer extra depth and more comfort. Extra solidity and support is provided, thanks to the patented reinforcement material – BELAtec® – which gives a stronger and deeper bath shape as well as retaining bath water temperature for longer. Prices start from £439 exc. vat.

Freeline
The special ergonomic design which features smooth lines, soft contours and a generous internal bathing area gives maximum consumer comfort and characterises this range of baths. Prices start from £329 exc. vat.

Trend
This range of sleek, stylish, ultra-modern baths is designed to appeal to consumers after a modern look for their home. All the baths in the Trend collection are big and deep with the Trend 335 perfect for two to share in comfort. The baths in the range come with a fulfil system which contains both the waste and overflow in a single neat unit allowing the bath to be filled above the height of a standard overflow for a luxurious bathing experience. Prices start from £649 exc vat.

Smartline
This entirely new range is a timeless collection of roll-topped baths which are extraordinarily deep, with gently tapering sides for added comfort. The baths also feature a wide front ledge. Prices start at £269 exc vat.

Blueline
Blueline incorporates a range of simple, yet striking designs, that offer a quality solution for every bathroom. The range is extremely versatile with each of the baths possessing its own unique features allowing customers to tailor their bath choice to their exact needs. Prices start at £259 exc vat.

Showering
The showering collection of baths have been specially designed for a shower to be fitted at one end and are aimed at consumers with smaller bathrooms. The bath is cleverly shaped to offer extremely generous bathing and showering areas, and perfectly complement the Showerlux range of overbath screens (a more watertight alternative to old-fashioned shower curtains). Prices start from £399 exc vat.

Showerlux Bathing Experience Hydrozone Systems

With the exception of Classic and Showering, all of the bath ranges are available with Showerlux’s hydrotherapy option and additional upgrades. This means that consumers can now choose their preferred bath, and then add the system they desire, rather than being limited to one or two options. There are three products in the Hydrozone range:

Hydrozone Spa – This Showerlux system provides a gently relaxing and soothing massage. It works by blowing warm air into the bath creating millions of tiny pearl-shaped air bubbles in the water which burst on impact with the body giving a total body ‘champagne’ effect massage. Stainless steel jets on the base of the bath direct the flow of bubbles around the bather. Prices start from £1,100 exc vat.

Hydrozone Whirlpool – The Whirlpool system gives a stimulating and invigorating underwater massage by pumping pressurised water directly at the body via carefully positioned jets lining the sides of the bath. The system uses the Venturi principle which combines pressurised water with air to increase the massage intensity. The system includes eight adjustable jets that can be individually adjusted for maximum massage benefit. Prices start from £1,250 exc vat.

Hydrozone Combination – This is a combination of the Whirlpool and Spa systems which offer the consumer the best of both experiences. Bathers can switch between the gently massaging effect of Hydrozone Spa or the vigorous massage of the Whirlpool system at just the touch of a button or can indulge in both at once. Prices start from £1,700 exc vat.

Retailers can also suggest a range of additional hydrotherapy accessories and upgrades to consumers. These include underwater lights, Ultra-Violet disinfectant system and a range of Spa ‘Plus’ and Whirlpool ‘Plus’ upgrades, allowing for additional jets to give a more tailored massage to a specific body region.

Showerlux Bathing Studios will also be able to offer the top of the range Advanced Hydrozone system to their customers which comes complete with dedicated brochure and sales material. The Bodyzone Pure Steam range of steam/sauna products will also be offered as an exclusive to these retailers.

The Bathing Experience brochure also includes Showerlux’s ‘Finishing Touches’ – a range of mirrors, furniture, duckboards, cabinets and shelves which naturally complement its bath products.

Danielle Lillis, Marketing Manager at Showerlux concludes: ‘We now have a total of 34 bath shapes and 69 size options in our bathing portfolio. This represents a significant increase of 20 new bath shapes on the previous year and really demonstrates Showerlux’s commitment to this market.

‘Combined with our Hydrozone system we are now able to offer consumers a comprehensive package for their bathrooms. With increasing consumer interest towards health and wellness products, we believe Showerlux is extremely well positioned to become the natural choice for consumers in search of a new bath or hydrotherapy system.’

For further information on the new Showerlux Bathing Experience products contact Showerlux sales on 02476 88 25 15.

New to its contemporary bathroom collection, Moods Bathrooms has added a comprehensive choice of fitted, free-standing, space-saving and shower/bath designs to the range, satisfying a multitude of room dimensions and styles. From the Standard Fitted range, up to 20 new baths now offer stockists the latest portfolio to enhance bathroom collections.

From the deepest to the trendiest, the longest to the most compact, Moods has carefully selected the Standard Fitted range for its simplistic good looks and high standards of quality, with all models carrying a 25 year guarantee.

Unusual shaped baths attract a wide audience looking to make the bath a feature of the room, so for a touch of class, the ARQ bath is a luxurious solution. Suitable for two, ARQ is double-ended with a curved outer edge, allowing it to sit flush with the wall, while curving out to a comfortable 850mm width.

Meanwhile, the smooth curves of the ALOHA bath collection are available in a choice of five practical sizes (1400mm - 1700mm lengths) to fit the most compact of rooms - including width options of 700mm and 800mm.

Simplicity is often the answer for ultra contemporary bathroom tastes – and customers searching for chic minimalism should be offered the ELITE 75 bath. Angular in its looks, ELITE 75 is a double-ended spacious bath that would sit well in any modern bathroom – and why not maximise the sale by teaming up with wall mounted taps for a clutter-free image?

The new Moods bath range forms part of an extensive bathroom portfolio of ceramics, taps, showers, whirlpools & spa’s, furniture and towel rails that have all been chosen to complement one another.

For further information, pricing, brochures and stockist information on the new Standard Fitted Bath range from Moods Bathrooms, call 01204 707070 or log onto http://www.bathroom-moods.com

Made in Britain is Best says Ashley

Ashley Bathrooms says that it has reaffirmed its commitment to high quality British manufacturing by further expanding the workforce at the company's Stoke-on-Trent sanitaryware factory. Bucking the trend to outsource production to cheaper Far East operations, the Derbyshire based company has taken on additional staff to help run three new product lines and invested over £1million in new technology.

 
(L-R) Ashley's Hazelwood and Repton suites

One key resource is valued above all others by Ashley - the company's team of highly skilled operators. Since the company's launch in 1996 it has been Ashley's strategy to harness and develop this skills base, relying on hand finishing for every item and employing a rigorous training scheme to ensure that craft skills are successfully fused with modern manufacturing techniques and materials of the highest quality.

David Smith, Ashley Bathroom's Marketing Director says, 'Ashley's is the last remaining British-owned sanitaryware factory in Stoke-on-Trent. The region has a long heritage of producing the finest ceramic goods in the world, which makes us proud to be taking the range forward with quality homegrown products. In the next few weeks our exclusive stockists throughout the UK and Ireland will be introduced to the new product range - we simply couldn't have incorporated the same quality or value if they'd been made anywhere else.'

David continues, 'Unlike so many of our competitors, Ashley hasn't taken the easy option of going abroad and this helps us in many ways - the made in Britain tag gives customers the reassurance of having chosen a quality product, plus dealers like it because it helps their stock position because we can respond faster to changes in demand. From a product development perspective it also allows us to push new projects ahead with greater speed and coherence. Helping to deliver Ashley's exciting new ranges, our design and manufacturing operations enjoy a close synergy - impossible with remotely located divisions.'

All Being Well

With the increased popularity of spa resorts and health clubs showing no signs of abating, creating that all-important feeling of 'wellness' in your own home is becoming more desirable than ever before. Transforming your bathroom into a luxury retreat is easier than you think with Antique Bathrooms of Ivybridge's deep-fill freestanding baths. Simply light some scented candles, lock the door and slip beneath the bubbles for a relaxing soak that will wash away the stresses and strains of the day.

The traditional antique roll top bath is significantly longer and deeper than most modern baths - giving you that truly luxurious feel. Available in a wide variety of styles and sizes, antique baths are all extremely individual allowing you the opportunity to choose the perfect bath to create your own spa-style retreat.

Antique Bathrooms of Ivybridge specialises in the restoration and sale of unusual and unique baths, showers, chinaware and bathroom accessories. Antique Bathrooms of Ivybridge stocks hundreds of original baths including: French double ended, Slipper, Sitz, Bateau and English Plunger baths. 'So whether you are looking for a tiny bath to fit a compact city apartment or a luxurious 6ft 6 gentleman's bath to complement a spacious traditional bathroom, Antique Bathrooms of Ivybridge will certainly have the perfect bath for you.' says the company.

Tel: 01752 698250
Web: http://www.antiquebaths.com

Private Lounge from Villeroy & Bosch

'Pure, yes – but not without warmth and softness', this could well be the motto of Villeroy & Boch's new 'Private Lounge' bathroom edition. The Cologne designer, Michael Schneider, has developed a clear, plain styling for 'Private Lounge' into which he has introduced soft aspects by using rounded edges. The name 'Private Lounge' says it all: this new edition makes it possible to introduce a real 'lounge feeling' into one's own home and convert the bathroom into a place for lazing and relaxing. Why not take the time now and again to simply relax in leisure in an ambience characterised by purist design, warm colours and soft, organic shapes. This is the latest trend among mobile, adaptable people. The addition of functional modular concepts perfects the individual presentation.

Unconventional Design and Unusual Details
'The arrangement of 'Private Lounge' is intentionally unconventional and its daring design and unusual details are surprising.' says the company. 'Private Lounge' presents a mix of style, colour and material. Supplied as a single, double and hand wash-basin, the new wash-basin is supplied totally in white and as a bicolour variant, with a coloured tap-hole bar in the soft tones of champagne, rosé and aqua. The tap-hole bar turns 'Private Lounge' into a real eye-catcher. As it juts out freely into the wash-basin, the water is, therefore, able to flow all around it. It also assumes an additional function on the double wash-basin, which is made in one piece. Here, its central position divides the large basin into two smaller ones. As a result, the generous double wash-basin acquires a new stylish appeal and an unconventional means of use: those using the wash-basin stand opposite each other. Another feature here is the slidable mirror.

Included in the overall 'Private Lounge' concept are variable furniture elements which can be used on a multi-functional basis. Depending on the model, they are available in the contemporarily-striped 'Zebrano' look, which is achieved using a combination of real-wood veneer, and/or with coloured metal surfaces of powdered aluminium. The colours 'enamel white', 'enamel blue', 'enamel green' and 'enamel red' are applied by hand using a special technique, then coated with clear varnish. In this way, the coloured surfaces acquire a high degree of brilliance and an effect of depth which resembles enamel. The work carried out by hand turns every unit into a unique specimen.

The Furniture Range
A metal base in the four enamel colours is supplied for the hand wash-basin. There are vanity-unit base cabinets for the 65-cm wash-basin and the 80-cm double wash-basin. The cabinets are available in either 'Zebrano' or white metal, have spacious drawers and two hinged metal dishes which optimally use the space under the wash-basin. These are complemented by four small coloured trolleys, which can be used either with cushions, or glass and metal shelves, and can be pushed through the bathroom as required. Completing the series is a high trolley in 'Zebrano' or white, which can also be mounted on the wall as shelves when the castors are removed. A selection of mirrors rounds off 'Private Lounge'. Presented with silver-coloured anodised aluminium frames they are available with or without lighting, optionally with an enlarging mirror and in a slidable version for the double wash-basin.

Web: http://www.villeroy-boch.com

Ashley Extends Contemporary Range with New Collections for 2005

Ashley Bathrooms is expanding its range of 'made in Britain' sanitaryware with the launch of three new contemporary suites. Named after local villages surrounding the company's Derbyshire-based head office, the Kedleston, Repton and Hazelwood collections are the first new lines to come out of Ashley's enlarged Stoke on Trent manufacturing facility. The new products are the outcome of over £1million investment in new technology at the plant, which is the last remaining British-owned sanitaryware factory in the potteries.

The Kedleston is Ashley's new top of the range contemporary suite offering a blend of curves and straight lines. The ceramic basin incorporates twin chrome towel rails that provide a useful feature, integrating with the symmetrical cut away side sections.

The Repton features a strong linear theme to the sculpted basin and bath that subtly accentuates the full length of each item. Like other models in the range, this bath is available in a variety of sizes.

Of particular interest to younger buyers The Hazelwood collection is a new entry-level range - a high value package of elegant one-taphole design made from top quality ceramicware. From April 2005 all three new ranges are available to approved stockists throughout the UK and Ireland. As with all Ashley sanitaryware and baths they come with lifetime guarantees.

David Smith, Ashley Bathroom's Marketing Director says, ‘The new ranges have been designed to appeal to consumers looking for fresh design combined with timeless British ceramic quality. Found universally in both classic and contemporary models, it's a winning combination that helps our products appeal to people who are looking to make a statement in their bathroom.’

Tel: 01332 830 404

Versatile Mermaids Harmonise with Tiles!

Bathrooms can now benefit from the high performance waterproofing of Mermaid wall panels from Norske Interiors and still enjoy the traditional appeal of tiles by co-ordinating both together.

With no grouting required, Mermaid panels avoid the unsightly discoloration which tiled walls often suffer, making them a good alternative in showering and bathing areas. The high performance, decorative laminate finish and the sealed tongued-and-grooved edges make Mermaid panels waterproof and watertight and are even suitable for use with power showers.

Each colour, like Blue Scintilla that fuses a glossy blue with a glittering silver, can be easily co-ordinated with conventional tiles around the rest of the bathroom and complements contemporary fittings and accessories. With the flexibility of being able to fit Mermaid panels to any type of wall or even over existing tiles, they can quickly transform either whole bathrooms or just wet areas that have become discoloured, chipped or uneven.

Norske Interiors offers Mermaid panels in a choice of over 40 versatile colours from soft pastels, fresh watercolours, iridescent silvers and golds, contemporary metallic effects and traditional marbled shades.

Tel: 01472-240832
Email: mailto:sales@norske-int.co.uk

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