Hudson Reed launches the Epic mixer range available in chrome and the glamorous new matt black finish with chrome mixage. The Epic range features an ergonomic convex operating handle, combined with the tried and tested Hudson Reed ceramic disc technology that is both stylish and easy to use for all members of the family.

Sitting at just 1mm above the worktop, BLANCO’s innovative I F flat edge has changed the profile of the stainless steel kitchen sink forever. I F flat edge technology is another step forward in a design story from BLANCO which draws on over eighty years’ experience of product development where innovation and functionality go hand in hand.

The past 12 months in the kitchen and bathroom industry has been all about innovation. Consumers continue to demand quality and stylish good looks but as the price of raw materials has soared so suppliers and manufacturers have needed to be much smarter in the solutions they deliver to market. With less spare cash home owners are less likely to move and more inclined toward home improvement, driving trends toward saving space, water, energy, time – without compromising on classic looks and durability.

Demand for design-led features has increased the importance in the choice of worktops. Moving forward the trend is for contemporary styling, clean lines, and sleek looks. Updating worktops with a modern finish can refresh the look of more traditional cabinetry. Surface treatments are very important in the design of today’s fashion-led kitchen as it is the main contributor to the overall look and feel of the whole property.

Blum UK Marketing Director, David Sanders, says that “functional cabinets” are the way to go: “We buy a refrigerator or an oven for a specific purpose, so why shouldn’t every kitchen cabinet have a specific storage purpose. The watchwords for base units are ‘no shelves’ – all full extension drawers and pull-outs thus achieving ‘total access’. By planning a kitchen interior along these lines you will gain up to 55% additional storage over conventional kitchens and automatically create an ergonomically efficient layout – what Blum calls Dynamic Space”.

Hafele UK have launched their new modular LED Lighting range for the Furniture Market, a fantastically simple plug-and-play LED Lighting system for worldwide use. The Hafele engineered system is offered in 12V, 24V and 350mA, with each component colour coded to the correct system to ensure mix-ups do not occur as the driver selected can only be used with the lights for the same system.

Aquadi is Symphony’s new and most extensive range of bathroom furniture and products to date, including accessories and sanitaryware. It was launched in autumn this year. Bringing together the best in European styling with a comprehensive range of cabinet options and finishes, Aquadi reflects both contemporary and classic design styles. The range presents three independent portfolios of bathroom furniture and common accessories.

Over the past 40 years, Symphony has been inspiring retailers with innovative and beautifully designed products. This year brought about the development of new products within the premium Gallery range – the most comprehensive and flexible kitchen range to date, with top quality materials, exceptional service and superior design.

Burbidge’s contemporary handle-less kitchen Malmö has been such a success with retailers and consumers that a Natural Oak finish has been introduced. The stylish door is engineered from horizontal oak veneer with a natural finish; the premium range comes complete with a variety of features including a curved door which allows for endless design possibilities.

With the introduction in February 2011 of Remo White bringing immediate success for PWS, the launch of Remo Alabaster swiftly followed in August. Retailers and consumers alike have embraced the innovative handleless design and it has already become an extremely popular range. The signature barrel curves of Remo offer a distinctly different aesthetic to other curved furniture available.

This autumn Four Seasons introduced five stunning ranges to its portfolio of high quality, practical kitchens. The new doors can be found in both the Classic and Modern collections, providing something to suit every style of interior. Oslo is the flagship range offering the ultimate in kitchen design for the modern home. Available in a white or cream high gloss finish, the hidden beauty lies in the handleless doors that create a super stylish look.

So 2011 has been a great year in terms of product introductions from Montrose Furniture, as promised they have continued to develop their product portfolio, with the early part of the year seeing the introduction of their Gelcast Basin & Unit ranges and the back end, a New Brochure, New Finishes & yet more New Products.

Westin Design’s ‘clever thinking’ approach has paid off in 2011, and puts the company in a great position going into 2012. In 2011, Westin Design has welcomed a new Managing Director, Ian Sheppard, who is driving Westin forward across product and technical spheres of the business.

In 2011, Siemens brought to market a number of new product innovations, many of which are world firsts that have captured the interest of the retailer and consumer alike. All of these new products innovations have tapped into the growing role that energy and water efficiency is playing in the decision-making cycle of the consumer.

Following a successful 2010, 2011 was our time to take stock, doing those horrible but essential chores that had to be done. 2012 is a time for growth for Edwin Loxley, with an increased marketing campaign to support our dealers with a firm belief that on going investment and dealer support will significantly increase our brand awareness and market share.

Comment by Joe Cavani, MD - Edwin Loxley

As one of the fastest growing suppliers of taps, showers, heated towel rails, accessories and bathroom furniture in the UK, Hudson Reed offers the latest designs at affordable prices without compromising on quality. With the empasis on providing a luxury bathing experience at affordable prices, comfort, functionality and craftsmanship combine to provide a completely coordinated and stylish solution.

This year saw a number of new and exciting product launches from Roca, offering the latest in technology and innovation for the bathroom. From the groundbreaking W+W to Innova, the bathroom mirror with a difference, Roca continues to offer form and function on all of its designs.

Dramatic Ripple is a new designer radiator from Aeon that’s already generating waves thanks to its great looks and efficient energy use. This sculptural panel evokes the water movement produced when a stone is dropped into a pond or lake and has the soothing effect of all natural patterns. It also has a low water content which helps to reduce energy bills.

The Nova Whirlpool Bath uses Four Jacuzzi® jets and six rotating back massage jets to ensure the ultimate bathing experience. Offering four very different hydro-massage experiences to suit ones mood, all are operated via remote control. With a built in sanitiser, underwater spot light and water heater, it's a case of perfect form and function. ‘Nova’ also features three moveable headrests, and a complementary four piece brassware set.

The Greenwich Slipper Bath is an elegant addition to B.C Sanitan’s already extensive traditional bath collection. It offers the ultimate in relaxation, a veritable hotel style bath perfect for many applications.

Available with or without a skirt, (seen here) the Greenwich can be transformed from a roll top with ball and claw feet, to a transitional design that would fit into a multitude of homes and bathroom designs.

Wirquin UK has strengthened its wet room offering with Venisio Square floor trap for walk-in showers. This new option complements the Linear version launched in 2009.

Venisio Square is now available in three different variations. The Complete kit includes everything in one box (pictured); the To Tile version is the same as Complete but features a tile recess instead of a grid. The Choice option enables customers to choose from three design grids, one of which is lockable.

Adding to Aqualux’s impressive collection of wet room and shower solutions, the Shine range now includes a modular shower panel option.

Offering a simple and affordable way to bring the latest design trends into the home, the Shine modular shower panel system offers a bright and spacious showering environment. Flexible to suit an array of bathroom set ups, the panels are available in 5 sizes; 700mm, 800mm, 900mm, 1000mm & 1200mm and measure 1900mm high. In keeping with modern design trends, the screens feature a contemporary polished silver effect frame and the 6mm thick glass offers safety and security at all times.

Mereway Bathrooms are enjoying the success of their newly launched modular style basin units which host their brand new collection of contemporary gel cast basins.

The new vanity units are topped with the smooth new Linea basin; available in 500, 600 and 900 widths or go extra wide with a specially designed stunning 1200 twin basin. This range of sizes for the new units offers complete versatility to suit both a small bathroom or to complement a more spacious area.

Innovative and stylish with quality and performance assured, the new Edge Sio sink from Astracast is truly inspired.

The new Edge Sio sink is the defining statement in sink design. The striking glass and steel combination create an ultra modern minimalist look. The complimentary glass chopping board conceals the bowl to maximize space, perfect the flush styling and complete the futuristic look. Futuristic in style yet practical in design, it fits like a standard inset sink, so is compatible with all worktop types. This inspired sink looks amazing when coupled with the Orinoco tap.

VADO’s new and cutting edge ‘identity’ range is a breathtaking fusion of digital technology and sleek design. The instantly responsive, illuminated and touch sensitive controls are seamlessly integrated into sublime gloss panels. Featuring three distinct deck and wall mounted basin mixer designs, plus thermostatic shower valves, the ‘identity’ range epitomises the future of bathroom brassware design.

tc bathrooms, based in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, which supplies bathroom products to showrooms and stores throughout the UK and in Europe, recently reached the regional finals of HSBC’s prestigious Business Thinking awards, having been chosen from over 2,000 applicants from the region.

Launched earlier this year, the award winning Methven Satinjet® Kiri Shower Kit is proving to be popular with both domestic and commercial customers, thanks to its striking design, superior performance and water and energy saving credentials.

EQ Software now deliver a range of products and services designed to take the pain out of retailing on the web. From a simple brochure website through to a fully e-commerce solution EQ Software can not only design and build it, but can also provide the retailer with the ability to update it directly themselves.

If there’s one room in the home where feature basins come into their own it is the cloakroom.

Leading bathroom suppliers HiB head this fast growing trend with their exciting collection of Cassino basins and cloakroom furniture combinations.

VitrA make a huge range of acrylic baths but each differs from other bath makes in a number of important ways.

The construction of every VitrA bath will deliver extra pleasure from the actual fitting to the long lasting blemish-free internal surface and solid full-surround base that will not issue the normally uncomfortable creaking when getting in and out.

GROHE Blue® contains an active carbon filter which removes hard metals such as lead and copper from water to make it taste and smell better, even in hard water areas within the UK.

The GROHE Blue® tap uses two waterways inside of the tap which allows for the production of both normal mixed and filtered water.

The Award winning Tydal sink is an attractive design of kitchen sink from Abode, not only radical in form, but also in the number of innovations completing the collection. This creatively designed fireclay ceramic family of sinks introduces unique design options, with its sweeping main bowl curved sculpture, clean draining areas and uncluttered tap decks. Tydal has been designed for use with and without, modern sliding glass covers.

A general tightening of purse strings this year has not had a detrimental effect on innovation – rather, it has gone from strength to strength, as the pages of BKU have clearly demonstrated.

Understanding that consumers still want quality and good looks but at an affordable price, suppliers and manufacturers within the kitchen and bathroom industry have been extremely proactive in coming up with products and solutions that clearly offer not only huge aesthetic appeal but are realistic in terms of both purchase price and running costs.