Granite Transformations has introduced two new finishes to its range of Trend G Recycled worktop surfaces, containing up to 72% post-consumer recycled glass. Both designs feature green glass fragments bonded together with a clear polymer resin, to create a finish that is extremely tough, heat, stain and scratch resistant.

More than a floor, the innovative Resofloor® range available from IDS really pushes the design envelope when it comes to laminate flooring. If you fancy the chic look of a high gloss floor for that open plan kitchen and living space, Resofloor® offers a highly durable and beautifully decorative option.

The new RL door from Pronorm’s Proline 128 kitchen range offers a ‘contemporary country’ look combining the traditionally inspired, grooved detail of a panelled door with simple, unfussy lines that keeps the overall look crisp and modern. The RL door comes in White and two brand new colours of Lava grey and Magnolia for 2010. Lava Grey is an elegant, earthy colour and Magnolia is a pale cream shade with a hint of pink that will appeal to a broach church of customers.

Franke has further improved its stainless steel Laser LSX 611 and LSX 651 sinks by incorporating a 50 mm radii main bowl, low profile semi-integrated basket strainer waste and hygienic overflow. Super-slim edge profiles ensure the sinks are virtually flush with the work surface, while adding a deeper dimension to both the bowl and drainer.

Japanese bathroom brand TOTO has ‘moved’ into London with two UK firsts: the opening of a gallery space within prestigious British retailer C.P. Hart and an office in Clerkenwell headed up by UK general manager Jill Player-Bishop.

Pegler Yorkshire has introduced the minimalistic styled, functional and competitively priced Ebro and Pulsar tap ranges. Ebro features a flow straightener fitted as standard while all the basin fittings include an aerator to create a champagne ‘bubbly’ water flow.

Vibrantly coloured lime green Parapan® creates instant impact against a monochrome backdrop of Black Parapan® cupboards with white worktops and white walls. The kidney-shaped island, inspired by a dressing table, was made possible because of the unique properties of Parapan®. The high gloss acrylic is available in sheets which can be cut to any size and thermoformed into any radius of curve. In keeping with the trend for clean lines and sleek surfaces Parapan® can be fitted with invisible finger pulls or almost any style of handle.

Fontana® sinks, now available in the UK, combine two top quality materials - Corian® and the highest quality stainless steel.

Creative consumers looking for a kitchen design which truly inspires will find it with the new Petworth Painted Oak in-frame range from Burbidge. Exuding luxury and modern appeal, the beautifully crafted door is well-suited to colour, cleverly allowing the natural beauty of wood to be subtly revealed through the painted finish.

A new range of mirrored cabinets has been designed by bathroom furniture style-leader, Bauhaus, which offer exceptional value and good looking, wall-hung storage solutions in the contemporary bathroom.

Novellini UK has launched a black version of its popular Olympic shower trays. Made in Italy, in the company’s hi-tech zero emission plant, Olympic trays are available as low profile or stand height of the highest resin quality. Each is reinforced with aluminium and available in a range of sizes from 120cms x 80cms through to the largest at 180cms x 75cms.

The Abode creations and innovatively styled ranges of bathroom brassware and showers have been created for people who want the perfect blend of design, performance and sheer quality.

With its bold, geometric styling Tetra epitomises the current trend in sanitaryware and creates the desired impact for modern bathroom design.

The simple square profile of Tetra provides a contemporary twist to the traditional ‘basin and pedestal’ combination. This theme continues in the design of the sleek pan and cistern to superb effect.

Apex is one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of bespoke, made-to-measure vinyl wrapped doors and drawer fronts for kitchens and bedrooms and specialise in supplying installers, retailers and manufacturers. With their creative flair they can design pieces where it is almost impossible to tell which is a door and which is a drawer. This enables installers to mix and match, which to the eye is seen as a complete bank of drawers, but the secret is, they conceal drawers, cupboards and integrated appliances to give a minimalist feel.

The Miller from Sweden Montana bathroom accessories with the “Full Fix” wall mounting system guarantees a firm and trouble free installation.  

All too often, bathroom accessories twist and come loose after they have been used for a while, requiring regular maintenance and becoming an inconvenience instead of a pleasure for users.

Roca is launching Unik - comprising basin, basin furniture and occasionally the mixer, to offer a complete solution and simplify the order process for customers with one price and code.

The first release will be Meridian-N Unik which combines the modern, organic curves of the Meridian-N sanitaryware with the clean, straight lines of Unik furniture. The range includes a wall-hung basin and furniture unit in one size (W850 x D463 mm) and an optional column unit (W350 x D181 x H800 mm).

The Status is one of a long line of innovative products developed by Carron’s in house design studio. Since it’s launch, this bath has been hugely popular. The rounded corner ensures that this generously proportioned bath can fit into even quite small bathrooms. The single piece panel ensures the bath looks perfect from any angle.

Inspired by the 1951 Festival of Britain and the 1851 Great Exhibition, the Exhibition Series I collection of five styles of wall and floor tiles from Fired Earth combines strong graphic design, exuberant use of colour and a sprinkling of nostalgia.

Responding to a growing demand for natural work surfacing in the kitchen, PWS has added natural bamboo to its timber collection. The material has a more mellow hue than the standard bamboo option already available, a caramel tone that will appeal to consumers looking to create lighter, softer colour schemes.

EDP has introduced a new generation of textured foils for surface finishing in kitchens and bathrooms. The Pentadecor Linen-effect which offers a lightly embossed tactile finish and the embossed Larch woodgrain colours are already proving popular with customers.

Hudson Reed launches Art, a new range of contemporary bathroom brassware including the option of a basin mixer with a waterfall spout.

Art is at the forefront of modern design, where mirror flat surfaces are offset with rounded curves, adding a sense of luxury to this very functional brassware.

PWS has updated its lighting offer, responding to the growing demand for a greater choice of lighting solutions for the kitchen. At the core of the new range are 8 LED options with designs to suit both contemporary and classic interiors.

Oakland bathroom furniture produced by Miller from Sweden is just that, seasoned oak from ecologically managed and sustainable plantations.

Leading Brassware manufacturer VADO introduces a stylish new showerhead appropriately named Sculpture.

Innovation is paramount for the design team at VADO with an extensive range of products to enhance any bathroom setting. Exciting new designs offer individuality matched with quality and functionality.

Kaldewei, Europe’s leader for baths, has been proactive with their sales teams in 2009 gaining displays up and down the country for the new Conoflat resulting in the most successful launch of any Kaldewei shower tray to date. In addition to the cutting-edge shower tray design with its super-flat profile offered in 17 different sizes, Kaldewei has also invested in creating in-store theatre to help pull sales through for the retailer.

AKW are pleased to unveil the new look catalogue detailing their extensive range of showering, daily living and kitchen products. The most significant adjustment customers will notice is that trays and screens are now sold separately allowing product choice to be much easier.

Screwfix has launched its first catalogue of the year with Catalogue 101, adding over 2,000 new products and offering hundreds of exclusive deals.

The latest edition of the ‘tradesman’s bible’ has a special focus on bathrooms and kitchens, offering exciting new ranges from the biggest brands, including Bosch and Croydex, as well as half price kitchens and bathrooms.

Tavistock is pleased to announce the launch of its all new Bathroom Catalogue, available from January  2010. The new look 164 page Catalogue incorporates fabulous bold colours, contemporary stacked text and stunning lifestyle photography.

Edwin Loxley launched, at the recent Grand Designs Show, their stunning new, hard bound book of kitchen designs. As you might expect from Loxley, this book is every bit as special as their furniture. The book is of an A4 landscape in format, with 45 pages of simply stunning and inspiring kitchen furniture designs, all beautifully lit and photographed.

Bucking the trend of recession with increasing sales, Hudson Reed sails into 2010 with its biggest and best ever 160 page brochure.

Featuring a host of new products the 160 page brochure for 2010 from Hudson Reed includes the new Art brassware program and the expansion of the environmentally friendly Eco-Click water saving system across five brassware designs.

We start this year feeling optimistic with house prices continuing to slowly rise in the last six consecutive months and there are signs of market improvements which everyone in the bathroom business is eagerly looking forward to. During 2009 one very apparent effect of the credit crunch has been that retailers and merchants have reduced stockholding to the bare minimum to save on outgoings and improve cashflow.

To date over 1000 showrooms in the UK have chosen to sell bathrooms from the highly successful brochure concept ‘Create Your Ideal Bathroom’.

From January, Ideal Bathrooms launches the next stage in the initiative - a new website www.createyouridealbathroom.com. Here consumers will be able to flick through the brochure to help with choosing a new bathroom.

Over 40 top bathroom brands are stocked in depth at Ideal Bathrooms and there are 160 employees dedicated to making sure they get the order delivered to the retailer on time and complete.

A new year is upon us and when it comes to commitment to Excellence through Service and Availability BCG, the No. 1 name for kitchens, bathrooms and heating, is really going places.

With a host of new customer benefits including the Airmiles loyalty programme and a state-of-the-art automated phone stock enquiry service plus a commitment to maintaining over £10 million of stock and a bigger and better Big Tour, BCG is helping customers to get 2010 off to a flying start.

AWA are starting 2010 with a splash bringing a new look and feel to the company image and a number of new products to the market. A new web site will also be launched early in 2010 offering many features and benefits online to our customers. Look out for awabathroomstoday.co.uk it will be launching soon with some fantastic online offers!

Hill’s Panel Products (HPP) has been distributing to the fitted furniture industry since 1991 and it’s fair to say their range of products and services has grown considerably since then. What started out as just supplying chipboard to the North West has now become supplying a comprehensive range of board, furniture doors and furniture fittings across the whole of the UK.

It is no secret that the current trading environment is proving to be extremely difficult for many retailers and the luxury bathroom and kitchen markets are certainly feeling the pinch. There seems to be news of companies closing on a daily basis, but one company in rural Somerset is bucking the trend.

The first handle-free fascia available in the UK in a vinyl-wrapped kitchen range is Bellissimo’s 26 gloss and 20 matt colour and woodgrain options which can be made in bespoke sizes; woodgrains can also be specified in vertical or horizontal format.

The heating market has come on leaps and bounds over the past few years, making white rectangular radiators a thing of the past, especially at the higher end of the market. The aesthetic design has become as, if not more important than performance and with so many manufacturers jumping on the bandwagon and investing time and financial resources into product design and innovation, it seems this trend is here for the long haul.

Centro towel horse

Fusing a traditional concept with contemporary styling, the ‘Centro’ towel horse features a sleek, modern design that is freestanding for a soft and slightly more homely aesthetic in comparison to some of its wall-hung counterparts. Available with a crisp Chrome or bright Nickel finish, it can be used to complement an array of interior styles.

JIS Europe Ltd., based in West Sussex and one of the premier suppliers of stainless steel radiators in the South of England, recently introduced two additions to the company’s well-known Sussex Range.

The Linosa from Purmo is a new concept in towel warmer design, with decorative strips in either brushed steel or wenge wood finishes, which adorn the upright columns of radiator’s ladder frame and add an extra touch of visual excitement. Not just a pretty face, this new, high quality offering from Purmo is cleverly designed to combine efficient heat output with plenty of towel hanging space, with strategically placed gaps among its elegant, tapered horizontal rungs. The radiator itself can be supplied in any of a wide range of RAL colours.

The new aluminium radiators from VASCO are beautifully styled, energy-saving contemporary radiators with spectacular heat production. The heavy, scalding hot cast iron radiators of the past can now be replaced by elegant, energy efficient, safe radiators made from aluminium. Designed by VASCO in partnership with the University of Stuttgart, there are three designs to choose from, Bryce, Alu-Zen and Zaros, which are available in a selection of sizes and colours. As an energy-saving choice, the VASCO aluminium radiators are hard to beat; a VASCO aluminium radiator only holds two litres of water, compared to ten litres in a traditional radiator, so the VASCO radiator responds faster to your thermostat resulting in more comfort and less energy consumption.

The baroque-styled Heatwave radiator designed by Jaga Home Heating together with acclaimed Dutch designer Joris Laarman is now available in the UK.

Proving that decoration and functionality do not have to be mutually exclusive, the Jaga Heatwave provides a comfortable warmth, yet it also can be the flamboyant centre-piece of any room design.

The Bow fronted towel radiator is a contemporary classic for modern bathrooms and kitchens. The gently curved front is an elegant design feature and provides good clearance for bulky towels.

Combining high design with superior heating capabilities, Bristan’s Estratto range has been introduced to provide consumers with a totally new and exciting way of heating their homes.

Featuring a stunning graphic tile design in lacquer and matt finishes, Estratto is available in a choice of four models, each with its own individual colour mix reflecting the current home décor trend for metallics and monochrome.

Injecting a distinctly retro flavour to homes, the Lokum decorative radiator from Aeon sets new standards in heating.

Visually arresting with its strong pattern of squares and circles, Lokum is made from polished or brushed stainless steel segments, each linked with tubular connecting bars, to create an elegant floor-to-ceiling ‘screen’ between living spaces – or placed conventionally against a wall.

Arigato from MHS Radiators is a beautiful contemporary radiator with strong lines and soft curves.

Arigato is perfect for designers and homeowners who are looking for a radiator which isn’t afraid of being seen and is as much part of the interior design as furniture or artwork. Its strong tubular lines are echoed in its fine furrowed finish. Available in either vertical or horizontal versions, Arigato offers a choice of polished or satin finishes.

The RAY is a slimline radiator offering a good heat source as well as a smart steam free mirror for your bathroom environment. The RAY can be used in other areas of the house, such as a dressing room, landing or hallway.

New sizes of Revive designer radiators from Hudson Reed add elegance as well as warmth in the home.

The Revive range features radiators with single and double oval heating tubes. These are offered in horizontal or vertical designs, in an easy to clean smooth white finish, making the radiator an interesting focal point of any room.

Designer radiator and heated towel rail manufacturer, Vogue (UK) Ltd, introduces the multipurpose CN001. Combining both a flat panel radiator for warmth and a sleek towel rail for storing and drying towels, the highly functioning CN001 is a great choice for contemporary bathrooms.

Dimplex is proving small is beautiful with the new DTR70, the latest addition to the popular Daytona range of towel rails. Incorporating the revolutionary DryTechTM technology developed by Dimplex, it offers outstanding performance with its rapid warm-up and leaves conventional wet-filled competitors in the cold.

VitrA’s Technical Manager, Darren Paxford, looks at the problems posed by furnishing the new “focus” rooms in the home – the cloakroom and en suite bathroom and points the way to finding solutions.

For fitting out the modern cloakroom and compact en suite bathroom look no further than VitrA. Two collections in particular have been conceived and designed holistically to provide solutions for any situation.

New for 2009, Duravit expands its popular Vero and Fogo series to include inspiring ideas for compact spaces. Retaining its characteristic linear form, the new Fogo console comes in widths ranging from 900mm to 1800mm but with a space-saving depth of just 360mm. Practical storage is incorporated with a choice of one or two drawers to keep the washing area neat and tidy and designed to pair perfectly is a new Vero semi-recessed basin.

Manufactured from 8mm toughened glass, Simpsons’ double-sided walk-in enclosure combines sophisticated styling and product durability and comes with the company’s Lifetime Guarantee.

Geberit’s Duofix corner frame allows for greater design flexibility, functionality and durability in the installation of wall-hung toilets. The corner frame means that an area that is traditionally overlooked can be utilised with ease, thus opening and freeing up the whole bathroom for use.

While changes to Part M of the building regulations are pushing up the number of bathrooms per property (a cloakroom is now a legal requirement on all new-build properties, thus increasing the bathroom tally for an average home to three – cloak, family bathroom and en-suite) the actual size of each room is being reduced to compensate. In fact, the average family bathroom is now a paltry 2m x 2m – ensuring it truly lives up to its ‘smallest room in the house’ moniker.

In their expanding portfolio of products, Lecico have bathroom suites in a variety of styles and sizes to suit every home whatever size or situation. During the last couple of months, Lecico have added two new suites to their range. Lecico Steps which has strong simple lines providing a contemporary look and has a choice of three basin sizes 48cm, 53cm, 60cm all available with full and semi pedestal. A close coupled push button cistern WC with optional soft closing seat completes this range.

The new Piccolo wash-place from German manufacturer Alape is a versatile and beautifully formed basin and stand that is perfectly suited to UK households with a cloakroom. Available in white, its distinctive contemporary design is partially due to a visible tubular chrome-plated bottle trap and handy chrome-plated towel rail fixed on the fascia of the wash-stand.

Cleanliness for the bathroom is imperative, therefore GROHE has devised a totally unique concept unlike any other available on the market. GROHE Fresh is the latest solution in WC flushing, it offers a simple and effective way to enhance hygiene and convenience in the bathroom.

Kudos Showers has forecast that the expected 40% drop in property sales will lead to people spending money utilising the space they already have in their homes instead of spending money on moving - resulting in an increase in innovative lifestyle choices in the bathroom.

White tiled walls are today’s first choice in cloakrooms and en-suites, popular for their unbeatable clean feel and their ability to brighten even the smallest of rooms.

The latest rooms in the modern home to receive the designer treatment are the cloakroom and en-suite bathroom. Both are receiving unprecedented attention not least because they are difficult to furnish while retaining the maximum feeling of space.

This compact, stylish tap range includes mono basin, mono bidet, concealed and exposed bath filler and bath/shower mixers. Available in polished chrome finish from stock. Special finishes available on request, including Gold. The mono basin is ideal for cloakrooms with a height of 105mm and projection of 103mm.

Mereway Bathrooms are a model supplier when selling en-suite bathroom furniture. They offer a diverse range of cabinet sizes and configurations, specifically small units from as little as 150mm wide and 200mm deep.

Crosswater’s brassware portfolios incorporate the perfect collection of brassware for small bathrooms and cloakrooms – the MINI versions! Whether the bathroom is of a contemporary or classical design, there will be a MINI version of an established range to choose from.

Roca has responded to customer demand for compact space-saving sanitaryware by offering a selection of suites such as the latest Meridian-N Compact. Functional and versatile, this is a classic white suite with straight, clean lines made from vitreous china. Designed to suit all specifications and tastes, this range is an innovative solution for cloakrooms and small bathrooms.

Fusing space saving features with contemporary design, the Bi-fold Shine enclosure is set to appeal to style conscious consumers.

Reflecting the latest trends for open, light and spacious bathrooms, the Bi-fold Shine enclosure boasts a contemporary semi frameless style. Ideal for small bathrooms, it offers great space saving benefits compared to outward opening doors. The unique offset pad hinge design takes away the need to fully frame the door panels and allows a soft gel magnet seal, giving a quality feel. This action is complimented by double wheel bearings to ensure smooth operation.

Turning the cloakroom or en-suite into a haven of tranquility, the Apollo range of bathroom furniture from the Adam Furniture Group is designed with flair and imagination to meet the varied requirements of today’s homes.

The Glide Maxi enclosure from Showerlux has been designed for bathrooms lacking in available wall space without compromising the overall showering experience.

Available with single or twin sliding doors, the enclosure comes with a dedicated tray to match its dimensions.

Dansani offer wardrobe systems, within their flexible and versatile ‘Calidris’ bathroom furniture range.

“An effective extractor is an absolute must in any kitchen,” says Ian Kershaw, MD of fast growing appliance manufacturer CDA. “ Without a good extractor the kitchen will quickly become dirty because grease contained in steam from frying and other cooking will deposit itself on surfaces such as cornice rails, door edges and the ceiling. Smells will linger too - and a good extractor will remove them quickly and efficiently.”

In total, CDA offers 19 different extractors, ranging from standard extractors right through to stunning, high performance kitchen centre pieces. KBB in March will see the launch of a further three top-of-the-range extractors from CDA which push the boundaries of style to a new level.

Galaxy Hoods

This ultra stylish product line-up features four striking, angular designs that give that essential finish to any kitchen. The models offer exceptional extraction capabilities with easy-clean dishwasher safe filters, built-in halogen lighting and electronic controls as standard. Their unique, wall-hugging design also provides more headroom above the hob - perfect for the taller chef! Available in 90cm widths to support Rangemaster’s extensive collection of contemporary range cookers, or a 60cm width to house smaller hobs in a streamlined kitchen.

Offering the very latest in cooking technology, leading appliance manufacturer Baumatic has further strengthened its offering with the launch of a new state-of-the-art induction hob.

Featuring super powerful extraction without sacrificing noise levels, The Drop extractor from Air Uno ensures that your kitchen is free from grease, moisture and odour. Yet, as well as providing a host of impressive technological features, this sleek, organic hood creates an eye-catching focal point. Created by Italian designers Faber – the original inventor of the kitchen cooker hood – The Drop is available in a choice of two stunning finishes including a pearl white finish or the rich ‘rosso’ finish (pictured).

Open-plan living has pushed cooker hoods firmly into the kitchen spotlight. Visible from anywhere on the ground floor of a home, a sleek and stylish extractor looks the part, but it’s not all about looks, it needs to function as fabulously as it looks. For decorative hoods that are eye-catching as well as industrious, Franke has the answer with the Neptune Soft.

Keeping up with the latest trends for sleek design in the kitchen, appliance specialist Caple introduces the Ribbon C871i induction hob.

Featuring a distinctive slender design, the C871i creates the aspirational streamlined and uncluttered aesthetic in the kitchen. Simple black glass with a frameless bevelled edge will help to create an effortless look that is simple to clean.

Britannia is adding to its portfolio of built-in hobs with a 90cm induction model which borrows from the cutting-edge technology of its fast-selling induction range cookers launched last year.

Huddersfield based company Westin are the only UK Company to manufacture and supply custom-built domestic kitchen extractors, providing a bespoke service without the designer price tag.

Recently, the Westin produced an entirely mirrored hood, for customers of the renowned kitchen design company, Mowlem and Co.

Neff’s eye catching new extra wide induction hob model T44T80 provides four heat zones plus a useful central warming area to rest your pans.

With the arrival of the LC956KA40B, leading appliance manufacturer Siemens is introducing a totally new concept in extractor hood design.

Model LC956KA40B is striking in appearance: instead of a traditional horizontal canopy, this extractor boasts a trend setting angled glass canopy design to ensure that it soon becomes the focal point of any new kitchen installation.

The Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA) has increased its selection of benefits for members through its LogBuy system.

LogBuy allows KBSA members to access a web portal from their dedicated area of the KBSA website, where they can then obtain discounts on many products and services. The additional new discounts include cheaper HP computers and Viking stationery, plus cuts on many more business costs.

At the forefront of water conservation initiatives, Impulse Bathrooms welcomed the Building Regulations Part G which were due to come into force in October. This would limit potable water usage on new build to 125 litres per person per day (compared with an average current consumption of 150 litres).

Adding to its strong health and safety record, in October IDS recorded one million working hours without a single lost time accident (LTA), representing 15 months or 320 working days.

When the Mayor of London speaks a lot of people listen and in his recent pronouncement Boris Johnson pleased members of the BMA with his unrestrained support for the Water Efficient Product Labelling Scheme.

A new training course in renewables for specifiers, housebuilders, teachers, architects and installers has been introduced at the AGA Training Centre at Telford. Delivering an overview of current renewable systems including solar, heat pumps, biomass and wind power, the course is aimed at those who want to increase their knowledge in this ever-expanding industry.

Specialist in decorative furniture hardware, SFA Marketing, has been appointed as the exclusive sales agency in UK and Ireland for Union Knopf.

Geman-based Union Knopf is one of Europe’s leading decorative hardware manufacturers for the furniture industry and boasts an exciting range of cabinet handles.

First class customer service and complete trust in the performance of the brand’s materials, is why Aquastone choose Ultra Tile time and time again.

Aquastone, specialists in tiling installations within both the commercial and domestic sectors, have recently completed a 2000m2 tiling project in Tunstall. The project, part of the prestigious Alexandra Park development, was a new DW Sports Fitness Club which is a two storey complex consisting of a fully equipped gym and a sports retail store.

Mirco Tschenett has tested two spiral saws from RotoZip, fighting off worldwide competition to become World Champion Wall and Floor Tiler at the 39th Worldskills International, held in Shizuoka, Japan. Established in 1950 as a platform for vocational skills across global industries and designed to encourage higher standards, the competition attracts skilled tradesmen from every industry.

Shower enclosure manufacturer, Simpsons, has increased its distribution power by adding three new 7.5 tonne trucks to its fleet.

The new trucks, which increase Simpsons’ fleet to a total of 21 vehicles, significantly improve our loading capacity and will operate nationwide.

The Tile Association Awards are the “Oscars” of the wall and floor tile industry. Each year the industry rewards the best people, the best companies, the best projects and the best products with a prestigious TTA award. They are, simply, the best!

Market leading furniture door and components manufacturer BA Components has announced the successful purchase of BLP from administration.

Established in 1990, BA Components has grown steadily to become a major industry player and this acquisition is a logical step in its progression.