kbbLDN daily video diary

For those who didn't manage to make the kbbLDN show, part of the May Design Series at Excel, or if you just want a reminder of the event, Kitchens & Bathrooms News created a daily video diary. The first two days are featured, here, with videos that include exhibitor impressions of the event, as well as visitor feedback, plus a look at just some of the products on display.

However, we would also like to hear your impressions from the show - which will be featured in a kbbLDN show review in our next issue. Email the editor at pturrell@hamerville.co.uk

kbbLDN Conversation Series spurring designers on to visit show

Leading kitchen and bathroom designers and retailers are set to attend kbbLDN, part of the May Design Series, at ExCel in London from May 19-21.  Among those who have committed to visit the show are Nicholas Anthony, C.P.Hart and Halcyon Interiors.

Aside from finding new products, networking with suppliers and like-minded retail businesses, they have indicated the Conversation Series has been instrumental in their decision to visit. It underpins the notion that kitchen and bathroom trade exhibitions must now also offer points of learning to take away, as part of the overall visiting experience.

Organiser of the show UBM has developed an App for the exhibition, to help visitors plan their time at the show. It includes an A-Z listing of exhibitors, as well as complete Conversation Series listing.

Sales director of C.P.Hart, Adrian Smith commented: “There’s a lot of exciting seminars going on and I think that’s one of the key drivers for me.” He added: “If you can be better informed at the end of the show, that’s got to be a good result.”

NEOBankside "encapsulates spirit" of May Design Series

Brand director of the May Design Series, Andrew Vaughan said  award-winning housing development NEOBankside, in London, "encapsulates the spirit of what we are aiming for with the May Design Series." And he indicated the type of interior fashions shown in the housing development will be similar to those on display at the four co-located shows of the May Design Series, which include kbbLDN (sister show to kbbBirmingham), Interiors LDN, DX and Arc.
Vaughan added: "It epitomises the spirit of the visitor and exhibitor and the beauty and luxury we want to offer."
Alike The May Design Series, this London construction shares the Rogers name - with Rogers Stirk & Harbour having designed the housing development and Ab Rogers creating the look of the show's interior.
The May Design Series takes place at ExCel in London from May 19-21 and to win a free VIP ticket or £100 of Amazon vouchers, follow the instructions at the end of the video. There is also an app available to download with details about the show.

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Pop-up studio opening for Keramag Design

Luxury bathroom brand Keramag Design has opened a pop-up studio at Chelsea Harbour, London, to showcase its products to retailers, interior designers and prestigious house builders.

Open for six-months, although on a rolling contract, the studio features its four designer collections Citterio (shown), Preciosa II, Myday and Silk.

The pop-up studio has been designed so it can be transported to other locations, with plans to move it outside London at the end of the year or beginning of next year.

Firstly, Keramag Design is looking to establish a UK network of retailers, with a target of 60 by the end of the year, and 120 in total. Ideally, the company would like to attract retailers which also work in the small contract market and will give an area to Keramag Design. This area can then be designed and fitted out by a team from the company.

Retail national sales manager of Keramag Design, Lynn Dale continued: “Because there are only four series in the range, what we are looking for is for them to take a spread of each of the four ranges.” stating “in an ideal world”, Keramag Design would like for retailers to group the product together, and stated “that’s what we’re finding more people want to do”.

She believed the more retailers who visit the pop-up studio; the more likely they would be inspired to do a similar design.  

However, managing director of Keramag Design John Blackburn pointed out: “We don’t want to go into the market arrogant. It’s not the way I do business, so therefore I wouldn’t send the values into the brand into that way. We have a standard but we also want to have some flexibility.”

Keramag Design is already a third of its way towards its number of targeted retailers for this year. Lynn Dale said: “We have been out in the marketplace for four months now actively selling into showrooms. We’ve already got 19 showrooms and we have another 20 prospects. So, in a short space of time, we’ve actually achieved quite a lot.”
The brand is dealing through national distributor Robert Lee, regional distributor for the North of England and Scotland City Distribution and is seeking a regional distributor for the South.

Lynn Dale added: “They both have got stock on the shelves, so they can currently supply a next-day delivery, if needed. On the Keramag Design product, it is a three week lead-time and that is what we will always tell our customers. So that can be passed onto the consumer just in case, for whatever reason, stock isn’t on the shelf.”

But stock is being carried and Dale continued: “At the moment there’s quite a few pieces going out for displays but, equally now, we are stocking to get the pull-through from the showrooms that are live.”

And the aim, as John Blackburn, stated is for the company to be “number one or two brand in the luxury brand sector.” And he stated the brand would be looking to take market share to reach this position.

However he added: “The prediction in 2014, 2015 and 2016 is going to grow. For 2015-2016, the prediction is 4-5% [growth]. That’s why we think the timing [of the launch] is right because we believe we are now at the bottom, so we are only going to be in a position of growth.”

To visit the appointment-only, pop-up showroom, email Lynn Dale.

 

May Design Series App for kbbLDN visitors

An app is now available for visitors attending The May Design Series, which includes kbbLDN alongside InteriorsLDN, Arc lighting show and the interiors and exteriors technology show DX.

The May Design Series App can be downloaded from iTunes for iPad and iPhones, and it's also available on Android. It has been designed to allow visitors to better plan their time at the show, and allows them to create an agenda and ‘favourite’ exhibitors and speakers.

The App also offers the latest show news and features the Conversation Series of discussions, including Designing for Small Kitchens & Bathrooms, with Russell Buckley of Stuart Henry Kitchens and Stuart Irving of Ablutions Bathrooms. It will be chaired by Kitchens & Bathrooms News editor Philippa Turrell.

In addition, it features the most up-to-date exhibitor list, including Leicht and most recently Spanish kitchen furniture manufacturer Doca and Swiss appliance brand V-Zug.

It is the first time since Leicht has exhibited at a UK show in 18 years and sales director Graham Hopper explained why the company chose to now take a stand: “We have been very active in building through an increasing dealer base and via contract activities. In order to develop our turnover further, it was decided that we would exhibit at kbbLDN in 2013 as this would be an ideal platform to introduce our products to customers that perhaps have not seen Leicht previously. We are also keen to showcase our new designs for 2013.”

On a stand, with a 3.5m high ceiling, Leicht will showcase its extend+, a mid-way electronic tambour system and its Contino handleless range, in its latest colours and finishes.

Hopper concluded: “The important factor is the potential customers who are aware of the show and ultimately will attend. Having spoken to a very large number of customers, they are certainly aware of kbbLDN and will be attending.”

The May Design Series, which includes kbbLDN, takes place at Excel in London from May 19-21, 2013.

ISH review: For better or wurst?

The Kitchens & Bathrooms News team endured the snow in Frankfurt to savour the forthcoming trends for bathrooms, not to mention local delicacies of a sausage (or two)

On the cusp of British summertime, of course the UK was always destined to have bad weather. But snow? And this time the Brits shared their misfortune with Germany – and in particular Frankfurt - during one of the most important dates for the bathroom calendar - ISH. The snow caused havoc on day one of the ISH trade show with cancelled flights and eventually a closed airport meaning visibly fewer visitors - not only from the UK - but right across Europe. And for exhibitors and visitors who were able to rearrange their travel plans saw the pace of their schedule shift up a gear, as they attempted to cram the same amount of work into 24 fewer hours.
But for those who did manage to breach the Bavarian border, ISH laid bare the bathroom trends, which this year very clearly focused on improving the consumer ‘experience' through products and marketing messages.

 The products drew on all the senses, with obvious features such as sound, lighting and even a bath with an aromatherapy mist. But even the products which didn't appear to be designed to these rules were clearly created to evoke emotions, to enhance and ultimately engage consumers.
It meant the design pendulum, which at the previous event swung towards safe but sellable products had made a moderate move towards slightly more edgier and luxury styles, with assymetry proving to be a key look. But, arguably, it was the wide choice on offer from bathroom manufacturers, allowing designers to create bespoke spaces, using vast but standard ranges, which looks set to be a big influence on the high street. This ability to personalise individual bathroom spaces, not only ensures designers can maximise consumers’ enjoyment of their bathroom space, but perhaps cynically, ensure that they get the sale.

For more from the show, as well as industry news,  subscribe for FREE to Kitchens & Bathrooms News.

Dyson launches Airblade hand dryer tap

The latest invention from the Dyson stable is a mixer tap, where users can not only wash but also dry their hands. The tap, which retails for £999, is part of the latest Airblade hand dryer range and uses the company's latest digital V4 motor.
Speaking at the UK launch, head of Airblade development Chris Osborn explained: "In the tap we've integrated the washing and drying functions together. The air is channelled through the two branches at either side at 430miles/hour. There are infra-red sensors at the front of the tap. These detect the position of your hands and they activate either the water or the air functions, separately." Osborn stated the three-pronged design was the "most usable and most efficient" layout.
He added: "The secret to the performance of the tap is hidden beneath the countertop and that's in the motor bucket. In the motor bucket is where the V4 motor is housed. In this application we are drawing around 30 litres of air every second, through a HEPA filter, pushing the air through the motor and into the tap itself."
The V4 motor, which replaces Dyson's current digital motor, was designed by the company's engineers and took 7 years and £27m in development.
The three-strong range of Airblade dryers, including a smaller Airblade Mark II dryer, the Airblade V, and the Airblade tap, had 125 engineers working across them for 3 years, with around £40million in total invested in their development.
Constucted from 304 grade stainless steel, used in the marine and medical industry, the Airblade tap is made by Dyson in Singapore. Chris Osborn continued: "We needed to develop new manufacturing techniques that enable us to use these thin, steel tubes, so we could fit all the internal components inside the tap. The solution we went for was to cut and to weld the parts using a very high powered laser."
He added: "It's designed to go in commercial environments but there's no reason why it can't be installed in the home. It's tailored to fit standard sinks in the washroom and they are no different to the ones you find at home. So technically it can fit there."
Like the rest of the range, the Airblade tap operates around 85dB, has a five-year warranty, and will be available online and through its existing channels.

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