From Paris with Love

Assistant editor Britta O’Boyle visited the Ideo Bain exhibition in Paris to find out what was new for the bathroom market

Paris is known for being one of the most beautiful cities in the world. And it is. Lovely buildings and architecture, amazing food, great fashion. What more could you want? Add some lovely bathroom products to the mix and well, enough said. The Ideo Bain exhibition in Paris, which runs every two years, had products on show from a number of manufacturers. We have picked our top four from the event…

Dornbracht had a number of products on display including the Deque brassware range and the Ambiance Tuning Technique, with the addition of the Horizontal Shower application. Deque comes in matt black or chrome and comprises a number of options including a wall-mounted cascade bath spout, single lever basin mixer and three-hole basin mixer. Ambiance Tuning Technique with Horizontal Shower allows the user to shower lying down, with the option of various flow types and is controlled using the central eTool controls located near the user’s head. 

The Kaldewei stand featured a range of products including its Conoflat shower tray, Super Plan Plus shower tray and the Couchage Relax. Conoflat features an enamelled outflow cover which fits seamlessly into the shower tray’s surface, making it flush with the floor. The Super Plan Plus floor-level shower tray features an installed height of 109 mm (including the company’s pop-up fitting KA 125) and is available in 12 different sizes. The Relax Lounger can be used on the company’s bathtubs including the Couchage. Its bearing capacity is 130 kg comes in four sizes: 1700 x 750 mm, 1800 x 800 mm, 1900 x 900 mm and 2000 x 1000 mm.

Grohe showcased a number of products on its stand at the Ideobain exhibition this year. Eurocube brassware, Concetto brassware, Power&Soul shower and Grohtherm F were among the products displayed. Eurocube features cut-out detailing on the lever handles to reduce the perceived volume of each piece, as well as the company’s SilkMove and StarLight technologies. The Power&Soul collection of showers are available with a choice of four spray patterns and in three design styles. They come in three sizes and benefit from Grohe’s AquaDirect spray controller, which enables direct and single-handed switching between the four spray patterns.

Finally, Villeroy & Boch presented its Futurion Flat shower tray. Futurion Flat is manufactured from the company’s Quaryl material, which is said to be warm to touch and easy to clean. The tray is available in ten sizes and three colours, including White Alpin, Star White, Pergamon. Futurion Flat can be specified in two formats and matching shower enclosures are available, including Futurion Walk-In, Squaro Walk-In, Subway Walk-In.

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Kaldewei's vision of future bath design

Is this the future of bathing? Enamelled steel bath manufacturer Kaldewei UK thinks so. It has named this visionary bath the winner of its Iconic Concepts Design Competition. The brief was to design a futuristic bath that can be made from 3.5mm enamelled steel. It had to be 'a new icon for modernity - that reflected the Kaldewei brand and core values of style and pioneering innovation. In particular, it needed to take into account of how society's opinions have changed towards bathing and how consumers now see the bathroom as a haven of well-being.'

Will Hoskian from London-based practice Woods Bagot created this tub which is described as an “exploration of form based on the dynamics of fluid and directional flow”. The unusual and ergonomic design appealed to the judges for its elevation of bathing a ritual within the home.

Hoskian scooped the £5,000 prize for his design and commented on his win: “It was a real pleasure to participate in the competition and I’m thrilled about the win. Designing a new icon for modernity, for a brand that has a great history, a high level of design and strong presence in the industry, is always a challenge.”

Kaldewei often looks at the future of design, having commissioned a study by the Rheingold Institute into consumer’s changing attitude to the bathroom.

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