Bathroom Trends

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Steve Birch, Sales Director, Vogue (UK)

The team at The Installer Magazine talks to Steve Birch, Sales Director, Vogue (UK) about trends in the bathroom.

Do consumers take heating products more seriously these days?

When you think about it, most consumers will only buy a radiator or towel warmer as few as three times, sometimes less in their lifetime and therefore, with stunning modern designs and improved functionality, they now want to make this type of purchase a special and even personal one, often making a design statement with the model they choose.

They have become more comfortable to explore the advantages of bespoke heating design, models which are luxurious and non-specific to a certain room are performing best right now.

You mention stunning modern designs and improved functionality; can you expand on your thinking?

I’m happy to. By offering almost unlimited styles and combinations to heat the home, new technologies and designs are coming to the fore all the time to tempt and inspire new house buyers. This has elevated premium design radiators and towel warmers into becoming much more than just a heating solution, obviously they need the appropriate heat output of course but also they have to be aesthetically pleasing and now often with added functional too for example, with integral fold-away storage rails, practical mirrors and even a remote control function for the height of convenience.

What about new product innovations generally?

The introduction of atypical materials and finishes has also become the latest look in interior fashion thus driving a need for more adventurous and unusual heating designs at the higher end of the market. Perfect for creating a minimalist aesthetic, metallic finishes are elevating contemporary heating designs for the better, welcoming new finishes like brushed and bright nickel or antique copper or brass as a point of difference.

This fashion has also led to developments in texture which create an opportunity for designers move away from the standard smooth, highly polished chrome finish. The market now offers a choice of matt finishes and tarnished effects to choose from, and for the height of contrast, homeowners can combine this style 

of rail finish with an integrated flat panel radiator in granite or coloured glass. This is a great way to give your customers and the home a sense of personal style, as well as move away from the standard white finish to create a heating solution suited to any décor, interior or individual.

How can you help your customers stand out from the crowd?

The luxury interiors sector demands a heating solution that is unique, and this has seen bespoke design services become more prevalent and allow each aspect of a design to be tailored to individual requirements. The once humble radiator has become far more than just a necessary and practical addition to heat the home .

Choosing a bespoke model will guarantee a unique design statement that fits the exact requirements of the space. By customising size, material and style, it is possible to create a completely unified interior scheme. Although this level of design and quality comes with a higher price

Comby Dryer in white by Vogue (UK) tag, it is often the finishing touches that make the difference between a ‘good’ and an ‘exceptional’ bathroom, kitchen or living space.

So why is Vogue UK’s bespoke service is popular?

The satisfaction of having a truly original product that will not be seen anywhere else is a major selling point for our customers. They can also be assured that the product will provide professional results, as our highly skilled craftsmen and designers will advise clients on all the elements of design like style, material, finish and practical requirements.

We offer a bespoke service across Vogue (UK)’s standard portfolio, which allows for quick modification of our existing models in terms of design and construction. This is a great compromise as it not only costs less than designing a completely bespoke product from concept, but it also provides the customer with a great level of choice and individualism.

www.vogueuk.co.uk

Vivid with new dryline technology by Vogue (UK)

"We offer a bespoke service across Vogue (UK)’s standard portfolio, which allows for quick modification of our existing models in terms of design and construction. This is a great compromise as it not only costs less than designing a completely bespoke product from concept, but it also provides the customer with a great level of choice and individualism."

New Simplicity II by Vogue (UK)