Projects
Best in class
by Elspeth Pridham
30
We look in detail at the four fi nalists from the Bathroom Designer over £25,000 category in the annual Kbbreview Retail & Design Awards
EACH YEAR, KBBREVIEW magazine organises its Retail & Design Awards. This time, I was delighted to join the judging panel and spend a fascinating, if exhausting, day in Roca’s stunning showroom in the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour dissecting and discussing 12 entries across the three bathroom design categories (up to £10,000, £10,000 to £25,000, and over £25,000). My fellow judges were Rebecca Hunt and Helen Fewsher from Suna Interior Design, Tristan de la Haye from THG Paris, Cheryl Gurner of CG Design Consultants and Diana Celella, president of SBID.
The competition is open to designers of bathroom projects installed in a real home in the UK and Ireland. They are assessed and judged on aesthetics, meeting and exceeding the brief, problem solving, product and material choice and unique ideas and initiatives as well as value for money in their projects.
The level of all entries was extremely high for the Bathrooms over £25,000 category (sponsored by Geberit), but we were unanimous in our decision to name Hayley Robson at Day True Interiors our winner. Her design fl air and attention to detail resulted in a stunning ensuite that went way beyond the client’s expectations. The awards were presented at a steampunk-themed black tie dinner held in the handsome surroundings of the Victoria Warehouse, a former cotton storage facility turned event space, in the heart of Manchester on 4 April.
Angel Interiors Designer: Tim Baber
For this young family living in a cottage-style home overlooking the Chew Valley, Tim Baber was asked to create a master ensuite with wow factor – somewhere to wake up to the day and then relax in the evening. “The wife liked an eclectic mix of old and new, while her husband wanted mod cons,” Baber says.
His aim was to make sense of the little nooks around the room while also taking into consideration the lack of good natural light. He started by positioning a bath centre stage – initially, a copper design was considered but soon it was dismissed as being visually too heavy and a “nightmare” to clean. A double shower provides the backdrop, with a seat inside making use of an odd corner. Angled boxing was also incorporated to create two recesses for symmetry and balance.
There are two vanity units with Dekton stone tops to match the wall panels, plus a shower toilet to meet the request for modern technology. Vessel basins in satin nickel match the fi nish on the bath, while a little marble table provides a place for a glass of wine or scented candles next to the bath. Another nice touch is an unusual mirror, which was remounted and backlit. “A very frugal part of the design, but a lovely feature,” says Baber. The lighting is on a multi gang switch, allowing low-level and task illumination.
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