of growth wouldn’t be sustained, of course, and higher energy prices, mortgage rates and overall inflation have slowed the market further. Our industry is cyclical, however, and growth will return. Success comes from investing for the long term. We saw evidence of this at the recent KBB show at the Birmingham NEC, where the mood, as in Milan, was optimistic. Retailers were busy planning showroom upgrades, seeking new partnerships and understanding innovations and trends. Technology was a huge area of interest at KBB. The concept of the ‘smart home’ is now familiar to most consumers. The majority of UK homes now have smart meters for gas and electricity, and many more have smart doorbells, smart speakers, Google Nest or other smart devices. At the end of 2022, our parent company acquired British shower brand, Aqualisa. Aqualisa has been at the forefront of Smart Shower technology, but the benefits are still not widely understood. At KBB we had a working shower wall to demonstrate how Smart Showers work. This was consistently the busiest area of our stand. As one retailer said to me, ‘It’s a no brainer, really. Unless your budget was really tight, why wouldn’t you want a smart shower?’ Sustainability was another key concern at KBB and Salone. As prices for energy and water have increased, consumers have become more conscious of what they use. Clever design can help reduce consumption without compromising on the experience.
For example, Victoria + Albert’s new Ledro bath is designed to use at least 30% less water than a conventional bath. The design team’s deep understanding of bathing ergonomics is behind this stylish and comfortable bath of just 180 litre capacity. Once you allow for displacement – a person getting into the bath - this translates to around 125 litres. That’s a similar volume of water to an 8-minute power-shower. Yet the bath has generous proportions (1670mm long and 705mm at its widest point) and provides ample shoulder room. The internal shape makes it exceptionally comfortable to recline in. I should know, I seemed to spend half of my three days at KBB sitting in it. As a lanky 6’2 man, if the bath worked for me, it would work for almost anyone!
Personalisation provides the backdrop to 2024’s design trends. Inspired and empowered by social media, consumers want something that is perfect for them, and are less concerned about ‘resale appeal’. Colour, pattern and mixed materials are being used to create more distinctive spaces. In the bathroom, around 10% of Victoria + Albert’s baths are now sold with a painted exterior. It’s harder to be precise on colour trends, however, as there are over 200 RAL colours to choose from, and anything goes. The new Matt finish is especially popular, offering a premium feel at no extra cost over Gloss.
In the kitchen, Perrin & Rowe’s Aged Brass and English Bronze finishes add warmth and tactility to the humble kitchen tap. Chrome now accounts for less than half of all sales – a situation that would have been unthinkable five years ago. The kitchen is now regarded as a living space, and consumers are opting for a more decorative approach. TV designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen was at the KBB
BKU MAY 2024 7
show and put it very succinctly: ‘Kitchens are the setting for everything big that happens in any family… there’s a wonderful blend of styles to choose from now. This is extremely important because everybody’s so design literate they want to have their own expression.’
This is backed up by our sales charts. Perrin & Rowe’s most distinctive tap designs are their most successful. The award-winning Armstrong tap, with its industrial style, has been a best-seller since its launch in 2020. Coming later this year is a new collection inspired by British mid-century design, which has many delightful period touches but in a thoroughly modern form. The new range will include instant hot taps and filtration taps, a pot filler, a soap dispenser, and a mini tap that dispenses both steaming hot water and filtered cold. The enthusiasm for handcrafted, high-quality products has grown in recent years. Consumers are spending more time researching their product choices and see the value in products that are well-designed and made to last. Our US parent, Fortune Brands Innovations, has invested tens of millions in the last 12 months to build a new
manufacturing centre of excellence in Staffordshire. It will be the first major new ceramics factory in this historic area for ceramics for at least 50 years. Not just ceramics, but brassware will be made there too, generating hundreds of skilled jobs. Their confidence in the market and British manufacturing remains steadfast.
We may not look back on 2024 as a vintage year, but the mood across the industry seems increasingly positive.
The House of Rohl is a family of brands including Victoria + Albert baths, Perrin & Rowe brassware, Shaws fireclay sinks and Riobel brassware. Together with Aqualisa showers, the House of Rohl is owned by Fortune Brands Innovations, a Fortune-500 listed company.
+44 (0) 1708 526 361
www.houseofrohl.com
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