Top 6 Trends in Faucet Technology in 2017 for Kitchen & Bath

Read article : Top 6 Trends in Faucet Technology in 2017 for Kitchen & Bath

Staying ahead of industry trends can help trade professionals boost their businesses. Plumbers, builders and remodelers in the pro trade industry can increase their perceived credibility in the eyes of the customer by introducing them to the latest faucet technology for the kitchen and bath. Whether you’re working on a residential bathroom remodel or need faucets for a cutting-edge commercial kitchen, implementing a technologically-advanced faucet will help you exceed customer demands. Discover the kitchen and bathroom faucet technology trends for 2017 and see how these advancements will help you grow your pro trade business.

1. Kitchen faucets that deliver filtered water on demand.

   Imagine telling your customers that they can pour a glass of water that is safer to drink and tastes delicious every time. Three plumbing brands have made that a reality with faucets that feature water filtration technology in their functionality. Kohler offers the Carafe® kitchen faucet, which features a built-in water filtration system. The Grohe Blue® faucet incorporates a chilling system, carbonation and water filtration to give users the option to pour a glass of crisp, chilled fizzy water whenever they want. Pfister offers two faucet models with Xtract™ technology, which increases water safety by removing chlorine, lead, pesticides, mercury and select pharmaceuticals from the water.

   Contact your local Ferguson for more information about faucets that filter water.

   
2. A shower head that changes function with a simple touch.

   You can help your customers enhance the way they shower with an advancement that will soon be available on the market from American Standard. Instead of manually adjusting their shower head, users will be able to change the shower head spray pattern by simply touching the shower head or via a wireless remote button. This will make it easier for your customers to adjust their shower to their personal preference, and will be especially helpful for those with limited height or mobility. Adding this functionality to your customers’ bathrooms will give them a customizable showering experience, and they’ll have you to thank. Check for this product with your local Ferguson this coming fall.

   Connect with your local Ferguson for the latest information about plumbing advancements.

   
3. A kitchen faucet that turns on with your feet.

   Much like car doors that can be opened with the tap of a foot, Grohe has introduced a foot-activated kitchen faucet that is conveniently turned on and off by tapping a sensor mounted at the base of the counter. This faucet is the answer to busy moments in the kitchen where people find their hands full and messy. Because of the hands-free activation, you can offer this technology as a way to improve the overall cleanliness and sanitation of your customers’ kitchens.

   Find your local Ferguson to request this faucet or shop our online offering of other Grohe faucets.

   
4. A shower system that you control through Wi-Fi.

   Sell your customers on the idea that you can bring their showering experience into the digital age with a Wi-Fi enabled showering system. Available at your local Ferguson, the new U by Moen promises to deliver the perfect shower based on customizable settings that users control through their smartphone. Your customers can choose their shower temperature and have it warmed up and ready before they step in all through the U by Moen app. Offering this technology will help your business because you can market yourself as a smart home automation plumbing expert.

   Get more information about the U by Moen from your local Ferguson or shop our online offering of Moen products.

   
5. A faucet that will keep kitchens splatter-free.

   You can give your customers a cleaner kitchen with a faucet that incorporates the futuristic ShieldSpray™ Technology from Delta Faucet. The stream is a unique elliptical shape that the manufacturer describes as working like a shield to prevent splatter. You can provide your customers with the benefit that their kitchen counters, and their clothes, will stay clean and dry no matter the size or shape of any dish they wash.

   Contact your local Ferguson to get this technology, or browse our online offering of plumbing supplies from Delta Faucet.

   
6. Kitchen faucets that sense when they’re needed.

   Impress your customers by giving them the ability to turn on their kitchen faucet simple by holding your hand near it. While this might seem like magic, several quality faucet brands have made this a reality. American Standard, Kohler, Moen and Pfister have developed several pull down kitchen faucets that incorporate this technology. Hand-free faucets will give you the advantage of increasing the level of sanitation in your customers’ kitchens.

   Visit your local Ferguson to explore our offering of hand-free faucets and check out or online offering of kitchen faucets.

   

Scott Watts

With over 24 years of experience in the plumbing supply industry, Scott Watts leverages his extensive product knowledge to help trade professionals make the best purchase decisions to grow their businesses.

Make Bath Time More Comfortable with New Sterling Prevail Shower Door with ComforTrack Technology

Read article : Make Bath Time More Comfortable with New Sterling Prevail Shower Door with ComforTrack Technology

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sterling for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you heard about the new Sterling Prevailshower door with ComforTrack technology – a flexible bottom track that supports the shower door’s glide and yields an easier, safer day-to-day use for the family. The Sterling Prevailshower door is the perfect addition to your shower!

Sterling shower doors with ComforTrack technology

There is nothing worse than when you are leaning over the tub to give your kids a bath and you are leaning on hard metal. This is extremely uncomfortable. I can not tell you how many times that one of our kids has slipped and hit their shins on the hard metal. What bruises they got!

ComforTrack’scushioned threshold bends to applied pressure, allowing the user to kneel, sit, or lean on the track, making it easier and more comfortable to bathe a child or a pet, access the shower, or clean the bathing/showering space.

Sterling Prevail shower doors with the ComforTrack technology are available for BOTH bath doors and shower doors. This new technology is not only flexible, it is extremely durable – its heavy-duty material withstands rigorous testing, ensuring that it will outlast day-to-day wear and tear. What’s more, the track features a low profile and sleek shape that is easy to keep clean.

This innovation is truly a win-win for today’s homeowner! What are some of your bathroom routines that would be easier with new Sterling Prevail shower doors? Please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear how this ComforTrack technology would improve your life!

Related Post

Bathrooms on a budget

Read article : Bathrooms on a budget

Consumer expert Jennifer Newton investigates the latest basin tap designs and what they have to offer. 

Image above: Water Square Lights monobloc basin mixer, (H) 12cm, £875, Crosswater.

When it comes to fitting a new bathroom, it’s worth prioritising your budget on items with moving parts. ‘You turn a tap on and off hundreds of thousands of times during the lifetime of the bathroom. It therefore needs to be durable and reliable, so spend as much as you can afford,’ says Martin Mongan, UK managing director for Hansgrohe.

Technology features

Manufacturers have, until recently, focused on improving kitchen taps and shower mixers, but technology for bathroom taps is also improving now. Digital and sensor bathroom taps that include hand-drying are possible but, at £700-£2,000, it will be some time before they are considered standard. There are also taps with a light that changes from blue to red, indicating temperature – but the price tag is high. For example, Crosswater’s Water Square basin monobloc tap retails at £315, but jumps to £875 with changing light effect.

Sensor controls

Touch-free sensor taps offer maximum hygiene, with water automatically stopping when the user moves away. Tap specialist Hansgrohe now sells Axor basin- and wall-mounted mixer taps operated by sensors, where the temperature can be pre-set – ideal for areas such as cloakrooms. EcoSmart technology limits water flow to five litres per minute, and the sensor itself saves even more water and energy due to the short run time of 1-1.5 seconds. Dyson has also entered the market with the Airblade, boasting a sensor tap and a built-in automatic hand- dryer, for £980.

Image above: Left: Axor Citterio electronic basin mixer, (H)22cm, £1,236, Hansgrohe.

Image above: Right: Country basin mixer with filtration, in Pewter (H) 23.5cm, £711.24, Perrin and Rowe. 

Digital revolution

Bathroom technology at its best, the Grohe Ondus range is controlled via a smart panel that’s pre-programmed with preferred temperature, flow rate and duration. Taps can be basin- or wall-mounted, and a co-ordinating shower and bath mixer is available. Colours include Velvet Black, Moon White and Frosted Titanium, but this technology is still costly at up to £2,000.

Water filters

Perrin & Rowe claims that Triflow is the world’s first three-way tap technology, delivering hot, cold and filtered water through a dedicated bathroom waterway. Made in the UK, Triflow taps are designed to reduce heavy metals and particles but let through necessary minerals. Or, try the Country basin mixer, which has a handle to mix hot and cold water and a separate handle for filtered water. David Cole, sales director at Perrin & Rowe, says: ‘Opting for a filtration tap ensures clean, hygienic filtered water with the ease of a standard tap.’

The Essential, Easy Shower And Bath Upgrade For All

Read article : The Essential, Easy Shower And Bath Upgrade For All

NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Gaining the perfect water temperature in seconds is a comfort and convenience appreciated by all when turning on showers and filling bathtubs. If your bathroom is without an exposed thermostat, you may be kept waiting, testing the water and hoping to feel your desired temperature in the next few minutes. Thanks to the new range of exposed thermostats from GROHE, the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of kitchen and bath fittings, the comfort and convenience of a perfect customized temperature is available to all. Each exposed thermostat is equipped with GROHE TurboStat® technology, which allows the water temperature to be adjusted accurately and instantly without wasting water while searching for your preferred temperature setting. 

GROHE has been perfecting their leading-edge thermostat technology since the early 1950s, and today in response to the growing need of a thermostat range that offers ideal temperature control, safety benefits and cost-effectiveness at any budget, GROHE has overhauled its range of entry-level thermostats. In doing so, they've taken the concept of a basic thermostat to a new level.

Evolution through the years

The new entry-level range is led by the Grohtherm 1000 New. First introduced back in 1995, this model has since benefited from regular improvements. The Grohtherm 1000 New is designed with advanced technology and offers optimum functionality. It is equipped with GROHE CoolTouch® technology; a newly developed insulating ring keeps the hot water away from the thermostat body, thereby preventing its surface from heating up.

The temperature control handle also features a SafeStop button, which the user needs to press in order to turn the water temperature up to more than 38 degrees Celsius. This button protects children and elderly people, in particular, from inadvertently turning up the temperature and then getting scalded. Intuitive use of the controls is also aided by the self-explanatory symbols. In addition, its volume control handle is equipped with an EcoButton, which allows users to reduce the consumption of shower water by up to 50 percent. The volume control handle of the bath thermostat features the AquadimmerEco mechanism for smooth and economical switching between bath filling and showering mode.

On the wings of fresh design ideas

"The organically flowing lines of Grohtherm 1000 New blend smoothly into any bathroom decor and coordinate perfectly with numerous GROHE shower heads and faucets," notes Cheryl Dixon, Head of Brand and Trade Marketing for GROHE America.

Complete range

Rounding out the range is Grohtherm 2000, which boasts additional features: GROHE EasyReach™ storage and XL Waterfall. GROHE CoolTouch® technology is also included. The EasyReach™ tray can be placed onto the wall rosettes, closing the gap between the thermostat and the wall. The even surface conceals the connections, making the thermostat another smart design element. The XL Waterfall is inspired by nature and the natural flow of water.  The expansive spout emerges seamlessly from the bathtub mixer and delivers a large, wide, laminar water flow, similar to a gently cascading waterfall.

Whether you're looking for a unique entry level-priced, highly functional thermostat or you'd like to take it one notch further with extras, thermostats from GROHE, complete with their wide variety of shower and bath systems, are on budget and on trend.

About GROHE

GROHE faucet and shower products are distributed in more than 180 countries and represent nearly 80 years of excellence in European design, innovation, engineering and quality.

GROHE America's headquarters are in the heart of the Flatiron district and houses the GROHE Live! Center, an interactive showroom created for inspiration and collaboration.

The GROHE Group is the world's leading provider of sanitary fittings, comprises Grohe AG, Hemer; Joyou AG, Hamburg and other subsidiaries in foreign markets. With its global GROHE brand, the GROHE Group relies on its brand values quality, technology, design and responsibility to deliver "Pure Freude an Wasser". With the JOYOU brand, the Group covers the fast growing Chinese market.

The GROHE Group was purchased by the LIXIL Group and the Development Bank of Japan in January 2014. The LIXIL Group is the global leader in the building materials and housing equipment industry. GROHE and Joyou remain independent within the LIXIL Group.

For more information and to find local showooms, please visit www.grohe.com/us or call 1-800-44-GROHE (47643). 

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150225/177761

RELATED LINKS

http://www.grohe.com/us

FORMER TESLA EXECUTIVE, PETER CARLSSON JOINS ORBITAL SYSTEMS

Read article : FORMER TESLA EXECUTIVE, PETER CARLSSON JOINS ORBITAL SYSTEMS

ORBITAL SYSTEMS, which is out to change the way the world uses water, is proud to announce Tesla Motors’ former CPO and VP of Supply Chain, Peter Carlsson, has joined the company as a board member and as Executive Director of Operations. He has also become an investor in the company.

Orbital is a pioneer in distributed water recirculation systems that filter out mineral and biological impurities out of lightly-used water in showers to dramatically cut energy and water consumption. The Company’s Shower of the Future, for instance, saves up to 90% of the water and 80% of the heating energy. Founder and CEO Mehrdad Mahdjoubi developed the technology as part of an academic collaboration between NASA’s Johnson Space Center and Lund University. Orbital also expects to develop products based around its technology for baths, sinks and other applications.

Since closing a $5m funding round in May 2015 led by Skype cofounder Niklas Zennström, ORBITAL SYSTEMS has more than tripled its staff, opened offices in Berlin, Palo Alto and Oslo, and has announced major strategic sales wins with healthcare and public bath institutions among others. Additionally, the company has set up its own production facility, allowing Mr. Carlsson to help transition Orbital from “boutique manufacturing” to mass production.

“It is very exciting to be a part of ORBITAL SYSTEMS during this rapid growth and entrepreneurial phase. The company has superior technology, a global market, and a fantastic team dedicated to changing the world. I am looking forward to applying my experiences and network to bring about this paradigm shift in daily water usage.”

Mr. Carlsson had an instrumental role at Tesla Motors enabling the electric car manufacturer to scale operations, including the launch of the highly successful Tesla Model S. Prior to this he has held similar global positions with NXP Semiconductors and Sony Ericsson.

“Peter’s experience of the challenges facing a disruptive startup transitioning from R&D to a global consumer product enterprise will be extremely valuable for us”, says Mr. Mahdjoubi.

Sweden’s city of Malmö installed six showers in its public bath house at the Baltic Sea and enjoys saving over 80,000 liters (22,000 gallons) of water and 14,500 kWh monthly with customers preferring the Orbital shower to conventional ones, for comfort and flow rate.

ORBITAL SYSTEMS’ patented shower technology emerged from an academic collaboration between NASA’s Johnson Space Center and Lund University. Founder and CEO Mehrdad Mahdjoubi utilized the same recycling principles used in space shuttles and stations, where resources are limited, while at the same time increasing comfort, water flow and temperature stability. Although the shower water recirculates, the nanotechnology-based filter system removes impurities so efficiently that the hot shower water contains less bacteria and viruses than the drinking water coming straight from the tap, according to tests performed by the Public Health Agency of Sweden.

In 2015 Orbital’s Shower of the Future was recognized as Certified Space Technology by the United States Space Foundation. ORBITAL SYSTEMS was also awarded Sweden’s greatest invention by SKAPA in 2014, received a 2015 Edison Award in the US as one of the world’s leading innovations, and a 2015 INDEX Award in Denmark, one of the world’s most prestigious design awards and second only to Tesla Motors.

Press release December 17th 2015

Delta Demonstrats H20kinetic Technology

Read article : Delta Demonstrats H20kinetic Technology

Delta Faucet demonstrated its H20kinetic technology for shower systems in May at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas. It controls the delivery of water by managing the water droplet size and velocity, spray coverage and thermal dynamics to create a warmer and more luxurious showering experience, the company said. The technology also has water conservation properties in that it can deliver a high-flow showering experience from a medium-flow water supply. The new technology is available in select shower systems from both Delta and Brizo.

Delta Faucet Unveils its Newest Innovations for the Bathroom

Read article : Delta Faucet Unveils its Newest Innovations for the Bathroom

INDIANAPOLIS, March 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Faucet is pleased to introduce its latest lineup of products for the bathroom. Delta^® products slated to hit the shelves this year include an affordable digital shower technology and complete product suite featuring an easy-to-install widespread faucet, as well as attractive Universal Design solutions.

"From the shower to the sink, new Delta^® bathroom products blend attractive design with innovative features to deliver on users' desire for both style and functionality," said Susan Fisher, vice president of marketing for Delta Faucet Company. "These new collections help reinforce our leadership in technology and design, making it even easier for consumers to transform a space with products that fit seamlessly and stylishly in their lifestyle."

For the tub and shower,Delta Faucet presents its award-winning Temp₂O™ Technology, a digital temperature display featuring LED color indicators to signal different water temperature ranges for easy, visual indication. This offering gives consumers convenience and peace of mind, having an indication of the temperature of their water before getting in, and will be available on a variety of handshowers, showerheads and tub faucets beginning this summer.

Also available later this year, the Ashlyn™ product suite blends sleek, angular lines with soft edges for maximum versatility and modern flair. This collection marks the first Delta lavatory collection to incorporate the brand's revolutionary EZ Anchor^® top-down mounting assembly on its widespread faucet to promote easy installation.

Finally, the Delta brand infuses style into a new collection of hidden-in-plain-sight bathroom safety accessories. Available now, the Decor Assist accessory suite includes a range of stylish towel bars, corner shelves and tissue holders, each supporting up to 300 lbs of weight when properly installed. These accessories coordinate with contemporary, transitional and traditional design styles and are offered in Chrome, Stainless, Champagne Bronze™, and Venetian Bronze^® finishes. The traditional suite of Decor Assist accessories is also available in Polished Nickel.

For more information about Delta products, visit www.deltafaucet.com.

About Delta^® Products      
There is a philosophy at the heart of every Delta^® product: there is a better way to live with water. It goes beyond excellent design to incorporate smart thinking that anticipates people's needs. From proprietary Touch₂O^® Technology that turns faucets on and off with just a touch to H₂Okinetic^® shower technology that sculpts water into a unique wave pattern, giving you the feeling of more water without using more water, Delta products incorporate thoughtful features that delight. Paired with beautiful and inspirational design, it's another way that the Delta^® brand is more than just a faucet. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2013 and 2011 WaterSense^® Manufacturer Partner of the Year, Delta Faucet Company is a global organization that offers kitchen faucets, bath faucets, bathing and shower systems, toilets and related accessories, selling products in more than 53 countries. For more information, visit www.deltafaucet.com.

Links to additional resources
Delta Online Press Room                                           
About Masco Corporation

RELATED LINKS

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Bendtech launches innovative glow rails for aged care

Read article : Bendtech launches innovative glow rails for aged care

Leading Australian tubular stainless steel manufacturer Bendtech introduces the innovative ‘glow in the dark’ grab rail specifically designed for the aged and healthcare segments.
 
Featuring cutting-edge stainless steel technology, engineering and design, the patented tubular grab rails glow in the dark for up to 7 hours. The innovative glow strip technology was designed for the elderly and aged care segments as an alternative to standard stainless steel grab rails in bathrooms and corridors, providing an ideal lighting solution during the night or for power failures.
 
Specialising in designing and manufacturing products for the health and aged care industries, Bendtech CEO and Managing Director Tim Shalders explained that the glow rail technology was designed to increase safety at night or in dimly lit areas. The company focusses on designing and developing quality products that are unique in design and will give the end user peace of mind, support and safety.
 
Given that Bendtech was already custom-making stainless steel products particularly for the Australian health and aged care sector, they saw an opportunity to further assist these industries with the design of the glow rail product.
 
According to Mr Shalders, the glow rail was developed particularly for the elderly, disabled and visually impaired who require grab rails in bathrooms or other areas where support is necessary. Even if power is switched off at night in the bathroom, the glow rails will provide a luminous glow throughout the night that requires no power or electrical source, ensuring ongoing safety and support.
 
The rails store energy when exposed to daylight or lighting, and emit a dim glow for hours on end when lighting is out.
 
Bendtech Production Director and product designer Jason Cerezo explains that the luminous technology is a mix of phosphorescent materials embedded into the rail’s insertions, which allows the grab rails to glow for an extended period of time without the need for added incandescent lighting or power.
 
In addition to the health and aged care segments, the glow rail is also ideal for stairways, corridors, fire exits or public amenities where lighting is low or off.
 
Key features of Bendtech’s glow rails:

• Made of tubular stainless steel
• Glow comes from phosphorescent materials embedded in the rail’s insertions
• Glows for up to seven hours each night
• Removable insertions will last up to 10 years
• Available in different configurations
• Compliant with Australian Standards
• TGA registered

The Brisbane-based Bendtech has been designing and manufacturing innovative stainless steel products for the Australian market for over 30 years with their product range including grab rails, folding shower seats, shower curtain tracks and curtains, modular grab rail systems, shower and bathroom rails, bathroom accessories and back rests as well as fold up, swing-away and floor/ceiling products.

Engineered to ensure maximum safety, the grab rail products are available in satin, polished or powder coated finish.

Wall Mounted Bath Mixer with Rain Shower Head

Read article : Wall Mounted Bath Mixer with Rain Shower Head

- Model: F1411003101 Wall Mounted Rain Shower and Bath Spout Combination

- Brilliant 3-In-1 Shower Set Comes with Overhead Rain Shower, Bath Spout and Shower Mixer

- Solid Brass Construction, Polished Chrome Finished

- Ceramic Cartridge

- ABS Engineering Plastic Rain Shower Head

- Suitable for All Pressure

- Shower Head Size: 210mm Diametre, Wall Mounted Arm Length: 368mm (Please see pictures on the right for details)

- 360° Swivel Ball Joint, Adjustable Angle

- Complete with one Round Overhead Shower, one Single Lever Mixer, one Bath Spout, one Round Backplate and one Wall Mounted Arm

- 5 Years Warranty

- Constant Bright Technology
Skillful polishing process, bright lasting treatment for brilliant chrome surface to ensure products are long-lasting looks as new.

- Smooth Technology
The unique valve core is made by advanced ceramic alloy in the closed environment, and coated with a special lubricant coating. This feature can ensure products are smooth for use as the new one for many years.

- Constant Hydrodynamic Technology
Equipped with constant hydrodynamic device to have good water stream effects, showing the environmental science and technology.

If you request a refund or return, please contact us within 15 days since the date you receive the products.

Five-year warranty only applies to any problem of cartridge. Please click here to ask a question

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Emerging Hotel Bathroom Trends | Hotel Industry Magazine

Read article : Emerging Hotel Bathroom Trends | Hotel Industry Magazine

Boutique Hotels Featured Hotel Industry Trends Hotel Interior Design Hotel News

Emerging Hotel Bathroom Trends" title="" />

Hotel bathrooms have come a long way from being purely functional and have arguably become one of the most marketable parts of the hospitality experience. As a result they are often used to sell the hotel to potential customers. But are your bathrooms on trend? We ask C.P. Hart’s Ian Dutch to explore the emerging hotel bathroom trends.

Finishes and Forms

A strong trend we are seeing is the desire to mix and blend different materials and finishes. Designers and specifiers are experimenting with developments in materials and new combinations of finishes and surfaces, resulting in a more tactile and luxurious bathroom experience. Grey continues to be the dominant key colour trend and applied to bathroom furniture in particular, varying from the very light to the very dark with added elements of blue and green hues. This dominating palette is being mixed with the growing trend for natural materials and textured finishes over high gloss finishes.

Bathroom furniture units are being treated as design pieces in their own right, showcasing the beauty of wood or drawing upon contemporary new materials. Tactile textures are increasingly playing a more important role when it comes to planning high specification hotel bathrooms, with designers and specifiers thinking more about the way a bathroom feels as well as how it looks. Textured furniture pieces are also being stripped back to their wood form; a natural aesthetic has emerged as manufacturers celebrate the natural beauty of wood through distinctive grain finishes.

In addition to texture we are seeing experimentation in terms of sculptural shapes and forms, especially when it comes to brassware and washbowls, as small no longer means insignificant. Statement basins such as hand-blown lead crystal basins fuse Italian artisan craftsmanship with beautiful contemporary design. When it comes to brassware we are seeing graceful statement pieces that show an instinctive appreciation of the beauty of flowing water. Brassware in a gold or nickel material are being specified more at the top end of the market, while feature walls using gold leaf or metallic materials deliver a truly luxurious finish. Marble is being used as a form of wall art, applied alongside clean white sanitaryware and neutral walls.

Experience

The configuration of a hotel bathroom space is being reworked and re-examined, with bathroom and bedroom areas merging to create a hybrid space. At the heart of this is an emphasis on pampering which has become synonymous with hotel bathrooms. Contemporary baths are now deeper and more comfortable. The versatility of the latest composite materials allows more fluidity in shape and structure. Shower enclosures are becoming streamlined, but shower heads are now much larger in scale and replicate the cascading effects created by a waterfall or rainfall. Spa elements are becoming more practical to install, allowing guests to enjoy the luxury of steam in their room as part of an integrated shower enclosure (eliminating the need for additional space). It all comes down to personal comfort and relaxation, but translated in a way that works with the room layout.

The all-important vanity unit typically forms the centrepiece of the hotel bathroom, blending decorative and functional furniture elements to avoid a clinical finish and ensure the room becomes a living and breathing space in its own right. Large decadent vanity units that function as a dressing area for beauty treatments are also a key ingredient as they’ve become increasingly decorative in style and work as an extension of the hotel bedroom. Vanity units are being accentuated with strategic eye level lighting to enhance the experience and create a flattering effect. Mirrored cabinetry around the dressing area is multifunctional, offering 360° visual views through intelligent mirror placement, built-in shaver sockets and strategic internal shelving and storage for complete guest usability.

Technology

Technology is an ever-growing trend; from multifunctional brassware to all-singing, all-dancing showers, the bathroom is beginning to meet the needs of our technology driven culture, creating a more liveable space that strikes the right balance between design and experience. Digital showers emerged onto the market with button controls, but are now starting to feature simple touch screen controls that control the lighting, scents, varying water temperatures and pressures. And whilst digital showers are leading the way the rest of the bathroom is quickly catching up. Brassware is moving into a more digital realm, with manufacturers starting to incorporate technology in the form of a digital screen interface that controls flow and temperature. Baths will be able to be filled using a smart phone or tablet, and home spa elements are becoming more accessible and fit for purpose in the modern hotel as steam starts to be integrated into the shower enclosure.

Accessible Design

Where specialist accessible design guidance is required, C.P. Hart believes that an impressive bathroom should have universal appeal. Each and every functional component of the bathroom has to be considered to ensure practicality and durability is achieved throughout the entire bathroom. C.P. Hart’s coordinated Accessible Design range by Hewi is testament to our belief that DDA compliance need not mean unappealing and utilitarian design. Sleek and minimalist in style, the collection has been designed to aid mobility around the bathroom, providing support through subtle recesses and support rails which perfectly complement the range’s minimalist aesthetic. Support rails are sculpted to ensure they are understated yet practical, featuring easy to grip contours for those requiring support when standing up or sitting down to use the WC, shower or washbasin. The rails are available in either a rounded or square profile, in addition to a variety of length options. The shower seat is geometric in its design and available in clean white or architectural anthracite that complement the minimalist finish. Manufactured from high quality materials, the seat has been designed to be both comfortable and slip resistant due to its lightly structured surface.

C.P. Hart Contracts works exclusively on building and refurbishment projects, from luxury apartments through to hotels and commercial developments. For more information visit www.cphart.co.uk/pro or call 0845 873 1121.

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DISCUSS

Salt Lake City Bets You’ll Trade Dollars for Balance

Read article : Salt Lake City Bets You’ll Trade Dollars for Balance

Ask someone to name up-and-coming technology hubs and you’ll likely hear about places such as Austin, Portland, or Vancouver. If they’re really on top of things, you’ll also hear about a metro area you may not have expected: Salt Lake City.

Yes, Salt Lake City. It’s a region pegged as conservative and blandly business-like. But in truth, Salt Lake City’s tech sector dates back to the 1970s, when WordPerfect and Novell set up shop in the area. During the 1990s, Ancestry.com and Omniture were founded there; when Adobe bought Omniture in 2009, it liked the locale so much it began building campuses for other business units.

Locally, the area’s tech scene is known as “Silicon Slopes.” It encompasses the area from Ogden south to Provo, with Salt Lake City in-between. JD Conway, senior talent acquisition partner for HR solutions provider BambooHR, believes the local tech community is unique because of its combination of established tech companies that continue to grow, its attractiveness as a location for Silicon Valley companies that want to cost-effectively scale up, and its “perfect soil” for startup growth.

An Unusual Business and Lifestyle Mix

Local tech leaders agree that the region combines an unusual mix of lifestyle, business and economic factors that make it attractive to tech pros. “It’s a really good ecosystem of companies that balances work, technology and lifestyle,” according to Matt Bingham, vice president of product at Instructure, a learning-software company headquartered in Salt Lake City. “What I’ve found in 10 years here is that there’s an allure with the lifestyle, along with a great tech experience.”

“There aren’t many places in the world where it’s faster to get to a ski lift than to make a short commute to the office. You’ve got that here,” added Nathan Rawlins, CMO of Lucid Software, which makes cloud-based design applications in the Salt Lake City suburb of South Jordan. “Just the other day I met with someone at 10 in the morning who apologized for wearing board shorts to the meeting. He’d been out wakeboarding before heading into the office. I think most people would gladly give up those quality hours on [Silicon Valley’s Highway] 101 every day in exchange for a wakeboard run, hitting a mountain bike trail, or getting to the slopes for some night skiing.”

Opportunities Now, and Growth Predicted

While it’s certainly true that lifestyle and flexible work hours are attractive to tech pros, so are compensation and growth opportunities. And here’s when a decision on whether or not to work in Utah comes down to personal preferences.

Like most regions of the country, Salt Lake City faces a shortage of technology talent. Bingham describes this scarcity as being driven by growth: Companies are expanding faster than the talent pool. As a result, businesses are already competing hard to lure the best tech pros they can find, both locally and from other markets. “With so many growing companies, there’s demand for just about any role,” Rawlins said.

For his part, Bingham emphasizes engineering. “Anyone with an engineering background, you’re needed here,” he said.

In terms of dollars, however, you probably won’t make as much in Salt Lake City as you would in California or New York. According to Salary.com, for example, an intermediate-level software engineer in Silicon Valley earns a median salary of about $103,000; in Salt Lake City, they’d make around $83,000. Dice pegs the average tech salary in Utah at $89,798, lagging many of the nation’s tech hubs.

Interestingly, Salt Lake employers don’t tap dance around the salary differences. “Salaries aren’t as high, but disposable income is,” said Bingham. And as companies grow, he expects to see compensation increase.

“A higher quality of living is attainable at almost half the cost of Silicon Slopes’ cousins in the Valley,” added Conway. “Because of its lower cost versus higher quality of living, more tech pros see it as an attractive place to relocate, and fewer native Utahans see the need to leave.”

A look at Zillow.com backs that up: The real estate web site reports that a 1,500-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bath house in San Francisco recently sold for $1 million. A similar, 1,700-square-foot house in Salt Lake City sold for $228,000.

Near-Term Limits

Still, Bingham noted, the fact that Salt Lake City’s tech sector is still relatively small limits the possibility of movement, at least in the near term. Though the breadth of opportunities is growing, “you don’t have 20 different startups to jump to every 12 to 18 months,” he said. “This is a good place for a three-year gig, as opposed to a 12-month gig.”

The bottom line is the Salt Lake City area is changing rapidly in terms of business, technology and culture. Though known as a conservative area, the city has grown “quite cosmopolitan” as more people relocate into the region, Bingham observed. Established companies continue to expand their footprints, while local colleges and coding programs build up the entry-level workforce and feed the startup population’s labor needs.

“I’m confident the tech scene here is going to continue to thrive,” said Rawlins. “So many tech companies in Utah have followed what has been an untraditional path, with a focus on profitable growth and strong fundamentals. That’s a recipe for long-term sustainability.”

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5 Simple Ways to 'Zhng' Your Bathroom to Boutique Hotel Standards

Read article : 5 Simple Ways to 'Zhng' Your Bathroom to Boutique Hotel Standards

Bathroom #goals

The one thing you look forward to at staycations besides the breakfast buffets and movies on demand on the 42” plasma are the luxurious bathrooms. Stocked with plush towels, free-flow toiletries and if your hotel’s atas enough, a relaxing rain shower! And there’s a way you can take this hotel experience home, with some help from the experts of showers: hansgrohe. 

First to invent showerheads with adjustable jets and the wall-bars on which you mount your shower heads, hansgrohe has had many “eureka!” moments with state-of-the-art bathroom inventions. And we saw it firsthand at their recently revamped showroom - from button-operated rain showers to customizable taps in a spectrum of fashionable colours - with 5 bathroom additions to “zhng” your humble bathroom to one matching a 5-star hotel:

1. Get the hotel “rain shower” experience right in your home 

Raindance Select Overhead Showers

Your best bathroom karaoke sessions are at atas hotel staycations - you reckon it’s the combination of the superb reverb and rejuvenating rain showers. But you’ll also be “singing in the rain” in the comfort of your home with hansgrohe Rain Showers.

With up to 3 spray modes like RainAir (infuses water with air to create a voluminous water-saving spray) or WhirlAir (pulsating sprays that massage you), these overhead showers more than recreate the rain-like experience of hotel bathrooms.

The QuickClean technology in hansgrohe’s rain showers also makes cleaning a breeze because any dirt and limescale build up simply falls off when you gently rub the flexible silicon tip of each nozzle.

Raindance Select E300 Showerpipe Source: hansgrohe

If you’re excited about getting an overhead shower but your partner’s more a hand shower person, get the best of two worlds with 2-in-1 Showerpipes and Shower Panels. All your bathroom needs is an exposed connection to the main water supply and you won’t even have to hack the walls to install these babies.   

2. Change the mode of your shower with the press of a button

From delicate sprinkles to forceful streams, each of your family members has their favorite shower spray setting. And having to forcibly twist the showerhead dials back to your favorite setting every time you step into the shower can be quite a chore!

Raindance Select E120 - 3 sprays in 1 hand-shower (Colour: White Chrome)

But you can now adjust the jets of your shower, fuss-free, with hansgrohe’s Raindance Select hand showers like the Raindance Select E120. Clicking the “SELECT” button has you toggling between 3 different spray settings - Rain, RainAir and WhirlAir. And electricity’s not at all required to operate this clever device!

Remember to check the water pressure you have at home so the hansgrohe consultants can recommend you suitable hand showers.

Not just for hand showers, the Select Technology is also available on a range of hansgrohe showers, including the overhead rain showers. 

3. Bling up your tap handles with Swarovski crystals 

Source 

Never again settle for conventional metallic grey taps when there’s the option of stunning ones with sparkly Swarovski crystals. From the hansgrohe company’s luxury brand, AXOR, comes the closest thing to bespoke taps you’ll find. These customisations are hand-made in Germany, where taps can also be engraved with words and initials upon your request. 

Mandarin words can also be printed for those of you with parents who don’t read English 

You can also customize the heights of your taps to fit your bathroom. Source: hansgrohe

With 15 colours ranging from chrome to gold, these special finishes are not just pretty, they also make the metal more scratch-resistant. Taking customization up another notch, they even give you the option between matte and glossy - and you thought that was only applicable to the photographs you develop! 

4. Impress your guests with these one-of-a-kind taps

When guests come over to visit, the only room more visited than the living room is the bathroom. And all you need are these designer taps to give your visitors some serious tap-envy.  

AXOR Starck V. Source: AXOR

With a see-through faucet made of crystal glass, this tap reveals a mesmerizing water vortex. This is how spray researchers at Hansgrohe pay homage to Klaus Grohe - the founder’s youngest son - and his passion for water. Not only is it easy on the eyes, its easy-click-in design and safety-stop function make it really easy to clean. 

Turn up the zen with the AXOR Massaud’s nature-inspired designs and get a mini waterfall at your bathroom sink Source: AXOR

Bearing an uncanny resemblance to a branch and made with ⅓ less brass compared to regular taps, the AXOR Starck Organic taps are not only eco-friendly but very fancy. Source: AXOR

5. Give your basic bathroom a boutique hotel theme 

Your basic bathroom has a lot of untapped potential and your standard issue BTO bathroom can be boutique hotel material. All you’ve to do is dare to imagine and take inspiration from the urban chic AXOR Citterio M series or classy 1900s European AXOR Montreux series. 

Urban chic minimalist design of the AXOR Citterio M series Source: hansgrohe

The sleek design of the AXOR Citterio M series is the perfect option if you don’t have much toilet space to work with. Resembling the knobs and dials that you see in cars, this bathroom collection designed by the Italian architect and designer Antonio Citterio, ought to strongly appeal to you car aficionados. 

AXOR LampShower by Nendo Source: AXOR

There’s never been a rain shower as quirky as this lampshade that doubles as a showerhead, where the “spotlight” is literally on you as you stand under the water converging at the centre. So get ready to belt out those karaoke tunes. 

The AXOR Montreux Series - Posh up your bathroom with regal designs inspired by 20th century Europe. 

Hansgrohe- the touch of atas you need in your home

There are four types of Singaporeans in the shower. If you’re the chiongster who just whacks water both hot or cold or the hum ji kia who spends 10 minutes making sure the water’s the right temperature, showering is far from a relaxing experience. 

But here to change that, is a line of bathroom fixtures from AXOR and hansgrohe  - from hand showers with intuitive buttons to mind-boggling taps with water vortexes - they’ll completely redefine your idea of bathroom #goals. 

The showroom’s AXOR Massaud collection, featuring a lake-like bathtub and even a towel holder that looks like a branch! 

Catch these bathroom taps and showers in action and head down to the newly revamped hansgrohe and AXOR showroom at 69 Mohamed Sultan Road. With bathroom collections designed by prominent names in the industry - like Phoenix Design, Philippe Starck and Antonio Citterio - you’ll find there are really no bathroom boundaries in your home.

*From now until 28 February, simply pay with your Citibank debit or credit card and get 25% off regular-priced products under hansgrohe brand.

Click here to find out more about AXOR and hansgrohe!

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This post was brought to you by hansgrohe.

Also watch us on TheSmartLocalTV!

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Bubble shower saves water

Read article : Bubble shower saves water

CSIRO announced they had developed a device for saving water by introducing bubbles into shower heads. But the technology is not new as claimed; such products have been available for years and even the wording of the media release appears to not be original.

The CSIRO described their work in a media release:

While the general concept of using an aerated showerhead to save water is not new, the technology behind the CSIRO's device is novel.

Developed by a team led by Dr Jie Wu, the aeration device is a small nozzle that fits inside a standard showerhead. The nozzle uses a small Venturi tube - a tube for which the diameter varies, creating a difference in pressure and fluid speed. Air is sucked into the Venturi tube as a result of the partial vacuum created, causing air and water to mix, forming tiny bubbles within the water stream.

From: 'Air shower' set to cut water use by 30 per cent, Media Release 06/223, CSIRO, 9 November 2006

In 2005 I bought an aerating shower head from the Australian business E-Co Shower. As CSIRO describes, the unit sucks in air, and mixes it with the water to give you a shower of bubbles.

As pointed out on PhysOrgForum, what CSIRO announced appears to be very similar to the existing E-Co shower. Even some of the wording of the the CSIRO media release appears similar to the wording of the E-Co web site from 2003:

1. E-CO : "air and water mixing together causes bubbles"
2. CSIRO: "air and water to mix, forming tiny bubbles"
   

Leaving aside the question of who invented what (and who wrote what), such devices work very well. It is difficult to tell the E-Co shower in my bathroom from a normal one. There is a slight tingling sensation, which is pleasant. As well as saving water I suspect the system uses less hot water and keeps the bathroom dryer. This is because there is not the very fine mist you get from many low flow shower heads.

Previously I tried a water saving shower head. When on the high setting this produced a narrow jet of water. I had to move around it the shower to get my whole body wet and the force of the water was almost painful. On low setting it produced a fine mist which did not seem to wet the body. Either way it was not a pleasant result.

The E-Co units seem to be particularly popular with institutions. There is a vandal resistant model which just has a small hole for the water to come out of, instead of the usual rose pattern. The unit is only about 20mm wide and 40mm long and can be securely connected to the pipe coming from the wall. As a result there is little for anyone to vandalize.

Also there is the Oxygenics shower head. I am not sure I believe the health claims for the "oxygenated" spray, but it seems to operate on the same principle as the E-Co and CSIRO units and they have a clever animation showing how it works.

The innovative technology behind Oxygenics® is based on the Venturi Principle. As water enters the base of the showerhead, it is propelled through an accelerator fin to increase the velocity of the water flow. It is then directed through a channel where oxygen is injected into water. The result? Phenomenal coverage and a continuous range of sensations - from a soft relaxing spray to a deep, therapeutic massage to everything in between. Are you ready to be wowed? Get ready for a healthy, powerful, oxygenated spray!

From: Oxygenics, 2007

The only innovation in the CSIRO approach seems to be that it is an adapter designed to be added to a normal shower head whereas E-Co make a complete shower head. E-Co make an adapter for hand-held showers and basins. E-Co include testimonials from Canberra residents and from the Department of Defence, so it it difficult to believe that CSIRO didn't know of it.

There is also a US Patent for such a device from 1978, complete with diagram:

The passage of water from conduit 17 and through the chamber within the shower head establishes, in accordance with the Bernoulli, or venturi principle, a low pressure environment within the shower head. The low pressure environment tends to draw ambient air through outlets 20 and 21. The drawn air mixes with the water within the shower head due to the turbulent nature of the flow therein and is ultimately ejected through nozzles 31.

Because the ejected jets of water are mixture of air and water, the spray striking a bather will not have the conventional sting of sharply defined jets of water. Instead, the spray will tend to be "softer" and produce a physiological massaging effect which is very pleasant. Aside from the physiological benefits, the amount of water seemingly necessary to provide the bather with a shower to which he has become accustomed to, consumes approximately one-half of the normal water useage. Thereby, aerator 15 can effect a water savings of approximately 50 percent and yet require no change in habits by the bather nor in any manner curtail or restrict the habits developed from a lifetime of showers."

From: Shower head aerator, Richard Harmony, United States Patent 4072270, February 7, 1978

There are only two things I have found wrong with the E-Co shower: is the price and the web site used to sell it. The price is very high compared to a cheap plastic water saving shower head. But the device is very well made, from solid metal and comparable in price to fashion shower heads. E-Co let the quality of the product down with a poor web site, which makes it hard to buy.

There is also another use for a Venturi in a shower: This is the "Venturi shower", where cold mains pressure water is used to draw hot water from a low pressure tank:

"High pressure mains cold water is used to "suck" tank pressure hot water through the special venturi valve inside the unit, so that the resulting mixed water comes out at a much greater rate than could be achieved using an electric shower or ordinary shower mixer valve. The venturi shower uses no electrical connections, it simply plumbs straight into the heating system."

From: Venturi Shower, tubz.co.uk, 2007 http://www.tubz.co.uk/venturi_shower.php

• Taps and Product Services Ltd •

Read article : • Taps and Product Services Ltd •

The Tap and Die Co London UK: What Customers Say About Us : …

Screw Thread Cutting Taps Dies Dienuts + Boxed Sets at The Tap and Die Co in London UK stocked in all types and sizes in Taps Dies Dienuts BSW BSF UNC UNF Metric 0 … 

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