The bathroom market, which includes a vast array of products from sanitaryware to flooring and furniture, continually adapts to changing customer requirements. Louise Flynn discusses the emerging trends and latest innovations in this sector.

Every year, a number of clearly defined trends appear in the bathroom market. 2013 has proved no different with ‘inclusive living’ products, which support an ageing population, showing real growth. For instance, Twyford unveiled its ‘All’ range at Ecobuild 2013 in recognition of the modern family dynamic. Backed by shower seats, grab rails and level access trays, these once specialist items are now a common part of a merchant’s product portfolio.

The economic climate has unsurprisingly led to homeowners prioritising reliable products that will stand the test of time while cutting costs wherever possible. For installers, the priority remains saving time on the job and delivering a high quality finish that will ultimately grow the customer base.

As a result, one innovation that we’re expecting installers to continually favour is the ‘easy fit’ shower. The market is already welcoming the next generation of these models, quickly filling an easily identifiable gap in the market.
The Agile range from Mira, for example, features an innovative installation system with 50mm pipe centres to make cutting simple. The mixer valves can also be fitted without a spanner – the time saving benefits of this product are especially valuable when working on a new build project where turnarounds are tight and set delivery agreements are in place.

The compact design also lends itself to a space-limited or en-suite bathroom – another trend that remains relevant as second bathrooms become the norm to compensate for children staying at home longer and standard UK bathroom sizes continue to be the smallest in Europe.

‘Fast fit’ taps, such as Bristan models featuring ‘EasyFit’ technology, provide similar benefits. These products include flexible inlets with built-in isolation to guarantee easy connection to existing pipework. The top fix connectors are also specially designed to ensure ease of access. The advantages are again clear – the installer saves time whilst delivering a stylish and reliable option, which is easy to update.

Rimless toilets have been on the market for a while now but continue to be popular with a very niche market – namely homeowners who prioritise very high levels of hygiene! Designs which are rimless such as the Rimfree from Twyford make the pan easier to clean and include innovative water streams which retain performance whilst improving water efficiency. These models also offer a sleek and contemporary design, making them popular with end-users looking for a stylish and clean finish.

Shower panels have traditionally been used in hotels and public buildings, but they are increasingly being recognised as a cost effective and simple to install solution for domestic environments. For homeowners, they are incredibly easy to maintain – without tiles and grout, there is no longer the need to prevent mould growth. An extensive choice of colours, modern designs and even mock tile designs in gloss or textured finishes provides a bold aesthetic with a number of advantages that traditional ceramics simply cannot offer.

The ‘soundPANEL’ from multiPANEL allows the installation of an mp3 player compatible amp and speakers behind the panel. This reverberates sound through the panel core to effectively turn it into one large speaker.
Under Floor Heating (UFH) continues to be popular but has really seen a rise in popularity in the bathroom where you are most likely to go bare foot and really want the cold edge taken off ceramic floor tiles. Modern options such as the DEVImat are more affordable and straight forward to install, meaning higher numbers of homeowners are no longer seeing UFH as an added bonus if there is sufficient budget.

The role of PTS as a leading merchant is to make sure that all of these trends and innovative items are made available to installers nationwide. By keeping up with the latest products, installers can be confident that they can not only source their favourite items but discover new solutions that may save them time or ultimately create a better result for the homeowner.