A Secret Bathroom: Raspel's Hidden Suite

Whilst browsing the Fast Company's website for inspiration and new bathroom products on the market, we came across this hidden gem. Rapsel, an Italian furniture design company, have presented a collection of toilet fixtures that magically disappear. "Rapsel's One line includes a sink, shower, and toilet disguised behind sleek wooden slats. Step into the bathroom, and the slats resemble shelves and benches in a swanky little sauna. It's only when you lift them up that their true function is revealed. "The new 'invisible' bathroom, designed by Matteo Thun for Rapsel, impresses with few lines and innovative forms," the press release effuses. "[They] become geometric modules that function as sculptural shelves."
As odd as this seems (and looks!) it is quite a unique way of transforming a bathroom space into a 'designed' space.
The wooden slats are contemporary and the multitude of parallel lines elongate the room quite dramatically.
The only way in which a bathroom like this might not work is if you have guests who require use of your hidden facilities.

Fantasy Bathroom: Shower Horizontally!

Here is something to be awe of: The Horizonal shower from Dornbracht. 

Their website explains: 

"For the first time, Horizontal Shower permits showering using the Ambiance Tuning Technique while reclining. The application combines six Water Bars recessed into a broad shower field above a reclining space, along with an eTool as the main operating element. Just as with Vertical Shower, with Horizontal Shower the user can also choose from among a variety of pre-programmed choreographies, offering a range of settings for water temperature, intensity and quantity. The user can decide from among Balancing, Energizing or De-Stressing effects."

Its decadent, luxurious and we can't help but want to try this out! [source]

Stunning Shower Room in the Netherlands

This beautiful shower room belongs to the owners of The Villa Hendrikx in Almere, Netherlands, which was completed only a few years ago – in 2009. It has been designed by 70F Architecture.
The modern architects decided to take a minimalistic approach to create and implement the interior design as well as the layout of the contemporary home. The entire house has featured on the Chictip blog. 

We love the long parallel lines in this room that help create a sense of space and length. The elongated basin complements this look. The wall hung vanity also helps the room appear wider.

The contrast between the dark grey tiles and the white wall is a bold one and the red splash of colour really sets it off.

The shelf that has been built into the shower wall acts as a practical storage and there remains a sense of privacy with the wall being set between the basin and shower area. 

Overall, this is design-perfection. 

Unique Basin for the Bathroom

We at Roman Elements love to discover new products that, individually, can inspire the look of an entire room. To the left is a beautiful basin by Emanuele Pangrazi. It is both modern and rustic and would look perfect on top of a handmade, bespoke vanity unit. It is a feature in itself and its boldness would contrast wonderfully with a simple tap fitted to the wall.

[source].

Green Bathrooms: Eco Friendly Spaces

It is possible to live in luxury and still be eco-friendly. Firstly, water-saving sanitaryware aims to help the planet and claims to reduce your bills by 25%. This concept water-saving bath, available from Ideal Standard, is low capacity and has the potential to save the warming up of 21,170 litres less water in a year.

It is also possible to have eco-friendly bath fixtures and furniture, made from recycled materials. 

And you don't have to stop there, complete your green bathroom with eco-friendly bath tiles too. Bedrock produce tiles using 100% recycled glass.
Another way in which to both lower energy bills and to have a planet-saving space is to use energy-effecient light bulbs. If you opt for the bright white variety and hang them at eye level either side of a mirror or behind frosted glass, you'll be able to create a softer glow in the room and still be able to see to apply make-up or shave.
Combined with natural stone floors and textured accessories, you can create a 'zen' space in your own home.

2012 Bathroom Trends: Radiator Art

NUMBER FOUR: Radiator Art.

This unique radiator from Aston Matthews will add a focal point to your bathroom and is a functional way of hanging wet towels.
It provides ample heat, as would any 'normal' looking radiator, either by electric of central heating. We think that this would complement a bathroom style which is simple and elegant and requires a large amount of wall space coverage.
Its bold design would achieve a wow-factor and contrast beautifully with a roll-top bath.

2012 Bathroom Trends: Natural Wonder Fittings

NUMBER THREE: Fittings that evoke a sense of the natural world.
Many bathroom designers have created fittings that replicate flowers, twigs, leaves and even dry earth in attempt to create a bathroom that is a soothing sanctuary. When we picture ourselves in a relaxing location it could be in idyllic countryside or near a cascading waterfall.
Much like the Motif Basin that we featured a few days ago, this Kreto shower tray from Roca reflects nature in it's resemblances to snow flakes.
It is beautifully simple and unique and can add a touch of nature's wonder to your bathroom space.

Scandanavian Style Bathrooms

We recently across a lovely blog called My Scandinavian Home run by Niki. She sources and posts an array of inspiring images of the home. What attracted our attention initially was the unique way in which accessories pull a bathroom design together. For instance the image to the right is a very neutral space; white suite, grey floor and pale walls. The individual details are what personalise this room. The mirror is quite large, possibly intended to create the illusion of more space and the art can be said to contrast with the simplicity with its surroundings [source via Plante Deco]

We like the minimal oval shape bath which and basin on a pedestal... the mixing of modern and old is a look that we feel works quite well.

The image to the left presents a very different look. It appears that the bath is constructed entirely out of stone which recaptures the beauty of sculpting out of natural materials... just like the marble sculptors of Greece used to. To us, this design is quite rustic but we love the contrast of the chrome taps against the weathered stone bath. This is another instance of mixing old with new; the juxtaposition of the two creates a look which is both on trend and quite unique. To the right is the basin from the same bathroom. [source]

2012 Bathroom Trends: Shower Heads

NUMBER TWO: Over-sized shower heads
This is the perfect way to create a spa-like experience in your own shower room.
The image presents Lounge rain shower head from Porcelanosa, who are also the suppliers of other luxury fittings and tiles.
From our own experience, the bigger the shower space the more impact the shower head will have. we recommend good water pressure, a shower tray deep enough to withstand the extra spray and a ceiling strong enough to take the weight!

2012 Bathroom Trends: Marble

The housetohome website recently posted an interesting article about how to keep your bathroom space looking fresh and modern. Many of the trends are also popular among our own client's wish lists so we thought we'd share a 'trend a day' with you. 

NUMBER ONE: Marble.

Marble is up-market and luxurious. Not only can it be fitted to walls and floors, it is also possible to have a marble bath, furniture and counter tops. 

This particular image exemplifies how you can make marble look contemporary. Team it with a white suite, chrome accessories and voila! You have a bathroom that once only existed in your dreams. 

Fired Earth  have predicted that their East Hampton white marble tiles will be their next best seller. 

Two rooms, one house: Formby Gallery

Some of our most recent work fitted in a house in Formby. 

Tiles, suite and fittings supplied by Fired Earth. 

Family Bathroom:

 

Ensuite shower room:

Before and After:

Tumbled Egyptian Limestone in Cheshire

Last night (13th September 2012) we attended an exclusive preview of the new showroom at Brownlow Furniture. The floor, fitted by us, Roman Elements, is  tumbled Egyptian limestone. It is dense and hardwearing with a mix of grey and caramel tones (pictured below).

Along with viewing their new space for exhibiting their beautiful, bespoke kitchen, we had the opportunity to meet a number of very interesting people and view demonstrations of new products on the market. They included the Quooker boiling water tap and the new AGA cooker. The Quooker has been featured on BBC's Great British Bake Off and Masterchef. 

We also tried a Chocolate Experience held by Cocoa Solid, which as you can imagine was mouth watering and entertaining in equal amounts, and we met Davinder Lotay of MJLighting who presented a heated mirror.

Elegance and Class: Etched Glass Motif Basin

This is quite stunning in our opinion. We first saw this on the Chictip blog but it can be found on the Omnivo website.
Add a subtle amount of sophistication to your bathroom with this motif basin. The patterns are hand-etched into glass that is fitted into a solid surface and polished. The basin is fitted with a chrome plug and spacer. The reflection of the design appears on the  counter, creating an elegant pattern.
Available in three patterns, Pebble, Kaleidoscope and Forest, the basin is constructed with finished timber and hand-etched glass. 

There is something quite naturalistic about this product. It conjures images of sunlight shining through leaves and tress, casting shadows on the ground. It is simply beautiful and this one in particular is our favourite of the the designs. 

This would complement a simple bathroom suite and neutral colour scheme. To ensure it's rightful place as the centre piece of your bathroom, clean lines and simple accessories should surround it. 

Bathroom Beauties: Inspiration from Chictip.com

Chictip has a very impressive collection of inspiring images and blog posts to browse through. We are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of beautiful bathrooms to be seen all in once place. In many cases, photographs of individual bathrooms are shown along side the other rooms in the same house. Lets just say that we are experiencing major design-envy right now.

The purpose of this post is just to prove to you that bathrooms need not be the room that gets left until last in your home renovation. It deserves just as much attention as your kitchen or your living room and has just as much potential to be a space to be proud of. 

We at Roman Elements offer a design service that can help get the best out of your bathroom or shower room. Whether you'd like a simple design, with clean lines and a contemporary colour scheme or a more decadent look with dark tiles and contrasting furniture and suite. We work with you to achieve the look you crave. 

What we particularly like about this design is the clean straight lines and the contrast created between the dark wall and floor tiles and the bright white bathtub. The unusual shape of the bath is very contemporary and we encourage our clients to be forward thinking in their design. This ensures that the space remains up-to-date and adds value to their property. 

The Wow Factor: Customise your shower experience with Kohler

The people at Kohler have developed a system in which you can customise your shower experience.With easy-to-use menu based-navigation controls, you can have your shower the way you like it. Change the temperature, spray intensity and angle of water delivery and with an additional upgrade, you can play your own music, incorporate steam and set lights that move and change colours. Over the top, we hear you say? 

Quite possibly. But you can't deny the sheer genius behind it all. Having installed remote controlled televisions into the shower cubicles in the past, we thought we'd seen it all, but here you are able to fine-tune the smallest details. 

This is a customised bathroom experience for the contemporary shower. 

[source]

Inspiration: Lace and Tea and Marble Bathrooms

Lace and Tea is a beautiful blog dedicated to decor, architecture and fashion. Amongst the library of inspriational photographs, we came across some lovely images a marble bathroom.

This is the bathroom of interior designer Bob Williams. 

Before:

After:

The symmetry of this space is wonderful and is complemented by the clean lines and stark contrasts between the lightness of the marble and the dark wood of the furniture. 

Marble was the favourite medium for Greek and Roman sculptors and architects and has become a cultural symbol of refined taste and tradition. As you can see, the patterns in the tiles make for a decorative, elaborate appearance. 

So if you want to convey a sense of style of expense in your bathroom, marble is one way to go. It can be polished too, which emphasises its beauty. 

[source]

Inspiration on Instagram: Follow us!

 

We are now part of the trendy community on Instagram. Search Romanelements and follow us to see edited pictures of our most recent work. We'll post floors, walls, wet rooms, shower heads, basins, baths, accessories and much more. Don't miss out on that inspirational image to get ideas for your very own luxurious, bespoke bathroom! 

Roman Elements: an ancient history.

Roman, at the tender age of sixteen, first started as an apprentice for a furniture-fitting company. As well as making, for instance, the kitchen units, wardrobes, bars and doors, he would also fit the products in both domestic and commercial settings. After six years of working for numerous furniture manufacturers, Roman went self-employed as a kitchen and bedroom fitter. His customers would regularly ask him to tile as well as fit furniture. Slowly but surely tiling became the forefront of the business, and at one time there were thirty employees on the books.

Roman’s portfolio of work varies considerably. From a Burger King on Oxford Street, and at least one in every other city in the country, to the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation in Liverpool. He has worked nationwide, travelling from Aberdeen to Southern Ireland and has worked in an array of celebrity’s homes including Take That’s Gary Barlow, the Duke of Westminster, footballer Danny Murphy, the late Gary Speed, Andy McCluskey of OMD and the Warburton bread family. Big businesses have also employed Roman to carry out work for them such as Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Morrisons supermarket and O’Neills Irish Pubs. 

Roman has fixed tiles in excess of 1,000 homes for Mytton Developments and has also fitted for Gower Homes and Watkin Jones. In addition, Roman was involved in the founding of the Fired Earth Guild of Installers. 

It wasn’t long before a selection of Interior Designers saw potential in Roman to implement their creative concepts. His natural ability to think outside of the box and make a drawing on paper a physical reality enabled him to establish strong relationships with companies such as Sisi Design, Lisa Keates, Geldard Roberts and Mark Gillette. Collaborations with designers allowed Roman Elements to branch out into the realm of bespoke bathrooms using natural products.

He now specialises in contemporary design. That is, clean lines, neutral colour schemes and high-tech lighting systems. Roman has put a remote controlled television into a shower cubicle, created glass paths, heated seats and installed built-in laundry chutes.

Every single space that Roman creates is unique. He works with his clients to ensure their needs are met, whether that be building an adapted bathroom, installing double sinks or simply informing them of each process every step of the way. 

Roman Elements pride themselves on outstanding customer service, attention to detail and the excellent finish on every job carried out.

Bespoke Furniture: Storage solutions

At Roman Elements we believe that having a beautiful, luxurious bathroom should also mean having functional storage. Whether that be a vanity unit that holds a double sink for him and her, a free standing chest of drawers for your daily essentials or a concealed cabinet behind a mirror. We can provide beautifully handmade, unique storage solutions, personal to you and your bathroom, in a variety of materials and sizes. 

Measured to fit your space, bespoke furniture can be designed to suit your needs. Previous customers have benefited from a combination of storage types in order to hide unsightly cleaning products, baby changers, toilet rolls and an array of shampoos. These clever ways in which to conceal the clutter of your average bathroom, maintain a sense of luxury and home-from-home.

A combination of a beautiful stone floor, a sparkling white suite and bespoke bathroom furniture can help to create the sense of  a five star hotel. Live in luxury from the comfort of your own home. 

Call us for more information or too book a consultation on 01978 846000 or email info@romanelements.co.uk 

Wet Rooms: A Guide

What is a wet room? Basically, a shower room without a tray and shower screen. They usually have an open, fully-tiled floor area and are perfect for rooms on the small side. However, we have occasionally advised our customers to consider having a shower screen if they have a smaller space, to prevent everything getting sprayed. 
The shower area is tanked out behind the tiles and there is no silicone; meaning, your room is waterproofed. 

What is good about them? They save you space, eliminating the need for a bath. They are also easier to clean due to the lack of shower screen and tray. Better still, if you opt for a wall hung toilet and basin, it will be even easier. The floor under your tiles will be better protected compared to if you had a 'standard' bathroom. In order to prevent any problems when using a wet room, care must taken with towels etc, to ensure they aren't sprayed. Heated towel rails would be a perfect solution to ensuring warm, dry towels every time. We can advise on which heated towel rails to have fitted too; dual- fuel rails run on your electricity in the summer and your central heating in the winter. This means, there is no wasted energy during the warmer months. Wet rooms are not complete without the luxury of under-tile heating. Not only will your feet benefit but your tiles will dry more rapidly. 

And an added bonus, if your wet room is to be installed in the second room of your house, it has potential to add value to the property. 

For more information call us on 

01978 846000 

or email
info@romanelements.co.uk

Images taken from www.housetohome.co.uk

Bathroom in a Box: Solutions for space saving in your smaller bathroom

It is not always the case that beautiful, luxurious bathrooms require a lot of space. We have created some of our most impressive designs in rooms that appear to be on the small side. Whether your bathroom is longer than it is wide, or a perfect square, we can advise you on what will work best.

This bathroom that we designed and installed in Lymm has been created using 400mm by 400mm tumbled travertine. The measurements of this room are 4m x 1.5m.

Our customer required a shower room which ensured her safety due to difficulty with balancing on her feet. Here, we have fitted a sunken metal tray with etching on the surface for additional grip.

Space saving techniques employed in this room include a heated towel rails fixed to the wall. Their sleek appearance complements narrow rooms and not only are they practical, they add to the contemporary look. There is also a concealed cupboard  behind the mirror.

The traditional, white suite installed in this bathroom is from Fired Earth.

To discuss your bathroom ideas call
01978 846000 or alternatively email us info@romanelements.co.uk

Inspired by Nature: Natural floor tiles

  

Slate

Limestone Walnut

Limestone and Marble

Nature's gift: Terracotta Tiles

Terra Cotta – from the Italian meaning “baked earth". These beautiful tiles in shades of red and brown can bring a warm look to any floor in your home. It can also be combined with stone, wood or other materials. The limit is your imagination.

Terracotta is resistant to sunlight, maintaining its colour unchanged over the years, even in places of great exposure and it is resistant to shock and temperature changes.

The floor is easy to maintain, sweep or vacuum regularly to remove all dirt and use a care product such as “Lithofin Easy Care”. General household cleaners may be too aggressive and are likely to damage the sealants and finishes applied.

For most domestic floors it will be necessary to apply additional coats of wax from time to time. The frequency will be dictated by the wear the floor receives. If a build-up of wax becomes visible, reduce the frequency of waxing. Likewise, if the tiles are marking or look dull and dry, increase the frequency.

If the idea of a warm floor appeals, then consider the installation of under-tile heating. Radiant heating is extremely efficient and the lack of moving air can also be advantageous to people with severe allergies.

The tiles shown in the photograph are from Fired Earth. 

www.romanelements.co.uk

01978 846000

Beautiful Bathroom: Supply and Fit

At Roman Elements, we specialise in transforming rooms into luxurious spaces. At the heart of our business is the promise that all of our work is done to the highest standard. Our customer’s needs are of the utmost importance and we strive to ensure they have a place to relax, rejuvenate and recharge. We believe that the perfect room to unwind in is the bathroom. It should be special. You should be able to shut out the world. Lose yourself in the steam of a hot shower, soak away your tension in a calming bath. We can transform your bathroom into a sanctuary.

It is a common belief that a complete room refit takes a lot of time and a lot of money, but this is not always the case.

We are offering a supply and fit bathroom service. Fully project managed and fitted within a week**, we will design, provide and install a beautiful new bathroom, prices starting at £2,640 (inc. VAT). This includes a toilet with soft closing seat, basin with pedestal, L-shaped bath with front panel, taps and wastes, shower* with screen and tiling to shower area. Save a further £150 when you book by 31st September 2012.

For more information or to book your dream bathroom call us on 01978 846000 or email  info@romanelements.co.uk

*Shower not as shown

**Subject to site visit