TOP lllere 1s now a plelhora of creative granite sink designs on

offer. such as Reginox's Ego sink, part ol the company's RegiGranite

range MIDDLE TIie Profile range flom

lDchAnna �lustrates lhe very besl in llalian slyling wilh its contemporary

handless doors ABOVE LochAnna Kitchens brings you Maia and Mineiva. a slylish and

durable colleclion or solid surtace worktops

RIGHT The new AEG slainless sleel frosl-free fridge.freezer comes

with in·dOO( electronics, PmFresh Plus and DynamicAir technology for

increased freshness FAR RIGHT GROHE's Blue waler system range, makes ii easier lhan ever for consumers to en1oy mrered

chilled still semi and spaikting water on demand

I

"In an open.plan home the overall design needs careful attention and the integration of appliances

highlights the attention to detail that is required," continues Wells. "We are

often looking to soften the impact of the appliances by concealment (pocket doors to hide appliances for example), or by subtle integration to balance the design especially the extractor fan. fridge/freezer and

ovens. With the trend for islands in the kitchen the small appliances (kettle, toasters, coffee machine etc) need consideration too. In fact, without a shadow of a doubt, the main must have is a hot water tap. n

Consumers have increasingly busy lives and are looking for ways to make their daily chores as easy as possible. As a result, multifunction taps, such as hot water taps or filtered water taps are becoming more popular. A hot water tap provides hot water on demand, providing customers wilh a time - and energy - saving alternative to the everyday kettle.

AEG's ProSource hot water tap, for example, uses just under 50% less energy to heat water lhan an

eleclric keHle, and uses up lo 85% less water. This not only benefits the environment, but also reduces energy bills for the consumer.

INSIDE OUT

Meanwhile, on the cold end of the tap spectrum. GROHE's Blue Home chilled and filtered water tap, dispenses sparkling, semi, and stin water on demand, so it's much like having a fresh spring in your kitchen. Blue Home also makes buying bottled water a thing ol the past.

And if you're going to splash out on a luxury tap, then it would be silly to ignore the sink that it sits on.

"Sink design has come a long way in recent years and, while stylish looks are an important selling factor, it [the kitchen sink] is still seen as a largely functional item on the whole," says Dave Mayer, sales and marketing director of Reginox UK. ·rhe kitchen sink remains sadly lowon the list of priorities and is usuallyone of the last items to be chosen,which strikes me as ironic bearingin mind that it is often found underthe window, an area of the kitchen towhich the eye is naturally drawn."

While stainless steel remains the most popular sink material, due to its timeless appeal, longevity and ease

of maintenance, the industry is now seeing a sustained growth in both ceramic and granite sinks. With the more modem designs that are now available, ceramics can look stunn'ng in contemporary developments, and

�whouse March 2017 I 1 0 5

INSIDE OUT I !1����=-___:!��=-= I

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ABOVE Symphony's linear range to11tinues lo offer S1mple design Ii* 'lllJS PIC Reg nox'$ Manhattan is� innovative accessory storaoe wortstalion which is designed lo complement h'+ end kitchen design

1 0 61 March 2017 showhouse

the range or granite sinks available is more interesting than ever before, with

a plethora or creative designs and colours on offer.

But it's obviously not just the sink where stone can be round - today's

buyers are shunning lam•nate

worktops in favour of more natural

materials. Quartz is a shrewd choice

for worktops in new homes as it has

many applications and is guaranteed to last the test ol time.

"Quartz is one or nature's hardest

matenals and IS more durable than

most stone, marble and granite,•

explains Jonathan Stanley, VP or

marketing at Caesarstone UK. It [quartz] is impervious to stains,

scratches and cracks and is h'ghly heat and cold resistant. It is a desirable material !or buyers.·

And providing desirable materials,

appliances and designs is what

creating the ultimate kitchen is all about. Just ensure that all of the

different factors complement each other on both a practical and

aesthetic level, and your buyers could also be able to have a slice of their

very own island paradise, right in the comfort of their own new-build home

CONTACTS

AEG www.aeg.co.uk

BK Nolte Contracts www.bknc.co.uk

Caesarstone www.caesarstone.co.uk

Faith Furniture Company www.faithfurniture.co. ulc

Grohe www.grohe.co.uk

Lida Cucina www.lidacucina.co.ulc

Nolte Kuchen www.nolte•kitchens.com/en/

ReginoxUK www.reginox.co. ulc

Symphony Group www.symphony-group.co.uk

XeyUK vey.es/en/