August is generally a quiet month, with holidays and so on, but there can still be a lot of planning going on – whether it’s clients looking for inspiration for their new project or designers doing exactly the same thing. From their sun loungers, possibly, but we couldn’t possibly pass an opinion on that! Wherever you’re making plans from, here are some good ideas…

NEW LOOK TAPS BY QUOOKER FROM DeVOL

deVOL Kitchens  has introduced an exclusive brass finish for their collaboration with Quooker for two styles of their boiling water taps – Nordic Instant Hot tap and the Fusion Mixer & Instant Hot tap. It’s a warm looking, unlacquered finish that will age naturally and develop a patina – and it matches the existing deVOL tap collection too.

CAESARSTONE’S FIRST PORCELAIN WORK SURFACES

We’re all very familiar with Caesarstone’s quartz surfaces, so it was interesting to learn about the new addition to the range, Caesarstone Porcelain . Mor Krisher, Caesarstone’s Chief Designer, says ‘Kitchen surfaces require a sense of robustness and longevity, they should be timeless additions to the environment. When we design, we do so with the specific application in mind, so the focus on worktops is central. We craft each product with the end user and their space in mind’. This is 501 Snowdrift, in pure white with golden-brown veins. I’ve received my sample pack, and the look and feel is beautiful, very subtle and textured, and suited to both kitchens and bathrooms, with high heat and scratch resistance.

NEW VIRTUAL TOUR OF CAESARSTONE LONDON SHOWROOM

Take a virtual tour of the Caesarstone flagship London showroom by clicking here on the See & Buy section of the website – stand ‘virtually’ in front of each of the 2.8m high display sheets and get a very good experience of the proportion of shading and pattern in each of the designs.

NEW BLAIKEN LVT FLOORING BY KAHRS

One of the newest designs from Kahrs is the CRAFT range of Luxury Vinyl Tiles, this is Blaiken, with a realistic wood design – just one of nine in the Nordic Classic Collection. These LVT designs have a 5G Click installation system, are waterproof – so highly suitable for kitchens, have sound-reducing qualities, are suited to underfloor heating and have a ceramic coating which provides resistance to scratching, water ingress, and of course, wear and tear.

JEWEL ONYX IVORY TILES BY PORCELAIN SUPERSTORE

Large format porcelain slabs are a go-to choice for many new kitchen projects, especially those that extend to laundry rooms, utilities and boot rooms. These are Jewel Onyx Ivory from Porcelain Superstore. Each tile is 600mm x 1200mm, so they can add to the visual sense of space in a larger room, or conversely, add a sense of space to a smaller floor area – because of fewer grout lines.

MANOR STONE GREY CERAMIC TILES BY CRAVEN DUNNILL

There’s a new collection of ceramic tiles, Manor Stone, from Craven Dunnill (still celebrating their 150^th Anniversary throughout 2022!). Manor Stone comes in three shades and six sizes, and is a definite contender for anyone looking for an authentic stone-style flooring for their new project. Shown here, Stone Grey, also available in Beige and White, all with all the delicate and intricate details reminiscent of real stone.

DISTRESSED OAK LUXURY VINYL TILES BY LIFESTYLE FLOORS

Another classic wood flooring look, this time we’re bringing you Colosseum Distressed Oak 5G Clic  LVT by Lifestyle Floors. There are 24 different wood looks in this particular collection as well as some interesting patterns, such as Block Art, which would be a quirky choice for a bathroom or cloakroom or indeed, even a bedroom. There’s also Osbidian Slate for a very simple and understated look. All available as 5G Clic or dryback installation formats.

MARBLE LUXE PORCELAIN SMERALDO BY CA PIETRA FROM HYPERION TILES

We’re now moving on to some striking ideas for wall tiles … Marble style tiles continue to be hugely popular for bathrooms, particularly in strong shades – which add a striking and contrasting element to the space. These are Marble Luxe Porcelain Smeraldo from the Ca Pietra collection at Hyperion Tiles. One way to get that super-luxe look, and available in a dark blue shade, Azzurro. They’re large format, measuring 600mm x 1200mm.

VOGUE EMERALD GREEN METRO TILES FROM THE LONDON TILE CO

There’s a distressed element to the Vogue Emerald Green Matt Metro Tiles from The London Tile Co. These are small format porcelain tiles, each measuring 250mm x 60mm, which means they can be laid in various patterns, including stacked vertically (as shown here), horizontally or if you’re feeling creative, in a zig-zag or chevron format. The distressed-edge finish in this colourway has a bronze-look, which would work beautifully with aged or brushed brass finishes elsewhere in the kitchen or bathroom.

MANACOR GLACIER WALL TILES FROM TILE MOUNTAIN

If you’re looking for a deep glaze glossy finish, look no further than these tiles, Manacor Glacier from Tile Mountain. These are 100mm x 100mm, which is a good size for kitchen splashbacks – and the perfect height for a one-tile height upstand, too. Also in a rectangular format and several interesting shades, including Basil Green, Blush Pink and Mercury Grey. See all the colours here.

RHOMBOID YELLOW TILES FROM VERONA

We’ve had lots of hexagonal, lily-pad and fish-scale shaped tiles, and now, it seems we can look forward to a season of rhomboid-shaped tiles! These are the diamond-shaped Rhomboid tiles in Yellow, soon to be available from Verona. Other shades are Pink, White and Steel. Perfect for a mid-century look, we think…

GET THAT HOTEL LOOK AND FRAGRANCE WITH BRAMLEY

I’m a fan of cruelty-free, recyclable and ocean-friendly products (as we all should be!), and was very interested to hear about the range of products from Bramley. The Wellness collection is just the job if you’re accessorising a new bathroom (or indeed, a bathroom showroom), the fragrances are gorgeous and most importantly, there are refills available. The Calming Bedside Diffuser is highly recommended, I’ve now moved it out of a bedroom and onto the landing, and the gentle scent of Yarrow, Chamomile and Palmarosa essential oils is drifting throughout the house. Calming and Uplifting options also available, as well as Bath, Body, Hand and Hair products.