THE bathroom is in transition, moving towards customisation, and away from monotony, says Grohe, the leading provider of premium kitchen faucets and bath faucets, showers and shower systems, which is offering a whole new range of materials to give bathrooms a distinctive appearance.

“Whilst tiles previously had by far the greatest visual impact, the choice of other materials is now growing. The WC actuation is one of those bathroom design eye-catchers, which has to harmonise with its surroundings,” says a spokesman for Grohe.

In addition to products in finishes that perfectly match the particular style required, Grohe is now offering actuation plates for customers, who are looking for something special and want their bathroom interior to have a consistent style.

New to the range are the Skate Cosmopolitan actuation plates made of glass, which harmonises perfectly with water, given the similar visual properties. The push-buttons in bright Grohe Starlight chrome are surrounded by glass. “These are a perfect match for Cosmopolitan valves in black or white, since Skate Cosmopolitan glass is available in a glossy black, glossy white, satin titanium and satin white finish,” he says.

Skate Cosmopolitan is also offered in six different wood veneers – American walnut, macassar, bamboo, American cherry, natural oak and ash olive.

“Wood represents an important bathroom trend. There is no material like it for creating a warm, natural atmosphere and a feeling of well-being. It is the perfect complement to our modern cosmopolitan style,” says the spokesman.

Meanwhile, the company’s Nova Cosmopolitan Print generates a completely different look. “This new line is enabling graphic art to make its bathroom debut. A series of circles – which look like bubbles of air under water – appears to have a momentum of its own. Featuring a black with chrome, white with chrome or white with eco-green finish, the plates can be combined perfectly with Grohe Cosmopolitan valves and showers, such as Rainshower Icon, to offer trendsetting details for individualists,” he says.

And for people inclined towards the avant-garde, Grohe offers three more print plates with graphic patterns. A beam of light seems to emanate from the round push-buttons in the middle of both Nova actuation plates in one case evenly and in the other in undulating form. The Skate actuation plate, however, generates a 3D perspective, as if it were rising up towards the angular push-buttons, he says.

A quite different design detail forms the basis of the new Arena Cosmopolitan line. “It incorporates the lozenge shape – one of the three characteristics of Grohe Design DNA,” the spokesman points out. “It reveals a new aspect of Grohe design in a sheer, distinct and emotional manner, because design does not always have to be rotund. Its user-friendly shape encourages intuitive operation.”

Arena Cosmopolitan is available in a chrome, matt chrome and white finish. It is said to be the perfect complement to product lines such as Allure, Atrio, Tenso, Lineare, Essence, Veris or Concetto.

And for use in public facilities, Grohe has launched two innovations. One is Skate Cosmopolitan featuring an anti-fingerprint detail. The titanium coating prevents fingerprints on surfaces. Thus the plate always retains its clean, hygienic look. This is a technology that has already been very successfully applied in kitchens, the spokesman says.

The second innovation is the Skate Cosmopolitan urinal actuation in a stainless steel design, which is bolted to the wall.
Commenting on the actuation plates, the spokesman says: “The choice of Grohe actuation plate is literally ‘the final piece in the puzzle’. All the products can be combined with any other from the range of Grohe flush systems. And so any plate can easily be replaced by another one in a new or different design.”

He adds that they can be attached horizontally or vertically, using a new fastening technique. Thus they can be ideally configured, according to personal preference or tiled backsplash.

“All products are characterised by the highest degree of functionality. That also applies to economising on water. The advanced technology facilitates dual-flush or start/stop flushing. In order to reduce water consumption even more, the volume of water can be reduced to 4.5 or 3 litres in conjunction with the appropriate WC bowl,” he says.

A particular benefit and the reason why Grohe actuation plates can be incorporated so perfectly into bathrooms is that they are the most compact plates on the market. “Measuring 197-mm wide by 156-mm long for WCs and 144-mm by 116-mm for urinals, they blend superbly well into their surroundings. The thickness of the glass plates at only 6 mm is an added bonus. Since the design of the new actuations is based on Grohe Design DNA, it also matches the cosmopolitan style look of the bathroom 100 per cent,” the spokesman concludes.