Page 28 - HW August 2020

kitchens & bathrooms
Aquatica
really has been busy...
Aquatica has been really busy introducing a full
range of new products. In the kitchen, new magnetic Kuchena coils and goosenecks (photos above) come in a full range of statement colours as well as a sleek yet affordable brushed stainless sink mixer range.
For the bathroom not only has Aquatica added the
trendy Energii and brushed stainless Deluna tapware
ranges but it’s also added to the all pressure Mia range with a swivel basin mixer (small photo above), wall mounted basin mixers and oor mounted bath llers in brushed nickel, gun metal; along with classic black and chrome.
To complete the project, there’s also now a full range of complementary Shower Centres and Multi Spray Slide showers with full metal heads with either round or square heads.
Due to launch at the Auckland Homeshow are new shower system ranges, which have been developed speci cally for the
New Zealand marketspace. Within these shower systems will be Curved (900x900 and 1000x1000 in chrome) and a new Square (900x900 and 1000x1000) in
chrome, black and the rst to the market with gun metal extrusions. To enable consumers to completely colour match their bathroom,
Aquatica will also introduce new 1200x900 soft-close enclosures with chrome, black and gun metal extrusions.
Last but not least, Aquatica has also redeveloped its bath range, including the new Cita back to wall corner bath in 1500 and 1700 lengths and is extending the popular Katrina vanity range to include recessed mirror cabinets and handy tall storage cabinets.
www.aquatica.co.nz
“I think de nitely the trend for the bathroom as well as the kitchen, the look & the feel, are de nitely trending more towards the high end.”
In terms of that look & feel, Liz Aitken says they’ve quite speci cally chosen to “go down a modern line” with “Very modern clean, sharp lines matt or high gloss.”
HOT STYLES – THE SPECIALISTS SPEAK
Staying with styles, having taken a quick look at her 2020 awards entries pre-judging, the NKBA’s Suzie Rees says there seems to be a lighter tone coming through, in sum “a little bit less moody” than last year.
Indeed, she says, white seems to be featuring again among NKBA member’s clients, along with timber and brass as materials of choice.
From the NKBA’s recent member survey of this year’s hot colours, nishes and materials, the ideal kitchen will be “a combination of matt white and timber cabinetry, porcelain or engineered stone benchtops with a kitchen island, integrated appliances and tile splashbacks.”
Black cabinetry saw a rise in popularity in 2019, but if the NKBA survey results are correct, 2020 will see a return to white or light grey and timber detailing.
A hot colour in terms of new car choices, grey is timeless, works with any colour and with the textures in benchtops, splashbacks and ooring.
All very di erent from Mitre 10 and PlaceMakers’ darker, stronger colour choices for their taste-leading showroom kitchens (of which more below).
A majority of NKBA members stated matt as the nish of choice and that in 2020 kitchen benchtops will be made of engineered stone or a coming material, porcelain/ceramic whose robustness is a real bonus.
Although a seamless bench to splashback look appears to still be top of the pops, NKBA members foresee the return of tiled splashbacks using natural palettes, followed by a marble or “marble look” nish.
In terms of the shape of a kitchen, nothing much has changed in the last few years, according to the NKBA survey.
A kitchen island is most requested, followed by integrated appliances, with sculleries still a favourite inclusion, space permitting.
HOT STYLES – THE RETAILER’S VIEW
While the NKBA, whose members typically design and make one-o or bespoke kitchens & bathrooms, back at Mitre 10,
26 NZHJ | AUGUST 2020
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