VitrA will exhibit Liquid, the new bathroom range created in collaboration with acclaimed British designer, Tom Dixon, at the newly launched Hotel Design Interiors (HIX) show. HIX is an annual exhibition focused on the hotel and hospitality industries and will take place on November 18th– 19th 2021 at London’s Business Design Centre.
The Liquid collection, a full bathroom range, is ideally suited to hospitality settings by virtue of its striking yet versatile design, durability, and intuitive functionality. Liquid is the latest addition to VitrA’s portfolio of designer collaborations, part of a long-standing programme of working with world-renowned designers to create distinctive, modern bathroom collections to complement any washroom space.
Liquid is a unique addition to the market, both aesthetically in its bold curves and technically as a collection which innovatively prioritises the needs of the user. It is a fully comprehensive range – something that was important to both VitrA and Tom – and encompasses all elements of the bathroom: sanitaryware, furniture, taps, tiles, shower systems, and accessories. All of the products are designed to be able to work together or as stand-alone pieces.
Tom Dixon drew inspiration from a variety of sources. From the ‘big chunky taps and fat tubes’ of Victorian bathrooms to the round-edged aesthetics of his recent work, which is reminiscent of the work of Claes Oldenburg and Jeff Koons’ Balloon Dog. The range features curves and softer lines that are inherently more generous. The smooth, rounded edges are easy to clean and ensure a safe bathroom environment.
The overall design is stripped back and reduced, a style which Tom refers to as ‘expressive minimalism’. The functionality of the range is designed to be intuitive, so that users instinctively understand how to operate the products, a facet of the collection which is particularly suited to hotel and hospitality environments. Speaking about the need for this Tom commented,
“I wanted the collection to look like a kid’s sketch of a bathroom basin or a tap, displaying a clear logic and simplicity in looks and usage”.
Consciously choosing to offer only white ceramics, the range combines different materials including fluted glass and metal mesh for the furniture units. Taps and showers are available in chrome or for contrast, a new gloss black finish that is atypical in modern bathrooms. The range also includes distinctive wall tiles, available in five designs with colour options of white, black, grey, sage green and ecru.
VitrA and Tom Dixon are both committed to creating innovative and original designs that retain their appeal over the years, and so the collection is perfectly suited for commercial projects where longevity is an important consideration. The collection is hugely versatile and can be combined in multiple styles to suit various purposes and environments, ensuring the flexibility of the collection in a wide range of hotel and hospitality settings.
At HIX, VitrA will present a selection of washbasins and basin mixers from the range as well as a WC, flush plate and urinal. Visitors to the stand will also be able to view the sculptural illuminated mirror with a ceramic frame, the two-tone mirror and the thermostatic shower column in gloss black.
Additionally, a range of accessories will be displayed, including the bathrobe holder, double soap dispenser holder, toilet roll holder and the ceramic stool, a transitional piece which bridges the gap between sanitaryware and furniture. The varied products on display exemplify the flexibility of the collection and showcase the many potential configurations of the range.
Also on display will be the range of wall tiles which are available in five patterns – plain, half line decor, line decor, half dot decor and dot decor – as well as five colours. The tile designs can be creatively configured into countless different patterns, allowing designers to get creative within the washroom space.
Levent Giray, Managing Director of VitrA UK, comments:
“We are delighted to take part in the first ever HIX event. It is the ideal setting for us to introduce the Liquid range to a commercial and hospitality focused audience. Our extensive manufacturing, design and innovation capabilities have ensured that there is a unity to the breadth of the Liquid collection. At a time when there is a greater emphasis placed on the role of the bathroom in hotel and hospitality settings, this cohesive range has a generosity of design that will sit comfortably in many different environments.”
As part of the HIX talks, a series of seminars exploring the changes which have occurred in the hospitality industry since the pandemic, Tom Dixon will be in conversation with Design Journalist, Bethan Ryder. Tom will discuss his latest projects, including the Liquid range for VitrA, as well as considering the importance of materiality in creating hospitality spaces. The talk will explore design as a discipline which is always multisensory and will ask if designers can make a difference in a post-pandemic world.