Getting into a tight spot in the bathroom

One of the most common problems in small bathrooms and cloakrooms is finding products that fit in the space and still look good.

A lot of the time people resort to tried and tested white pedestal basins or out-of-date corner units. In a small space any thoughts of having somewhere to store "stuff" simply disappear.

Of course, the reason why I'm bothering to write this 'ere blog is because at avante bathrooms we think we have the answer to the problem.

This little beauty of a wall hung unit is only 500mm across so it will fit into most tight spaces (standard bathroom furniture starts at 600mm or even 700mm). Because it's wall hung it doesn't take up any valuable floor space and it also benefits from storage space with a cupboard and drawer. We do it either in the wenge dark wood veneer shown or in a light oak veneer and at £250 it's keenly priced.

If you don't even have 500mm to spare then don't despair....the wall bracket is here to save the day. A wide selection of colourful basins can be added to gleaming chrome-plated wall brackets to create a stunning modern look and feel in the tightest of spots.

Wall mounted taps are another way of saving space as in the example shown here. These wondrously elegant Genova wall taps are at an amazingly priced £49 whilst stocks last. With a bit of careful planning as you do up the bathroom or cloakroom the plumbing for these taps can be done before you start with tiling or painting work.

So, it's about time we stopped neglecting the smaller rooms in our lives and started making them just as important as the kitchen and living room. It's a great way of making a real style statement without having to change the whole of the house.

Gary Baker

http://www.avantebathrooms.com/

0113 201 2259

Tickled Pink

There's nothing like a bit of self-congratulatory back-slapping in this life so I wanted to share with you our pleasure at being included in the "50 Best Luxury Bathrooms" by The Independent recently.

This particular basin catches the eye with its striking deep pink colour and as "Kathy" points out in the text Corian is a very modern material that will continue to look good for many years.

I'm yet to meet anyone who doesn't like this basin when they see it but a lot of people are then scared to make the big leap to using such a vibrant colour when they do up their bathroom or cloakroom.

We went through this same stage in the kitchen a few years ago and now everywhere you look there is a whole range of colours being used to great effect; bright reds, high gloss lime and orange, you name it, you now see it. There is absolutely no reason why we can't have the same approach in the bathroom. And we don't have to plaster the place in colour. A bright white wall with a vivid pink basin will make a real statement without being over-powering. If you don't believe me then ask Astrid Granger, the Home Editor from Essentials magazine....

"Even if you're not a fan of bright colours, this is ideal in a plain bathroom" she states after declaring her undying love for our avante round basin once again in bougainvillea pink.

After all, two of us couldn't be wrong could we?????

Design, design and yet more design

I know that I'm a bit sad, but for me there really is nothing better than seeing something that is beautifully designed. The Italians are pretty handy at football and their culinary expertise is well-documented, but in reality they are truly the kings and queens of design. They just get it! That's why avante spends a lot of time travelling around Italy sourcing the latest and finest bathroom and cloakroom products.

In the same way that Jamie Oliver gets excited about the quality of his virgin olive oil, we jump up and down and sometimes fall over (depending on how much grappa we've drunk) when one of our suppliers proudly unveils their new design masterpiece. They know they've got it right and we simply can't resist bringing their work to the UK market.

Take this staggeringly beautiful 'Anellato' ringed basin in orange and white ceramic. It combines avante's wish to bring colour to the bathroom and cloakroom with an innovative and elegant ringed design. There's often an element of fear about going with something new like this basin but the classic design means that you can feature this basin as a centrepiece of a new look and use more conservative colours and designs around it.

If orange or blue really is too much for you then you don't have to compromise on the design element as we offer this basin in plain white glass as well....

We're now at the stage in the UK where we are being adventurous with our kitchen design. Colour, sleek lines, high gloss and solid surfaces are all standard elements of our modern kitchen. For some reason the bathroom and cloakroom is lagging behind in design terms.

At avante we're passionate about allowing our customers to be able to create a similar, stunning contemporary look in the bathroom.

We think that this new 'Anellato' range will do just that - it's colourful and it's beautiful - what more could anyone ask for?

Gary Baker

avante bathrooms

www.avantebathrooms.com

0113 201 2259