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Dave Lakins BlogDavid Lakins (252)    David Lakins  Key Multimedia Ltd The Evolution of Bathroom FurniturePosted Wednesday, August 26, 2009 (91 days 15 hours ago.) Viewed 13 times. Imagine this is your bathroom. The vast windowless room is a testament to modern design; stone, steel, ceramic and wood combine in exciting ways to stimulate the tactile senses. The rough stone tiles warm the feet thanks to invisible under-floor heating. The far wall hosts a dual sink set-up, mounted on a large, smooth wooden surface, below the waste and pipe tails are beautifully exposed in a polished chrome finish. The wall-hung aspect leaves the floor below open, making the already large room feel gigantic. The striking wood used for the surface is then echoed across the wall and into the rest of the bathroom; numerous drawer units hang independently, housing fresh towels and luxurious bath oils and shower gels. Following the units the eye is taken on a journey around the room to the bath panel that is made of the same dense, heavy, smooth wooden material. The future of bathroom furniture is here, and it's sleek, bold and cool! Bathroom furniture is no longer about cramming as much storage in to your bathroom space as possible, as with all aspects of contemporary trends it is about choosing beautiful, practical key pieces and utilising them in a stunning and effective way. Being a little bit clever about what you actually need to store in the bathroom allows you to throw open your bathroom in ways you have never previously imagined. Available in fully coordinated ranges and a huge collection of sizes you can create your dream set up using free moving drawer units, under basin counters; both wall mounted and floor standing, tall wall hung cupboard units, slatted towel racks, concealed bath panel storage areas and stunning mirrored cabinets. Leading the way in terms of design, bathroom manufacturers are constantly changing the rules. Taking the idea of bathroom storage and combining them with modern styles making it a true feat of design and engineering. Seeing the potential of design combining form and function are the works of world's most famous designers Philippe Starck and Lord Norman Foster. Leading them to produce remarkable furniture and advance their philosophy of "living in bathrooms". Not to be outdone many manufacturers (following the lead of top designers) have launched their own range of modular and fitted furniture. Allowing you the freedom to pick and choose from every aspect of the furniture range. Both wood and colours can be used to stunning effect. All sizes, surfaces (stone effect as well as wood are available), styles and even the design and size of the door handles! Sometimes the limiting spaces we have to deal with may restrict what we feel we can fit into our bathrooms, but the new wave of bathroom furniture is also about the creation of space. Restrictions like pipe work are no longer an issue as they can now be enhanced and leave the area below the surface completely open, creating a feeling of space in any size room. One or two cleverly chosen wall hung drawer units or cabinets will bring a fresh and open appearance to even the smallest room. With all the possibilities and combinations to choose from your new bathroom can be fresh, bold and functional, just select your key pieces and enjoy the beauty of clutter free, effortlessly stylish and incredibly practical bathroom enjoyment. Vist the Ocean Bathrooms Blog and see some great ideas for luxury bathroom furniture 
Permalink Comments (0) Create the Ultimate Wet Room with Wall Boarding PanelsPosted Tuesday, July 21, 2009 (127 days 18 hours ago.) Viewed 95 times. Luxury Bathrooms are full of amazing design, quality product and high end concepts, they look stunning and spark the imagination, but the secret of marrying luxury with perfection is making sure that every incredible item is not only eye-catching but immensely practical and easy to maintain. What is the point in having the best and not being able to enjoy it? No product on the bathroom market today embodies this idea better than waterproof paneling. Shower boarding, as it is also known, has revolutionised waterproofing in the bathroom. Originally developed with function in mind the paneling was created for use in large open areas like changing rooms and hospitals where hygiene and ease of maintenance are paramount. As with all great ideas people began wanting to use this fantastic product in their own home. So with demand came supply and manufacturers started to come up with more attractive coloured boards for use on the domestic market, the concept took off and now around 80% of new shower installations are utilizing wall boards. Manufacturers like Mermaid and Respatex have taken the 100% waterproof idea and expanded the possibilities and designs in exponential ways. The huge ranges of colours, designs and styles available means that any look is possible. Stone-effects, metal-effects, bold colours and even tile-effect boards allow the system to be used in any bathroom to complement any look. Working exceptionally well in quadrant showers, wall boards can be used in existing bathrooms to create exciting new areas; the striking Black Slate Wall Board behind a chrome and glass enclosure sends ripples of modernity through any bathroom. The versatile system can also be used to stunning effect in large amounts, providing a seamless wall covering in an entire room thanks to the interlocking edges; a full room of Milano Marble produces a warm sanctuary of stone that works perfectly in any style of home. Once your new shower paneling has been installed it is just the beginning of how it will improve your bathroom. The no-fuss boards mean that cleaning and upkeep is kept to a minimum, a quick wipe down after use and your shower area will remain pristine long after fitting. Unlike tiles there are no grout lines to scrub, no danger of degradation over time and a 15 year guarantee as standard. Most plumbers and bathroom fitters find these type of wall systems much easier and less time consuming to fit. Available in a variety of standard shower enclosure sizes and with fitting kits to help, adding a corner wall board system should not be out of reach of any keen DIY-er. Perfect also for those with guest houses wishing for an easy clean, hygienic water proof wall covering to swiftly fit into an en-suite situation. As well as saving you time, opting for wall boards can also save money as every installation is a complete investment. The easy fix system can go over almost any surface, including existing tiles, helping to reduce the labour cost of any new installation. The very nature of wall board is to merge the dramatic with the functional, the traditional with the efficient and the bold with the hygienic. It does everything you need whilst constantly looking sensational! Need inspiration for creating that designer wet room look? Ocean Bathrooms is a leading luxury bathroom supplier. Check out our article and images for Need inspiration for creating that designer wet room look? Ocean Bathrooms is a leading luxury bathroom supplier. Check out our article and images for creating the perfect wet room.
Permalink Comments (0) On the Trail of Thomas HardyPosted Monday, July 20, 2009 (128 days 12 hours ago.) Viewed 8 times. On June 2, 1840, Thomas Hardy, the noted British poet and author of the naturalism movement, was born in the small village of High Bockhampton, just outside Dorchester in Dorset, England. Growing up with the help of his well-read mother, he excelled at reading and writing, having an enthusiasm to learn, which more than made up for his delicate form. His father had a great passion for music and passed this onto his son whilst playing the violin during their times at home. Thomas later learned to play the instrument and the experiences he had playing around the local Dorset countryside would later form part of his literary works. From the age of eight Thomas attended the local school in Lower Bockhampton which was only a mile or so from home. A year later, Thomas attended the Dorchester Grammar School and began lessons in Latin, German, and French. When he turned sixteen, in 1856, he became an apprentice for a Dorchester Architect, John Hicks and was taken out of school to start his training as an architect and draughtsman. During his apprenticeship, he would often turn his thoughts to the literary classics, and according to Hicks 'he often gave more time to his books than to drawing'. A school next door to the Hick's office provided additional literary encouragement for Hardy. He would often wander in and spend time discussing the classics with the schoolmaster named William Barnes. It was Barnes who impressed him to write some of his own works. In 1862 he arrived in London to begin work as an architect and over the next six years became established and even won several architectural competitions. Whilst in London he continued to write and despite his architectural success he somewhat hankered for the days of growing up in Dorchester. Almost ten years later he returned to his old workplace with John Hicks. In 1870 Hardy was sent to plan a church restoration at St. Juliot in Cornwall. There he met Emma Gifford, sister-in-law of the vicar of St.Juliot. She encouraged him in his writing, and they were married in 1874. Hardy published his first novel, Desperate Remedies in 1871, to universal disinterest. But the following year Under the Greenwood Tree brought Hardy popular acclaim for the first time. As with most of his fictional works, Greenwood Tree incorporated real places around Dorset into the plot, including the village school of Higher Bockhampton that Hardy had first attended as a child. The success of Greenwood Tree brought Hardy a commission to write a serialized novel, A Pair of Blue Eyes, for Tinsley's Magazine. Once more Hardy drew upon real life, and the novel mirrors his own courtship of Emma. Finally the Hardys moved back to Dorchester, where Thomas used his architectural prowess to design and build Max Gate. Hardy later published The Mayor of Casterbridge, followed in 1887 by The Woodlanders and in 1891 by one of his best works, Tess of the d'Urberville. Emma Hardy died in November 1912, and was buried in Stinsford churchyard. Thomas was stricken with guilt and remorse, but the result was some of his best poetry, expressing his feelings for his wife of 38 years. In 1914 Thomas married his secretary, Florence Emily Dugdale who would later publish The Early Life of Thomas Hardy, 1840-1891 and The Later Years of Thomas Hardy, 1892-1928 (1930). Thomas Hardy passed away fourteen years later on January 11, 1928 at his house of Max Gate in Dorchester. He was held in such high regard by the British government that his body was interred at the Poet's Corner, in Westminster Abbey. His heart however, is buried beside his first wife, Emma Gifford, in St. Michael's Church in Stinsford less than a mile away from his birthplace. Today, Max Gate is under care of the National Trust, as is the Hardy Cottage in Bockhampton. Both of these historic locations are open to the public and are well worth a visit if you are following the Hardy Trail. The Dorset County Museum, in the centre of Dorchester, on High West Street, boasts a treasure trove of Dorset's literary past including a complete replica of Thomas Hardy's work at Max Gate. It also houses hundreds, if not thousands of books, photographs and manuscripts relating to him, and to William Barnes. Visit Dorchester this Summer and and follow the Thomas Hardy Trail. Visit Hardy's birthplace and the setting for The Mayor of Casterbridge.
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