Villeroy & Boch at ISH 2009: Trends
Homing – Individualisation – Wellness
Trendy innovations for a congenial home
In times permeated by stress and hectic, uncertainty and insecurity, a strong social phenomenon can be observed: more and more people are retreating to their private spheres. The home is becoming a place of refuge where people like to spend time, where they feel safe and secure and a place that is willingly shared with close friends. This strong global trend, where the home advances to become a social centrepiece, is known as homing. The way of life described by the American trend researcher Faith Popcorn at the end of the last century as "cocooning" is now continuing in a milder form.
In contrast to cocooning, the homers do not nestle completely within their own four walls, but consciously transfer their leisure activities to home territory: to their own kitchen, their own living room – if they want to regenerate and relax – to their own bathroom.
Added to this is the mega trend towards individualisation: when designing their living environment, people look for products that lend expression to their own personal style. At the same time, there is also a desire for "companionship" as the individual living concept is not inherently egoistic but willingly shared with companions who are on the same wavelength.
Homing and individualisation therefore focus on two interacting factors: social togetherness and personal well-being. The feeling of well-being, now commonly referred to as wellness, is an elementary requirement. This trend manifests itself in a very special way in the bathroom: the functional bathroom unit is being transformed into a private wellness oasis.
In view of this strong trend, Villeroy & Boch will be presenting new products from the Bathroom and Wellness areas in 2009 that aim to enhance the value of the private bathroom. Sanitary systems with a strong focus on design, flexible baths and extravagant shower solutions, but also whirlpool systems, form the perfect basis for relaxation and wellness in your own home.
The romantic avant-garde of bathroom design
The unique premium collection La Belle can be found at the heart of the innovations for 2009. Style elements from the romantic era have been interpreted in a contemporary design for La Belle, a collection that is deeply rooted in Villeroy & Boch's 260-year tradition. La Belle stands for sensuousness and is also an expression of exclusive taste. La Belle can therefore be seen as the romantic avant-garde of bathroom design.
La Belle is a complete bathroom collection that was specially created to introduce a harmonious, uninterrupted bathroom design. It comprises washbasin variations, WC and bidet, as well as matching baths, bathroom furniture and the LaFleur range of tap fittings, which is also suitable for many other collections in the top-end Classic area. The furniture and tap fittings are undecorated, but, in some cases, are also available with décor. This paves the way for individual washing area interpretations that range from classic-romantic to contemporary-romantic.
Villeroy & Boch makes a totally different but equally contemporary and individual design statement with the bathroom collection Memento.
Minimalist design
Inspired by the timeless Bauhaus design, the bathroom collection Memento, which is available in pure white, in trendy glossy black or with the exclusive décors New Glory and New Glory Platinum, which are firmly rooted in the tradition of floral motifs and place the design-oriented ceramics in a new stylistic context, appeal to the design-oriented who wish to create clear and individual highlights in their living environment.
Memento is characterised by a very simple design: sleek and purist. With this angular design, Memento is the epitome of consistently purist bathroom design and is the perfect solution for self-confident individualists. The rectangular washbasin range has been enhanced with new models as well as a WC and bidet, both of which are wall-mounted, to form a complete bathroom collection that offers the entire portfolio for perfect bathroom scenarios.
The new shower solutions, in particular, the attractive Walk-In shower enclosures are straight-lined with a strong focus on design. The matching shower trays, which are installed flush with the floor and match the colour of the floor covering, are also very popular. Villeroy & Boch is now expanding its range in these segments and is presenting new sizes for the successful shower trays Squaro Super Flat and Subway, new matt Squaro Colorline colours for Squaro Super Flat and, in addition, new sizes for the Walk-In shower partitions from the Squaro and Futurion ranges. The result: even more flexibility in bathroom design.
And Villeroy & Boch also meets the demand for individual solutions for baths with a range of extremely flexible products.
Individuality and well-being down to the last detail
My Art is a new bath collection with a strong emphasis on design that meets all requirements for flexibility and combinability in a very special way. The high-quality Quaryl baths are "pieced together" in a very individual manner: various rim designs and bath panelling are available thus ensuring that a version can be selected that exactly meets individual wishes and personal preferences.
The United bath panelling, which transforms the bath into a piece of furniture, combines perfectly with My Art. The unique lighting in combination with the My Art Emotion version, with rims made of glass or black composite material, is an exclusive extra that allows the bath to take centre stage: My Art Emotion therefore creates an extraordinary lighting atmosphere, which transforms taking a bath into an intense experience for the senses.
All My Art baths can be fitted with the Villeroy & Boch whirlpool systems Whisper and Ultimate Fitness, which were completely revised to ensure even more wellness pleasure in the bathroom.
The new Whisper system from Villeroy & Boch will appeal to those who value peace and quiet and wish to pamper their body. The design of the jets was improved for the second generation of the successful Whisper system and the efficiency with regard to its functionality and energy consumption further enhanced. The result: the massage effect has been improved by 70 percent with impressive aesthetics and yet the system is as quiet as the rustling of leaves.
The Ultimate Fitness system is the most sporting massage system in the Villeroy & Boch programme. The powerful massage system provides the ideal prevention and regeneration massage after engaging in sport. And: Ultimate Fitness is the first completely invisible whirlpool system with base and side "Invisible Jets".
Your press contact:
Simone Kempf
PR-Manager Bath, Wellness, Tiles
Tel.: + 49 (0) 68 64 - 81 21 10
Fax: + 49 (0) 68 64 - 81 26 92
E-mail: kempf.simone@villeroy-boch.com