Over the last few years, cohesion has become increasingly important to bathroom design. Homeowners are looking for ways to create a harmonious and unified look, where every element complements the overall design. It’s about creating balanced, thoughtful designs that meet the aesthetic and functional requirements of homeowners through intentional specification. Choosing complementary colours and materials is key, as is recognising the role that each component, from baths to accessories, plays in creating a cohesive look.
This is why more manufacturers, such as RAK Ceramics, are offering thoughtfully curated collections that incorporate complete bathroom solutions with sanitaryware, furniture, brassware and accessories that share a unified design language. We’ve seen, for example, that matching finishes across taps, showers, accessories and even basins has become more important to homeowners who are taking a more considered and personalised approach to their interiors. Whether it’s brushed brass or matt black, co-ordinating finishes ensure that everything from showers to shelving works together seamlessly.
This is good news for specifiers, who need streamlined solutions that speed up the specification process. And it’s why developers are looking to partner with trusted bathroom brands that offer a one-stop shop solution and can provide complete bathrooms that create a balanced, polished design.
SEAMLESS DESIGN FOR A MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT
It’s a strategy that family-owned construction company DRG Interior and Building Solutions, which has built-up a reputation for high-quality refurbishments with a low environmental footprint, has adopted.
Having partnered with RAK Ceramics for more than eight years, DRG trusted RAK to be able to provide all the high-quality bathroom solutions required for its latest mixed-use development. Located adjacent to Birmingham’s Mailbox, Queensgate is a former nightclub and office complex transformed into 67 luxury apartments with commercial office space across seven floors.
RAK Ceramics supplied a comprehensive range of products for the Queensgate project, including baths, concealed shower valves, basins, mixers, back-to-wall pans, concealed cisterns and illuminated mirrors. The RAK-Petit, RAK-Series 600 and RAK-Variant product ranges were among the features installed.
RAK Ceramics’ ability to provide everything required for the bathrooms was key for DRG, which wanted to create a co-ordinated look throughout, as was the design flexibility, durability and premium aesthetic of our products.
Stacy Cox, Buyer at DRG Interior and Building Solutions, explains: “The quality of RAK Ceramics’ products has always been a decisive factor in us choosing them. Their wide range of tiles and sanitaryware is known for durability,
design versatility and premium finishes that meet both functional and aesthetic requirements. Quality assurance is critical to the success of our projects, and RAK’s products consistently deliver excellence, ensuring long-term satisfaction for our clients.”
DESIGN-LED PARTNERSHIPS
Now more than ever, specifiers are looking to develop design-led partnerships and long-term collaborative relationships with suppliers, as they recognise the benefits of working with brands that genuinely understand their requirements. It’s something that RAK Ceramics has focussed on across all areas of the business and it’s being welcomed by customers.
Specifiers are looking to develop design-led partnerships and long-term collaborative relationships with suppliers.
vital from start to finish to ensure builds remain on schedule. It’s what makes a supplier really stand out from others and it’s exactly what RAK Ceramics delivered with Queensgate.
Stacy concludes: “This efficiency allows us to plan and execute projects seamlessly, avoiding unnecessary delays and ensuring that deadlines are met. Their service approach reinforces them not only as a supplier but as a dependable project partner.” www.rakceramics.com/uk
Stacy explains: “Being a preferred supplier means RAK Ceramics understands our quality benchmarks and ways of working, which makes working together smooth and efficient. This trusted partnership reduces risks and ensures that every project starts with a strong foundation.”
Service and logistics always play a crucial role in the success of any project, with reliable lead times, proactive communication and responsive support
BATHROOM DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2026
Abode’s Product Manager, Dave Boddy, offers expert advice on the most popular bathroom trends influencing both home and lifestyle in 2026.
OFF-WHITE SANITARYWARE Move over all-white sanitaryware as the bath and basin shifts in colour to introduce bolder fixtures and fittings in all shades of grey. Now a popular method for coordinating with other products like the brassware, furniture, and accessories, dark and light grey sanitaryware is now the most sought-after colour when compared to white. Proving that furniture is no longer the principal source for introducing colour into the bathroom, 2026 will welcome a range of coloured basins and baths so you can create a bold statement that either blends or contrasts with your style of bathroom décor.
TEXTURAL LAYERING As texture continues to change how we view the bathroom in terms of sight and touch, the latest products are presenting more tactile qualities to bring the surface of your tap and basin to the fore. From fluted design elements such as grooved wall panelling and straight-knurled lever handles across the brassware, to natural materials in accents of metal and stone, textures are being used to create bathrooms rich in detail, deeply personal, and in tune with nature. Texture is being applied across all elements of the bathroom as a way to personify the space, and fluted design elements are considered the top choice for adding depth, and providing a contrast against smooth surface areas like basin, baths and tiles.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FINISH From classic and bright to matt and modern, the bathroom will enjoy a range of special finish options and surface treatments in 2026. The most popular takes inspiration from trending interior styles such as Japandi, and the Biophilic design trend. Look out for distinct metallic finishes in warm and cool tones with stand-out tap and shower designs moving towards tactile finishes that look as good as they feel. Whether polished, brushed or antique, brass remains a prime pick, but this enduring tap finish is being combined with key elements in matt black and white to provide a fresh take on using brass in the bathroom. We are also noting a growing desire for darker finish options, with gunmetal the new favourite. Considered both a cool and warm metallic thanks to its charcoal blue undertones, gunmetal is deeper than traditional chrome to offer a sleek, industrial vibe, which is perfect for pairing with modern grey sanitaryware. www.abodedesigns.co.uk