Best of Bath
Director of Dornbracht SEA Ricky Schulze opens up on a few things she knows best: from bathroom designs and trends to Dornbracht’s much anticipated, latest offerings
To start this off could you tell us more about Dornbracht’s latest offerings?
At ISH Fair in Frankfurt recently, Dornbracht launched a new collection that is elegant and slender called Vaia. With the help of Sieger Design, our designer for more than 25 years, we played between classic and contemporary trends to introduce a transitional style. In addition to that, we have integrated additional features into our spa products. With more and more end users wishing to bring the professional spa experience into their own bathroom, we are continuously looking into a more holistic update. This year we focus on jets with aqua pressure water effects which are unique in the industry. Our new water fan and water curve jets can be added to any shower set, including the vertical shower launched in 2010.
What is it that makes Dornbracht unique in comparison to its peers?
It is our commitment to design. To us, design excellence comes first before any other product requirement. And there is no compromise between design and production and every Dornbracht collection will have its own recognisable traits. Of course, good design has to be accompanied by quality as well as product performance. Being one of the few family-owned and -managed companies in the global sanitary industry with its entire production based in Germany, Dornbracht is meticulous to fulfil the highest specification in every aspect, from design development, to engineering, material sourcing, production plus packing and shipment.
What are the current trends or demands in the SEA market in terms of bathroom products?
The recent trend is not so much about a single shape of the faucet, but a lot more to do with finishes. The demands for finishing is heading towards colours that come from nature: copper, rose gold, brass, gentle gold and anthracite, as well as matt and brushed textures which are very popular now. Dornbracht has long foreseen the trend. In fact four years ago, we were the first in the market to launch a rose gold finish called Cyprum, which is achieved with 18-karat gold electroplated with 25 per cent copper. As for brushed surfaces, we offer a platinum matt that is especially ideal for kitchen mixers as it matches the steel sinks perfectly. With the Vaia Series we added dark platinum matt. It will be made available in SEA starting from the end of 2017 onwards.