The New Wave at Milan Design Week

What do architects and designers want? It’s a question that has animated Karl Lennon every day since he joined GROHE in 2016. As Leader LIXIL Projects Channel he was the brand’s ambassador to the A&D world, drumming up new business, keeping our existing partners happy by supplying the products they need to keep their projects on time and on budget, and all the while keeping his feelers out for the latest – and future – industry trends. He has racked up a lot of air miles, spent many hours in meetings with key industry players, and attended every important festival, conference and exhibition in order to continually immerse himself in our industry’s evolving desires.

Now as newly appointed Leader GROHE SPA he has the job of making architects and designers aware that what they and their clients really want is GROHE SPA. His job is made easier in that the new sub-brand, which will be launched as part of Milan Design Week with a major installation at the Pinacoteca di Brera, represents the most luxurious products in the GROHE portfolio and has been developed exclusively for architects, designers, planners and high-end showrooms. It’s the pinnacle of personal indulgence in bathroom design, a range of products that can be customised to suit any wider aesthetic, constructed and finished to the highest standards, and oozing style and sophistication. It has been created to fire the imaginations and spark the creativity of anyone looking to create a space for complete personal regeneration. The trend that Karl and our design leaders have noted, and to which GROHE SPA is the response, is towards the bathroom as holistic wellness retreat and zone of blissed-out relaxation, where the magical healing powers of water can be explored.

Given that the trend is focused on the individual, personal fulfilment of the user, it is the facility for customization that is GROHE SPA’s unique selling point to the A&D world. Every detail of every product line has to do its bit of heavy lifting towards the goal of helping architects and designers create for their clients a uniquely immersive experience.

We meet Karl in Piazza del Carmine in the Brera district, not far from the Pinacoteca. This really is the heart of Milan’s creative quarter, which is fitting when one considers that Karl has the job of persuading as many architects and designers as he can of GROHE SPA’s expressive possibilities. The sub-brand will be promoted with a new immersive in-store retail concept, as well as product training and a dedicated website for our A&D partners. Watch the full interview with Karl to find out how GROHE SPA is destined to take bathroom design to the next level.