Essential Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Magazine July 2016 Back Issue

I can remember as a rookie journalist in the year 2000, when one of my first proper assignments was being sent to cover the launch of an amazing new ‘internet fridge’ being unveiled by LG. Returning breathless to the newsdesk of the paper, I handed in a gushing front page property report about how we would soon be all living in robotic homes where everything, including our grocery shop, washing and heating systems, would be centrally controlled by an in-house device. Ahem. That was 16 years ago, just after the dotcom bubble burst and waaaay before the iphone was any more than a thought cloud in Steve Jobs’ dreams. Was it just too early for its time? It would certainly seem so, as this all-encompassing idea of connectivity – what we’ve come to know as ‘The Internet of Things’ – is exactly what’s happening to kitchens now. At the recent EuroCucina show in Milan, where the industry bi-annually showcases all of the latest technology and design in high-end kitchens, from smart hobs to fridges that remind you when they need replenishing, I was bowled over (again!) by what I saw. Turn to freelance writer Jim Hill’s piece The Future is Wireless (page 104) and read all about it. In other stories this month, we’ve become a little obsessed with all things tiles; from the beautiful surfaces you can use now for high traffic areas, to the colourful world of tile experts Bert & May – who now design kitchens, bathrooms and even paint. You can read Emma Foale’s interview with Bert & May founder Lee Thornley on page 88, while Lara Sargent answers the age-old question of what kind of materials work in bathrooms now. The answer, by the way, seems to be everything! See Wall-to-Wall Style on page 118. Happy summer and enjoy the issue!