Inside Bathroom Brands Group’s Design House built for collaboration

Head of Design at Bathroom Brands Group Jorge Hernandez talks about its Design House and ambition to encourage collaboration

Q: What is the purpose of the Design House and why has Bathroom Brands Group invested in its creation?

A: The Design House is a pivotal milestone in our journey as a design-led manufacturer.

It reflects our commitment to design as a key driver of innovation, differentiation, and value in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

More than just a creative studio, the Design House serves as a vital touchpoint with the A&D community – reinforcing that we are not only product manufacturers, but true collaborators in design.

The Design House is where our commitment to delivering thoughtful, relevant solutions for bathrooms comes to life.

Q: Who do you expect to use the Design House?

A: At its core, the Design House supports our in-house design team, but it was created with the broader design community in mind.

It’s a space for collaboration – with interior designers, architects, specifiers, retailers, and installers.

For designers visiting our showroom, the Design House provides a natural next step – a comfortable, inspiring place to sit down, dive into a project, and co-create with our team.

It enables our design team to share the full journey of our products – from early sketches to finished collections – in an authentic, transparent way.

This direct engagement with the A&D community helps us build more meaningful partnerships and produce designs that are both inspired and grounded and able to meet demand.

Q: Can you explain how it has been created to fulfil its function and meet the needs of its users?

A: The Design House has been carefully planned to reflect the creative process and offer flexibility across disciplines.

Divided into five distinct zones – The Study for focused discussions, The Lounge for relaxed inspiration, The Kitchen for hands-on design work, The Terrace for team workshops and The Craft Room for creative exploration – it supports every aspect of design thinking: from strategic planning and research, to hands-on prototyping and collaborative workshops.

Importantly, it’s been designed with community in mind.

Inspired by the concept of a home, the space encourages ease of use and natural interaction.

It feels approachable and creative – a place where ideas can thrive.

It allows us to integrate seamlessly with the A&D community and share in the creative process in a much more engaged and authentic way.

Q: What has the reaction been like internally and externally?

A: Internally, the Design House has energised our creative team and helped to bring a new level of focus and inspiration to our work.

Externally, the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Designers and partners are excited to see a manufacturer investing in design in such a visible and meaningful way.

It has already opened new doors for collaboration and made it easier for us to showcase our design approach, from research and ideation through to the final product.

We’ve already hosted collaborative sessions and events with interior designers and architects.

Q: How have you used the Design House this year?

A: This year we’ve hosted curated industry events, trend talks, and creative roundtables aimed at bringing together different voices from the A&D world.

Internally, the Design House will support new product development. As our team expands, we’ll continue to evolve the space to keep pace with our creative ambitions.

Q: How will the role of the Design House evolve with the business?

A: The Design House will continue to grow as a central hub for creativity and design leadership within Bathroom Brands Group.

As we become more and more integrated in the A&D community, the space will evolve to support more interdisciplinary design thinking, sustainable innovation, and deeper customer engagement.

The Design House is more than a studio – it’s a symbol of our identity as a brand.

It represents how far we’ve come in understanding the power of design, and it will play a key role in shaping our future.

Whether it’s generating fresh ideas, engaging with the community, or pushing forward our new product innovation, the Design House is our foundation for the next chapter in our story.