Abode Debuts New OPTIMA Fluted Belfast Sink In 4 Colours

Abode, award-winning designer and distributor of market leading kitchen sinks and taps, boiling water taps, bathroom taps and showering solutions redefine the iconic Belfast sink with the launch of OPTIMA, a brand-new Belfast sink which is made of granite and designed with a fluted apron front.

Offering a modern interpretation of an 18^th century design classic, OPTIMA is available in 4 matt colours to help UK customers move away from traditional white gloss models and define the fluted front design detail. Well-suited for today’s most popular interior styles, OPTIMA is perfect in traditional and modern-Shaker kitchen schemes, which are known for their matt painted finish.

Paul Illingworth, Design Manager at Abode says, “The introduction of our new OPTIMA fluted Belfast sink responds to the growing need for essential design elements like the sink and taps to truly reflect a person’s individual style and furniture choice. In fact, the trend for fluted kitchens increased by over 200% in the past year, and our OPTIMA fluted Belfast sink provides a new way to introduce vertical grooves into the kitchen, which is fresh and timeless.”

With a huge range of features and benefits available, OPTIMA by Abode includes:

FLUTED APRON FRONT – Naturally durable, OPTIMA is made of granite and designed with a fluted apron front, which adds texture to the kitchen’s cleaning zone. Mirroring the market’s love of fluted design, OPTIMA takes the traditional Belfast sink from smooth to grooved, while offering a subtle mix of light and shadow. Reversible too, OPTIMA features a fluted surface on one side and smooth on the other so you can ensure the right look in your home without sacrificing the benefits.   

4 COLOURS – Presenting 4 matt finishes that resonate with today’s most popular furniture styles, OPTIMA is available in White Granite, Grey Metallic, Black Metallic and Taupe Granite, which is a brand-new sink colour by Abode in 2025 and 100% exclusive to OPTIMA. Plus, all finish options are priced the same, so you don’t have to pay more for your favourite shade.

RINSE & OVERFLOW – No need to compromise on the size of your bowl, as OPTIMA is designed with a space-making rinse and overflow, which is used to dispose liquids when the main bowl is in use. Providing huge benefits in a compact space when either washing up, rinsing or storing your kitchen sponge, the slimline rinse gives all the benefits of a traditional 1.5 bowl sink by retaining the working depth of the main bowl. Supplied with an Abode branded overflow and 90mm waste in Stainless Steel finish, which is compatible with standard sized waste disposal units.

STANDARD FIT – Smaller yet deeper than its closest rival the Butler sink, OPTIMA measures H250mm x W598mm x D478 mm, making it the perfect fit for standard 600mm sink cabinets, and accommodating a compact boiler if you want to include either a 3 IN 1 or 4 IN 1 boiling water tap. Another added benefit is that OPTIMA is supplied with all pipework unlike mainstream models, where the waste and plumbing kit usually come at an cost extra to you!

LIGHTWEIGHT – The typical weight of a ceramic Belfast sink is 25-30kg with some weighing as much as 42kg! Easier to pick-up and manoeuvre into place, the OPTIMA sink weighs just under 20kg, which is less than the UK HSE guidelines so you can ensure the perfect fit in your kitchen.

ACCESSORIES – Unlike no other Belfast sink available today, OPTIMA comes with a range of custom-fit accessories to save you time and space for the things that matter. Available to buy separately or as a set, options include an FSC® Approved Prep Board that transforms your sink into a handy food prep station, a stainless steel Colander to rinse and drain items, and a rollable Flex Rack for efficient drying.

The new OPTIMA fluted Belfast sink is available now and priced at £499 including VAT in all 4 colours. Abode complementary Sink Wastes are priced from £40, and Overflow Covers start at £15 including vat.    www.abodedesigns.co.uk

Gold Standard: With Its Subtle Metallic Accents, CRL Stone’s Messina Gold Quartz Was The Key To Bringing The Colour Scheme Together In This Refreshed Kitchen

As you step into the beautiful, light-filled kitchen within this Cheshire home, you can’t fail to notice how well every detail works together to create a truly cohesive design. For the homeowners, it is all thanks to the natural elegance of CRL Stone’s exquisite Messina Gold quartz, which has effortlessly tied the scheme together to give their kitchen a fresh new look. 

When the family approached LM Stone Creative, which specialises in providing bespoke stone worksurfaces, they were looking for help in refreshing rather than completely re-designing their open-plan kitchen. Large windows and doors flood the space with natural light and the homeowners wanted to inject a more modern and luxurious feel to their kitchen.

Previously, the surfaces, including the splashbacks and worktops, were clad in three different materials, which didn’t create a very cohesive design. So, LM Stone Creative knew that helping the homeowners pick one single surface that could be used throughout the kitchen was key to transforming the space. 

The homeowners were introducing warm metallic accents to complement the colour scheme in their existing utility room and wanted a quartz surface that would accentuate them. They had opted for brushed gold handles and pulls to match their brushed metallic mixer tap, pendent lights and range cooker and needed a surface that would really tie the whole look together.

Although CRL Stone’s comprehensive quartz collection incorporates a variety of stunning gold- as well as bronze-veined quartz worktops, it was Messina Gold that really stood out to the homeowners.

Combining delicate gold veining with a crisp white background, CRL’s Messina Gold quartz is effortlessly elegant. Incredibly versatile, this stunning surface is designed to make a subtle design statement and work in harmony with any décor, from classic to contemporary. And, most importantly when it came to this kitchen, it’s the perfect partner for brushed metallic sinks, taps and accessories. 

Not only was CRL Stone’s Messina Gold used for the worktops, upstands and splashbacks, but it also proved to be the perfect top for the custom dining table. “We previously had a glass table at the end of our island that we were keen to replace,” explains the homeowner. “So, LM Stone Creative made us a table slab as an extension of the island and recommended EliteHouse Maintenance who made us a table base that matched our existing wooden island – we are delighted with the result!”

The kitchen cabinetry was resprayed by Cheshire Transform and the Sage Green paint used on the island brings a splash of subtle, sophisticated colour to the space. It was continued on the adjoining table, extending the visual link between it and the island.  Although the table looks as though it is part of the island, it has been made so that it can be moved away from the island as and when required.

The homeowners couldn’t be happier with the end result. “We love it. It’s now had the facelift it so desperately needed and we really love the fresh, modern vibe that the Messina Gold surfaces have given the kitchen.” www.crlstone.co.uk

Nuaire Equipment Helps Solve Damp And Mould In City Of London Listed Social Housing Property

Indoor air quality and ventilation manufacturing specialist Nuaire has had its Drimaster ECO-HEAT-HC Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) unit and Cyfan extract fans installed into a  Grade II listed almshouse in Brixton where it has dramatically reduced humidity levels in this unusual social housing property. The Gresham almshouses, built in 1884, is located on The City of London Almshouses estate, a small development of one-bedroom, self-contained dwellings, which offer homes for people aged 55 and over on a below average income or state benefits, who are in need of housing and require supported accommodation.

Built well before an understanding of the importance of insulation and ventilation, a number of the almshouses had issues with damp and mould.  One particular property registered humidity levels close to 100% which is uncomfortable at the best of times but with an older occupant with historic health issues it was detrimental to his health and wellbeing.  The City of London clearly wanted to resolve this issue speedily, but with the almshouses being Grade II listed there is limited remedial work that is permitted.

To reduce levels of damp within the property that would fit within listed building guidelines, initially the existing extract fans in the kitchen and bathroom were replaced with more powerful Nuaire Cyfan extract fans.  Cyfan fans have been designed to meet revised Building Regulations Part F, which came into effect in 2022, and increased minimum air flow rates across all sizes of properties.  The majority of extract fans fitted before this date are simply not powerful enough to deliver the new air flow rates.

The Cyfan two speed extract fans is powerful enough to ensure cost-effectively compliance with these revised regulations, whilst also being aesthetically pleasing, compact and quiet. With humidity levels so high, the second step was to install a Nuaire Drimaster ECO-HEAT-HC Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) unit.  Installed in a loft in less than an hour, with a small hole cut through the ceiling for the vent, PIV systems draw fresh air into the loft space directly from outside which is then filtered before gently dispersing into the home via a central diffuser at a continuous rate, encouraging movement of air from inside to outside.

This model installed into the almshouse comes with a 400W heating element to temper the airflow during colder periods. In addition to this, the City of London also arranged for the bathroom window secondary glazing to be altered to allow for background ventilation to the habitable rooms. Aico Environmental Sensors installed within the property have shown a sizable difference in humidity levels since the Nuaire Cyfan extract fans and Drimaster PIV have been installed, with the ability to open the bathroom window also making a sizeable contribution.

The property has gone from 98% humidity to within the ‘Goldilocks zone’ of 40-60% relative humidity, making it a comfortable, healthy environment. For more information on Nuaire’s solutions for social housing providers, go to www.nuaire.co.uk/residential/social-housing