The beauty of bespoke

Simon Boocock, Managing Director at CR Laurence, discusses the creation of a striking new American apartment tower that redefines luxury living, and how bespoke showering solutions were the secret behind the bathrooms’ success.    

When American architects Gensler were designing the Landmark, the tallest luxury apartment tower in West Los Angeles, the bathrooms were meticulously designed to complement the dazzling glass and steel building. Standing 349 feet tall, this 34-storey structure on Wilshire Boulevard features 376 apartments with panoramic ocean and mountain views thanks to their floor-to-ceiling glass walls. 

For Gensler, continuing the building’s modern, sophisticated aesthetic all the way into the bathrooms was key, making bespoke showering solutions the obvious choice. In many hotel settings space comes at a premium, which has historically limited hoteliers’ ability to create truly luxurious showering spaces. However, bespoke frameless shower enclosures are extending the possibilities of bathroom design as today’s guests demand indulgent bathrooms where they can relax.  

The ultimate luxury, it’s no surprise that bespoke showers are now featuring in a growing number of hotels, where style, comfort and technology are prioritised in equal measure. The growing wellness movement has made spa-style bathrooms one of the biggest trends across the residential and commercial sectors. 

This is all driving demand for bespoke shower enclosures that can accommodate any style, shape and size of bathroom. Walk-in showers featuring minimal framing, on-trend finishes and beautiful wall panelling are taking centre stage, introducing a feeling of quality and luxury. 

Made for personalisation, CR Laurence’s bespoke showers are available in several designs and 11 on-trend finishes. Popular options including Chrome, Antique Brass, Brushed Nickel, Matte Black and Polished Copper feature across the different systems.  

Hardware to suit any interior can be specified alongside CRL Stone’s exclusive collection of large-format porcelain surfaces. Highly durable and simple to care for, Ceralsio ceramic and Inalco MDi from CRL Stone is an example of the options available in a large slab format that can be perfectly cut to size at the same time as the glass, with no grout lines creating a super-stylish and ultra-hardwearing floor to ceiling wall surface. In fact, the material is ideal for the bathroom, being water resistant, heat, scratch and stain resistant and non-porous. 

This wide range of options made CRL the natural choice for Gensler, which worked in collaboration with glazing contractor Roundtree Glass to create the bespoke showers in each of the Landmark’s luxury apartments. CRL’s Polished Chrome square Style Hole-in-Glass Fixed U-Clamps, which secure fixed panels of glass in frameless shower enclosures, provided a stylish alternative to traditional U-channels to enhance the all-glass look. Constructed from solid brass, they come in a wide range of design-led finishes including Gun Metal, Bronze and Matte Black.  

Working with heavy glass doors meant traditional hinges couldn’t be used, so a sturdy and stable alternative was provided by CRL’s Polished Chrome Vienna 037 Series Wall Mount Full Back Plate Hinges. Wanting to create a stylish, cohesive design, CRL Polished Chrome Back-to-Back Paddle Knobs provided a complementary look thanks to their flat ‘paddle’ shape and square corners, as did the CRL Polished Chrome 24’’ Towel Bar with Contemporary Knob.  

Minimalist in their appearance, these high-quality shower enclosure components provide long-lasting stability, durability and safety – displaying the meticulous attention to detail Gensler required. Their finishes are also resistant to wear and corrosion, ensuring the hardware will maintain its beauty and functionality over time. 

www.crlaurence.co.uk