With smart home systems such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit now more affordable, the home of the future is fast becoming a reality.

Cast your mind back just 5 years ago. The idea of controlling everything in your home, from lighting to heating and from security to entertainment, probably seemed like science fiction. However, with numerous smart home systems being bought as gifts at Christmas, many people are now exploring the full capabilities of their new time-saving gadgets.

With a new year comes exciting new trends in home decor that will provide home owners with inspiration to give their interiors a fresh new look. Bathrooms remain a popular choice when it comes to makeovers so let's explore what's hot in bathroom decor in 2018 so you can update yours in up-to-the-minute style.

Walls and Floors

After spending months planning and designing your bathroom, the wait is finally over. You have designed your perfect bathroom and are ready to turn your idea into a reality. To do so, you need to find the right help to not only implement your plan, but guide you along the way.

Find a Good Installer

The humble bathroom is probably the last place we think of when talking about hi-tech gadgetry - but thanks to the Internet of Things, our lavatories are about to become a whole lot smarter. In the following article, we’ll show you some of latest cutting edge bathroom tech - but first, what exactly is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things explained

At Lanes for Drains we receive calls every day from home and business owners complaining of blocked pipes and drains. While some are caused by unavoidable situations, such as storms and flooding, many are caused by people disposing of items and unsuitable substances down the sink or toilet.

In this piece, we discuss some of the most common offenders that cause blockages of pipes and drains, which can lead to significant stress and expense for home and business owners.

Fats, oils and grease (FOG)

Warwickshire based Triton Showers has invested an initial six figure sum into an update of the brand and development of a national advertising campaign, which is set to air in customers living rooms this autumn. The first shower company in the UK to embark upon activity of this scale, this bold move will see the market leading manufacturer launch a TV commercial on ITV, Channel 4 and Sky.

Bathroom suites are an excellent way to fully fit out your bathroom because all the hard work is done for you. Instead of browsing hundreds of bathroom fixtures and fittings to combine perfectly, a bathroom suite comes ready built by experts with matching fixtures.

With that said, it doesn’t mean the difficulty of choosing a bathroom suite stops there. The size of your bathroom can play a huge part in restricting your options when choosing your suite.

So, what can you do to make choosing a bathroom suite easier? Start by measuring out your room and creating an ideal layout. This should give you a better idea of which suites will work best in your bathroom. The next thing you should do is decide on whether you want a traditional or modern suite.

Following in-depth focus groups with installers, Redring has listened to customer feedback and is pleased to announce a new 3-year warranty package on a host of new showers set for launch later this year.

Three new generation showers, including the Bright, Glow and Simple Care models, will be officially launched later this year and the new 3-year warranty package offers a further guarantee to customers that Redring is a brand installers can trust in terms of reliability, ease of installation and performance.

When redesigning your bathroom to reflect the latest trends it’s difficult to know where to get started. There are some really exciting trends out there which can add a luxurious feel to your bathroom. Here are some of the predictions for the year ahead.

Freestanding Baths

Having a standout feature such as a freestanding bath can really set the overall style for your bathroom and add some well-deserved luxury to your bathroom.

There is only so much creativity you can have with a standard straight white bath, whereas freestanding baths allow you to really get creative and implement some striking personality into your bathroom design from outstanding colours to eye-catching designs.

The home services firm, which forms part of Pacifica Group, welcomed Bridget Phillipson, Member of Parliament for Houghton and Sunderland South, to mark the official opening of Pacifica Group’s head office.

Established in 2010, 0800 Repair Gas has grown to become a leading provider of heating, plumbing and insulation services in the North East.

Following the launch of its new insulation division at the start of 2017, 0800 Repair Gas is also planning to extend its services beyond the North East on a national scale.