'rattling is simply not acceptable'
Competence: Design & Creation
Joern van der Ende, bathroom planner and manager at the Systembad company in the North Rhine-Westphalian town of Neukirchen-Vluyn, knows what is important in bathroom design. His planning concept for a jointless bathroom has just been awarded the German SHK-Handwerk Marketing Prize for 2016.
A question to the award-winning bathroom planner: What role does the flush plate play in bathroom planning?
Joern van der Ende: A toilet flush plate is a small detail in the bathroom, but it does play an important role. It can, under certain circumstances, quickly ruin the look of the bathroom, although it is rather inconspicuous in the bathroom as a whole. Together with the surface material and the sensation it gives when touched, options such as flush-fitting installation for perfect integration into the architecture are decisive. When I design bathrooms I use large surface materials. Here it is important that the actuation fits in seamlessly with the overall look, and does not stick out. Flush plates made using materials such as glass or stainless steel produce a simply timeless and elegant effect. You can always find something that matches widely differing bathroom styles.
So the design is your priority. Is there anything else to take into account when choosing the right toilet flush plates?
Joern van der Ende:Design is naturally the priority. But it can look as beautiful as you like: if it rattles in use, the impression is negative. For this reason I place great emphasis on high-quality finishing work, and a good feeling in use.
What is essential with a good flush plate if service work needs doing?
Joern van der Ende:It should, if that does happen, be easily removable from the wall, without the need for too many tools if service work is required on the cistern. So, big enough to be able to replace a valve. But still small enough, so as not to dominate too much in the context of the bathroom architecture.