Following the outstanding success of 2025 search for the very best in bathroom design, AXOR has launched its Bathroom Designer of the Year 2026 competition – renewing its commitment to championing the creativity, original thinking and design excellence of its showroom partners across the UK and Ireland.
The competition celebrates inspiring bathroom spaces that demonstrate exceptional aesthetics, innovative technology and a cohesive strategy of finish selection, all woven together using AXOR’s design-led product portfolio.
This year’s focus is on how designers are using stunning finishes, including brushed to polished, to move the bar on what is possible in bathroom spaces: Something that needs the eye of an expert to create a unified and inspiring room that draw the senses in.
New for 2026, alongside up to £3,000 in luxury escape holiday vouchers*, winning entrants will also receive the prestigious title of AXOR Ambassador.
Both new-build and refurbishment projects are eligible, provided they have been completed within the past 12 months or are due for completion during 2026, with the entrants welcome to submit projects in the following categories:
CATEGORY 1 – AXOR Product Value £8,000 – £15,000
Prize: £1,000 luxury escape holiday vouchers + the title of AXOR Ambassador.
CATEGORY 2 – AXOR Product Value £15,000 – £25,000
Prize: £2,000 luxury escape holiday vouchers + the title of AXOR Ambassador.
CATEGORY 3 – AXOR Product Value £25,000+
Prize: £3,000 luxury escape holiday vouchers + the title of AXOR Ambassador.
Category placement is determined solely by total AXOR product value (RRP) excluding install – not total project cost.
What the judges are looking for
The expert judging panel will seek comprehensive, design-led solutions that embody AXOR’s signature approach to luxurious aesthetics, advanced functionality and holistic living.
Successful entries will demonstrate a thoughtful integration of AXOR components – from basin mixers, shower solutions and brassware to hansgrohe ceramics, accessories and furniture – resulting in a unified and elevated user experience with a true ‘wow’ factor.
Entries must be submitted by 1st December 2026.
The 2025 Hansgrohe Bathroom Designer of the Year winners revealed
The 2025 competition drew an impressive array of entries, each with very different design aesthetics. Although the 2026 competition focuses on the AXOR brand only, the 2025 cohort were able to utilise both AXOR and hansgrohe brands within the entry.
Up to £10,000 Category
Anita Cheal is Head of GCProjects – Gas Centre in Solihull. She transformed a family home with a master en-suite to create the “Dubai Hotel” aesthetic her clients envisioned. Anita created a space that delivers clean lines and luxurious finishes. The design features an impressive freestanding bath positioned to take in views, a large walk-in shower with an overhead shower. Custom bespoke furniture was crafted to fit the unique space, while inclusion of the Brushed Bronze AXOR One collection provided the sophisticated metallic accent that ties the entire scheme together. The specification perfectly balanced wellness aspirations with timeless luxury.
Anita commented: “The brief was to create a really glamorous bathroom and ensuites. My client loved the idea of brushed brass and knew from the get-go that they wanted this feel. As it was such a high-end scheme, we knew it had to be from a certain calibre of products. We looked at various brands and many different brushed brass finishes. But as the AXOR One is such lovely, brushed shade and the choice of products within that range are amazing, we opted for that.”
£10,000 – £25,000 Category
Zoe Curtis, Bathroom Designer at The Tap End Bathrooms, created a stunning contemporary sanctuary by transforming a dated bathroom into a minimal, calm retreat inspired by Greek resort aesthetics. For a local couple in their 50s, Zoe thoughtfully designed separate bath and shower zones, strategically positioning the freestanding bath to frame natural light and garden views.
The room’s genius lies in its restraint – using soft ivory and beige marble tiles selectively to create intentional focal points rather than overwhelming the space. The true design hero is the carefully chosen Matt Black hansgrohe brassware, which provides striking visual contrast against the neutral palette
and becomes the room’s focal point. By adding subtle ambient lighting beneath the vanity and in the shower alcove, Zoe achieved a space that feels both spacious and intimate, modern yet timeless, where clients enjoy an “evening soak in the bath that is just dreamy.”
Zoe said: “My customers wanted a really lovely, calm, restful space. They wanted it to be very simple, minimal, super contemporary and just easy to live with, easy to keep clean. They had gone on holiday recently to a Greek resort that was very similar – with really clean lines. I took a step back and knew that for this overall neutral scheme to work, it needed to include contrasts. I opted for the Matt Black hansgrohe products against the ivory whites of the rest of the room, and this choice brought the design and scheme to life.”
£25,000+ Category
Shane Fraser, Director and Designer at Stone & Chrome, entered a masterclass in sympathetic design by transforming an adjacent bedroom into a Georgian-inspired en-suite for a homeowner who cherishes vintage aesthetics and classic architecture. The project required completely new plumbing infrastructure while honouring the home’s original character by incorporating custom smoked oak furniture with fluted detailing, hand-selected marble worktops, and a sophisticated palette of layered brass finishes in brushed and dark tones.
The AXOR Montreux collection in brushed brass provided timeless elegance
throughout, while strategic design decisions, such as positioning the Victoria + Albert bath by the window for natural light and views and incorporating part-panelling in a beautiful Nomad green, added a warm, cohesive aesthetic.
Shane added: “When my client shared initial mood boards that included nods to both American and Dutch influences, I knew the kind of design references we could use. Layering tones of brass against vintage furniture and adding in soft shades of colour made sure we could bring the vision to life. AXOR’s Montreux was ideal to enhance both the look and the function. And the client loves it, commenting that she ‘gets to enjoy this every day’.”
Erika Dodds, Channel Marketing Manager for Showroom Trade at Hansgrohe UK & Ireland, comments:
“Following the exceptional quality of entries last year, we are delighted to launch the search for AXOR Bathroom Designer of the Year in 2026.
“Showroom designers are creating truly inspirational work for clients every day, and this competition ensures that excellence receives the recognition it deserves.
“We want to see standout designs that fully embrace the AXOR portfolio – incorporating showers, taps, basins and accessories in ways that demonstrate innovation, cohesion and genuine design flair.”
Full terms and conditions and to enter the AXOR Bathroom Designer of the Year 2026 by 1st December 2026, enter now
* Holiday vouchers range from £1,000 – £3,000 in value depending on the category. See full terms and conditions for the amounts.
