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It’s not often that we come across a completely new type of bathroom furniture. But recently that’s what we’ve seen in some of the world’s most prestigious hotels and resorts. Residents of London have never been hugely enthusiastic about the bidet, which many feel is more of a continental European invention. But today a fresh new alternative is considered highly sought-after among London’s top interior design companies: the Shatafa (also known as the Islamic douche).

Your interior design company can discuss with you in person whether the Islamic douche is right for you as part of your next bathroom renovation project. With London’s increasingly international population, the Shatafa can be a great addition if you regularly receive guests who are familiar with Islamic customs. But what is the Shatafa? Basically it is a rust-resistant steel hose together with a shower nozzle that is designed for use as a replacement for lavatory paper in many Islamic nations. Your interior design company can provide further details, but basically one depresses a button on the nozzle to activate a gentle stream of clean, warm water. It is most effective when the user is positioned either over or next to the lavatory. The personal irrigation system is designed to eliminate deposits, germs and odours immediately after use of the lavatory. Your interior design company will provide the necessary product care manuals following installation, but basically the steel structure is non-porous and may easily be cleaned with antibacterial sprays and scrubbing pads.

London’s prestigious Landmark hotel has recently opened over a hundred renovated bathrooms that feature Shatafa units for its international clientele. To install such a device, all that is needed is an additional water source (ideally with a temperature control valve) and in some cases extra provision for drainage in the unlikely event of a misdirected spray nozzle activation by those who are inexperienced with correct Shatafa usage techniques. Talk to your interior design company about how to incorporate the Shatafa into any size of bathroom.

The Victorian era covers the period 1837-1901. During this time, Queen Victoria ruled England from her throne in London’s celebrated Buckingham Palace. She was not known as an interior designer herself, but during her reign there was a revival of all sorts of design ideas from the past. Interior design companies of the time brought together an impressive collection of styles to create what came to be known as the Victorian aesthetic. These interior design companies borrowed ideas from Goth, Rococo, Baroque, and Neoclassic contexts. The Victorian style was the first to really bring the work of interior design companies into the mainstream. No longer just the domain of wealthy Londoners, the reach of the profession began to stretch throughout the empire – allowing even people with more modest incomes to get the elaborate interior decorations that they really craved.

It was the Victorian era that ushered in the age of mirrors and beautifully ornamented mahogany, oakwood and metal furniture. Many of London’s best interior design companies during that time were asked to focus on design that was sturdy in appearance but high in comfort. Brass lamps were very fashionable, and homeowners craved the latest in etched glass window blinds. Dark colors were everywhere, and interior design companies would often respond to requests for rich royal reds and heavy greens.

London’s most famous interior design companies in the Victorian era tended to focus on living rooms and front parlours. These needed to be very formal, with opulent fabric-ensconced sofas (see my article on the Chesterfield for more) and chaise longues with ridgebacked recliners. Luxurious velvets, silks and tapestry-style textiles featured intricate beadwork and knotted cords with tufted heads.

Victorian interior design companies often fielded requests for pretty and frilly lace curtains to serve as windowblinds. The Victorians prized modesty and, especially in London, it was necessary to cover windows completely to make sure that people on the streets outside could never look in.

Formal dining rooms in the Victorian era featured oversized dining tables and upright chairs. Interior design companies of those decades would often receive requests from clients who had huge collections of artwork, books or ornaments. Upper-class London gentlemen would crave fabulous display shelving in rich mahogany to show off their treasured possessions. Bedrooms would be replete with dense, ornamented beds in subdued varnished wood, together with weighty chests of drawers. For London ladies, powder rooms and cloakrooms were essential as the Victorians loved to spend time beautifying their appearances.

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