Sink into a Morrison suite

Ideal Standard launched its new bathroom range, designed by Jasper Morrison at London's 100% Design.

The collection is pure, simple and appealing. In a world mired by design overload, Morrison embraces the role of white knight battling to get things back to beautiful basics.

"I tried to create a range that I would want to use. I wanted to use rounder, softer shapes which work better within the size and scale of the average bathroom, which, is really, really, small," says the designer.

Ideal Standard already has an impressive design heritage. Morrison is the latest in a long role-call of award-winning designers that have worked with the company. They include Robin Levien, Mario Bellini, David Chipperfield and Seymour Powell.

Inspiration came when Morrison encountered a marble washbasin in a train station in Mestre, outside Venice. Its depth and form conceived the simple lines of this collection. He is most proud of the 50cm vessel basin which he designed from the bowl out to perfect the wedge-like effect of the basin's depth.

The double-ended ovoid bath with its centred plug isn't a new principle but combine that with functionality and a pocket-friendly price and it's a winning formula that appeals to a much broader clientele.

The double sized lip looks as if it got a large injection of collagen and is designed to be broad enough to sit on.

Equally important to anyone who likes a long soak is that there is ample space to house the full range of products required to get you through your spin cycle.

Baths that don't allow for toe space is one of the designer's pet peeves.

Other design considerations include a rim that doesn't cut into your neck and determining an angle to the back of the bath that doesn't push your legs too far forward.

Morrison drew on his previous chair experience to create the wall-hung wc.

Despising toilet lids that don't stay up, he fashioned his thrones with a super-sized hinge, which creates enough resistance to make the top soft-closing.

The range also includes a urinal, which looks sleek and user friendly although its take-up will probably be limited. It is designed with water-saving in mind but also means you can create his and hers loos, ending one battle of the sexes, the perennial problem of the toilet seat position.

In an ideal world a bathroom should be white, maintains the British designer.

"In the design world the basic goal of objects is that they should be good to live with. It should be about the atmosphere they create in everyday life. So many products now carry an unnecessary designer signature."

This range is unsigned. Label junkies will not be impressed. "Signatures are not my thing. The range is supposed to be democratic and have mass appeal."

A basic suite costs from €3,220. The bath is €1,396, the basin is €385, the urinal and wall-hung wc are €402 each.

The range will be available from next March. Tel: 01-456 4525 or log on to www.idealstandard.ie