There is something rather luxurious about a bathroom that has been designed beautifully, works effortlessly and feels entirely your own. That is precisely the experience Directors Joe Flynn and Ian Bissett have spent almost two decades perfecting in Ripples Bathrooms, and now they are bringing it to a spectacular new home in South Dublin.
The bathroom renovation experts have officially opened their newest showroom at Unit 15, Nutgrove Retail Park, Rathfarnham, creating an impressive 600-square-metre destination dedicated to considered bathroom design.
In addition to the company's showroom on the Naas Road and headquarters and vast warehouse in Ballymount, this is the latest chapter in the remarkable success story the two friends have built together, with a space designed to inspire customers and showcase what is possible when craftsmanship, design and meticulous planning come together.
The philosophy behind Ripples is refreshingly simple: take care of everything.
From the first survey and design consultation through to product supply, project management, installation and those all-important finishing touches, the company manages the entire process.
Its designers work alongside experienced surveyors and fitting teams, while its own warehouse allows the business to carefully manage stock and delivery.
Speaking to Home & Style, Ian said ‘We control everything from start to finish, everything is delivered to site before the job starts.’
That attention to detail is central to the Ripples experience. For Joe and Ian, a beautiful bathroom is never simply about choosing the most expensive fittings or following the latest trend. It must be function beautifully too.
‘The bathroom has to work,’ Ian said. ‘There’s no point in having an amazing five-star-looking bathroom that doesn’t work.’
From the height of a vanity to the positioning of a shower, every detail is considered. It is this combination of practicality and understated sophistication that gives Ripples bathrooms their sense of quiet luxury.
And increasingly, the bathroom is becoming much more than a functional room. Joe explained that Ripples Bathrooms are a place to escape, and he strongly believes that a bathroom is a sanctuary in any home; somewhere to close the door, run a bath and enjoy a little uninterrupted time. In a busy home, that sense of private wellness can feel like the ultimate luxury.
‘We’re focused on trying to make the bathroom a wellness spot,’ Joe said, ‘where they can go in and have their 15 minutes of peace.’
It is a fitting philosophy for a business whose foundations were built on two friends simply wanting to do things better.
Joe and Ian met aged 15 as tiling apprentices, later studying together before their careers took them in different directions.
Ripples was born in 2008, during the financial crash, after the pair recognised a gap in the market and a frustrating disconnect between the people selling bathrooms and those actually fitting them.
They decided to bring the entire process together under one roof.
What began as a tiny operation, conducting home surveys and customer appointments with brochures in their homes, has since grown into a substantial business with a team of 56, multiple showrooms, its own warehouse and a busy fitting operation across Dublin and surrounding counties.
Their friendship has survived the pressures of business because, they say, neither is precious about being right.
Joe said ‘If me and Ian knock heads on something, we establish who has the better idea and we go with that,’ while Ian agreed ‘We both have the best interests at heart.’
Although the pair are no longer on the tools every day, the new Nutgrove showroom gave them the chance to get hands-on once again, leaving their mark in the concrete of this phenomenal project with a stunning mosaic they created themselves.
Ian laughed ‘My knees are still killing me!’ while Joe smiled proudly, saying ‘We wanted to leave our own personal mark on it.’
It is a fitting detail for a project that has taken three years of planning, patience and persistence to bring to life.
And with their spectacular new South Dublin showroom now open, the next ambition is already taking shape: finding the perfect location on Dublin’s northside.
For Joe and Ian, it seems, the work of building something beautiful is never quite finished.
