an interview with Michael Schembri;
Founding Partner at WATER ART
In an extensive interview with Michael Schembri, founder of Water Art, Design & Build looks at a company which has lifted the mundane bathroom to a work of art and a refuge of relaxation in the home. From free-standing bath-tubs to intelligent toilets, the eye for design and detail is sure to give the clients several reasons to look forward to embellishing their bathrooms, kitchens and more with Water Art’s showpieces.
Design and a guarantee for quality are the hallmarks of this innovative entrepreneur.
M ichael Schembri’s background, as he describes at the onset of our interview, had nothing to do with the property, construction and interiors business, and certainly nothing to do with water art. He was in the catering industry; a Food and Beverages Manager, no less; who had worked extensively abroad. In his work and travels, Schembri invariably came across designers of big projects who ignited in him an interest in brands. He said that over time he met a number of influential people including his future wife who was a specialist in sourcing materials and creating B2B relationships. “Eventually we put together her knowledge and my design affinity of products and we started the Water Art brand eight years ago,” said Schembri.
“Great Oaks from little acorns grow”, the saying goes, and Water Art started with one product: a shower tray. This was successfully presented to the local business and Water Art took on some of the suggestions which the clients were making in terms of creating new items. In time, Schembri said that this expanded into a wide range of products.
What is uniquely original about Water Art is not just the design which is very responsive to trends but more so the ability to customise its articles to the needs of the clients. “It is a sourcing exercise along with customisations,” explained Schembri. This was ultimately Water Art’s unique selling point: not the actual manufacture but that the final product introduced to the market an innovative concept. Michael Schembri explained: “The original piece, the shower tray was unique in that it could be cut so as to service awkward angles. This is a recurrent issue in Malta. The tray had the added value of being non-slip, a trend which has now become the norm. So successful was it that the line is still running and they are in the process of updating the design: “And I am on tenterhooks to open the package and see the new baby,” smiled Michael Schembri.
The design and detail of the product is very important including a variety of colours in the mixers, a detail which instantly uplifts the tone of the bathroom
New partners
Water Art is in partnership with a company which, in terms of furniture design needs no introduction: FXB; which came into the picture in 2017.
Schembri said that the company was growing slowly but surely, and he was keeping an eye on the investment required for growth. He explained that as a sole trader, he faced the normal growing pains which included the increased resources needed to handle larger logistics. It was indeed the capital and financial considerations required to keep up with the “joyful pains” induced by the company’s growth spurt which spurred him to include the right investor. “FXB are very strong on projects and I thought that that could be a great partnership because even solely for their internal objectives, the relationship would be fruitful from the get-go. And it was,” Schembri proudly said.
He had no doubt that the sheer experience this stalwart group has earned would also guide Water Art into a stronger strategy, and infrastructure. Neither he nor the Group, nor their customers have been disappointed.
In this way, through these major projects, Water Art could also enrich itself in updating the designs and specifications to the requirements of the market.
From rose-gold to gunmetal, the colours of the faucets are sure to fit the taste of even the most discerning
This partnership led to an osmosis of products and the creation of the concept of a one-stop-shop for fitting out a home with superior-grade furniture, bathrooms and other amenities. Schembri’s eye for detail and design married perfectly with this high-end market concept.
As he put it, this is not just a case of ‘tiles and mixers’.
Having a variety of colours to the mixers is as important as design and product detail; “the slightest detail can instantly uplift the tone of the bathroom,” Schembri said. “From rose-gold to gunmetal, the colours of our faucets are sure to fit the taste of even the most discerning.” He added that there are also innovative products such as ‘rimless’ and ‘intelligent’ toilets which are new on the market and provide a far more complete approach to personal hygiene. “From remote control operations to gender-based attention,
these sanitary installations are the way forward; particularly so for the more discerning homes which strive to make the best use of the available space in manners which add value to the development.”
The home spa
Schembri believes that the bathroom is becoming more of a ‘wellness’ room, saying also that the bathtub bas evolved a great deal, even while showers are extremely popular.
He described the modern bathtub as having increasingly narrow rims. “Our products’ rims have been reduced from 3cm up to 1mm, unless being actually rim free,” explained Schembri with a smile adding that this is a totally new design, with stainless steel instead of chrome and laser cut drains for a seamless approach. The available materials are acrylic as well as resin, to satisfy all sorts of budgets.
Water-Art works with expert designers in configuring new lines and styles. Schembri also travels regularly abroad to attend fairs where new technologies and design concepts are presented to the markets. Blueprints and design concepts for new creations by Water Art are thus passed on to their selected foreign manufacturing companies for production. The company retains its quality control on the product so that the final product can be guaranteed.
Tiles have become marvellously complex. Gone are the days of the standard 60×60 tile
Stock in Hand
Schembri emphasised that with a small market like Malta, Water Art cannot afford not to stock all sorts of bathroom requirements from the very traditional to the cutting-edge design, since it caters for all sorts of budgets. “And all our products carry the Water Art brand and guarantee,” said Schembri, stressing the company’s commitment to quality.
Size matters
Water Art’s expansion has meant that Schembri could open his wings and fly in terms of stock and service to clients. He said that the company is well stocked, adding that all materials sourced in the EU have quick delivery time, reflecting that this great connectivity has eased the waiting times for suppliers and customers alike.
Water Art’s vast wide ranges of tile, faucets, and sanitary ceramics come “at a surprisingly wide price range …making design and art a truly affordable and joyful experience.”
Tiles are sourced from Italy, Spain and Portugal with designs which reflect contemporary tastes. “Tiles have become marvellously complex. Gone are the days of the standard 60×60 tile. A few years ago, it was the Big tile. Then it was the Small tile. Nowadays the standard has become the 120×60, but we have even larger tiles. The largest we stock is 3.2m x 1.6m,” said Schembri.
all our products carry the Water Art brand and guarantee
Showering with ease
An innovation which Schembri is anticipating with some eagerness is set to come in the form of showers.
Water Art stocks a vast range of showers which, at the moment, react to the operator’s instruction via the manipulation of a lever. Schembri explained that soon the lever will not be the sole means of control and that the diversions will also happen through a push button.
Vanity units too come in various shapes and sizes, either in solid wood or in wood which has been treated to withstand the increased humidity present in bathrooms. Also thanks to the intimate relationship between Water Art and FXB, these too can be customised to the client’s needs. The customisation can indeed be done both locally and abroad.
Schembri’s passion for his work is palpable, and is admirably servicing our booming property sectors. Schembri keeps an eye out for trends in the market and introduces those items which are found to be worthy, and exciting, only after rigorous quality control. All this comes at a surprisingly open price range; from the modest to the very high end, making design and art a truly affordable, practical and joyous experience.
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