Flow Office Heads to the Loo of the Year Awards to Champion Better Washrooms

Flow Office Heads to the Loo of the Year Awards to Champion Better Washrooms

 Flow Office is known for designing and fitting out beautiful, practical workspaces across the UK. But as they prepare to exhibit at the 2025 Loo of the Year Awards, they’re making it clear that it’s time we stopped treating washrooms as an afterthought.

Championing this mission is Sam Chughtai, Sales Director at Flow. Sam wears many hats in the business, from managing client relationships to leading on design, planning, and strategy. With years of experience in commercial interiors, she’s used to helping organisations rethink how their spaces work. But she says there’s one part of the office that’s still overlooked.

“Some of our clients come to us wanting a full office fit-out but tell us not to worry about the bathrooms,” she says.

“We always explain why that’s a mistake. Washrooms are a key part of any workspace. If you neglect them, you’re leaving out something that really impacts people’s wellbeing.

Sam points out that, for many people, the majority of their waking hours are spent at work. 

“When you think about it that way, the quality of the environment becomes even more important. No one should be expected to show up day in, day out, to a space that doesn’t have something as basic as a clean, private and comfortable washroom. It’s about dignity as much as design.”

Sam isn’t new to this space. Alongside her role at Flow Office, she holds a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and Neuroscience, giving her a solid understanding of how environments can affect people’s mood, health, and productivity.

But her commitment to making a positive impact goes beyond the workplace. Sam is also an ambassador for Promise Dreams, a charity that supports seriously ill children and their families. Through this role, she helps raise awareness, organise fundraising campaigns, and support life-changing initiatives for children in need.

Sam and the team at Flow Office stress that washroom design isn’t just about making things look good. It’s also about making them usable for everyone.

“I speak to clients not just about design choices, but about how those choices actually affect the people using the space,” she explains. “The feedback we get is clear. When washrooms are clean, welcoming and well thought out, people feel better at work. It’s as simple as that.”

“It’s all well and good having a nice bathroom with plenty of space,” says Sam, “but if someone in a wheelchair can’t reach it because there are stairs in the way, then it’s not fit for purpose. Accessibility has to be part of the thinking from day one.”

“Designing and fitting out an office isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about asking whether this space really works for everyone who’ll use it. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to.”

This is where Sam’s intentional approach really shines. She brings a people-first mindset to every project, whether it’s reworking the layout for better flow, choosing finishes that are both practical and stylish, or making sure inclusive design is at the centre of the plan.

For Sam, the opportunity to exhibit at the Loo of the Year Awards is the first step in Flow Office’s mission to help businesses realise how important these spaces are.

“We’re proud to be part of the awards this year,” says Sam. “They shine a light on an area that’s so important but still overlooked, and we want to change that.”

As someone who combines design expertise with a strong background in psychology and wellbeing, Sam is proud to lead this conversation, making sure the loos are just as considered as meeting rooms, breakout areas and kitchens.

“We want to help businesses think differently. After all, the washroom is a key part of the employee experience. It deserves proper thought, proper care, and of course, proper design.”

You’ll be able to meet Sam and the Flow Office team at this year’s awards ceremony, where they’ll be sharing ideas, discussing their latest work, and helping to put bathrooms back on the workplace design agenda, right where they belong.