Designer Radiators

Radiators are an essential part of our home heating system. If we wish to have our homes centrally heated via gas then radiators are a  necessary evil. They can take up valuable wall space, be unsightly and often have to be hidden by furniture or covered up by special radiator covers in an attempt to make them fit in with our décor.

In the past few years however, there has been a bit of a shift in how we think about radiators and their function in our homes. They can now be decorative pieces, similar to paintings, not just sitting on the wall – but visually pleasing and even dually functional. For a great example, see the image on the right of a wow! factor radiator from www.glassradiators.co.uk

Many people love the retro style of a cast iron traditional radiator. These can be bought from reclamation yards, but new versions are available at most major DIY stores. They are a good way of setting your home apart in a simple and stylish way.

Cast iron is obviously not the only type of metal used these days. Aluminium has become a popular choice. Light and efficient at emitting heat, it can have a number of finishes, from plain and polished to brushed.

Steel is another modern radiator material. Being very malleable, it is easy to bend into shapes. The modern look of a stainless steel radiator will perfectly compliment any bathroom or kitchen. Once again the finish can be highly polished, matt or brushed or just plain powder coated or painted.

When it comes to the shape of your radiator – the sky is the limit. Instead of the usual horizontal you can now get either wall mounted or floor mounted vertical options in a myriad of shapes and sizes.

Tubular steel radiators are a common choice now in bathrooms and kitchens where they share the jobs of both heating the room and providing rails for hanging and drying towels. The tubular nature of these type means they can be an infinite number of shapes, from the now usual bathroom towel rails to an interesting clothes hanger design by Leo Salzedo from Italy. For this design and others visit  www.thekbzine.com

Even flat panel radiators now come in various shapes and particularly colours. If your aim is to disguise your radiator, you can have it coloured to blend into your walls, or even etched with a pattern and have it as a design piece in it's own right.

In addition to all this, the latest design trend is a radiator which actually incorporates a mirrored finish and houses a LED clock, calendar and lights. Fancy having your radiator tell you the time of day and warm you up at the same time! www.uk.gizmodo.com/

From the cheap as chips options at your DIY stores to the custom made options at the design studios, there are radiators out there to fit every nook and cranny and achieve any look you could wish for. It is simply a case of setting your budget and letting your imagination run wild.