Latest Designer Bathroom Ideas and How To Guides for your Home

None of us imagines that we’ll be burgled, until it actually happens and this is equally the case with subsidence, flooding and all the other ills that property is prone to. Although taking out contents and buildings insurance can undoubtedly be an irritation, if not a downright pain, it’s as well to have them both in place.

Buildings insurance may already have been arranged by the landlord if you own an apartment in a block of flats, for example, but normally when you take out a freehold mortgage you’ll be required, by the mortgage company, to take out a buildings insurance policy. This will cover the cost of rebuilding the house in the event of an unexpected disaster, because unexpected disasters do happen.

The buildings policy will probably cover fixed items such as fitted kitchens and garden sheds, but you must check for yourself by reading the policy.

A contents insurance policy covers movable possessions in the property and often some of them outside, though separate travel insurance arrangements will usually need to be made if you take things away on holiday with you.

Once you’ve found a suitable buildings or contents insurer you can drive the premiums down by reducing the level of cover, increasing your excess or taking them both out from the same insurer, which usually results in a discount.

Shop around for the buildings insurance and contents insurance policies that are right for you and take out the correct level of cover for the value of property and possessions you own; don’t pay for insurance you don’t need. This is the only way to save money, whilst being fully covered.

Bathrooms have long been underrepresented by interior designers, that is until now. Finally, one of the most critical rooms of the house is getting a makeover and the one item most people ignore, the bathroom radiator, is standing out with style.

Designer radiators are making their way into homes everywhere. People are finding that a designer radiator is an inexpensive way to quickly add dash and style to a room, while increasing comfort and energy efficiency. Old radiators can be horribly inefficient, wasting your hard-earned money on inefficient heating. Today’s new designer radiators can heat your bathroom for much less money, in fact, many of them are programmable or can be installed with a programmable thermostat, which only turns on when you want it to.

Radiators by Reina, Lazzarini and others are so sleek and slim that you’ll gain floor space as well as warmth and comfort. In fact, many of the designer radiators can be mounted on the wall or in a corner and also hold towels. Imagine nice warm towels after your bath and a designer radiator to update the room.

Today’s designer radiators are much more reasonably priced than you might think. Compare the cost of an old, stodgy radiator to the sleek chrome or brushed metal designer models and you’ll see that for just a little more money you can purchase a radiator that has had attention to style incorporated into the design. 

When friends and relatives visit, they invariably use your bathroom, so why not treat them to a room that reflects you and your unique style? Take that old, inefficient radiator out and install a sleek, efficient designer radiator. You’ll wish you had done it sooner.

When you are contemplating installing an underfloor heating system, you have a few decisions to make including whether you want it professionally installed or if you want to take on a DIY underfloor heating project.  Additionally, you will need to decide on the heating technology you want to use.  Here are some considerations if you are thinking about installing an electric underfloor heating system.

If there is a smaller area to heat (one to three rooms), an electric underfloor heating system costs less and is easier to install.  Additionally, they have a lower start-up cost than other types of heating systems.  However, you should be aware of the fact that the efficiency factor involved with the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity is considerably lower.

If you want to handle the installation as a DIY underfloor heating project rather than having it done by professional contractors, electric systems are relatively easy to install.  In addition to this, they are still more energy-efficient than conventional forced-air heating systems.  You can “zone” individual rooms and install an underfloor heating thermostat so that one room can be heated independently of the others.  This will save you money on your monthly utility bills.

Another advantage of electric underfloor heating systems is that the floor height build-up can be as thin as 1 mm.  The electric cables required for the system are usually placed on an installation board, or they can be installed directly onto the carpet padding or on top of the sub flooring.

Before you head out to the shops to compare bed models and prices, make sure you’re prepared.  You’ll need to know three key things:  the exact measurements of your room, the size of bed you wish to buy, and the size of mattress you need.

Measure the dimensions of your room carefully.  When you know exactly how much space you have available you’ll be better equipped to shop for beds. 

Once you know how big your room is, you can set out to find the perfect bed.  But remember that a bed is much more than just the frame and mattress.  Will you have space for a bed frame, headboard, and footboard?  Is the length too much for your room?  Can you incorporate additional furniture like a night table, mirror, dressing bench, or vanity in your space along with the bed?  Will you be able to get into and out of the bed?  If you’re shopping for bunk beds, trundle beds, sofa beds, or other alternative sleeping options, can your room accommodate the extra space that will be taken up with the bed is unfolded or opened up?

Now that you’ve measured your room and your bed, be sure you select a mattress that will fit the bed frame.  An ill-fitting mattress is uncomfortable to sleep on, wears unevenly, and won’t last as long as one that fits properly.  If you sleep with a partner, buy the largest bed and mattress combination that your room and your budget will allow to ensure that both sleepers are comfortable.

When we think about shower trays we usually immediately picture the basic small square ones. However, there are other shower trays available and if you have a bathroom that is big enough to fit them in, you might want to go for a larger one.

There is a range of different shaped shower trays on the market, which makes it easy for you to select one that will suit your own particular bathroom. You can choose from the traditional square shaped models all the way up to large rectangular models that give you much more space to move in.

If space is at a premium in your bathroom you will probably be restricted to a square model, but you might also consider getting one with one corner angled off. This makes a huge difference to the look and feel of the bathroom, while not affecting the actual size of the shower in any fundamental way. You can also buy walk in shower trays that are really at the top end of what’s available. They tend to be of a P shaped design to ensure that you can get in easily and have plenty of room to move around in. 

As you can see, the shower trays you can choose from are many and varied and of course you have different materials to consider. Whatever design you ultimately choose, the most important thing is to decide what will work best in your own bathroom.

Whether you’re crazy about insurance or not, it’s a fact of life and when you think about it protecting your home and its contents against theft, damage, flooding, subsidence and other misadventures is sensible; remember, not doing so could completely ruin you. Imagine taking out a loan on a house only to see it slide into a river a few weeks later and not having it insured. You’d be up to the hilt in debt to the lender and probably facing financial ruin. This is why house insurance and more importantly buildings insurance, at least, is a prerequisite of taking out a mortgage, as many might otherwise be tempted to skip it and both lender and homeowner would lose out spectacularly. The only exception to taking out buildings insurance with a mortgage would be if you were a leaseholder whose landlord had already taken care of it, say for a block of flats.

Although you are not required to take out contents insurance, the lender couldn’t care less about your personal effects, so it would be unwise not to have cover in place. Thieves don’t leave a calling card and it would probably be the last you ever saw of that family heirloom or HDTV, Xbox or top-of-the-range home-theatre equipment. A ‘new-for-old’ contents policy will at least replace the gadgetry with the latest models, although the heirloom will probably, if you’re sensible, have been separately insured. This is normally the case with individual items above £1,000 or so.

Check the policy carefully before taking it out, to see what exactly is covered.

In recent years underfloor heating, also known as UFH, has become quite popular throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States.  Underfloor heating systems are easily installed in both existing homes and new builds.  Of course, there are various things to consider when installing an underfloor heating system that will affect which method of installation and heating will work best for your home.

In the case of a good underfloor heating system, your floor will become an integral part of that system.  In fact, the floor will actually become part of the insulation and heat emitting process.  Heating from the floor up will allow for a more uniform temperature throughout a room and a more evenly heated home.

There are two main types of underfloor heating systems – electric and water based.  The way they work is almost identical except in where they get their heat from.  Obviously, wet underfloor heating systems work with warmed water whereas electric underfloor heating draws warmth from electric heating cables.

The water-based underfloor heating system is ideal for homes equipped with high-efficiency condensing boilers.  It is also suitable for use with heat pumps and solar water heaters.  Heat is generated by mixing the water in the underfloor heating system’s pipes with hot water from the boiler.  Electric underfloor heating systems draw warmth from the heating elements, mats, and cables.

Just remember, different underfloor heating kits are manufactured for different installation methods.  Always be sure that you read each system’s instructions carefully before actually tearing up your floor or making any plans.

Yep, if you’re like me you will remember those old cast iron radiators from school – big chunky things that get dead hot and you used to sit on them when you were cold until the teacher told you off.

Well, they are making a come back! The cast iron radiator can be a beautiful focal piece in any room nowadays – whether you want the traditional or contemporary look.

Check out the range of cast iron radiators available from our friends at the Radiator Centre.

More than any other room in your home, your kids’ rooms need to be practical and organised, yet fun and fresh.  The right children’s beds will not only ensure your kids get a good night’s rest, but can also help them keep their rooms clean and tie their bedroom decor together perfectly.

From bunk beds to canopy beds, sleigh beds to daybeds, wooden beds to metal beds in a rainbow of colours, finishes, and themes, you’ll certainly find a bed to make both you and your child happy.

Bunk beds are a classic space saver in rooms where two or more children sleep, while loft beds raise the sleeping surface off the floor, leaving room for a desk, dresser, toy chests, shelves, and bookcases below.  Combination or futon beds are ideal for older children and teens, with a twin bed on top and a convertible full size futon/sofa on the bottom.  A trundle daybed lets you hide away extra sleeping space when it’s not in use.  A canopy bed gives drama to any child’s room, while giving you the freedom to indulge in a bit of fantasy; a sleigh bed adds instant elegance.

Many children’s beds feature storage in the base to help organise thee room.  Clothes, socks, toys, games, and more can be tucked away in drawers under the bed right at child level, keeping these items off the floor and minimising clutter.

No matter what type of children’s beds you choose, letting your kids select bed linens and accessories will ensure they love their new bedroom.

An easy DIY job is laying laminate flooring. If the longest wall in the room you are working in is straight and true you can start immediately with the first row along that wall. Lay the first line with the grooved edge facing the wall and a plastic spacer in place every two feet. If the wall is uneven, lay out a line of laminate flooring and, touching the most prominent area, mark the line of the rest of the wall on the boards.

Get a scrap of wood the same width from the wall as the widest point, and use this as a guide to make a pencil mark along the length of the laminates. You should then cut the pieces with an electric jigsaw for ease.

As before, lay out the first length, separated from the wall by the spacer. Each piece of laminate will either snap together or be held in place with a little glue. Make sure you stagger the successive rows by about a foot so as to give them the appropriate look. You can now proceed to lay the rest of the flooring making sure to pack them firmly against each other.

Cutting around doorframes can be tricky, so either make a template of the section you need to cut out or saw a section off the architrave to the thickness of the board and push it underneath.  Once the floor is completely fitted you can then reattach the skirting boards or fill in the remaining gap with a half rounded moulding to hide the expansion space.