Latest Designer Bathroom Ideas and How To Guides for your Home

There are two methods of underfloor heating: either warm water is circulated through pipes, or electrical current is passed through cables. Many people choose water underfloor heating because it can easily be run from an existing boiler which makes it both economical and simple. Often it is run in addition to conventional heating. Modern condensing boilers are perfect for the job as floor heating requires water at a lower temperature than conventional systems. This is usually around 50 degrees rather than 60 or more for traditional radiators.

The running costs of an underfloor heating kit are usually lower than conventional heating, and it is less work to install. Electric underfloor heating is usually more economical for small areas such as a bathroom or a conservatory, and wet systems for larger areas. There are individual thermostats for each room or zone, giving great flexibility and allowing the independent heating control required by Building Regulations in conservatories. Despite the components costing a little more, they tend to be very durable and low maintenance. In a wet system, water flows through one long pipe with no joints which could leak, and all the valves and electrical components are usually hidden in a cupboard. These are all strong reasons for choosing water or electric underfloor heating.

As well as being efficient, underfloor heating can be ecologically friendly too. Water underfloor heating can be run with solar panels, or even geothermal heat pumps that use underground heat.

Along with all other bathroom accessories or bathroom furniture, the bathroom mirror comes in a multitude of styles and designs from which to choose.

An illuminated bathroom mirror will either have lights attached to the top, or have a cabinet that opens with another mirror on the inside, around which there will be lights. There are even some that are framed by LED lights and in the right bathroom supporting the right theme and style, they can look very attractive.

Another variation of bathroom mirrors is the bathroom mirror cabinet. These mirrors are a dual combination, consisting of a mirror and a medicine cabinet all built into one functional piece of bathroom furniture. These mirrors are very useful in bathrooms with little space and they not only provide a bathroom mirror, but also an alternative storage facility. The bathroom mirror cabinet proves to be very popular in one-bedroom room apartments or small houses with smaller family bathroom suites.  Bathroom mirrors that are flush to the wall, without a cabinet are also an option. If you are looking to purchase a bathroom mirror from this category then this is when the options open up.

There are many ideas to choose from including; wood framed mirrors, ceramic framed mirrors with complicated designs, stone framed mirrors, or square, oval or round mirrors. 

Yet whatever your taste or style, make sure you choose the bathroom mirror that is suited to the ambience of your bathroom. Usually the bathroom mirror can become the feature focal point of your bathroom so ensure that it is in keeping with your theme.

Bath taps can be fashionable as well as functional and come in a huge variety of different styles and finishes, as well as meeting all levels of budget requirements.

When choosing your bath taps be certain to check the quality, particularly if you are buying for the long term. Chromium-plated brass taps are the most durable. Also check that the taps you are considering will fit the holes in your chosen appliance.

Choosing the right bath taps is an important step when it comes to finalising your bathroom furniture. Whether you are aiming for a bathroom refurbishment, or simply looking to replace those old looking bath taps, there are many factors that could influence your final decision including style, appearance, durability and price.

If you’re installing a new bath, it’s much easier to fit the new bath taps before the unit is put into position as this will provide easier access to hard-to-reach nuts.

When replacing bath taps, you will want to use the existing plumbing if possible, but disconnecting old, corroded fittings can be difficult. Apply some penetrating oil to the tap connectors and the back nuts that clamp the bath taps to the bath. While the oil takes effect, shut off the cold and hot water supply to the taps.

Even when you have disconnected the pipe work and back-nut, you may find that the bath taps are stuck in place with putty. Break the seal by striking the bath tap tails lightly with a wooden mallet. Clean the remnants of putty from around the holes in the bath and then fit new bath taps.

A shower enclosure or a shower over the bath needs to be equipped with some way of preventing water spraying out onto the floor. A shower enclosure can come in many forms, whether it is a hanging waterproof fabric curtain on a curtain track, or a tubular shower rail across the entrance, through to a stylish glass shower enclosure. Whilst the fabric curtain shower enclosure provides the cheapest and simplest method as a shower enclosure, it is by no means the most suitable for a power shower.

For a more satisfactory shower enclosure and most certainly the more attractive option, it is perhaps best to use a metal-framed glass or plastic panelled unit.  Hinged, sliding, or concertina doors operate within an adaptable frame fixed to the top of the shower tray. Bed the lower track onto mastic to make a waterproof joint with the shower tray and once you have completed the shower enclosure run mastic between the framework and the surrounding walls.

Many bathrooms nowadays consist of a bath/shower setup. For instance, a walk in shower enclosure is simply a shower that is separated from the rest of the bathroom. The walk in shower enclosure does not include a bathtub, but normally a shower head and a drain in the floor. One of the greatest benefits of a walk in shower enclosure is the ease of maintenance and the easy access they provide as opposed to the conventional shower over the bath. Furthermore, walk in shower enclosures provide much more freedom in design and provide an element of style to all bathrooms.

When you use any form of pipework, like that used in water underfloor heating systems, there is a possibility that you could end up with it sustaining damage. However this is a very small risk if you follow all the installation instructions, especially regarding the distance of the pipes from the edges of the room. By ensuring the pipes are not near the edge you can reduce the risk of damage occurring when you lay the floor over the top, especially if you have chosen a wooden floor and need to nail it into place at the sides.

If there is damage that is significant enough to cause a leak, then you will know immediately, because the pressure will drop and sadly, concrete is porous, so water can escape into it. The best thing to do in this case is call an expert in, because they will stand a better chance of being able to isolate the leak and carry out repairs to that piece of pipe, while causing minimal disruption to the rest of the flooring.

Obviously, choosing an electric underfloor heating system minimises further the maintenance of the system and the number of things that can go wrong is much reduced. That said, a wet system that has been installed correctly should not cause any problems. You may still want to read case studies of underfloor heating to reassure yourself, but then properly researching any product you are thinking of buying is always advisable.

For many people, the thought of repainting the bathroom causes a shudder of dismay. Initial reactions range from reaching for the phone book and scouring the pages for a painter and decorator, to dismissing the idea until the following year.

Yet nothing brightens up a bathroom as much as a fresh coat of paint and once you have taken the decision to go ahead with the plan, you may well be surprised at just how creative your ideas can be.

The first task is to thoroughly assess your bathroom space. What exactly would you like it to represent? Thinking of certain themes may help; a Mediterranean look would need bold primary yellows teamed with glossy white vinyl, while a smaller bathroom may well be better suited to neutral pastel shades.

Your bathroom need not be a homage to Art Deco, if you choose dark colours. Black can be very effective, especially with matching accessories, such as bamboo shower rails and towel racks. Try matching it with crimson mirror frames, bath mats and towels. Even the vanity unit or bathroom medicine cabinet could be painted a contrasting colour.

If, on the other hand, you want something airy and visually interesting, use sponges to apply paint. These allow you to gradate the colour from, perhaps, dark green at the ceiling down to a lighter shade along the skirting board.

Stencils are another effective way to make the most of your bathroom walls, particularly when placed around the corners of the room.

Travertine is great for use in the home and is ideal for use when tiling a floor in a bathroom, kitchen or shower. Popular for centuries travertine tiles are favoured because of their natural and unique colouring, patterns and long lasting capabilities, take the Colesseum in Rome built nearly two thousand years ago! Travertine is a wholly natural product and it is because of this that its natural beauty is evident. Formed when shifts thousands of years ago in the earth’s crust allow heated water to mix with calcium carbonate particles, travertine was created in large deposits and is now quarried for use in building.

Travertine tiles are ideal for cladding and for use external in patios and communal areas where their unique pattern and colouring gives a garden or public space, outside a hotel for example, a truly classical look. It is certainly true that using travertine tiles on your patio will certainly make it stand out. With its historic importance as a primary building material in ancient buildings, travertine tiles have a reputation for lasting all types of weather conditions and for being easily maintained over time.

The natural colours of travertine tiles make them particularly appealing and although in its purest form travertine tiles are white, impurities can cause the colour of travertine tiles to vary and to be yellow and brown. The choice of colour that you eventually settle upon will depend to some extent on the area where you a fitting the travertine tiles, for bathrooms or shower areas, many choose the pure white which gives the room a marble look, the important difference though, is that travertine tiles whilst looking like marble are considerably less in price.

If your bathroom has seen better days, it’s time to renovate. Like kitchens, good bathrooms can add appreciable value to your home without amounting to major property development. DIY painting, decorating and plastering skills will take you a long way, without substantial building work or calling the architects in.

Start by thinking about whether the layout can be improved. Would a walk-in shower look better than the tub? Are the basin and WC ideally located or could they be moved to enhance space? Don’t forget about drainage runs and soil pipes here, though, the latter are especially difficult to relocate. Next, physically map the layout using your body as a guide; are the soap dishes and bathroom cabinets or anything else you use frequently, within comfortable reach? Will you require extensive re-plumbing if you shift the basin or tub/shower?

Think about the fixtures, properly chosen, they can add verve to a bathroom. Is the design you’re seeking ultra-modern or classically elegant? Gleaming, modern chrome taps and showerheads can be beautiful, but so can elegant Victorian alternatives, it’s best not to mix them, though. A generous bathroom mirror or two can make a small space look twice the size.

Choose lighting carefully, a bathroom can be made to look warm and inviting or cold and forbidding, depending on what lighting you use. Remember, any lighting above areas where water is used must have a special safety rating.

Finally, soften harsh lines and angles with touches of fabric, even towels can help and some strategically placed potted plants.

Underfloor heating is renowned for being low maintenance, which is excellent news. However, should anything go wrong with the parts that are installed in the floor, repairing and replacing them could be something of a nightmare job, so you do need to make sure the installation is of the highest quality possible. 

Obviously, if you are installing a water underfloor heating system as a DIY project, there really isn’t much of a guarantee on offer. The products, themselves, will be guaranteed, but if they are installed badly then the problem lies elsewhere and you will not be able to claim against that guarantee. However, if you have a professional system installed, you should ensure that you are provided with a valid guarantee that is valid for a reasonable period of time. It is definitely worth paying a little more to find a company that offers a long guarantee. If a company is prepared to offer five years, when others only offer two, it must be confident that there are not going to be any issues within this period. You can then rest assured that this is a robust product that you can be confident has been installed properly.

If you do a half DIY scheme and employ a plumber and/or electrician to do their part, you need to make sure you get them to provide a guarantee. Although limited to the work they have done, it could save you a headache in the future.

If you mention to most people that you intend laying tiles in your bathroom, the reaction will generally be of two kinds. The first is likely to be that you have lost your mind and the second is that you are a liar.

Why this should be the case is a mystery. Laying tiles does not require that you be a specialist in DIY and it certainly does not mean that you are going to sneak a certified tile fitter in the back door and hope that nobody sees him.

Yet it really need not be such a trial. All it takes is a little commonsense and foresight.

Firstly, choose an adhesive that is waterproof. Any home improvement centre stocks at least one variety. Secondly, make sure you have enough tiles. In fact, buy more than you think you need. Tiles are frequently dropped or cracked.

Ensure the area you are laying your bathroom tiles on is free from detritus. A flat surface is of crucial importance. Once this is done, use lengths of spacing pieces to make sure the tiles are laid straight. Create a grid of horizontal and vertical lines.

Spread the adhesive evenly. Ensure that the tiles are positioned squarely. Although it is easy enough to remedy any mistakes at this stage, getting it right first time will increase your confidence.

Whatever you do, do not grout too soon. Wait for the tile adhesive to dry thoroughly, which can take up to 24 hours.

Finally, take great care with the grouting. If it is not spread evenly, it will dry in lumps and this can be tedious to remove.