Most of us probably never notice our traditional white panel radiators, and when sprucing up the interior design of our home they’re the last thing we think of. Consequently, we may not even be aware of the sheer number of choices open to us with modern ‘designer’ radiators in terms of colour, shape, materials and functionality. Nowadays radiators can be affordable and attractive features in our homes rather than intrusive, dull, blocks of metal in the background.
Types of Designer Radiators
Whether it’s column, tube or panel, vertical or horizontal, the range and choice is enormous and includes:
Electric Radiators – a versatile and flexible solution, with fantastic heat output, and can be wall mounted.
Period Radiators – if you have an older property and want authentic interiors, or if you want to bring a period look to a modern home.
Low Level Radiators – unobtrusive but very effective, keeping the clean lines of your rooms.
Tubular Radiators – great looking, and the whole surface area of each tube working to bring more warmth.
Panel Radiators – exciting and modern design ideas have now been applied to the familiar panel radiator that many of us have in our homes.
Architectural Radiators – glamorous and artistic designs, who says radiators can’t look stunning?
Mirrored Radiators – a two-in-one striking and space saving way to bring warmth, with the mirror framed by imaginative radiator designs.
If you want something even more individual e.g. if you need a radiator to fit on a curved surface, there are companies who provide a radiator curving service. This means you can have beautifully designed curved radiators that fit your home like a glove.
For spaces where a hot radiator surface would be a hazard e.g. schools or hospitals, you can install low surface temperature (LST) radiators.
The Benefit of Designer Radiators
Choice is the main benefit of modern designer radiators:
No need to stick to white, designer radiators are available in a wide range of colours to match your interior design ideas perfectly.
There is now choice of materials. Aluminium and tubular steel bring more responsive and economical radiators which are easy to clean and can be made into a fantastic array of shapes and styles.
You can now choose whether the radiator sits on the floor or on the wall, and it can be tall, short, wide, horizontal or vertical.
Your radiators can now be as individual as you, which means that you can have a living space that’s totally in harmony with your design ideas. At last there are heating solutions that are attractive, affordable, functional and economical.
By: Paul Link
Designed to allow light and air in through solid walls, windows are a staple of any basic architecture. Most homes and businesses have windows for both practical purposes of light, as well as for aesthetic value. Windows can be made from a variety of material, including glass, plexi-glass, plastics, and more.
How and Why Do Windows Allow Light In?
Daylight needs to be both allowed and controlled, and many windows are designed to allow for customization of the amount of light that goes through. Skylights and open windows allow for the radiance of the sun to get into the room, while sills and overhangs often prevent daylight from getting into the structure.
Commercial contractors often struggle with allowing ample daylight through the window. This is because many local and national governments have established minimum energy codes that contractors must meet. The preservation of energy is important to most established nations, and it is often much more difficult, and energy deficient, to maintain temperatures in rooms with large windows that allow a lot of light in.
How Do We Use Windows for Decor?
Whether or not most homeowners realize it, windows play a pivotal role in the overall decor and atmosphere of their home. Although even standard square windows can act as a design element, many windows are of a unique design and composition. When establishing the decor for a room, the room layout and the windows are a great place from which to start. Living room windows are often great decor elements if they are designed horizontally to allow ample light and to take up plenty of design space on an otherwise empty wall. In bedrooms, many people choose to place sitting areas and furniture near windows for reading, writing, and relaxing.
Why Did We Ever Start Designing Windows?
Warmth and safety were the two main reasons why windows were established on housing designs. Allowing the sun through the windows provided warmth in the home, while the window also provided a way to watch for potential attackers. Early on, windows were nothing more than holes cut out of the structure. Eventually, people began added an early shutter system that allowed the windows to be opened or closed to allow or prohibit light from getting in.
It was not uncommon to see paper windows in most lower class homes around the world until the dawn of the 17th century. Until that time, it was mostly nobility alone who had glass windows.
How are Windows Classified?
As previously mentioned, windows come in a variety of styles and designs. These include casement windows, which are cranked to open and close them. A user turns the crank to open the window, and turns it the other way back to close the window. Most casement windows also feature locks so that, once fully closed, the window can be secured against being opened from the outside. The hinges on these types of windows are designed to allow for easy operation of the crank handle.
Gliding windows are, as their name suggests, windows that glide along a horizontal system. The ease with which these open and close make them quite popular in residences. While gliding windows are popular for their functionality, other windows are popular for their design. These include bay windows, which feature angles at the wall and ceiling to provide an additional design element.
Other popular windows include sash windows, round top windows, polygon windows, and others.
What Color Are Windows?
Although most windows come in standard neutral colors like white and beige, more and more windows are featuring a wide spectrum of colors. These windows allow homeowners and business owners to design their rooms around the decor of the window. If, for instance, a bold room is desired, the window may be painted bright red or black. These allow the designer to then create the rest of the decor of the room around the color of the window. Whether you are seeking cool colors or hot passion in your decor, the windows that will complement your designs are available.
What Design Styles Are Available for Windows?
The style of the window largely depends on the architectural design of the structure. For instance, a modern, contemporary home or business would likely feature contemporary windows with straight lines, few or no panes, and clear class. Colonial homes, likewise, would feature many-paned sash windows. And grandiose homes might include windows with remarkable embellishments and lavish designs such as stained glass or unique shapes and colors.
By: Stephen Dolan