Sunday 20 February 2011

The Vanity Unit Revival

Vanity Units

White gloss vanity units are becoming increasingly popular in the modern bathroom. A combination of great looks and practicality means many buyers are choosing vanity units over a traditional basin and pedestal. Vanity units can be floor standing or wall mounted and while gloss white models are popular particularly with hotels and guest houses they are also available in a range of great colours to add a centre piece to any bathroom. Most base units come with soft close cupboards and drawers and the better models feature metal drawer runners, so they're built to last. Shower Enclosures Uk offer vanity units from the tiny 45cm to a family sized double basin unit at 120cm wide. Add a mirror with lights to complete the look. The unit pictured is the 60cm Sign Floor Standing vanity unit from Phoenix Whirlpools.

Sunday 13 February 2011

Top 3 Bathroom Accessories

LED Shower Head
In the number 1 spot is this illuminated LED shower head from Phoenix Whirlpools is one of this years must have bathroom accessories. As well as looking great and adding a real centre piece to your bathroom the LED lights also have a very practical application. The colour of the LED lights changes with the temperature. At 26c and below the light appears blue, great for a cold shower. Between 26c and 42c the colour changes from blue to green. When the temperature reaches 42c and above the light is red. This means no more stepping into a cold shower unless you want to, so you can basically adjust the temperature of water by the colour of the light. When in use the water also becomes magnetisable and helps expedite skin luster.

Even better the shower generates electricity to power the light by water pressure, no additional energy sources or wiring are therefore required, stunning!

LED Bathroom Mirror
Continuing the theme of all things LED the Hudson Reed LQ362 Lucio Infinity bathroom mirror has to be seen to be believed and takes the number 2 spot in our list of bathroom accessories. The idea with the LED's on this unit is to give a feeling of depth and the mirror doesn't disappoint, it's almost like you've suddenly unearthed a hole in your bathroom wall that stretches into the distance. Reminds me a little of the film 'Being John Malkovich', those who've seen it will understand!

The mirror is only a few centimeters thick despite it's apparent depth. A draw cord operates the lights and the unit is IP44 splash proof, basically it's ok with steam but don't take it for a swim! The LED effect adds a bit of quirkiness to any bathroom but ultimately this is meant to be a mirror, you won't be disappointed when brushing your teeth. So if you're in the market for a new bathroom mirror then this 800x600mm example from Hudson Reed won't disappoint, it also comes with a 12 month guarantee for piece of mind.

Waterfall Tap
Bathroom taps are more of a bathroom essential rather than an accessory but 2010 revealed a real demand for cascade taps or cascade taps as some manufacturers call them. This waterfall tap from Phoenix Whirlpools is a great example with solid brass construction and a silky smooth chrome finish and thus takes third spot in our list. This design also benefits from an enviro-click cartridge, this allows users to select a reduced flow setting when lifting the lever. You can feel the settings by means of a tiny click. This brass-ware example is also suitable for low pressure systems so there's no excuse not to spoil yourself with a great piece of bathroom design. Furthermore this example comes with a complimentary square basin waste to complete the look. Phoenix are so confident in the quality of their brass-ware that they give a free 10 years manufacturers guarantee. Checkout the extended range of Phoenix waterfall taps.

Wednesday 20 October 2010

What To Consider When Choosing A Shower Enclosure

A shower enclosure can be a welcome addition to a bathroom if properly planned and fitted, indeed many people are removing the traditional bath and replacing with similar sized rectangular enclosures. They retain heat, look stunning and unlike a shower curtain or over bath screen also ensure water is drained away efficiently out of the house and not onto your bathroom floor.



As with any home improvement it's important to plan before making any expensive purchases. In the case of a shower enclosure you need to ask yourself;

How many walls are available to locate an enclosure?
What bathroom room height do you have available?
How much space do you have to locate the enclosure?
Is there suitable plumbing nearby for the shower tray waste to be connected to?

Once you have the answers to these questions you can set about finding the perfect shower enclosure for your bathroom.


How many walls are available to locate your shower enclosure?
The number of walls you have available will generally dictate the shape and style of the enclosure you choose. With only one wall available you would generally be restricted to a d-shape enclosure or to a three sided walk-in. Two walls gives you the most options allowing you to choose between quadrant, hinge door, pivot door, bow front, walk-in and sliding door shower enclosures. Three walls generally means you have a recess situation in which to fit into, so pivot shower doors, hinge doors, bifold doors and sliding shower doors would be appropriate.

What bathroom room height do you have available?
Most shower enclosures are generally around 1850-1900mm high plus the height of the shower tray the enclosure sits on. Low profile trays are around 35mm to 45mm in height with thicker trays going up to around 170mm in height. Many people have a low profile tray sitting on upstands or a raising kit which allows the overall installation to be lifted so that plumbing can be installed below the tray but above the floor boards. This is generally a necessity with enclosures fitted over a concrete ground floor. If your ceiling height is above 2.2m then generally there shouldn't be any issues with the majority of glass shower enclosures on the market. A little room above the enclosure between the ceiling will allow steam to escape and help you to breath!

How much space do you have to locate the enclosure?
Now that you have the location within the room sorted how big an area do you have available? The bigger the enclosure the more comfortable the showering experience and many modern designs also include a drying area with wooden duckboards to stand on. Aqualux have a number of walk-in designs like this. Most enclosures are generally under 1400x900mm in size with the most popular sizes being 900 x 900mm quadrants or 1200 x 900mm offset quadrants. If you're choosing a pivot or hinge shower door or some quadrant enclosures you also need to appreciate the swing radius of the door. You don't want to risk safety by installing an enclosure whereby a glass door can swing out and bang onto other sanitary ware such as a toilet or basin. Sliding single and double roller doors are becoming more popular though they impact costs because of the extra mechanical components involved. Also rollers for sliding doors are one of the components that may need replacing at some stage especially on cheaper shower enclosures that incorporate plastic bodied rollers. It's advisable to look out for enclosures from manufactures that offer a healthy guarantee period. Companies such as Phoenix Whirlpools, Aqualux, Vogue Bathrooms and Merlyn Bathrooms offer lifetime guarantees and spare parts are readily available.

Is there suitable plumbing for the shower tray waste to be connected to?
As well as having enough room to locate the shower enclosure you also need to be sure that below that space it will be possible to link the shower waste either to the soil pipe or to another pipe already leading to the soil pipe. If in doubt you should ask a local plumber about this but generally it will help if your enclosure is on the same side of the room as the waste pipe, thus keeping down plumbing costs.
A sub question to this would be to ask, is there plumbing available for an electric or thermostatic shower? An electric shower or exposed shower valve can sit on the surface of the wall perhaps with the pipe work going into a loft space. Increasingly though people want to hide unsightly pipe work so this is often hidden behind a stub wall or embedded into the wall as when using a concealed thermostatic shower mixer.

Shower Enclosure Checklist
As a final check here are a list of bathroom fixtures and fittings you may require to fit a shower enclosure.

Required

Shower Enclosure
Shower Tray
Shower Waste

Might be required

Easy plumb legs and side panels to raise the tray
Concealed or exposed Thermostatic shower mixer
Electric shower