Our Victorian ancestors (living in many of the houses we live in now), had it tough. Their bathroom experience when the weather turned colder involved a LOT of shivering.
Arms, hands and faces would get a very quick wipe using water (probably cold, unless the fires were already lit) from a jug and bowl on a washstand by the bed. The vast majority of people had no indoor plumbing, let alone bathrooms, and the public bath houses were as much about getting warm as keeping clean.
You should never underestimate the value of warmth in terms of health, cleanliness and general wellbeing. If your own bathroom experience still feels a little Victorian and you’re dashing in and out before you freeze, we’ve got some tips for you. You don’t need to waste energy or spend a fortune.
If you’re going for a new bathroom, under-floor heating is a must. Someone once asked what the Romans ever did for us – this is one of their best contributions. The modern version involves a network of wires, placed on a bed of insulation material, then simply tiled over. A thermostat timer means that the room will always feel comfortably warm when you need it. Underfloor heating feels surprising luxurious (think boutique hotel) and we’re always amazed why more homes don’t have it. An underfloor heating system is invisible once the floor is laid, but if you’d like to achieve a more designer touch, go for a statement radiator. They have a real wow factor and there are options for all room shapes, sizes and pockets.
People tell us we talk too much about the appeal of a warm, soft fluffy towel, but we love them and we’ll never apologise for that! Nothing quite holds winter’s chill like a damp towel in a cold bathroom, so a heated towel rail can make that a thing of the past. You can opt for a ladder-type radiator which is connected to your central heating, but also incorporate a ‘stand-alone’ electric element, which will keep your towels toasty even when the central heating’s turned off.
And warmth isn’t just about physical temperature: it’s an atmosphere and a state of mind. Nobody needs harsh fluorescent lighting in their bathroom – that’s just for Youth Hostels! Opt for softer, gentler mood lighting with a warm tone, perhaps integrated into shelving. Yes, there are times when you’ll need bright and sharp light, but that’s usually when you’re using a mirror to shave or apply make-up. There’s task lighting made especially for that, which can be positioned around, or built into, a mirror or mirrored cabinet.
Even if the ambient temperature is warm, a stark, harshly-lit white bathroom, full of echoing hard surfaces can feel cold too. The warming effect you can achieve by using wood-effect porcelain tiles, both for walls and floors, is amazing. And did we mention fluffy towels?
At Bathroom Angels, we listen to what you want from your new bathroom – whether that’s about basic practicality or an atmosphere you want to create. We can source thousands of different products and don’t operate from an expensive showroom (there isn’t one big enough!). So don’t feel obliged to choose from ‘this one’ or ‘that one’ with our competitors – talk to us and we’ll tailor a bespoke bathroom that’s just for you.
Now that’s got to warm your cockles.
Client: Bathroom Angels Ltd