There are many factors to consider when choosing a radiator scheme for either a single room or for multiple rooms within the house. Homeowners are actively seeking radiators that are visually appealing, practical and space saving. Barbara Payne, Head of Design and Marketing at designer radiator company Bisque, has tackled a number of common questions that she is often asked by clients when considering a radiator scheme.
How important is it to consider your choice of radiators when designing and styling your home?
Heating is not simply a practicality. The current market for radiators offers a wealth of unique and interesting options, which fully assert themselves as an integral part of your room’s design and aesthetic.
For example, owners of a super-modern contemporary home would not install a traditional school-style radiator as it may conflict the look and feel of their existing decor. Bear in mind the style and size and your chosen colour palette and make an informed decision from this point.
What are the common problems designers and homeowners face?
Space is always a tricky issue. Older properties often feature awkward or restricted spaces while on the other end of the spectrum, modern homes can have vast amounts of empty wall space which can often seem difficult to fill. Think about where you wish to locate your radiator – as a focal point in the centre, multiple models dotted around the room or perhaps a slim-line model to fill an otherwise wasted corner space.
How can homeowners integrate their heating into their decor scheme?
Start by choosing a radiator design that will complement your overall interior style and room features. The colour and finish can play an important part in this and really help to tie your heating into the decor. For example, a bare metal finish can look fantastic in industrial spaces, whilst radiators in textured finishes can add a lovely tactile note to more traditional styles.
What are the latest design trends?
Geometric shapes are increasingly becoming popular with clean straight lines, offset by soft curves and edges. Energy efficiency continues to be an important topic thanks to the increasing popularity of Apps such as Hive and Nest. There are a number of radiators and decorative panel radiators available on the market that homeowners can look to for inspiration that incorporate energy efficient technology.
What do you predict for designer heating in the future?
Bisque has already expanded into bespoke colour options, interesting shapes and innovative technologies – we predict the next step will be materials, such as products produced from recycled aluminium and textured quartz finish designs. We can expect to see the development of new materials and exciting textured finishes continue to grow.