The Rise of Designer Radiators

Throughout the last decade or so, radiators have been replaced with underfloor heating, which seems to be the preferred heating system in these eco-sensitive times. For the pedants reading this, underfloor heating is technically a radiator, it's just laid under the floor rather than sitting upright at the side of a room. My problem with underfloor heating it it doesn't have a focal point like a radiator or a coal fire does, and being a bit of a traditionalist, I like to 'see' where the heat is coming from.

Now the radiators I grew up with left a lot to be desired as far as aesthetics were concerned. They were positively bland in comparison to the huge sculptural cast iron radiators my school and church hall had. In recent years however, product designers have been taking a fresh look at radiators and have come up with some truly innovative designs. Designer radiators possibly have their roots in the heated towel rails which are popular in modern bathrooms. These tall and slender heating elements introduced a new design aesthetic which quickly grew in popularity, with comparable designs reaching out into other rooms within the home.

Many designer radiators have now taken on a sculptural quality which is a million miles away from the traditional radiators of the Victorian era. With designs based on spirals, jigsaw pieces, brass instruments and even pan pipes, it seems the only limitation is the designer's imagination. Some of the designs of modern radiators are so forward thinking that one would scarcely believe that they are in fact a heating element.

No longer is the radiator a bland item which takes up a wall of a room. Designer radiators have become a focal point, an item around which one builds the rest of the furnishings, an item to be celebrated and adored. Although some of the ultra-modern designs may not be your cup of tea, so to speak, there is a large variety available which put a modern twist on the traditional radiators, with subtle twists and curves only the observant eye would notice. This to me is the essence of contemporary design. Something which embraces the old yet hints at the new. Functional yet beautiful without shouting 'look at me'.  Whatever your preferred taste or style, there's something for everyone when it comes to modern radiators. And being powered by either hot water or electricity, you are not limited by the type of central heating system you have in your home.