North Leeds Plumbing & Heating – Home Improvement and DIY Advice

Archive for the ‘Baths’ Category

Like most bathroom components baths also come in a wide range of sizes and styles to suit any bathroom. Easily the most common are the straight baths that have the bath taps right at the end. The double-ended version usually has a single-bloc mixer placed in the middle on the long side. This can be beneficial for getting an even temperature for the water as well as allowing more room as you lie lengthways in the bath.

However, even though not everyone has the luxury of installing a full-size bath, there are still plenty of attractive styles that can be fitted into smaller bathrooms. A popular choice in this category is the corner baths that are widely available. Most of the different styles come with an ergonomic design that allows you to relax and unwind, while built-in overhead showers can also be combined.

Of course the most sought after and by far the most iconic of all bath designs is the stand-alone roll top style that is a common choice in traditional bathroom suites. Naturally if the main feature of your bathroom is going to be in the middle of the floor you are going to need a lot of space. But as much as this type of bath is more associated with older-style suites, there is still a wide range of modern options that will easily complement any contemporary design. The price for roll top baths will no doubt add a few pounds onto your budget, but it will be worth the cost for that extra touch of class.

For anyone who has decided to install their own authentic traditional bathroom suite, it will still be possible to install a shower cubicle without detracting from the style of your bathroom. Of course, shower enclosures are rarely seen in traditional bathrooms, especially in older Victorian and Edwardian-type designs. However, choosing a simple and tasteful shower cubicle will allow you to combine the best of both worlds.

Easily the most popular choice when it comes to shower enclosures for traditional bathrooms is a basic, square open-door design. White ceramic shower trays are also highly recommended for keeping in character with the rest of the bathroom furniture, while gold coloured or brass-plated showerheads also won’t spoil an older style.

The other option for showers in traditional bathrooms is to install a showerhead in your bath, and even if you have a roll top bath it will still be possible to install a shower. A popular choice for people faced with installing a shower in a free-standing bath is to fit a circular shower-curtain and rail, which can hang above the end of the bath.

Showerheads come in an array of traditional styles to suit your bathroom design. Among the most popular are the brass-plated options that have a wider, flatter head compared to the modern counterparts. Special risers, which can reach a length of over six feet, are used to hang the head and are easily the best way to fit a shower in your bathroom without taking away from the authentic feel.

The Imperial collection of roll top baths offer clean, simple lines and pure white porcelain for those hoping to achieve a clean sense of order in their bathrooms. The cool lines and surfaces of these tubs are inviting and they are extraordinarily elegant, allowing bathers to enjoy their bathrooms with all their senses.

The Derwent slipper has elegantly swooping lines that invite the bather into warm waters while the Coniston single-ended is more balanced from end to end. Each has elegant hoses and gleaming chrome fixtures, making them dead-ringers for the Victorian originals that inspired them.

Imperial’s line of acrylic baths are intended to be sunk into wood or tile panelling. The Westminster, Astoria Deco, and Consus baths have elegant oak wood panelling surrounding their outer edges while the Serene is wrapped in decadent obsidian-coloured acrylic. Like the Serene, the Windsor has black accents but also includes metallic panelling for a true Art Deco look and feel. The Oxford and Drift are plain white inside and out and differ only from the Indulgence in that the latter has a sweeping S-curve at the front and a small glass shower screen for showering.

Imperial’s whirlpool baths come in 8, 10, 16, and 20 jet models offering homeowners a range of relaxing and invigorating options. Self-draining and self-pumping, utilizing an electronic touch pad for control and level sensors for dry running protection, the Imperial whirlpool baths resemble wooden wainscoting common to the Imperial acrylic panelled baths.

Bathroom remodelers with limited space may be interested in corner baths. Smaller and more compact than other bath tubs, they take up significantly less space than traditional baths and fit in almost any bathroom space. And consumers need not sacrifice style for utility. Carron, Ideal Standard, and Vitra Optima all offer corner baths that are elegant as well as functional.

Ideal Standard’s Create offset corner bath comes in both left handed and right handed models and is designed with both space and comfort in mind. Ideal Standard also has a line of neatly folding bath screens and over bath screens made especially for the Create corner bath.

Vitra Optima’s Offset Acrylic corner bath comes complete with bath feet, but no tap holes. These are custom drilled as required to accommodate left or right handed taps. Vitra Optima also sells a curved offset bath panel that can be ordered separately from the tub. 

Carron has a much more diverse range of corner baths. Seven models in all, each differs slightly in terms of internal layout. All baths can be ordered left or right handed and come finished with the standard 5mm thickness or in Carronite. The later has a 30 year guarantee.

The Carron Agenda, Dove, and Omega have simple, gently sloping interiors. The Centennial, Monarch, Oriole and Tranquillity all have varying degrees of terraced interiors. Using these corner baths, the bather can choose his/her level of immersion and enjoy the utility of a bath seat while bathing.