Most of us need central heating to keep our homes warm. It’s amazing that you can sit inside a warm and cozy room nursing a hot chocolate while looking out through the window to see ice, rain, and snow. Unfortunately, some radiators are pretty ugly, and although we love what they do, we’d rather not look at them! There are a few things you can try to make your heating system more aesthetically pleasing.
Moulded Radiator Cover
A molded radiator cover is a covering, usually wooden, for your radiator that has been built to help your radiator blend into the room that it is situated in without completely covering it and losing heat.
It is possible to buy radiator covers, but you could save yourself some money and end up with a covering that is perfect for your room if you build one yourself. All you’ll need is some MDF, paint, and tools, and you’ll have that ugly old radiator covered in no time!
Hide It In A Window Seat
If your unsightly radiator is sitting beneath a window, you could build yourself a window seat over it. This has the advantage of not only covering up your unsightly radiator but will provide you with a comfortable reading nook that is toasty and warm all year round. As with the radiator cover, ensure that you leave vents in the window seat for the heat to escape out from. Otherwise, you will be wasting energy.
You should also ensure that you allow a way to access your radiator in case of a plumbing issue or some other need to access the radiator, perhaps by going with a design that can be deconstructed as needed.
Column Radiators
Rather than hiding your radiators away and losing some of the heat, you could treat yourself to a stylish new column radiator like those offered by Warmrooms. A column radiator looks great in either a contemporary or a traditional home, and they can be placed either horizontally or vertically so you can fit them in wherever is best for you. They also have a larger surface area than traditional panel radiators, so you will get more heat out of them.
Strategic Shelf
A shelf placed over the top of the radiator can be populated with gorgeous objects designed to distract attention from the less gorgeous radiator below. It also has the benefit of being a much easier job to install than building a cover, and of not blocking any of the heat. Just make sure not to put any plants on it!
Camouflage
A great way to hide a radiator is to simply camouflage it by painting it to match the wall that it is installed on. To paint your radiator, you will need to:
- Turn off the radiator; the paint won’t take if it’s warm.
- Ensure that the radiator is clean and free from dust.
- Use a mild detergent to get rid of any grease from the radiator, and a wire brush to get rid of any flaking paint or rust as your new coat of paint won’t stick to these.
- Choose a paint that is suitable for use on metal, and that can withstand high temperatures.
- When painting the radiator, be sure not to paint the valves, as this may cause them to stick and not work properly.
