Cloakroom-Suites.co.uk

Archive for December, 2009

Cloakrooms are one of those home improvements that, once you have one, you can’t imagine how you managed to live without it. The UK building industry have finally realised the usefulness of a downstairs loo, which is essential what a cloakroom is, and all new builds must now have one. However, whether you’re designing and fitting a cloakroom from scratch or renovating an existing one, the sheer choice of cloakroom suites on the market can be somewhat confusing.

How can it be so confusing, you ask, when all you’re really looking for is a washbasin and toilet?  You just wait and see!  Also, don’t forget that, if you have enough space, you can add to the value of your property by installing a shower and some storage facilities to the cloakroom too.

Before you think about extras, however, let’s get down to brass tacks and think about the basics.

The basics are, of course, budget and dimensions.  You can find cloakroom suites for rooms of almost any dimension but it won’t harm to abide by that old rule to ‘measure twice and cut once.’  When it comes to budget, don’t forget the cost of installation; if you can fit the cloakroom suite yourself, then you’ll just have that much more money to play with when it comes to choosing the suite itself.

Style is such a personal thing but the truth of the matter is that your choices really boil down to traditional or contemporary.  Whichever side of the traditionalist fence you fall, there will be something out there to suit.

Traditionally styled cloakroom suites generally are rounded in shape or have curved edges.  There’s nothing ’shocking’ – all is as it should be, with pedestal mounts and classic good looks.

Contemporary, modern styled cloakroom suites can be something of an eye-opener, and they can also be particularly useful where space is limited, which is probably why they sell so well. Toilets and hand basins forgo the pedestal and are hung from the wall, placed on existing surfaces, or on suitable pieces of furniture.  Taps are either lever style or also wall mounted.  Shapes tend towards the angular, although there are some beautiful cloakroom suites available that combine curves with minimalism to great effect.

Whatever your style choice, be it contemporary or strictly classical, the major point to remember is that the room you are styling must, above all, be functional.  This is the time to strive for that most elusive of blends – the combination of form with function.

Whether you are installing a new cloakroom into your house, or simply replacing an old, worn out cloakroom suite, the sheer choice of sanitary ware available out there can make choosing a new cloakroom suite a confusing project.  Hopefully, the following points will help you in that choice.

How can it be so confusing, you ask, when all you’re really looking for is a washbasin and toilet?  You just wait and see!  Also, don’t forget that, if you have enough space, you can add to the value of your property by installing a shower and some storage facilities to the cloakroom too.

Let’s get back to the basics, though, and think in terms of the essentials first.

There are two major considerations that cannot be overlooked – the budget you have available and the space you have to fill.  And don’t forget to factor in installation!  If you have a fair command of DIY techniques, it might be that you can install the new cloakroom suite, thereby saving money or increasing the cost of what you can afford in terms of sanitary fittings and decor.

When it comes to style it really is a case of each to their own – whether you are a traditionalist or a lover of sleek, contemporary looks you are bound to find a suite to suit.  Here’s a quick guide:

Traditionally styled cloakroom suites generally are rounded in shape or have curved edges.  There’s nothing ’shocking’ – all is as it should be, with pedestal mounts and classic good looks.

If, however, your personal style is more contemporary, you should be thinking more in terms of wall hung basins and toilets – with no old-fashioned pedestals.  Modern lines are angular and sleek; taps are wall-mounted or lever-operated and cisterns and toilet pans are seemingly unconnected!  Some washbasins are simply mounted on existing pieces of furniture.  The beauty of modernity is that it fits into smaller spaces, which is possibly why contemporary cloakroom suites are so popular.

Whatever your style-choice, choose the very best you can afford within your budget, always remembering that you are aiming for function as well as beauty.

If you are installing a new cloakroom, you will very quickly find yourself wondering how on earth you ever managed without it.  If you are renovating an existing cloakroom, you already know what a useful addition to your home this usually very tiny room can be. Whichever of these categories you fall within, however, you might well find that there is now so much choice out there that you don’t know where to start.  The purpose of this article is to give you a push in the right direction.

How can it be so confusing, you ask, when all you’re really looking for is a washbasin and toilet?  You just wait and see!  Also, don’t forget that, if you have enough space, you can add to the value of your property by installing a shower and some storage facilities to the cloakroom too.

But, we’re getting ahead of ourselves here!  We’ve already mentioned the astonishing choice of cloakroom furniture that abounds on the market, so perhaps your first priority is to find your way through the cloakroom suite maze.

There are two major considerations that cannot be overlooked – the budget you have available and the space you have to fill.  And don’t forget to factor in installation!  If you have a fair command of DIY techniques, it might be that you can install the new cloakroom suite, thereby saving money or increasing the cost of what you can afford in terms of sanitary fittings and dcor.

When it comes to style it really is a case of each to their own – whether you are a traditionalist or a lover of sleek, contemporary looks you are bound to find a suite to suit.  Here’s a quick guide:

Traditionally styled cloakroom suites generally are rounded in shape or have curved edges.  There’s nothing ’shocking’ – all is as it should be, with pedestal mounts and classic good looks.

Contemporary cloakroom suites throw that entire specification up into the air!  You will find rectangular basins (and indeed toilets) with flattened, angular edges.  The pedestal has been vanquished and basins and toilets are wall-hung; taps are operated by the use of levers or they are wall mounted and there seems to be no connection between the cistern and the lavatory bowl.  Contemporary suites are very popular, possibly because the minimalist lines look better in confined spaces.

Whatever your style-choice, choose the very best you can afford within your budget, always remembering that you are aiming for function as well as beauty.