Zambezi Home & House

July 23, 2010

Get Steamy in your Bathroom

Filed under: Bathroom — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 12:00 am

Bathroom Steam cabins offer a healthy alternative to a shower, and give you a spa-like experience that is second to none. They are a truly indulgent addition to any bathroom, and will give you hours of relaxing pleasure.

A steam cabin can create all of these healing properties you would get from a commercial steam room, but from the comfort of your own home. They offer the conventional properties you would expect from a shower enclosure, and can be used without the steam effect. They are a pleasure to use, with hydrotherapy and massage from the multiple jets, allowing you to unwind from the stresses of everyday work and life. Some cabins also offer added features to make the experience even more enjoyable, such as LED lights, radio, USB connector for MP3 players, venting fans and a LCD touch screen control panel.

Steam has many detoxifying and relaxing properties; skin begins to sweat at 37°C, and as your temperature increases, the body counteracts this change by producing sweat, as a cooling mechanism. This perspiration also allows the removal of toxins, such as heavy metals, alcohol, nicotine and cholesterol, which improves the general condition of your skin. When the temperature exceeds 43°C fat also becomes water soluble, enabling it to be released through sweat, therefore aiding weight loss.

Steam also has links with improved circulation. In order for the body to create sweat, the heart must work faster to boost circulation. The heart is a muscle, and like any, with increased exercise it will strengthen, thus improving your cardiovascular system, without having a detrimental effect on blood pressure levels. The pressure is unaffected as the heat from the steam allows capillaries in the blood to open, increasing their surface area and therefore allowing increased blood flow through them.

Steam bathing is also effective as a means of aiding respiratory problems, such as colds, asthma, bronchitis and other allergies. Steam penetrates the respiratory membranes and moistens them, relieving irritation. The heat and moisture loosens secretions and stimulates the throat to discharge mucous, thus cleaning out the respiratory system. It is the combination of water and heat that are beneficial over, say a conventional sauna.

Steam also helps us to relax both physically and mentally, relieving symptoms of stress and muscle pain, by creating a calming environment and somewhere that you can really enjoy personal indulgence, so treat yourself today with a steam cabin. There are a wide variety of steam cabins available on the market, with one to suit any style or decor of bathroom, and their appearance is similar to that of a shower enclosure, ensuring they will complement the look of your bathroom. So treat yourself today and invest in a steam cabin and wind the hours away in pure relaxation.

July 20, 2010

Choosing a Towel Warmer for your Bathroom

Filed under: Bathroom — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 3:46 am

Heated towel rails are the modern equivalent of creating a focal point in a bathroom. They are both practical and stylish, offering a place to store and warm your towels, as well as creating a design feature for your bathroom. Designs derive from sleek polished chrome with sweeping curves, sharp geometric lines or three dimensional models and blend together creativity with exceptional design.

Towel warmers, or radiators, are available in a variety of styles to suit your bathroom styling. Gone are the days where a towel warmer is a standard, boring necessity in your bathroom, and here are a range of modish radiators which will add an element of class to your bathroom. Due to the increased surface area a heated towel rail creates over a conventional radiator, they are also more efficient and environmentally friendly.

Hudson Reed are the leading manufacturer of brassware and have a huge range of high quality items, ensuring that your bathroom products are a real investment for the future and built to last. Plus, there is no reason why if you move house you cannot take your beautiful towel warmers with you, to form a chic addition to your new bathroom. Their broad selection of contemporary heated towel rails unites style and striking modern designs to complement your individual flare and make a unique statement about your bathroom d?r.

The selection of designer towel warmers from Hudson Reed are the epitome of modern elegance. They have innovative styling that creates a statement in its own right, whilst retaining efficiency and functionality. Their designer towel rails come in a variety of sizes and shapes to suit every taste and preference, and will turn your bathroom in to a luxuriously warm environment. Models include tube on tube, circular, grid and flat construction. To fit your designer Hudson Reed towel rail, their minimalist radiator valves offer a discreet solution and are supplied in pairs.

At the other end of the scale, Hudson Reed Traditional Towel Warmers are full of the ambience of yesteryear. Their fabrication will highlight and be sympathetic to other traditional features in your bathroom, creating a habitual haven with undertones of contemporary features. Most towel warmers in their range are available in either chrome or gold, allowing you to match them to other brassware in your bathroom. To fit your traditionally-styled radiator, Hudson Reed have traditional radiator valves, supplied in pairs to tie in with the design elements of the heated rail.

Bathroom radiators’ power is measured in BTU. BTU is the standard means of measuring output powers in a heated towel rail, and stands for British Thermal Units. Radiators are also shown in watts, the conversion of one to another equates to 1 BTU measuring 3.412 watts. For more information on the best BTU for your bathroom, consider the size of the room to heat, a smaller room will require a smaller BTU, or consult your plumber for advice.

When updating the heated towel rail in your bathroom, it is important to replace the valves also, and ensure that they match the design, colour and fitting of your new radiator. Valves, like taps, are available with different designs of handles, which can be chosen to mimic the design of your taps and shower handles. They are also available in either a straight or angled fitting, which will dependant on the style of radiator that you choose. Also, radiator valves are available in wither a traditional on/off mechanism, or a thermostatic one, which allows you to choose the level of heat emitting from them, and can be altered in accordance with your central heating system and seasonal changes.

Heated towel rails can also create a means of securing other radiators in your house from thermostatic inefficiencies and costly surges. If you choose a radiator without a thermostatic valve, if the heating system malfunctions, this can create a means of venting any excess heat created by your boiler, thus preventing other radiators in your house from malfunctioning and generating expensive bills.

A towel warmer or radiator should always be ideally fitted on the coldest wall of your bathroom, often the one with the window on. This will depend on other existing fixtures in your bathroom, but a window or external wall is optimum. By fitting to the coldest wall you will increase the efficiency of the radiator, as heat will emanate equally throughout the room.

When you have chosen your beautiful addition to your bathroom with a new towel warmer, you will desire for it to retain its original appearance. To care for the outer surface of your new radiator, never use any corrosive or hazardous products, such as aerosols on the surface or in close proximity of the radiator. The radiator should only be cleaned with warm soapy water and a soft, non-abrasive cloth. This will ensure the longevity of your bathroom radiator.

July 9, 2010

Bathroom Ensuite Design

Filed under: Bathroom — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 12:02 am



A single bathroom just isn’t enough for many families in today’s households. Gone are the days of our grandparents using the outside loo and sharing their bath times. No longer do larger families have to put up with arguments over the one bathroom. Ensuites are great investments that don’t necessarily need an extension although it may encroach on valuable living space. Designing an ensuite to add into a bedroom may result in less room but the rewards are far greater.

Creating an ensuite doesn’t need to be a stressful project as long as the planning is correct right from the early stages. If adding an ensuite onto an existing bedroom make sure the two rooms are coherent to make it work successfully. An ensuite isn’t meant to be as large as the main bathroom so think of products that will fit nicely into a compact space. Many ensuites tend to be a square design as they are usually built into a corner of an existing room. If you want a bath as well in the ensuite consider the dimensions of the bath carefully as a standard 1700mm x 700mm may be too big. Smaller baths are available on the market so shop around, don’t just squeeze any bath in and spoil the design. Bathroom Manufacturers are now creating smaller sizes in every product in order to make them work in compact bathrooms. Water pressure may be another point to consider as your ensuite may be higher than the hot water tank in your home. If this is the case then it may mean moving the existing tank or installing a pump system. If you are not sure about the plumbing of your new ensuite consult a professional. As with any bathroom ventilation is important but more so when installing an ensuite. This is because the ensuites are usually built against internal walls rather than external, so a duct must be installed. Newly built houses commonly have an ensuite leading from the bedroom or alternative room. If you have an existing property and wish to add an ensuite, the possibilities are there if you have enough space and imagination. At the very early stages consult a professional who will be able to advice you of plumbing issues that may need to be considered. Start as you mean to go on so plan and consider every eventuality, this way it will be a smooth process for everyone.

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