Bathrooms: The Heat Is On

Take the chill off winter mornings by upping the warmth factor in your bathroom

- Karen Spresser

Getting out of bed on a wintry morning can be tough. One way to ease the discomfort is to make sure your home is warm – and that includes the bathroom. There are things you can put in place from the get go, and elements you can add to an existing bathroom, to layer comfort and cosiness into what can be the chilliest room in the house. Here are a few ideas to turn up the heat for every bathroom, budget and household.

let there be light NATURAL LIGHT WILL ALMOST ALWAYS MAKE A SPACE FEEL BRIGHTER AND MORE WARM. “CAPTURE SOME DIRECT LIGHT TO MAKE IT AN INVITING SPACE,” SAYS INTERIOR DESIGNER SUZANNE GORMAN FROM STUDIO GORMAN. “IF YOU CAN’T HAVE A WINDOW, THEN OFTEN A SKYLIGHT CAN CREATE THE SAME EFFECT, BRINGING A BEAUTIFUL SHAFT OF LIGHT – AND SUN – INTO THE ROOM.” MAKE USE OF LARGE WALL MIRRORS TO MAXIMISE YOUR SUNSHINE.

THE DOWN LOW If you’re designing a new bathroom or undertaking a renovation, heating under the floor should be on the radar. It not only warms the floor, it also helps keep the bathroom dry and free of damp. Options include both hydronic heating (this relies on pipes in the concrete slab or screed to carry heated water) and electric heating, which is easier and more cost-effective to install.

rail way HEATED TOWEL RAILS COME IN VARIOUS FORMS AND SIZES, FROM FLOOR-TO-CEILING LADDER STYLES TO SINGLE RAILS AND TOWEL TUBES YOU CAN INSTALL VERTICALLY OR HORIZONTALLY. YOU CAN ALSO FIND HEATED RAIL HOOKS FOR ROBES OR TOWELS. LUCY BUGDEN, INTERIOR DESIGNER WITH ALEXANDRA KIDD DESIGN, SAYS, “HEATED RAILS ALSO HELP ELIMINATE DAMP. AND TOWEL TUBES ARE STARTING TO REPLACE THE TRADITIONAL TOWEL RAILS OR LADDER.” THESE COME INDIVIDUALLY, OR IN SETS OF THREE, IN A RANGE OF FINISHES TO MATCH YOUR SPACE.