Things are hotting up in bathrooms all over the country with new-look heaters, underfloor heating, lighting, heated towel rails and more
Words Carrol Baker
Let’s take the chill out of the air and inject some ambience to create a relaxing retreat in your bathroom. There are many ways you can spruce up the space so it’s warm and welcoming. Creating greenspaces in your bathroom by introducing plants doesn’t just help to purify the air, it creates a feeling of warmth and comfort. Some plants like peace lilies and ivy will thrive in moist bathroom environments.
Mirrors in a bathroom serve a practical function and can also add warmth. When positioned opposite a window, a mirror can bounce light around the room. Opt for larger mirrors where possible to invite in more light to create a cosy feel.
Recycled glass and natural materials like timber, stone and bamboo offer a sense of organic connection to the natural world. Add generous fluffy towels and a large bathmat you can sink your toes into when you step out of the shower.
The right colour scheme can also ramp up the warm and fuzzy feel in this typically cool space. Your bathroom does not have to be neutral – inject splashes of colour to add personality to the space. Soft tactile texture will also introduce warmth. Vanity handles and decor in natural fibres and materials can also add moments of luxury and softness.
Warm as toast
New-generation bathroom heating options are creating cleaner, greener environments and are tapping into smart technology and innovation to generate cosy spaces you’ll love.
Infrared heating in bathrooms has been a gamechanger. Mark Coory, managing director of Capisco, says infrared is perfect for bathrooms for a host of reasons. “Wet or dry, infrared feels like the sun is shining on you,” he says. “It’s radiant heat so instead of heating and moving air, which can feel cool on you if you’re wet, it passes through the air and heats objects and the room directly, including us.” As an added benefit, infrared helps to create a healthy environment in your bathroom. “Because it heats up the environment, it reduces condensation, damp and mould,” adds Mark.
An infrared heater can be positioned on a wall or the ceiling, depending on the model. Some wall-mounted bathroom heaters can have specific sections to warm your towels and heat the room. “This is a great function and they are available in black- or white-glass finishes,” says Mark. “At the premium end we also have the Krystal range designed for ceilings specifically, which boasts a smaller footprint but more heating power.”
Combination heat, lighting and exhaust fans are an efficient way to keep your bathroom warm and offer illumination where and when you need it, as well as remove damp. Malcolm Russell, general manager of marketing at IXL, says there are many advantages of using a three-in-one. It can be installed in a bathroom at the time of the build, or as part of an upgrade or renovation project. “Our Luminate products are a design-led, sleek solution that offers rapid heat via the infrared heat lamp, with the added advantage of an efficient and effective air extraction fan,” he explains. “The Luminate also features a dimmable warm/cool LED light to customise your bathroom lighting environment.”
Underfloor heating — a treat for your feet
If you’ve never considered underfloor heating, it could be time. It helps to keep you and your family snug on chilly mornings, and can also potentially save you money on other heating costs. There are two main types of underfloor heating systems: electric and hydronic. Electric underfloor heating is a great way to keep toasty warm, and it’s energy efficient and on demand, improving comfort.
Sandra Skelly from Comfort Heat says hydronic floor heating is usually utilised for medium-to-large floors and is a systemic floor heating option for a building. “The electric cable floor heating system utilises a number of products for smaller rooms, renovations and new buildings,” she explains.
“Bathrooms usually have a 20–40mm screed bed; the floor heating cable is installed over the waterproof membrane under the screed bed.” This means you’ll have even, comfortable heat, and as a bonus it can also aid in drying towels and shower spaces. Sandra adds that while underfloor heating is an economical heating system, it needs to be designed for the building and planned use of the room. “It also needs to be managed by a thermostat and floor sensor to prevent wasting energy,” she suggests.
Heated towel rails
Experience the ultimate in luxury and comfort with a heated towel rail. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of wrapping a warm towel around you as you step out of a cool shower. There are two popular types – ladders and vertical.
Josh Berry, national bathware manager at Winnings, says it’s important to install the rail at a height that is easily reachable for all users. Typically, the top of the rail should be about 120-150cm from the floor. A towel ladder can of course hold more towels than a vertical rail.
With a ladder rail, towels need to be folded to look tidy, unlike a vertical rail, so factor in these things when making your decision.
Space is another matter. “When considering a 1200mm space for two vertical heated towel rails, you are limited to only heating two towels,” he notes. “However, if you opt for an 840mm x 1500mm heated ladder, such as the Hydrotherm H4 800mm electric towel rail in brushed nickel, you can support more towels for both bath/shower and face.”
Josh adds that they’re noticing a trend in bathroom designs favouring vertical heated towel rails over traditional ladder styles. “Although ladder rails are available in various colours and designs to complement bathroom design and tapware, customers, particularly in ensuites, prefer a vertical rail,” he says. “This preference is due to their design and ease of hanging up towels.”
Josh says towel rails are typically installed with a timer and they recommend using a
Wi-Fi smart switch. “You can set them to turn on automatically in the morning to provide warm towels after your shower, and turn off after a set period to keep your towels dry,”
he explains. “By drying your towels quickly, a heated towel rail helps prevent the growth of mould, mildew and bacteria.”
Position the towel rail close to the shower or bath so you have easy access. Josh says heated towel rails should be installed away from water sources to comply with safety regulations. “Typically, it should be placed outside the ‘splash zone’ of the shower or bath,” he advises.
Let’s talk thermal
Keeping your home warm and welcoming begins with applying good design principles – starting with the building envelope. This is basically the components that make up the outside structure of your home – the roof, exterior walls, floor, windows and exterior doors. In the cooler months, the ideal building envelope is a “tight” one to keep the heat in and stop the cold from entering the home. The thermal mass of your dwelling also has an important part to play.
To keep your bathroom snug and warm, make the most of the thermal mass aspects of your abode. This could be the rendered or brick walls in your bathroom, or the cement slab under your tiles, for example. Fiona Dunin from FMD Architects says thermal mass can absorb heat during the day from direct sunlight and can then re-radiate this warmth back into the home throughout the night.
“Maximise the amount of direct sunlight in the bathroom so you can harness and store the solar gain,” she says. “Basically, you’re collecting heat from sunlight; it soaks into the tiles and slab acting like a heat bank, slowly radiating that heat back into the space.”
The way your home is insulated, and the glazing you choose, can also impact on warmth in the bathroom. Fiona says ensuring external walls are well insulated and that any windows are double-glazed will stop the heat leaking back out of the building. “Homes should always be insulated; in a lot of home renovations, people might think insulation in the bathroom isn’t particularly important, but it is to stop heat transfer,” she says.
Another way to add warmth to a bathroom is through skylights. Fiona says they allow you to bring in natural daylight if you don’t have access to good northern light. “With a skylight over a bath you can look at the moon or watch the colours of a beautiful sunset,” she says. “A skylight placed near a vanity allows you to get direct daylight, so when putting makeup on you aren’t relying on electric light.”
Winter warmers
Imagine the sheer luxury of a soak in the bathtub, with the crackle and warmth of a fireplace nearby. In the UK and parts of Europe, fireplaces often keep people warm and snug during the chilly winters when temperatures drop to well below zero. Sometimes you may even find them in bathrooms.
Here in Australia, you won’t often find a fireplace in a bathroom as our winters are mild compared to Europe and other parts of the world. But it’s a trend to watch for. Kerry White from Castworks says a fireplace in a bathroom is definitely uncommon. “Most consumers who would purchase one would look at the double-sided option, so one side of the fire is in the bedroom and the other side in the bathroom,” she says.
If you’re thinking a wood-burning fire, there are also limitations, adds Kerry. “These include clearances to combustible materials like plaster and wood, and hearths if it’s positioned on a timber or combustible floor.”
This article originally appeared in Luxury Kitchens & Bathrooms.
