Beautiful radiators | how to choose the right ones?

In partnership with MHS radiators 

In the past I have done everything to try and hide unsightly radiators. But functional can be beautiful too. Investing in gorgeous radiators for the home can really transform a room and become a feature in itself. Read my guide to choosing the right radiators for your home and I’m sharing the ones we chose for ours.

The best radiators for your home

Choosing the right radiators for your home can make all the difference. When designing a room consider the best radiator for each space. Design and style is important but there are some other major factors too. Making sure you have the right heat output for the space is vital to keeping your home cosy and energy bills low. 

What’s the best place?

Knowing where to place your radiator is key to making your home efficiently heated. Plan where your radiators will go before thinking about furnishing a room.  

Traditionally radiators have always been placed under windows or on an external wall. However, with increasing standards of energy efficiency there is more flexibility now. And, if you have an old property, it could be inefficient to place a radiator under a window if it is draughty. 

Getting the right sized radiator

Radiators have different heat outputs. Your first step to choosing the right radiator is to find a Gas Safe Register plumber or heating engineer to calculate the BTU (British Thermal Unit) energy requirement of each space. You can use this online calculator to help give you an indication of the heat output and therefore size of radiator that you’ll need. As a general rule, the larger the size of radiator, the greater the heat output.

There are a few things that will help you estimate this:

• The dimensions of the room
• The size of any windows
• How many external walls there are

Different styles

There are so many different styles of radiators these days, here are a few to consider:

• Column radiators – they offer a modern take on cast iron styles
• Designer options – these can add a contemporary feel to a room, whilst providing space-saving solutions
• Vertical radiators – great for space-saving too, whilst also looking like a welcome addition to your décor
• Towel rails – very useful in the bathroom, keeping the room snug and your towels warm and dry
• Cast iron radiators – made popular in Victorian times and hold onto heat really well. They are amazing in both period and contemporary homes

Our radiators

We have underfloor heating in most parts of our home apart from the bedrooms. I really wanted make a feature out of the radiators we chose for those rooms. So, I was very excited when MHS Radiators got in touch and asked if I wanted to work with them, as I had already seen their amazing cast iron radiator range. 

We chose our beautiful cast iron radiators from the Ionic range, in the Old Penny finish. The Ionic cast iron radiators are a contemporary take on a classic design. Their purposeful stance makes them the centerpiece to any room, while a wide choice of finishes highlights their subtle details. Everything about these radiators is delightful. 

For all of our bathrooms we chose some lovely towel rails from MHS Radiators. These were in addition to our underfloor heating. The Nina towel rail comes in many gorgeous colours and special finish options too. 

MHS Radiators was founded in 1980 and remains a family-owned and operated company to this day. It has been a respected and trusted company for three generations.

It’s time to get excited by radiators. Choose some lovely and efficient styles for your home too!