Coloured Glass Splashbacks & Vanity Worktops

Further to my posting last week regarding glass splashbacks for a shower enclosure in Newcastle, we have received a number of enquiries requesting further information. So, I thought it would be good idea to provide a brief explanation of the glass we fabricate for coloured glass splashbacks and glass vanity worktops.

For glass in the bathroom we use Opti-White clear glass which is available in 6mm, 8mm, 10mm & 15mm thickness. It has low iron content and is crystal clear - unlike standard glass which has high iron content, thus the green tint throughout. When using colour, Opti-White will give you a near perfect colour match. It is also toughened to meet all British Safety Standards and all edges are polished.

As for thickness, for glass vanity worktops we advise using 15mm thick glass; for glass splashbacks we advise using 6mm thick glass.

Colouring
Glass receives up to four coats with resin based paint, on the underside, to match a colour of your choice. We have our own colour palette which is derived from the British RAL colour chart. We can also work with most of the DULUX range of colours.

Fixing
For fixing glass to walls/surfaces we recommend using a clear low modular silicone, which can be purchased from Bathing Bliss Bathrooms or any high street DIY store. Always make sure all surfaces are straight/plumb and clean and clear of any surface grit or dirt. Also check that the surface has no fluids/agents/cleaning creams which will react with the silicone. Alternatively, we can drill holes into the corners of the glass for fixing with mirror screws.

Alternatively, you can use our full site survey/template, delivery and installation service.

For further information please contact Bathing Bliss Bathrooms on 0845 838 7571 or view our website http://www.bathingblissbathrooms.co.uk/

Walk In Square Shower Enclosures

The modern bathroom is changing. Baths are being replaced by shower enclosures. And, as the shower enclosure revolution continues to gather pace, we thought this would be an appropriate opportunity to introduce the new WALK IN SQUARE range of enclosures.

The Walk In Square is an exciting, minimalist and modular offer. The design is stylish and very contemporary and carries an award by the International Forum (IF) for innovative product design. They’re also very flexible as well, as you can create your own size and shape of enclosure for a corner, recess or linear wall solution.

Each is manufactured to a high specification using 6mm toughened safety glass and finished in chrome. They also come with a lifetime guarantee for further piece of mind.

Glass splashbacks for the bathroom

This is a project we have just completed in Newcastle. The customer requested coloured glass splashbacks for his shower enclosure as well as small inlay tiles (right hand side wall) to finish off.

Large coloured glass splashbacks are a modern, hygienic alternative to tiling and are fast becoming an increasingly popular choice in todays' contemporary bathroom design.

OK, I'm going to say this, but the finished job looks fantastic - the glass with its reflective crisp, clean appearance has opened up the shower area and accentuates the clean lines throughout. Plus, theres no constant cleaning - scraping muck out of dirty off-white grout that you get with ceramic tiles...

The customer was also a jolly nice chap and good to work with!

If you require any further information about our coloured glass splashbacks view the following pages on our website http://www.bathingblissbathrooms.co.uk/glass-splashbacks.php or if you want to talk your ideas through with us, give us a call on 0845 838 7571.

Incidentally, if you're looking for glass splashbacks in your kitchen, give our sister company a call - Kitchen Calm - 0845 045 0336.

Bathroom Planning 3: Budget, budget and budget!

Unless you're incredibly wealthy and money is no issue, the next stage needs careful consideration and meticulous scrutiny or else you may turn what could be an enjoyable and liberating experience into a miserable and costly nightmare.

Now that you have your ideas sourced and collated, its time to consider the financial aspect of bathroom design and make a detailed list covering each stage of the project. Breakdown each area as follows:

• Preparation for walls, floors, ceiling, which may include external assistance from Plumbers, Plasters, Electricians and Builders;
• Decorative Materials – paint, wall and floor tiles, glass splashbacks, fabrics, etc
• Fixtures and fittings – sinks/basins, baths, taps and mixers taps, showers etc
• Furniture and storage
• Lighting
• Accessories and finishing touches
• And remember to include budget/final estimated costs for trade’s people such as your plumbers, electricians and builders.

Always allow for a contingency of 15-25% in your overall budget so you’re adequately prepared for any nasty shocks.

Once you have prepared your budget, next comes one of the most fulfilling aspects of bathroom design part – spending it! And there’s no better place than the internet.

You may wish to purchase you bathroom and accessories from one site or alternatively shop around. Always be wary of cheap, unbelievable offers and deals – often these bathroom suites or accessories are ‘cheap’ and poorly manufactured. For further piece of mind, make sure they come with a guarantee or warranty.

Finally, always ask for the very best possible price – you’ll be surprised what levels of discounts retailers can and will offer in return for your business!

www.bathingblissbathrooms.co.uk

Frameless Shower Screens - a fond farewell to the shower curtain!

The modern bathroom has become a much more streamlined environment with fancy flower-patterned tiles, ornate sinks and gold taps being replaced by crisp white porcelain tiles or coloured glass splashbacks, freestanding ceramic basins mounted onto natural timber vanity worktops complemented by chrome brassware. And with the emergence of the luxury bath / walk in shower / wet room, its fair to say that the humble shower curtain has finally bit the dust!

Frameless glass shower screens are essential items for the modern bathroom. Manufactured from 6mm, 8mm or 10mm thick toughened safety glass, frameless glass shower screens provide a contemporary alternative to the redundant shower curtain with the added benefit of enlarging and transforming even the smallest bathroom space.

The word "frameless" is used to describe the overall visual appearance of the shower screen. However, this does not mean that no "frames" are used. For fixing and rigidity, all fixed frameless glass shower screens are fixed in place using glazing channel – a narrow ‘U’ shaped polished aluminium channel which the glass sits into usually within a bed of clear silicone. This holds the glass securely and produces an effective water retaining seal between the glass and finished surface.

For larger glass shower screens you will also need to attach a stabiliser bar which usually clips on to the front of the screen and is fixed to the rear or side walls for extra stability and strength.

There are numerous options available when considering frameless glass shower screens. Frameless shower enclosures can be made up of hinging glass doors, glass panels that run inline with doors (In-line panels) and glass panels that are fitted at 90 or 135 degrees to the door or inline panel and return to the wall (Return panels). All hinged glass doors have polished edges anbd are visibly frameless with no framework. In most cases the edges have a translucent plastic water seal attached.

Bathing Bliss Bathrooms provides a standard 'off-the-shelf' range of frameless shower screens as well as a bespoke, made-to-measure service including full site survey/template, delivery and installation. For further information please click on the following link http://www.bathingblissbathrooms.co.uk/shower-screens.php or contact Bathing Bliss on 0845 838 7571.

We couldn't resist this

Bathroom taps are bathroom taps - right? Wrong... Now for something completely different! These bathrooms taps are called 'Flow' and are manufactured in Italy. The unique Flow range of designer bathroom taps and mixer taps will compliment only the most contemporary designer bathrooms. And for further piece of mind...all Flow taps and mixer taps are guaranteed for 5 years against casting and porosity faults, with working parts guaranteed for 2 years.

To view the range, visit our website http://www.bathingblissbathrooms.co.uk/taps.php and enjoy!

Bathroom Planning 2: Where do I get my ideas from?

Bathroom design ideas can be sourced from a wide range of areas. Start by browsing the latest interior magazines - supermarket shelves are full of home improvement titles or visit your local library or book shop for bathroom design journals and publications.

Visit your local bathroom/home improvement stores on the high street. Depending on where you live, there is sure to be a major DIY/Home Improvement supermarket as well as more niche specialist independent retailers. Pick up literature and make notes while in store, speak to the staff to gain knowledge on what the current trends are in bathroom design.

And of course, use the internet. There are currently over 1.6 million results under the search term ‘bathroom design’ on Google alone.

Consider themes such as classical with ornate fixtures and fittings including sumptuous freestanding baths and traditional brassware; or something more modern and contemporary with coloured glass splashbacks, a glass vanity worktop and mirrors complemented by designer chrome taps with ceramic freestanding basins.

You may want to keep a scrapbook of cuttings sourced in magazines and books or book mark various websites and store in your web browser ‘Favourites’.

If you are feeling really creative why not prepare a mood board – include photographs/images, fabrics, paint swatches, tiles and any notes or artefacts which will provide a working ‘picture’ of the look and feel you want to achieve.

Once you have sourced information you can begin to formulate your ideas and prepare your budget.

Frameless Shower Door - truly...

At Bathing Bliss Bathrooms, we get enthusiastic about products which look and feel good, combining modern design and contemporary styling with overall functionality.

With this in mind, you can image our excitement when we got a look at the new Noblesse frameless shower door. A truly frameless shower door manufactured to a high specification using 6mm thick (8mm thick inline panel) toughened glass, chrome handles and hinges for fixing (no heavy chrome glazing channel spoiling the look). Lifetime Guarantee also included.

If you're looking to create a minimalist shower area in your bathroom, ensuite or wet room, I would strongly recommend the Noblesse Frameless Shower Door.

For further information and prices, please view http://www.bathingblissbathrooms.co.uk/shower-doors.php

Towel warmer, bathroom radiator or designer room radiator?

That's the choice for today's discerning consumer. Without a doubt, chrome ladder radiators are still the number one choice in bathroom heating and are available at rock bottom prices. This style of radiator has seen prices tumble from the once chrome on brass offer to the easily imported chrome plate on steel.

One statistic true for all chrome radiators is, however, that they generally output 25% less heat than its counterpart – which sadly, consumers are blissfully unaware of this fact. Little wonder, not many manufacturers like to point this out. ‘More expense than white, but less heat output?' OK, so do we then buy for the 'look' rather than heat output and efficiency?

With this in mind, we believe that we have found the ideal mix of design, heat output and efficiency with the new range of designer room radiators from HSK.

As you would expect from high quality German engineering, HSK have combined all the perceived benefits in a designer room radiator, yes a 'room' radiator, equally at home in the bathroom, a dressing room, a landing and even a kitchen.

For example, the RAY (see image) is a slimline designer radiator offering a good heat source as well as a smart steam free mirror for your bathroom environment. The RAY can be used in other areas of the house, such as a dressing room, landing or hallway.

'Open your mind' is the message from the manufacturer, HSK. They have taken their designs to mid/upper market where consumers can have concept, design and quality – all at the right price.

For further information and prices, please view: http://www.bathingblissbathrooms.co.uk/radiators-towel-warmers.php

Special thanks to Colin Richardson, HSK

Bathroom Planning 1 - Where do you start?

What was once a purely functional space, the bathroom has now become a place to relax, unwind and gather your thoughts and to some, the ultimate sanctuary.

With the correct mix of design and planning, negotiating with space, implementing and managing a budget as well as a good sprinkling of creativity, you will be able to create the oasis of peace and relaxation that you have been longing for.

So where do you start?

Firstly consider for what purpose the room will be used for i.e. is it a family bathroom and must therefore cater for all members of the household ranging from young to the more mature; or an Ensuite bathroom which can be more personal and stylised for those who share their bedroom with it.

This will enable you to determine what style, look and feel your bathroom will take.

Then, like all successful DIY projects you need to plan. Start by making a scale floor plan on a piece of squared/graph paper. This will provide a realistic view of the amount of space you have to work with. As most bathrooms tend to be designed around the main fixtures such as the bath, sink, toilet and shower, plot these key elements onto your plan first.

Clearly mark on the plan where the plumbing and electrical points are located. You may wish to consult a registered and experienced, plumber and electrician regarding these issues.

Once you have the basics clearly mapped out then you can begin to formulate your ideas.

At last, our blog is finally launched!

We've been planning it and talking about for months... and finally we're here! So if you're thinking about or planning your next bathroom design - keep an eye on our blog. We'll update a soon as we have news/info. In the meantime please browse our new website www.bathingblissbathrooms.co.uk which has a wide range of contemporary bathroom accessories from coloured glass splashbacks, vanity worktops and frameless shower enclosures through to italian designed taps, mixer taps and ceramic basins.