DESIGNER RADIATOR

Column or tower radiators

Column radiators, sometimes called tower radiators, were probably the first widely recognised designer radiator style to appear on the mass consumer market and they emerged for two reasons.

Firstly, a narrow but tall radiator has great flexibility when it comes to positioning and fitting in restricted spaces like bathrooms. This makes column radiators an obvious and functional luxury bathroom feature and one that could double up as a heated towel rail.

Secondly, when these tall and narrow radiators first started to appear they received great interest and positive customer feedback. From that point onwards they have become a best seller and they solve the bathroom radiator challenge in a stylish and energy efficient way.

Styles of column radiator

Although the basic design feature of a column radiator is that it be tall and narrow, there are many different variations on this theme and this makes the column radiator the most popular radiator in the designer category.

Column radiators may also be described as tower radiators.

Column radiator towel rail designs

Column radiators for bathrooms frequently have a heated towel rail function incorporated into their design. With most radiators of this type the towel hanging function simply utilises the horizontal tubular design of the radiator.

If the radiator's design "waves" out from the wall, then this will allow two or possibly three towels to hang down without being in contact with one another – an obvious drying advantage.

Some column radiators may have a separate towel rail that projects out from the front of the radiator. This rail may be heated, or it may rely on the convection heat from the radiator.

Wave design column radiators

The wave style of radiator lends itself to tall radiators like the column radiator. The wave can be a simple arc or a figure "S" profile and the wave may undulate out from the wall or be profiled along the vertical sides of the radiator.

The wave and column designs are popular and stylish.

Construction and finish

Column radiators can be formed from a tubular construction, or they can have a smooth flat panel front surface.

The tubular designs are very popular and they usually come in stainless steel, white and brushed metal finishes. Some of the tubular column tower radiators are three dimensional in appearance and use the tubular design to great visual effect with tubular projections or coils.

The flat panel finish column radiators offer a very different aesthetic to the tubular ones.

In their simplest form they can be very minimalist, but equally they can be attention grabbing with finished in brushed metal or matt black.

At the top of the flat panel range, smooth panel finish column radiators can have a glass or mirrored finish and may even have their own illumination features for additional effect. Naturally, radiators in this category do command a high price.