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If your home’s interior is looking a bit dull and dreary, there are plenty of ways to give it a fresh new look such as a fresh coat of paint and new accessories, but I bet many of you don’t give much thought to the radiators, which often go overlooked. Fitting new designer radiators might not seem glamorous, but given that there are loads more designs, colours and styles to choose from these days, they really can provide a polished look to  any room.

Gone are the days when all you had to choose from was a plain white radiator in a variety of sizes, which was only going to replace a radiator that looked pretty much the same! Today, when shopping for a new radiator, you’ll be surprised at just how many designs are available that will enhance any décor – modern or traditional.

But, there’s more to radiators than meets the eye, so check out these top tips from BigBathroomShop.co.uk on how to choose the best one to suit your requirements.

What to consider before buying a radiator

Before buying new radiators, it’s important to work out the heat that’s required to warm your chosen room. The heat output from all radiators is measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units), and there’s plenty of BTU calculators available on the web that you can use to work out the required heat output.

You may find that one radiator produces enough heat to warm your room, or you may need more than one to deliver the required amount of BTUs. You can roughly work out how many BTUs are needed by multiplying the height, width and length of the room in feet, and then multiply this figure by 4.

Enhancing a modern interior

Designer radiators are ideal for enhancing any modern interior, and they come in a variety of colours such as black, anthracite and red, as well as matt and glossy finishes to match in with your décor. Offering more than just a heat source, a designer radiator can make a statement and transform the look of any room without too much effort.

Vertical designer radiators are popular with interior designers, as well as homeowners, and they are a great option for where there’s limited wall space. A vertical radiator heats a large area but without taking up too much wall space. Some even incorporate a full length mirror, which is ideal for hallways and bedrooms.

As well as colours and sizes, designer radiators come in a range of profiles. Flat panel radiators help to save space and create a sleek, contemporary look. There’s even radiators with tubular shaped and diamond shaped columns if you fancy something a bit different.

Enhancing a traditional interior

Contemporary not your thing? Then how about opting for a traditional column radiator? Perfect for adding vintage style to your home, a column radiator is made up of vertical tubes and are typically two, three or four columns deep. The more columns, the higher the heat output.

This style of radiator is available in a range of sizes, as well as vertical and horizontal designs. There’s also various finishes including white, black and anthracite. Column radiators can be fitted to the wall or mounted to the floor with specially designed feet and a bracket.

The best place to position your radiators

Ideally your new radiators should be positioned in the coldest part of the room – this is usually next to or underneath the window, or on an outside wall. Before fitting a radiator, it’s a good idea to check the condition of the wall, and repair any cracks.

Take the type of wall into consideration too, as it will need to be strong enough to support the weight of the radiator. A solid wall constructed from brick for example will support a heavy radiator. But if the wall is plasterboard, you will need to identify the location of the studs – these are the timber pieces that plasterboard is fitted to. The radiator should be fitted to the studs as this will be the strongest part of the wall.

If you are experienced at DIY you can fit your new designer radiator yourself, but if you lack the skills, it’s worth paying a professional to install it for you.

*this is a collaborative post

I admit it. I’m strange. And over the years I’ve embraced my strangeness and love for the weird and wonderful. This has also spilled over into the gifts that my nearest and dearest give me, like the sheep’s skull my boyfriend got me one year. It’s still a treasured possession.

So, if you’re a strange one like me and you don’t know how to tell your partner that chocolates and flowers don’t really get your heart racing, or if you’re in love with someone who is a little quirky and you have no idea what to get them, then this last minute Valentine’s Day gift guide for strange girls should help you out.

1. Tooth Necklace Etsy

Strange girls still like jewelry, but they’re not overly fussed about how many carats something has. This real human tooth necklace from Etsy seller BoneJewelery would make a perfect token of affection. It’s mounted onto an oval polymer backing to ensure the tooth doesn’t rot away.

2. Globe Ring by Dandelion Jewelry

Diamond rings do not impress strange girls. We still like our statement jewelry, but it has to be weird. This globe ring with real dandelion seeds is both glamorous and allegorical  – something to fuel your loved one’s imagination.

3. Beetle Scarf

Some people wear horse prints, others like insect prints. I know which camp I fall into. If your girlfriend doesn’t like anything cute and fluffy then this Beetle scarf from Not on the High Street will make a unique Valentine’s gift. Beetles actually use their mandibles to battle with other males for female affection so there would be some romantic intent with this gift.

4. Lolita Lempicka Midnight Couture Black Eau De Minuit Eau De Toilette

Perfume is always a staple gift for Valentine’s Day, but this Lolita Lempicka perfume smells gorgeous and the bottle is beautifully gothic in design. It’s perfect for those who collect unique perfume bottles.

5. T.U.K Anarchic Viva Mondo Velvet Punk Boot

The one and only gift on my list that features the colour red. As red is the official colour of luurve it wouldn’t be a Valentine’s Day gift guide without it!

So red might not be your girlfriend’s favourite colour, but these velvet boots from T.U.K are perfect for alternative girls – and being red they’ll symbolise some semblance of romance.  Shoes are still a girl’s best friend after all!

I’ve seen other bloggers write Instagram roundups and I love the idea. I might make this a regular thing if people like it.

If some of you hadn’t noticed, Instagram is my favourite social networking site. I like it because it puts emphasis on visuals and I enjoy working around the restrictions of the media to create beautiful shots.

There are so many amazing instagramers out there who are genuinely talented and don’t just rely on a filter to make their photos look good. Whilst many of the people I follow capture everyday scenes, I also follow people who are artists, designers, crafters or just everyday IG’ers. Here are my top five instgrammers from this December.

@ingridpetriedesign

Ingrid Petrie is behind the handle @ingridpetriedesign. She’s a graphic designer based in Scotland who sells prints of cute and whimsical designs.

@stuckwithpins

I first came across Corinne Alexandra via her blog, also called Stuck with Pins. She’s a designer. illustrator, photographer and a collector of the macabre. I particularly love how she frames her bone collections for interesting shots.

@carlynotcarly

Carly Morris is one of those instagrammers who uses her account to share her professional photography. Her feed is packed with delicate macro shots of water droplets clinging to petals and tiny insects.

@skull_society

The @skull_society bio reads “Welcome to a world of skulls” and their posts definitely deliver on this. From, graffiti to paintings and from illustrations to sculpture, if the subject matter contains a skull, the Skull Appreciation Society will post it.

@nicholasgoodden

Nicholas Goodden is probably one of the most talented urban photographers I’ve seen recently. Oh – and he’s been named in the Top 100 Most Socially Influential Photographers. Rather than capturing a building or structure in it’s entirety, Goodden exploits unusual perspectives to make us see our everyday surroundings differently.

If you’re following a particularly talented instagrammer, why not share in the comments below.