CrossTeam Properties Offers Advice on Home and Garden Improvements

White bathroom furniture used to be the only colour that most people could afford. It was utilitarian, cheap and the DIY stores shelves were lined with it.

As more and more colours became available, people started to choose wooden veneer and wood effect furniture. White, as the colour choice for bathroom furniture, became less popular and for a while it came to be associated with cheapness.

However, over recent years, white furniture has experienced something of a renaissance and to some extent, in design or fashion terms, ‘white is the new black’, or to put it more accurately, white is the new beech.

This turnaround has come about as a result of our current obsession with minimalist and crisp bathrooms, which are very white and uncluttered. White also has the amazing capacity to bounce light straight off, so if you have a bathroom that is not blessed with too much natural light, then you should seriously consider installing some white furniture. This will really help to maximise the light levels and give your bathroom a look that is both modern and stylish. It is a trick used by many of the top designers, who also like the very clean look which white gives to a bathroom.

So don’t ignore white furniture or just dismiss it, for the latest design innovations have created products that are neither overly priced nor cheap. The style has ultra modern fixtures and fittings, which taken as a complete package, has led to it becoming ever more popular, especially at the discerning end of the market.

Bathrooms can often be very damp and humid and unfortunately mould loves to grow in these types of conditions. As a result, it is very easy to end up with a mould infection, even if you do clean your bathroom regularly. Mould can be a real problem, since the spores, which are carried in the air, can lead to allergic reactions in people, who may find that they sneeze and cough more than normal after being in the room.

There are a number of simple ways to keep mould down and ensure that it doesn’t gain a foothold. One of the best ways of doing this is to keep the bathroom door open whenever possible. This allows fresh air to circulate around the room and will prevent mould from forming.

You should also make sure that any damp towels are hung on rails and not left lying around the floor or on the side of the bath. If you have a bathmat or a bath rug, then hang this up after use.

The shower curtain can often be the first place that mould strikes, so ensure that you wipe it down on a regular basis, using soapy water or by adding little bit of bleach to the water.

Don’t leave wet clothes lying around in the bathroom and also ensure that you either use your extractor fan, or that you have a window slightly open, security permitting.  In this way you will find that your bathroom remains clean, mould free and also smells fresh and welcoming.

Slumberland is one of the biggest manufacturers of beds and mattresses in the UK. It was founded in 1919, but was originally called Crown Bedding before a name change to Slumberland.

Research into sleeping patterns have shown that the average person changes positions over 60 times a night, so Slumberland set out to design a mattress that would support and respond to the sleepers every movement.

Thanks to Slumberland’s dedicated research and design team, 1964 saw the introduction of their patented Posture Springing system for their mattresses, which were specifically designed to aid sleep.

The Posture Springing system is made from a continuous wire that is linked together to produce the springs. Because only one wire is used in the construction of the mattress, all of the springs work in harmony providing exceptional support and durability.

The Posture Springing systems feature on all of Slumberland’s 700, 1100, 2000 and 2400 series mattresses and are available from numerous retailers.

We all know that the bedroom is one of the most important rooms in the house. It not only provides us with a place to sleep, but also gives us a room to relax and unwind in. Updating the look of your bedroom needn’t be expensive, as the saying goes ‘a little creativity goes a long way’.

Probably the easiest and cheapest way to update and rejuvenate the look of a bedroom is to give it a fresh coat of paint. This will not only have a big impact on the look of the bedroom, it can also provide a focal point that draws your eyes when you walk in the room. Again creativity is the key to decorating a bedroom, you don’t have to paint the whole room, maybe paint one wall in a vibrate colour to provide a focal point, whilst keeping the others neutral.

Adding new furniture to a bedroom will add to the bedrooms new look, but this is often expensive. Why not try renovating existing furniture by painting or varnishing it; there are many products available for this including sponge painting and fake wood effect tools. You could even add fabric to the insert of a wardrobe door to make it look like a panel.

Often adding a few new furnishings such as different coloured cushions or a new set of curtains or blinds is enough to update the look and style of a bedroom. Hopefully this article has given you some inspiration on how to update your bedroom, without it being expensive.

Careful planning of your bathroom design is crucial if you are to have a place where you will feel at ease in your bath, invigorated or relaxed by a shower and at peace as you carry out your ablutions.

There are quite a few considerations to be made when designing your perfect bathroom, but if you are thinking about a complete overhaul, then you need to carefully plan to ensure it meets your needs. Firstly, you should think about how you want to use a bathroom.  Are you the kind of person who just hops in the shower and only spends a brief amount of time in the bathroom, or do you spend hours in the bath, unwinding and relaxing?  How do other members of your household use the bathroom?  What kind of ambience do you want to create?

Space may also be at a premium.  If it is then you need to think carefully about what type of fittings you wish to use and whether they will be suitable for the space available. Be sure to get correct and accurate dimensions for any fittings that you choose; measure your room and then plan out how you want things to fit.

It may also be very helpful to do a scaled drawing of your bathroom and then plot in the fittings, so you can get a good idea as to whether things will fit in or not.

A golden rule is never pack too many fittings in, or the space will simply look cluttered and may be difficult to use after it is installed.

When you are deciding to buy a new bed, it is essential that you know the standard sizes that are available so that you can choose the best bed to fit your room. In the UK there are six standard sizes of beds ranging from small single beds up to super kingsize beds.

Before purchasing a new bed, you should measure your bedroom and decide what the biggest size you can go up to is. Here are the UK standard bed sizes:

Small Single bed (75cm x 190cm) – A small single bed is ideal for small children’s rooms and offers the advantage of being 15cm thinner than a normal single bed so there is more space for storage and to move around in.

Single Bed (90cm x 190cm) – The single bed is the most popular choice for small bedrooms and guest rooms, and provides space for additional bedroom furniture such as wardrobes and TV cabinets.

Small Double Bed (120cm x 190cm) – The small double bed can be used in small to medium sized rooms and provides a larger sleeping area; perfect for those who want more space.

Double Bed (135cm x 190cm) – The double bed is one of the most popular choices for medium to large sized rooms and is big enough to sleep two people comfortably.

King-size Bed (150cm x 200cm) – Suitable for large bedrooms, the king-size bed is both longer and wider than a double bed, providing a bigger sleeping area.

Super King-size Bed (180cm x 200cm) – This is the biggest standard size bed you can buy, and its huge sleeping surface will provide all the space you will even need while sleeping.

The sizes above refer to the mattress size and additional space will be required for the bed frame. The bed frame comes in many different sizes and styles and this should be taken into consideration when choosing your new bed. However if a Divan bed is chosen the frame will be the same size as the mattress.

Wallpaper used to be a very popular way of decorating the bathroom, but in recent years more and more people are choosing to decorate them with tiles.

If you are keen to use wallpaper in your bathroom, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t. The main thing to bear in mind is that you do need a type of wallpaper specifically designed for the bathroom, because if you use a standard type it will not be able to withstand the damp and humid conditions and within a very short period of time will simply peel off. Generally, bathroom wallpaper is slightly more expensive than standard wallpaper, but since it is ‘fit for purpose’ it is worth the extra money.

The adhesive you use will have to be robust enough to cope with fairly extreme conditions, so carefully check the application guidelines that come with the paste. You should also be careful to mix the adhesive precisely in accordance with the instructions, or its strength may be compromised.

Finally, the last consideration before you buy the wallpaper is how it can be applied.  Bathrooms can be quite awkward to decorate, due to pipe-work etc and whilst tiles will also need to be cut and adapted, wallpaper usually follows a pattern. If you have a very full pattern, it can be difficult to cut around pipe-work whilst maintaining this pattern exactly. You should therefore choose the pattern carefully before you buy the paper and go for one that can be easily matched up.

When you look in a bathroom shop or on the Internet and see a suite with the WC, bath, shower, bidet and so on, they will usually be individually priced. This means that you don’t have to buy the full package, you can buy a toilet from one group and a bath from another. However, many people are quite nervous about doing this, because they are worried that the various component parts will not match and will look odd. This is certainly a risk that you run, but you should bear in mind that many items, particularly if they are from the same manufacturer, will have the same colour shade and will be built to the same standards. You can therefore have a considerable degree of confidence if you do decide to ‘pick and mix’.

There are, however, some basic principles to bear in mind when selecting the various items. If you have gone for a very angular and sharp, funky bath, then don’t buy a heritage, (old fashioned), wash hand basin and expect the two to look stunning together. Simply choose another angular type wash hand basin, preferably from the same manufacturer, but not necessarily from the same suite.

Do not import some of the items from a bijou bath boutique in Italy and then expect to find complementary items in your local DIY store. Like should go with like and European standards may be slightly different, so either go for an all European or all UK specification, do not attempt to have both, since it rarely works.

Apart from these simple suggestions, don’t be constrained by suites, which are just a manufacturers design teams’ view of what works well together, but also be prepared to express your individuality and taste.

A Divan bed base is basically an upholstered box that is either fitted with castors, so that it can be moved easily or legs to provide storage space underneath. The Divan bed base is still the most popular type of base used in the UK because of its functionality and durability, and is commonly available in four main styles.

Sprung Edge Divans – A sprung edge divan consists of a fully sprung unit mounted on the top of the frame. These divans provide consistent support for the whole mattress, acting like a shock absorber; this increases the mattresses durability. The sprung edge divan is considered by many as the most comfortable option.

Solid Top Divans – As the name suggests, solid top divans have a solid top panel that is usually made of hardboard. These divans a normally firmer than sprung edge divans, and are often cheaper, which makes them a quite popular choice.

Firm Edge Divan – The firm edge divan has a small number of heavy duty springs, set into the bed frame; this combines the comfort of having springs with the benefit of a solid side, so it is easier to get out of.

Slatted Base Divan – A slatted base divan has numerous slats mounted in the frame; this provides a soft springy base and with some models the slats can be adjusted to suit the individual.

With all of the above divan bases, there is a range of storage options for extra space including, sliding doors and drawers and even under beds that slide out on castors and can be lifted to the same height as the main bed; these do not affect the comfort of the main bed, but are generally more expensive.

If you are over sixty years old and planning a new bathroom, then there are some issues that you may wish to think about, in order to ensure you have a bathroom that will meet your future needs. It isn’t easy to think about ‘getting older’, but it happens to us all, so it is worth considering.

Whilst your mobility may be fine at the moment, over coming years it may well decline to at least some degree. This does not necessarily mean that you won’t be able to walk at all, but it may be that you will have difficulty climbing in and out of a bath. If you are planning a bathroom, why not think about installing a shower that has a very low tray or even a walk in one. If it becomes necessary, at some point in the future, you can then install a shower seat, to improve your comfort when showering.

Taps may not seem an obvious thing to think about, but they are important. Those oval, highly chromed and smooth taps may be fantastic to use when your fingers are young and nimble, but they may well be a problem if they become stiff and arthritic, so consideration should be given to installing lever taps. Lever taps can simply be flicked, even using a closed fist and they look stylish and trendy, which means that you will not sacrifice aesthetics for comfort and practicality.

The WC should also not be too low, since older people may have difficulty rising from such a seat. Having said that, most WC’s are at a standard height and this really only becomes an issue if you are buying a top of the range designer product.