CrossTeam Properties Offers Advice on Home and Garden Improvements

Corner baths are an extremely popular item for those remodelling their existing bathroom. Recently the demand for corner baths has risen due to the fact a corner bath is often more practical and stylish in appearance than a standard bath.

Not only does the corner bath look good, it is also perfect for those with smaller bathrooms who do not wish to resort to losing their bath altogether by replacing it with a shower cubicle. A shower can be fitted over a corner bath, just as it can with a standard style bath, so there is no loss of versatility when choosing a corner bath over any other kind.

Bathroom cabinets can be fitted over a corner bath as an added feature. This means that there is no need to get out of the bath to access personal care items.

Bathroom accessories such as a shower curtain can also be fitted around the bath on a curved rail; this gives added privacy and also stops any splashing if an overhead shower is to be used.

Some very modern corner baths have Jacuzzi style outlets fitted which brings a unique feature into the bathroom area. Bathroom tiles can be placed around the side panel of the corner bath to give a ‘fitted’ appearance to the bath, alternatively, for the more adventurous, the corner bath can be sunk all or part way into the floor making it a very attractive piece of bathroom furniture that will impress your friends.

When it comes to a decision; the choice of bathroom tiles would appear to be endless, they are available in every colour under the sun, in every style, size and finish.  There are different types for floors and walls, are hardwearing and easy to clean, making them the ideal covering in most bathrooms.  

Your choice of bathroom tiles can really help you to give your bathroom the look that you want.  If you want to keep the look plain and simple, then you choose a plain and simple tile.  Tiles are also an ideal way to add a touch of colour to a bathroom, as many people prefer a plain white bathroom suite. 

They can also be as cheap as you like, with the most basic style of bathroom tile available for just a few pence each.  At the other end of the range there are several designer ranges which have bathroom tiles, such as Laura Ashley and Hemingway Design.  And luckily, it is not usually necessary to traipse around every tile retailer in order to get a good idea of what is on offer. 

Most will stock a good range of both designer and basic range tiles that will suit all buyers, and if you do find that there is not enough choice for you, an online retailer may be a better option.  They will have a much wider choice than you will find in any one retail shop, although the downside is that you do not get to see or feel the tiles personally and you also have to wait a few days for delivery. 

Travertine is a naturally occurring stone and is formed from geothermal springs, it is sometimes known as travertine limestone or travertine marble, but is neither limestone nor marble. Travertine can be found in the US, but is more common in Italy, where it has been used as a construction material for thousands of years.

Due to the porous nature of travertine and its strength it is often used for flooring and is perfect for fitting above underfloor heating systems. Travertine tiles can be placed directly over underfloor heating mats and can add warmth to otherwise colder floors in the bathroom or conservatory, but can also be used for wall claddings and even countertops.

Travertine tiles are available in many different styles and colours and can be purchased as natural travertine (with porous holes) which is great for flooring, or filled and sanded to give a smooth glossy finish for walls and worktops.

Adding travertine tiles to your house can give a sense of luxury and style to any area of the house and is cheaper than granite and marble, making it a popular choice for home improvements.

Travertine is a natural stone which has been used for thousands of years as a building material. It has multiple applications including interior and exterior floors, walls and surfaces and can be supplied in its standard form (pitted holes and troughs) or filled and smoothed to a shiny finish.

Travertine tiles are popular with construction companies and home owners alike as they are strong and durable and will last for many years; travertine also stays cool in the summer even during intense sun light and prevents efflorescence, which is a white substance that can stain concrete and other man made materials, thus making them less desirable for a luxury style.

There are many types of travertine tile available on the market such as standard and paving tiles as well as a range of mosaic tiles including square mosaic, brick mosaic, French mosaic and mixed colour mosaics. Travertine tiles are also available in different colours from grey to red-coral which will easily suit any home.

Usually the best products used in building and finishing for homes and commercial premises, are natural products such as travertine, which when cut and dressed to form a classy tile enhance any area into which it is fitted. Travertine tiles can be used as a flooring material, kitchen countertop and increasingly as a wall tile. Travertine tiles are increasingly used for exterior cladding and patios and the travertine tile most commonly used is a natural chipped edge version, but honed and polished travertine tiles are best if used as a wall decorative cladding.

Travertine tiles can be supplied as a mosaic; patterns include, brick, standard mosaic, French pattern and mixed colour mosaic. Travertine is a long lasting stone and its durability lends itself to all kinds of application, from private homes to commercial developments.  It provides a truly classical look and has a timeless beauty.

The natural colours of travertine make it particularly appealing and although in its purest form travertine tiles are white, but impurities can cause the colour of travertine tile to vary and to be yellow and brown. This beautiful natural stone belongs to the limestone family and because of the way it is formed; it has a unique composition which is due to water that is rich in carbon dioxide travelling through rocks, which are in limestone areas.  The water creates cavities, which give travertine tiles their special characteristics and make it so different to other natural stones, giving travertine tiles a unique appeal.

In the design of a home, style and substance take on a single, unified meaning.

It is a natural impulse for people to improve the design and style of their home. They may or may not own their home, but the bottom line is that people have a desire to continually make their living space more comfortable. The efforts exerted by people toward this goal usually involve looking for new and better materials to upgrade the appearance of their home.

One material that is proving to be a popular choice among homeowners and designers is travertine tile. Travertine is a kind of limestone that has a variety of beautiful natural colours, the result of organic impurities present in the stone, making it perfect for beautifying any space.

Travertine is porous and yet is surprisingly durable. This property might not be immediately apparent since travertine has small holes and markings. This has the dual effect of giving it a weather-beaten and fragile look at the same time.

Of course, the travertine tiles have to be properly installed and cared for if they are to maintain their positive qualities, a task that falls on the people involved in the improvement of a particular space, either the designer or owner.

Enhancing any space where it is used, travertine tiles give a sophisticated sense of style. The tones of a kitchen, bathroom, or dining area are easily complemented by the subdued yet beautiful colours and designs. When this happens, the lines separating style and substance simply disappear as the two are fused to form a single effect of a perfectly designed space.

When it comes to bathroom design, tiles play a big role since they can set the tone for the whole room. While not all bathrooms have tiled floors, they are desirable if you are to achieve a really outstanding visual result.  Tiling the bathroom floor would therefore be a simple and cost effective way of making a great improvement if your room doesn’t already have one. The only shortcoming with tiled floors is that they tend to be very cold to walk on, but this problem can be overcome by the use of under-floor heating.

Regarding the colour of bathroom tiles, it is best to use warm shades, which tend to have a softening effect; especially in a room that already has white or light coloured fixtures.

Before installing tiles in your bathroom, there are several things you need to consider if you are to ensure a good job. The prime thing to remember is that for a long lasting result the foundation must be stable and firm. Ground floor bathroom floors should present no problem as these will usually be of concrete. Upper floors will be of timber construction and might be less stable and have a tendency to move slightly as does all wood. If a new floor is installed on such a base the likely result is cracked tiles. One effective way to get around this problem is to use a cement board (bonded particle board) as a base.

Since tiles can never be installed without cutting them, it is important to start at the centre of the floor so that full tiles are the most visible. Any cutting is then done on tiles that will be fixed around the edges and they are the ones that are least visible.

Tile installation will also involve resetting the toilet, so plans for this need to be made. This might also involve cutting tiles to a curve in some places.

Choosing tiles for your bathroom may be the last thing that you have in mind when going for a certain look. After all replacing the existing tiles or flooring with a whole new set will take a lot of work and can be quite expensive. If you are still in the planning and building stages of your bathroom or simply want to change the look drastically no matter the effort and cost involved, your choice in tiles will take some careful thought and consideration.

When shopping for tiles for your bathroom, the most important concern taking priority even over how they look is their appropriateness for bathroom use. In most cases, you will want tiles that have slip free surfaces so that you can avoid any mishaps. Thankfully, most tiles that you can buy nowadays are built of slip resistant material. You don’t even have to be limited to boring or staid patterns that scream “bathroom” at first glance. Today’s slip free tiles come in such a wide variety of attractive designs and patterns that you will probably have no trouble finding a few that will work well with the bathroom design that you are planning to implement.

As far as the look is concerned, try to visualize the overall look you are going for before deciding on a set of tiles to purchase. Keep in mind that tiles are not easily replaceable once they are installed, so you will probably want to go with a design that will work well with any design changes that the owner may plan in the future.

It is always a good investment to improve the look of your home especially your bathroom flooring. Replacing or renovating the bathroom floor is just one of those things that add to its value. But which is the best choice of flooring for you? This is one of the most common questions in terms of bathroom design.

Ceramic tile has great advantages in the bathroom shower area or the en-suite, the first and foremost being durability as well as being ideal when water and splashing from a bath or shower can ruin some other flooring materials. Ceramic tiling is something that should not be undertaken lightly as a DIY exercise, you are far better served by employing experts in this field, the finished product will almost certainly look better and it can be cheaper when all tools and other materials are taken into account.