A bathroom should feel as good as it looks.
Whether you’re stepping out of the shower on a cold winter morning or enjoying a long bath at the end of the day, the right heating can completely change how your bathroom feels.
But bathroom heating isn’t simply about choosing a radiator. Room size, available wall space, flooring and how you use your bathroom can all influence the best solution.
From heated towel rails and designer radiators to electric bathroom heating, here’s what to consider when creating a bathroom that stays comfortably warm throughout the year.
Heated towel rails
Few things make a bathroom feel more inviting than a warm towel waiting after a shower.
A heated towel rail combines everyday practicality with bathroom heating, providing somewhere to warm and dry towels while also adding heat to the room.
They’re available in a wide variety of sizes and finishes, making them easy to incorporate into both contemporary and traditional bathrooms. Classic chrome works beautifully in bright, understated spaces, while black and anthracite finishes can create a stronger architectural look.
In a smaller bathroom, a suitably sized towel rail may provide enough heat for the entire room. In a larger bathroom, it may work better alongside another heat source.
Shop towel rails →Designer radiators
Bathroom heating doesn’t have to disappear into the background.
A designer radiator can become part of the overall scheme, particularly in bathrooms where wall space allows you to make more of a feature of it.
Vertical radiators are particularly useful when horizontal wall space is limited, while slim contemporary designs can sit comfortably alongside bathroom furniture, mirrors and sanitaryware without making the room feel crowded.
For a cohesive finish, consider how the radiator works with your taps, shower fittings and accessories. Black, anthracite and metallic finishes can help carry a consistent look throughout the room.
Designed to be seen. Made to keep you warm. Shop designer radiators →
Warmth, sized for your space.
Before choosing your bathroom heating, think about the space itself.
A small en-suite used for quick morning showers has very different heating requirements from a large family bathroom with a freestanding bath. Larger rooms, external walls, windows and areas with lots of tiled surfaces can all affect how much heat is required.
This is why it’s worth considering heat output as well as appearance when choosing a radiator or heated towel rail.
A BTU calculation can help determine the approximate heat output required for your room, taking its dimensions and other characteristics into account.
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Electric bathroom heating
An electric radiator or towel rail can be a useful option when you want bathroom heating that operates independently from your central heating.
That can be particularly convenient during the warmer months. You may not want to switch on the central heating simply to dry damp towels or take the chill out of the bathroom.
Electric options can also offer greater flexibility when designing or renovating a bathroom where connecting a new radiator to the existing central-heating system would be inconvenient.
Electrical equipment installed in a bathroom must be suitable for its location and installed in accordance with the relevant electrical requirements.
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Designer radiators
Make your heating part of the bathroom rather than something that simply sits in the background. Vertical designs are especially useful when floor and wall space are at a premium.
Contemporary finishes can also help coordinate your radiator with taps, showers, mirrors and other bathroom details.
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Heated towel rails
A heated towel rail provides useful heat to your bathroom while keeping towels warm and dry.
Available in a range of sizes and finishes, they can be a practical and stylish addition to bathrooms of almost any size.
Explore towel rails →Heating a small bathroom
Limited space doesn’t mean compromising on comfort.
In compact bathrooms and cloakrooms, look upwards rather than outwards. A tall, narrow radiator or heated towel rail can provide useful heat without taking up valuable horizontal wall space.
Positioning matters too. Think about where towels will naturally be used, where doors open and where bathroom furniture will sit before deciding on the final location.
Choosing a heating solution that suits the proportions of the room will usually look much more considered than simply fitting the largest radiator available.
Heating a larger bathroom
Larger bathrooms give you more design freedom, but they can also require considerably more heat.
A small towel rail that works perfectly in an en-suite may not comfortably heat a spacious family bathroom.
In a larger space, it can be useful to consider more than one heating source. A radiator can provide the main heat output while a heated towel rail gives you somewhere to keep towels warm and dry.
The result is a bathroom that feels comfortable throughout the space rather than warm in just one area.
Designed to work together.
Heating can contribute to the overall bathroom design just as much as your taps, mirrors or furniture.
For a softer scheme, white or chrome heating can blend quietly into the room. For something more contemporary, black and anthracite radiators can create contrast against pale tiles and walls.
And in more traditional bathrooms, classic radiator designs can complement period-inspired taps, freestanding baths and traditional sanitaryware.
The aim is to choose something that feels like it was designed as part of the bathroom, rather than added afterwards.
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Warmth from the moment you step inside.
Good bathroom heating is about more than temperature. It’s warm towels on winter mornings, dry towels after a shower and a room that feels comfortable enough to slow down and enjoy.
By considering the size of your bathroom, the heat output you need and the style you want to create, you can choose a heating solution that works beautifully with the rest of your space.
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