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Posts Tagged ‘taps’


Choosing the Perfect Taps

November 12th, 2012 by steph

 

Choosing the taps for your bathroom can be an extremely difficult decision. Taps can often bring the decisive, finishing touch to the overall look of the room, which makes it vitally important that you make the right choice. The problem however, is that there are so many different factors to consider, that creating the right combination becomes much harder than you’d first expect. Not to worry though. Here you’ll find a selection of easy to follow tips, which will help you to make the right choices and add the perfect finishing touch to your bathroom décor.

Shape

The shape of your bathroom taps can have a massive impact on the rooms’ appearance. There is a wide selection of tap shapes; from square to spherical and round to semi-circular. The best way to optimise the style of the room through tap shape is to match them up with the mirrors. So, for example, if you have square mirrors purchase round taps, if you have circular mirrors purchase circular taps etc. This will add a feel of stylish consistency to your bathroom and allow both the mirror and the tap to blind into an overall interior design.

Bathroom Décor

The key to choosing the perfect tap lies mainly in the décor that surrounds it, meaning that modern taps suit a contemporary bathroom décor, whereas traditional taps suit a classical décor. So, for instance, a sleek, metallic style within the bathroom would be complimented perfectly by a curved tap with a chrome finish.

Ease of Use

Alongside style, the perfect tap must also be highly functional. This is hugely important, as you want the equipment in your bathroom to easy and quick to use. Taps that require twisting may be difficult for some people, like the elderly, to operate. Therefore, taps that offer easy use become a massive part of the decision process. You can purchase taps with an easy lift lever, or, if you have an ultra-modern bathroom, get rid of the handle all together with a sensor operated laser tap.

Flexibility

Continuing the need for functional taps, flexibility is another important factor in selecting your perfect tap. Some taps are fixed in one set position. Whilst this will probably not be a regular issue, there will be times when its lack of movement will restrict what you can achieve. Taps that swivel can be invaluable, especially if it is installed in a tight space, like a cloakroom suite, where there is little room to manoeuvre.

Keep these tips in mind and not only will your decision making process be a lot easier and quicker, you will also have the tap that is perfect for you, both in style and convenience.

Posted in Bathroom design | Comments Off

How To: Install a Bidet

June 25th, 2012 by admin

In France, 1710, there was the first recorded reference to an item, that we now call the bidet. Intended to assist in personal hygiene, the bidet was used to clean more private areas of the body, between weekly baths. Bidets were kept in the bedroom, with the chamber pot, until the 1900s when modern plumbing made it more practical to install it in the bathroom, in close proximity to the toilet. Nowadays, throughout Europe, bidets are an integral part of the bathroom. (In Italy, it is reported that approximately 90% of the population owns a bidet.)

There are obvious hygienic reasons as to why, you should want to own and use a bidet, and that is a blog post itself. However, this blog post will talk you through installing your chosen bidet:

To install a bidet you need the following:
- Hot and cold water pipes
- A waste pipe
- A bidet and all the necessary nuts and bolts
- Socket set/wrenches
- Spirit level
- Sealant
- Screwdriver

You should start by installing the hot and cold water pipes and the waste pipe; this job should be handled by a professional to prevent leaks and potential problems. The bidet is traditionally installed next to a cistern so keep that in mind when designing your bathroom; make sure you have space for your bidet and that the floor and wall are level (if wall attached).

Before you get them installed you should make sure the basin, bidet, cistern and bath you’re purchasing are all the same material and colour. If you purchased your bath, basin and cistern before the bidet then you should contact either your supplier or the manufacturer of the product to either ask for the specific colour or to purchase a bidet from their range.

Step 1 – Turn off the water, then start by assembling the bidet – attach the faucets and drain fittings.
Step 2 – Check the alignment of the pipes, make sure the bidet will fit where you want it and that all pipes will connect fine.
Step 3 – Use the spirit level to make sure the floor you are using is flat.
Step 4 – Measure up where the bidet is going to be installed, mark the holes in the floor and wall where the bolts will go, also mark the outline of the bidet so you know where to place it in Step 6.
Step 5 – Drill pilot holes into the floor.
Step 6 – Place the bidet, make sure you measure up with the guides you made and that the holes in the bidet match the holes you drilled in the floor.
Step 7 – Insert and tighten the hold-down bolts, use the spirit level to make sure that you have installed the bidet correctly and that it’s not at an angle.
Step 8 – Place the caps over the bolts, and apply sealant to the base of the bidet.
Step 9 – Connect the hot and cold water supply tubes, the shut-off valve and drain.
Step 10 – Turn on the water and test for leaks or flaws etc.

Bidets are extremely practical; they’re more hygienic and offer benefits to all users. In addition, bidets are versatile and can be used for cleaning items, such as clothes. Installing a bidet now may seem less challenging – however if you do not feel comfortable in following the above steps, we advise that you contact a local plumber, in the first instance.

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How Taps Can Display Personality, Not Just Functionality

June 13th, 2012 by steph

In today’s world of contemporary design at home a huge factor in choosing a potential design and style for the rooms in your house can be down to your personality or the personality which you wish to imbue upon the room itself.

In terms of bathroom design there are a number of standard ideas which most often crop up when it comes to design, but often people do not stop to think about how their choices might be evocative of a particular personality or tone for the room. Most choices which are made when designing or redesigning a bathroom can have a huge impact on overall feel of the bathroom. From the colour on the walls to the finish on the floor everything speaks volumes about the room. But there is one choice which most commonly escapes the home owner’s eye when it comes down to stylistic choices, the bathroom taps.

At first taps hardly seem like the most obvious item in a small visually focused room, obviously most people will make a stylistic choice when it comes to the new fittings in their bathroom. Whether they are simply choosing to replace their fittings or performing an entire remodel for their bathroom most people will concentrate on making a good choice of taps for their bath and sink. Unfortunately some people do not consider what how the style of their fittings speaks volumes about personality alone, and how they might affect their bathroom’s chosen tone and personality.

For example a singular tap fitting for your sink with both a hot and cold setting and an activation lever instantly gives the impression of space consciousness and minimalism; where as a pair of hot and cold taps with a turning cross head to run it on suggests elegance and high class. Both also say individual things about how long you spend in the bathroom push and pull levers tend to suggest you don’t often spend time in your bathroom, whereas a turning cross head suggests you’re often relaxing and soaking in the tub.

There are other styles which can also instantly change the personality of your bathroom, for example the shape of the spout and the handles. Some modern taps now come in a very angular and block like style which again is ideal for modern, minimalistic or cubism inspired styles. The contrast to this is the more traditional and retro designs which tend to be more rounded with curved angles and a long curved spout, these styles are more reminiscent of luxury and elegance. They fit in well with a retro style which is more reminiscent of much older eras of design.

Whatever the personality you are trying to apply to your bathroom through its design make sure that your choice of taps is made in relation to this style. By making choices which are based on your new fittings aesthetics alone, and without comparing their style to that which you wish to achieve you could easily end up with a confused and contrasting look to your bathroom.

Posted in Bathroom design, General Articles | Comments Off

The Future’s Bright, The Future is… Infrared

May 16th, 2012 by admin

Infrared Automatic taps are a new and improved way to stay healthy, keep clean and prevent the spread of transferrable diseases; this is why families all over the country are swapping their grimy old taps for the more hygienic option. The design means that you simply wave your hand in front of the tap body to trigger the water flow; simple, effective and stylish.

The infra red sensor technology featured ensures that these taps are reliable and easy to use. Infra-red sensor taps are hygienic as the touch free system helps avoid the spread of germs and bacteria (also keeping the tap body free from dirty finger marks). Sensor technology also ensures water efficiency as the water supply is triggered by the detection of movement; this also helps prevent the risk of flooding.

The taps are well suited for either a public bathroom or for home use, there is a more simplistic design but all are stylish. Then infrared taps are a must, It’s a lot more hygienic and it looks extremely professional in a working environment.

This kind of tap is best suited to hospitals, nursing homes, places of food preparation and can also be used in your own home bathrooms and kitchens.

These are the perfect taps in terms of hygiene; no need to wonder who has touched the taps before you, because it’s completely contactless!

Posted in Bathroom design, General Articles, Uncategorized | Comments Off

An Environmental Revolution

April 27th, 2012 by admin

The amount of water we use in the UK is rising; we are now using 50% more water than we did 25 years ago. This means an increase in water prices and more money coming from your pocket. If you’re using water when you don’t need to be, or using it unnecessarily by flushing your toilet too often, then you’re costing yourself a substantial amount and essentially throwing money down the drain.

Some quick facts:
• The average household uses 130,000 gallons of water every year.1
• About 95 percent of the water entering our homes goes down the drain.2

Nearly everyone is conscious about the ways they’re affecting the environment these days, and although having cold showers and living in mud huts sounds appealing to some, at TapShop321.com we think the best way to go about this is to use a more environmentally friendly tap.

Now, we all know that if you have an environmentally friendly product it’s going to be a) way more expensive than its counterpart and b) as visually pleasing as a cardboard box.

Well that’s where you’re wrong, introducing Eco Click taps.
Eco Click taps use the latest technology to lower the amount of water you use and what’s more, designers seem to be winning the battle between practicality and aesthetically pleasing designs. Take for instance Ultra’s Eon Single lever mixer, or Mayfair’s Freestanding Mono Basin.

Just these two designs show that you can achieve visual beauty as well as being environmentally friendly. (Take a note, Prius!)

So how does this work?
The Eco-Click taps include an Eco-Click cartridge, which can reduce the amount of water flowing through the tap. The first setting is for a 50% flow rate, and the second is for the full water flow – so you are in control of how much you use. What’s more, with a lot of the brands featuring Eco-Click cartridges – they are the same price as their “non Eco-Click” sibling – proving you can be environmentally friendly, have a visually pleasing tap… and not have to pay so much.

Why not check our website for our full range of Eco-Click taps? Click here

1. http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/ten-facts-about-the-water-we-waste/
2. http://eartheasy.com/live_water_saving.htm

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