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More than just a means to supply you with water, the faucet is the jewel of the bathroom and then are many options for you to choose from.
Let’s take a look a some of the most popular faucet styles. Basically there are two essential elements to every faucet set: the spout and the handles or levers. The spout is where the water comes out of and the handles control water flow and temperature.
The first and one of the most popular for the bathroom is the Center Set. The spout and both the hot and cold handles are mounted on a single base unit. You may also choose a single levered or knob Center Set. This type of faucet is also popular in the kitchen.
The Wall Mount faucet and handle or handles is mounted on the wall above the sink. This type of unit works well with vessel sinks and in bathrooms with limited counter space.
A Deck Mounted faucet set is mounted on the deck of the sink or countertop for an under mounted sink. This style may or may not have a base plate that sits beneath the faucet and handles.
A Bridge style faucet has tubes that connects the handles to the faucet-normally these tubes are concealed below the counter but in this style of faucet they are incorporated into the design of the unit. Most often used in traditionally styled sets.
Widespread faucet sets have handles and a spout mounted on the countertop or deck of the sink with the handles eight to twenty inches apart, when measured center to center. A wide spread set is a popular model for bathtubs. A Mini Widespread as the same styling as the widespread but the handles and the sprout are mounted four inches apart, center to center.
Monoblock Channel or Single Lever faucet is a stylish, sleek modern unit where the water control lever and the sprout are part of the same single unit.
We have a lot of options when it comes to selecting our new homes faucets. The best way to make your faucet commitments is to make a visit to your favorite tap-ware store. Try them out, not only are the esthetics of the unit important but so are the ergonomics. Water adjustment should be easy and the lever should feel comfortable in your hand. Consider who will be using the tap adults or children. Is it easy for a child to operate and can small hands easily maneuver the handle or lever. The spout must also reach the destination; some sinks require a specific style of faucet or length of spout.
A sink and it’s faucet will be the focal point of the bathroom so choose carefully. We all love a fabulous bathroom, it indulges our need for a sense of luxury in our spaces and a great faucet or tap set does not have to cost a lot of money it simply must supply water and a sense of style and sparkle.
Low-Flush is Eco-Friendly
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Every new home is flush with good ideas and you've undoubtedly learned that contractors talk their own talk, but what exactly is a low-flush toilet? A toilet may not feel like a glamorous detail but it is one of the important items in your new home, one that you will undoubtedly use every day.
And when it comes to the royal seat, we actually have options. Since 1596 when JD Harrington invented the toilet, homeowners have been seeking the best seat in the house. Today we have options with respect to colour, design (how about a toilet with a self-closing lid or even a heated seat?) and even environmentally friendly options.
The Ontario Building Code was changed to enforce the use of low-flush six-litre toilets in all new residential buildings in 1996. Prior to the change, toilets were either the old-fashioned 20-litre or water-saver 13-litre toilets.
There's a lot of water difference here and you can easily see how low-flush units can save you a lot of money. A typical Canadian home will use 25 per cent to 40 per cent of its water consumption for toilet flushing. Since a toilet generally lasts 20 years, adding up the water savings on a low-flush unit and ensuring you are buying top-notch commodes is a wise investment for the new homeowner.
While the six-litre toilets are the best choice, there have been some problems. Some of the early low-flush units required multiple flushes to clear the bowl, defeating the purpose of a low-flush unit.
Fortunately over the last few years most of these problems have been ... flushed from the system, shall we say?
When you visit the supplier you will be presented with two basic low-flush options for residential toilets: Gravity-tank toilets, which are the most common and least expensive on the market. This type requires water in the tank and uses gravity to push water and waste through the bowl and tank.
The second is a pressure tank toilet. The units appear much the same as gravity tanks but house a secondary container inside the tank.
As water enters the main tank, it compresses air in the second, inner tank. Hence each flush is pressure assisted by the compressed air, pushing the waste material out of the bowl instead of relying on gravity to pull it out.
Both styles of toilets are generally made of vitreous china or porcelain.
A common complaint of the low-flush toilets is that they require more frequent cleanings and clog more readily than the older toilets. I never worry about the cleaning, since toilets should be spotless all the time and I find the latest models clear the bowl with one flush and seldom clog.
You can also consider the dual flush toilets, which will utilize the full six litres of water to flush solid waste but only use three litres for liquid waste.
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Think Sink Early in Construction
When building a new home, you need to think about sinks early in the construction process.
As the framing crew nails the last few two-by-fours together and stands the last of your interior framework, the plumbing crew is ready to do the rough-ins.
Rough-in time is when the plumber runs all the plumbing lines and installs basic connections for sinks and wall-mounted taps. These lines run between the two-by-fours and eventually will be covered by the drywall. At this stage the plumber must know the height and location of all sinks and wall taps.
If you want one of the aesthetically pleasing and popular vessel type sinks or a pedestal sink, you must make these decisions before framing commences. This style of sink requires specific placement of supply lines and drainage lines, so they must be selected prior to the completion of your homes framing.
Today's sinks, especially bathroom sinks (referred to in the industry as lavatories) are more than just round bowls that sit on the counter. Sinks are truly works of art that come in an infinite range of colours, patterns, designs, heights and shapes.
Sinks are made from a wide variety of materials including spun glass, lead crystal, hand-painted fine china, earthenware, concrete, stone copper, cast iron, stainless steel and even wood. These plumbing sculptures can be pedestal style, wall hung, under-counter mount, above counter vessels, integrated, self-rimming or freestanding.
Indeed, sinks have become a sign of creativity and self-expression in our homes.
Perhaps the hottest new look in sink ware is the vessel sink — basins that sit above the counter and that have finished inside and outside walls, a favourite, especially in powder rooms and master bathrooms. Vessel- styled lavatories may well look modern but they are actually a style evolved from the traditional pitcher and washbasin, used before the days of modern plumbing.
Vessels sinks, fabricated from a vast variety of materials can be installed to rest above the counter top as their original counterparts were, counter sunk into the counter surface, installed with a wall-mount bracket or molded as one-piece units (think concrete or hand-forged metal) that become both counter and sink.
When selecting a vessel style sink, know that many do not have overflow valves. What does this mean to you? A drip or a faucet accidentally left on could overflow and cause serious water damage to your home.
For vessel sinks, consider instructing the plumber to lock the drain in the open position. While you won't be able to fill the sink with water (who needs to do this in the powder room anyway?), you can be assured the sink will not overflow. It doesn't take much water to cause damage. When employing a vessel style sink in your bathroom, you also need to consider the type or style of faucet you will use. A standard counter top faucet will not work with most vessel sinks. Many designers and homeowners opt for a wall-mounted faucet with this sink style to accommodate the vessel's height.
Your other option is to use a very tall single lever faucet. Some vessel sinks have a built- in faucet. If possible, have both the vessel sink and the faucet on site for your plumber to review mounting and installation requirements with you and your builder prior to initiating the plumbing rough in.
Your cabinetmaker will also need to be in the loop with respect to your sink and faucet selections. A vessel sink will often sit above the counter. If the bathroom cabinet is made to standard height (usually 30 inches) and you then set your vessel sink on top of the cabinet, making the total height 34 to 40 inches, it may be too high to function properly. Most often, cabinets that will be housing vessel styled sinks are made a few inches below standard height to accommodate the bowl height.
A vessel style sink can be a great addition to your new home. Think of them as art for the most private of spaces.
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The Secret To Great Bathroom And Kitchen Design
By: Shaun Parker
What's the best way to inject colour in your home? Most people would answer: 'paint'. And they would be correct. But a more effective way to enhance the design and thought put into changing a room is through the use of tiles.
The choice of colour, texture and shape of a tile is much more important than you would think. The most effective and jaw-dropping designs for a kitchen or bathroom are almost definitely the ones that are based solely around the tiling - both on the wall and floor.
It is increasingly popular for bathrooms to be completely tiled, turning your entire bathroom into a wet room, and can be done on a budget due to competitors in the tiling industry driving prices down in recent years. A fully tiled bathroom can not only look stunning, but it also provides efficient insulation for your bathroom that will save on those ever-increasing heating bills!
Many world renowned designers are throwing their hat into the tile ring as they see the importance of well designed tiling. Choosing the correct flooring and wall tiling can make or break the design a room, so those in the know, such as Wayne Hemingway, have designed fantastic, and most importantly, affordable tiles.
Hemingway, most famous for his Red Or Dead fashion label, has teamed up with wife Gerardine to create a range of tiling imaginatively named 'Wet'. And they really are bespoke and well crafted. Other designers who have entered the tiling market include Laura Ashley and Jasper Conran.
A bathroom, even more so than a kitchen can be an open canvas, ready for the expression and artistic interpretation of the owner. Most people like to have bright, fresh colour sequences; others prefer a more sparkly, elegant look. Whichever style you desire, there are a multitude of different styles and colours to choose from, but I would always advise you to select a primary colour and stick with it. From there you can inject different shades into the design of the room to complement it, but the colour of the tiling is all important.
The mosaic effect has come and gone but remains a popular choice of wall tile in, for bathrooms especially. Feature tiles are becoming more prominent, as are larger tiles. These are often more cost effective also. And you don't have to stick with one style of tiling throughout your bathroom. Many designs now encompass different styles on different walls - a feature wall can be aesthetically pleasing and really make a room. The wet room area could then be designed in a completely different tiling to set it off from the rest of the room. If you're going down this route though, think long and hard about your design and maybe even think about employing an interior designer.
With so many web based companies, you don't have to spend your weekend trudging around showrooms either. Many sites have high resolution images of each and every tile type that they sell so it easy to print off a swatch. Or you can easily order samples, so you can match up your tiles and make a considered decision on which style of tile will suit the room best.
Choosing the right tile can be a lengthy process, but that really is because it's just about the most vital decision when redesigning your bathroom or kitchen.
Article Source: http://www.propertymagnate.com/articles
Shaun Parker is an interior designer with many years of experience designing bathrooms and kitchens. Find out more about bathroom and kitchen tiles at www.tileclick.co.uk
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