In colder climates, a radiator is an integral part of every single room. Or at least it should be. Very few houses only have the one hearth in the living room still. In a lot of cases radiators mean an eye sore in a further very well thought through concept. It took surprisingly long for designers to come up with alternatives for the usually rather dull and ugly metal thing that we see underneath most windowsills. In the eighties we saw the rise of the so called design radiator. Most people only put these in their bathrooms though. They made for lovely warm towels after stepping out of the shower.
Another trend in the eighties was to lower your radiators into the ground and covering them up with wooden or metal grates or screens. Endless keys, coins and buttons would end up in them. Floor heating, where a web of heating was put under the floor, was something that only the very few could afford as it was costly and it took a lot of energy to heat through the floor. Nowadays they are more common and easier to install and also heat up easier. We have heated floors in our bathroom for instance.
Yet in order to really heat up a house in a sufficient and cost effective manner one can hardly do without the good old radiator. I personally don’t mind the traditional radiator, I think they look nice with their hint of industrialism and nostalgia. Preferably the old ones that require a static duster to clean. However, for those in need of a signature radiator, check the designs below.
Joris Laarman for Droog Design
Ciussai
The design of Ciussai can be hung up on a hook, rolled out to cover the entire room or even be placed in your bed to heat up your linen before you go to bed.
Flora by Caleido
MOON by Oreca Design
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