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Original poster

Are radiator covers stylish or naff?

31 replies

Mycatismadeofstringcheese · 02/10/2020 17:55

We’re painting living room and dining room and just realised our old style radiators are looking shabby in comparison.

We could paint them or DH suggested getting radiator covers.

I just keep thinking of watching House Doctor in the 90s and she always put radiator covers over everything. Can’t decide if I like them or not.

OP posts:
Friendsoftheearth · 02/10/2020 17:56

Stylish if done properly

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 02/10/2020 17:57

Nice if not too ornate

Original poster
Mycatismadeofstringcheese · 02/10/2020 17:57

This kind of thing

Are radiator covers stylish or naff?
OP posts:
HoneysuckIejasmine · 02/10/2020 17:58

I got one in the hallway recently and I love it. Now after more for elsewhere in house.

Just hesitating as would need custom made ones because of locations and heights of windows and radiators. £££

Original poster
Mycatismadeofstringcheese · 02/10/2020 17:59

Argggh Picture won’t post our internet is rubbish tonight

OP posts:
HoneysuckIejasmine · 02/10/2020 17:59

I feel the "slats" look more modern than the "dots" style, iyswim

MsJuniper · 02/10/2020 18:00

I don't like them usually but the top left ones are nice and they are certainly practical.

Parkandride · 02/10/2020 18:01

I was debated this, also have some shabby radiators in an area that doesn't need much hearing (do they block heat?) But wasn't sure if it was a bit Mrs Hinch-esque? Whose house is lovely but not my style at all...

TheSandman · 02/10/2020 18:09

Naff dust traps. And they defeat the purpose of the radiator which is to radiate heat. Why wrap the things in an insulating box? It's daft.

Original poster
Mycatismadeofstringcheese · 02/10/2020 18:10

I prefer the slats to the dots too.

I think they block heat if they are too closely fitted to radiator, but are ok if there’s room for air to circulate.

OP posts:
mynameiscalypso · 02/10/2020 18:14

We have them (although they were here when we moved in). They're useful because they provide an extra surface so the one in our bedroom operates as a TV stand. Just make sure they have holes/can be removed. Ours can't because they've been painted over and now we can't access two of the radiators that we need to drain.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 02/10/2020 18:33

I like them- would be interested to feel the heat diff

justkeeprunning5 · 02/10/2020 18:39

We find that they trap a lot of heat so when it gets really cold we pull the fronts off and the difference in warmth is noticeable.

Our radiators were so ugly when we moved in, and presumably that’s why previous owners used covers. We have just replaced the radiators room by room as we have decorated. Not too expensive if you have someone handy who can fit them for free and shop around for a cheaper the radiator. We’ve gone for the old fashioned radiator style with bars and they look really nice.

PickAChew · 02/10/2020 18:43

We've been replacing radiators, too. We have a crappy one in a bay window that's for the chop, next. It barely heats the room, without covering it up.

TheCraicDealer · 02/10/2020 18:47

Naff, and I don't see the point in paying to heat a box. Better spending the money on replacing the radiators as and when you're decorating the rooms.

Thehollyandtheirony · 02/10/2020 18:49

Very naff.

Puppylucky · 02/10/2020 18:51

We have them all round the house (here when we moved in) not noticed that they block heat but they make furniture placement tricky which is irritating

happymummy12345 · 02/10/2020 18:53

I don't like them or see the point of them really. Also I dry washing on our radiators, don't know how I'd ever get it all dry if I couldn't do that

Ginfordinner · 02/10/2020 18:56

I think it is pointless to cover the source of heating to reduce its effectiveness. I don't understand why people think radiators are so ugly that they have to be covered up. It reminds me of the Victorian era where everything had long tablecloths to cover the legs in case they offended.

Personally, I find radiator covers a bit twee, alongside colourful sticky back plastic to cover dustbins.

notso · 02/10/2020 18:58

I'm not keen, it's replacing an ugly metal box with an IMO ugly wooden box.
Although they can provide a useful shelf but then if you want a shelf get a shelf.

LBOCS2 · 02/10/2020 19:02

We have one for the radiator in our hallway. The hall was too narrow for a 'nice' rad and i wanted the extra space to put things, so when we had the radiator replaced I got an oversized one to allow for the fact that I was going to put a (very airy) box around it. It works for us, we've got aesthetically pleasing ones everywhere else.

catwithflowers · 02/10/2020 19:04

If affordable, I would replace the radiators with more stylish ones instead of covering them with a box. Not a fan of the wooden covers I'm afraid.

imnotimportant · 02/10/2020 19:10

I think they make an interior look institutionalised

1forAll74 · 02/10/2020 19:11

They are not necessary really, but they will sell well, as people will follow the trend now. I could not have them in my very old little house, But they do look neat in more spacious rooms.

imnotimportant · 02/10/2020 19:12

Sorry posted too soon , as previous poster said , replace with a more modern radiator , many modern architectural stiles out there to choose from or do away with them and have underfloor heating