Are radiator covers stylish or naff?

[Mycatismadeofstringcheese]

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.

I think they’re a bit in ‘knitted doll over toilet roll’ territory.

These are better...not quite a cover, more of a disguise and perhaps only in certain rooms.

urbansize.co.uk/products/plywood-radiator-cover

Utterly naff whatever the pattern.

I've put one in our hallway and love it. Means we can put a vase of flowers and some pictures on it and some framed pics on the wall above and make a nice focal point in the hall which was too narrow to have any other furniture. I painted it the same colour as the walls and think it looks good and works well in our Victorian house.

The alternative was to get a more stylish radiator, but I'm not a fan of the Victorian style ones which remind me of old school buildings, and a modern one would have been jarring, so the cover is best compromise

@fluffiphlox

I think they’re a bit in ‘knitted doll over toilet roll’ territory.

Exactly.

If I needed an extra shelf I would put one just above the radiator, and still alow the radiator to radiate heat. Besides I often use my radiators to finish off clothes that I have line dried outside, but aren't quite dry yet.

I think if you get a modern design & use it as a shelf in the hallway or something it's passable, but under a window it's very dated. And anything with a criss criss pattern is extremely dated!!

Plus whatever design they are, they're going to reduce the heat you benefit from the radiator.