Traditional radiator show in living room with large window

The best period-style radiator designs for your home

Written by
Caroline Duggan

Traditional style radiators are in vogue as home owners look to reinstate more period features lost over the years. These radiators can best be identified by their columns and sections, but there are numerous styles that fit into the category so we will try and explain some of the key distinctions.

Mercury 6 Column radiator in Living room blue finish

Georgian Properties

Georgian properties span a large period of house building, from the 1710’s to the 1830’s. Town houses with large, sash windows on the 1st and 2nd floors and smaller windows can be found in many British towns and cities.

These large windows open up in high ceiling living spaces traditionally incorporating decorative ceiling roses and cornicing and a large fireplace for heating.

Homes during this period were built without central heating in mind, but as home owners have sought to update their properties with new heating systems they have had to bear in mind the potential of cold draughts from open fires and ill fitting, single pane sash windows.

Radiators to consider would be some of the taller models such as the Spartan 6 Column and Mercury 6 Column. Both can look in proportion with the higher ceilings and give out the necessary heat without taking up too much wall space.

Cast iron is an excellent material for retaining heat so these radiators will continue to warm a space long after the central heating has been turned off.

Living Room Rococo III cast iron radiator in Farrow and Ball All White

Victorian Period Homes

This era of house building contributes a significant proportion of the period homes in the UK – some 8 million homes were thought to have been built between the 1830 and early 1900.

Early properties were simple in design, but increasingly were built with familiar decorative detailing, such as decorative mouldings around windows and doors, pictures and tile work and stained-glass windows. The bay window was also used extensively to create more space and natural light.

Radiators were made of cast iron and often took on some of the ornate detailing that would be found elsewhere around the home. Radiators such as the Rococo, with its swirls and top crown, would equally be found in a London Victorian terrace cottage or lavish stately home.

Bay windows are a great, but often underutilised, area for placing a radiator. The Tuba Bay Window radiator offers a perfect solution for this and potentially opening up areas of a room which can be better used for sofas and book cases.

Mercury 4 Column Cast Iron Radiator in Shaker style Kitchen

Edwardian Homes

Edwardian homes represent a short period of house building from 1900 – 1910 and demonstrated a simpler, ‘Arts and Crafts’ inspired styling than the Victorian properties that preceded.

Edwardian properties were generally more spacious with more windows and simpler decorative features.

Radiators at the time also took on simpler lines in keeping with the period. The Mercury cast iron range would be an excellent starting point if planning to reintroduce more traditional detailing into an Edwardian home. With the many heights and depths that this cast iron range comes in, short, deep radiators can be positioned under low windows, slim 2 column radiators in hallways and more traditional sizes in some of the larger rooms.

The 1930’s Semi

A mainstay of British property, the 1930’s Semi tend to have a simple, rectangular design, characterised with a tiled fireplace often with a wooden surround. Parquet flooring was abundantly used, as was wood panelling, much of which has been removed in the years since. Angled bay windows are also a common feature.

This period of house building provided a stock of homes that have become much sought after in the intervening years as they provide an excellent opportunity to modernise and extend into, the often, long rear gardens.

Cast iron radiators were still being used at this time, but modern steel equivalents, such as Tuba Steel Column, have provided a suitable contemporary equivalent with its smooth edges and uniform finishes. As furniture takes over the space in these homes, having sufficient wall space available for radiators becomes a premium so vertical options do not look out of place in an updated 1930’s Semi.

Low Aluminum Agora designer Radiator Under Living Room Window with chandelier and polished marble floor

Art Deco

Whilst 1930’s homes were being built en-masse, over the same period the Art Deco style was developing.

Art Deco houses tended to be more symmetrical and geometric in shape. Decorative elements often tended to be sharp and linear incorporating symmetry and streamlined curves.

Once again, cast iron was the main material for radiators. However, the introduction of aluminium radiators has since created a range of radiators which could be considered ideal for this period of property. Aluminium radiators such as the Chic and Alumni possess the perfect credentials to introduce contemporary materials with an effortless blending of traditional art deco styling – simple straight lines, smooth edges and excellent heat outputs so as not to take up too much wall space.

Creating the correct look and feel to your property may take time, but the results will ultimately be rewarding. Colour choice may play an equally important part in the design process so researching suitable colour palettes to match both the period of the building and the interior decor might be worthwhile. Most radiators can now be finished in many of the traditional paint brands that are out there, so there is no need to discount this aspect of the project. Contact one of The Radiator Centre’s knowledgeable staff and they will be happy to advise.