Nine designer radiator typologies that turn up the heat

The simple science of radiators has remained relatively unchanged for over 150 years. And although the traditional cast-iron column radiator is going through a retro-resurgence, the heating appliances are often left out of an interior architect’s creative mindset.

More imaginative designs, however, are gaining prominence in the radiator market, as modern manufacturing and materials allow them to serve wider purposes. Here are nine types of radiator, both standard and less common, that give designers and their clients more creative options when choosing how to warm up their interior and its look.

Vertical radiators

At the height of popularity in contemporary interiors of recent years, the warm air from vertical radiators doesn’t get stuck behind heat-blocking furniture, while their modern designs add bright pops of colour or original metalwork design higher up the wall. Cordivari’s Rio radiator, for example, twists its columns in a rippling water effect. While the electric Milano radiator from TUBES is free to move around the room like a standing floor lamp, and is inspired by an electric induction coil.

Colourful radiators

Standard radiators can be said to come in any colour, as long as it’s white. And while modern options open up the grayscale with complementary blacks and grey shades, by using contrasting blocks of bright colour like many of TUBES’s range and other contemporary options do, specifiers can use radiators like Scirocco H’s Snake – named after the iconic phone game of the same name – as artistic focal points for the home.

Hovering radiators

Originally made from heavy, hardwearing cast-iron, a radiator's placement is often restricted by the required supports and floor-mounted pipework. Lighter materials such as steel and aluminium, however, allow hovering radiators’ plumbing to hide behind the design. Multiple Moon or Saturn (when including a helpful towel rail) radiators from antrax it, for example, can be arranged in any formation, and remain connected backstage. While the Diamond radiator from Foursteel shows how a wall-hung radiator can take the sculptural form of geometric artwork instead.

Decorative radiators

Placement is not something that needs to hold radiator design back anymore. TUBES’s Add On radiator uses the simple mathematical symbol to create a grid design that improves efficiency, using less water with more surface area. The modular elements can also combine to fill any shape or space available between windows, doors or alternative wall shapes. If putting a radiator high up on the wall turns it into modern art, why not make it look like it, too? CINIER produces a range of abstract radiator artworks on exceptionally conductive Olycale stone.

Invisible radiators

If you're not a fan of abstract art, however, CINIER's range might leave you a little cold. Simply a glass picture frame, Nordholm’s Invisi radiator holds unique art prints or, by fitting the same covering as the wall behind, can become invisible. Alternatively, the Quilt radiator from Deltacalor irradiates the distorted colour and form of its surroundings with a soft, pillowy perspective.

Mirror radiators

Radiators like Quilt offer multi-functional solutions in small spaces like bathrooms, naturally in need of both warming and reflective surfaces. The Geometrici radiator from mg12, however, is tri-functional, also providing storage with a hidden hook that warms, dries and hides wet towels, otherwise left to ruin the spa-like aesthetic.

Radiators with storage

Also unable to stop with just two functions, TUBES’s colourful (as is the brand’s trademark) Montecarlo radiator bends its columns into the simple square and rectangular shapes of open wall storage, providing enclosed rails and shelves to warm towels and toiletries in the bathroom, or even cosy coats, scarves and hats in house entranceways, too.

Multi-functional radiators

We’ve seen how radiators can perform more than one, or even more than two functions, from artwork to mirrors to storage, but this is perhaps the one I’d like to try most. The Square Bench from TUBES is an electric radiator that brings a wonderfully warmed seat or low table either against a wall or in towards the centre of the room for everyone to enjoy.

Freestanding radiators

And whoever said radiators need to go next to a wall anyway? The freestanding Scaletta radiator from TUBES can not only hold its own weight amongst any company by balancing and supporting itself, but thanks to a nifty little cable pulley, it can travel around, too. Meaning users can retrieve a warmed towel straight from its rail, without ungracefully removing themselves from the bath.

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