Custom made radiator cabinets not only add a significant amount of visual grace and elegance to a room, but serve a very practical benefit as well, one which could cut costs and help warm your rooms in a much more energy efficient manner. Bespoke radiator cabinets are always to be preferred to those which may be sold as standard, as they will be very much more robust, last very much longer, and perform in a much more efficient way. A wooden radiator cabinet is exposed to a great deal of heat, and in many cases a good deal of moisture as well. This places much more stress on the wood and the joints, which is why radiator covers made specially to order will perform far more efficiently and provide years of style.

In the past virtually every house would have a welcoming open fireplace around which the family would congregate. From the point of view of interior decoration we would refer to this as being a focal point of the room. However, with more effective central heating now available, in many cases the only focal point that can be identified is the widescreen TV! Being quite honest, standard radiators don't introduce much of beauty or sophistication to a house, and it's no wonder that they become disguised.

But bespoke radiator cover grills are not about hiding radiators or hiding them from view. Instead, it's about making them look more welcoming, adding grace and flair, blending in with the decor of the home and managing to compliment the theme or ambience which you, or your interior decorator, is trying to create. Steel radiators can't easily be varnished or styled without looking even worse, but a bespoke cabinet can be made in such a way that the decor or theme of your room is enhanced ideally.

A wooden radiator cabinet can be varnished, stained or painted to blend in perfectly with the rooms, instantly lifting the overall impression and sense of completion. Very little seems more depressing than spending all your time and energy redecorating a living space only to find an ugly dominating block of stark metal clinging to your wall, sneering at your efforts elsewhere! Radiator covers can be produced in a range of themes, with the grills available in several sizes and shapes. From small slits to trefoils, from clovers to delicate renaissance style patterns, the improvement is immediately apparent.

The top of a radiator can be a challenging place, simultaneously able to gather a scary collection of dust and debris, whilst being entirely inappropriate for placing photographs or tokens of interest. Made-to-order radiator cabinets include a ledge that resides along the top, lifted up a couple of inches above the top of the radiator itself. This ledge both protects the radiator from collecting dust, as well as offering an ideal surface on which to site a few decorations or photographs. Because the ledge is a little above the radiator, the heat should not affect the items placed on top. Tailor-made radiator cabinets manage to achieve this perfectly, and if it is your intention to place items on top of the radiator cabinet then it will be particularly important to make sure that it has been custom made for this design.

But it is not just about the visible improvements to a room that people prefer custom made radiator covers. A wooden radiator cover is able to make considerable improvements in the way the radiator works, raising its efficiency. This means that your rooms can be more efficiently, lowering heating expenses quite significantly. The reduction in fuel alone may well negate the price of the radiator cabinet itself in a few years.

How is this efficiency managed? Quite simply the radiator cabinet turns the radiated warmth of the radiator into convected heat, which is then redirected into the room. Usually a radiator's warmth rises up, reaching the ceiling, cooling and then dropping again. However, a wooden radiator cover draws colder air in at the bottom, and then directs the heat forwards through the radiator cover grills and into the room. Far less energy is lost, and the heat that is produced is delivered to where it is most required.

When deciding whether to buy a radiator cover or radiator cabinet it will be essential to make sure that you choose one which will be perfectly matched to the purpose and to your particular needs. No two properties are wholly the same, and there are always likely to be personal issues such as fabrics, furnishings, fixings and general use of the room that will impact on the suitability and success of your wooden radiator cabinet. Custom radiator covers take into account the specific dimensions of your room, the radiator, and the ways in which you want the radiator cabinet to be co-ordinated into the design of the room. Having the right custom-built radiator cabinet will make a massive difference in terms of home decoration as well as heating efficiency.